Audiences were shocked when Fox announced The Gifted, a television series based in the world of the X-Men. With so many successful movies based on the long-running film franchise, fans wondered if the series would be set in the same universe. If so, would it provide answers to long-standing plot points and storylines that hadn't had the chance to be explored on the big screen?

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Instead of using big name characters from the movies, the series turned out to be something most fans didn't expect. The Gifted is a family drama starring characters that, for the most part, have never been seen on the big screen. And yet, it is undeniably a pure X-Men story.

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Unfortunately, the use of smaller-named mutants turned some people off of the series before it had the chance to begin. But while The Gifted may didn't involve record ratings when it premiered, it still drew a respectable crowd. With marketing that focused greatly on the show's X-Men connection, however, the fact that mutants like Wolverine, Cyclops or Mystique weren't even mentioned likely turned a few of these people away. The Gifted has been dropping in viewers ever since it began, with the latest episode reaching series lows. This is a shame, because the truth is the mutant drama really deserves a big audience. It's a quality show that deserves to be watched by anyone who considers themselves an X-Men fan.

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The Gifted actually takes the time to tell its story. In this day and age, many comic book-based shows are in a hurry to establish a status quo that will explore the main characters in their superhero glory, from their costumes to their hideouts and their extensive rogues gallery. That isn't what The Gifted its about. It's about heroism, sure, but it's not about being a superhero, about fighting, surviving, and helping each other survive. It's about being special in a world that seeks to suppress the different. The Gifted has a story to tell, but it's taking the time to get there organically. As the Season 1 finale approaches, the pieces are swiftly falling into place more swiftly, but there has been a sense of buildup as the season progresses. This slow-burn approach is paying off for people who have been watching from the beginning.

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In this way, the series could be compared to another that had very humble beginnings: AMC's Breaking Bad. Today, everyone knows the powerhouse Breaking Bad was in its prime, but there was a point in the show's five-year history when it had very low viewership, even verging on cancellation. The Gifted, like the first two seasons of the Bryan Cranston-starring drama, has been very slow and methodical. It's a show where actions have consequences, where the action doesn't move from one big set piece to another. There is actual build up and character development, in every single episope.

The series has a large cast, and is held together by compelling performances. They're mutants that have never been the biggest names in comics, characters that could have easily been disposable one-offs. But The Gifted has transformed them into a new team we can root for, one we want to see more of. It would be easy for the series to bring in a character well-known to the general audience, or to employ the use of cheap cameos to boost its viewership. But the series has remained true to its universe, its story and, most importantly, to itself.

In the End, The Gifted Is About Family

In The Gifted, there's no rush to get to the action, no hurry to put these new mutants into superhero costumes. They're too busy trying to get by, attempting to do what's right. At its core, this is a show about family. The idea originated in the Struckers, a family of four forced to go on the run when the children exhibit mutant superpowers. It since expanded to the Mutant Resistance leaders, with Eclipse, Polaris, Thunderbird and Dreamer all slowly becoming a part of one big, extended family unit. You'll be surprised how much you find yourself rooting for these characters.

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Tonight, The Gifted airs its midseason finale. The way things ended last week has those who have been watching at the edge of their collective seat. It's a twist earned by a strong season that evolved organically, the progression of a story that's grown more exciting and dire with every revelation. The fact that the series is slowly dipping into '90s X-Men comics lore is simply icing on the cake, and we can't wait to see where things go next. Like Breaking Bad, The Gifted is taking its time to tell its story and to delve into its characters. And like Breaking Bad, it deserves a chance at new seasons, so it can be allowed to pay off what it is building up.


Airing Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox, The Gifted stars Stephen Moyer as Reed Strucker, Amy Acker as Caitlin Strucker, Sean Teale as Eclipse/Marcos Diaz, Jamie Chung as Blink/Clarice Fong, Coby Bell as Jace Turner, Emma Dumont as Polaris/Lorna Dane, Blair Redford as Thunderbird/John Proudstar, Natalie Alyn Lind as Lauren Strucker, and Percy Hynes White as Andy Strucker.