FX boss John Landgraf announced at the TCAs today that the network’s X-Men linked series Legion will be ending with its upcoming third season. According to Landgraf, series creator Noah Hawley always envisioned this one wrapping up after a three-year run, but I’m sure the ratings factored into the decision as well. Legion debuted in 2017 with decent ratings for a cable series but saw those drop by nearly sixty percent last year. It’s very possible the Hawley had a three season story arc planned for the show, but if viewership had been higher then FX likely would have nudged him to come up with some new story ideas beyond that (case in point, Marvel has left the door open for a possible continuation). But at least the show did get that final season to wrap up its storylines, rather than getting cancelled on a cliffhanger, and it may prove creatively stronger despite its relatively short run. The third season will debut at some point in Spring 2019.
Legion focuses on a man who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but who actually has extremely potent powers that others want to control. It stars Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Bill Irwin, and Jeremie Harris and is based on the comic book character created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz.
The TCAs are going on currently when the networks talk with the critics about their current and upcoming schedules, so expect more announcements over the next week or so. Be sure to stay tuned to this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news as well as the latest ratings results.
