User_image
Review by Jesse Schedeen

DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "The Magnificent Eight" Review

Share.
Where even the Hunters fear to tread.

Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

“The Magnificent Eight” was easily my most anticipated episode of Legends of Tomorrow this season, both because I’m eager to see a live-action version of Jonah Hex that actually does justice to the source material and because it allowed the show the opportunity to basically play Back to the Future III for an hour. This episode didn’t disappoint on either front. It’s pretty clear by now that Legends of Tomorrow is at its best when it focuses less on its ongoing conflicts and more on letting the characters run wild in each new time period.

“The Magnificent Eight” was much like “Star City 2046” in that regard. The team traveled back to the Wild West not in pursuit of Vandal Savage, but in order to regroup and hide out from the Time Masters for a while. That would have made for a rather dull new adventure if everyone heeded Rip’s advice and remained on board the Waverider. Thankfully, they didn’t, and we got to see Ray Palmer live out his dreams of being a frontier sheriff and learn a little about the shared history between Rip and Jonah Hex (played by That Thing You Do’s Jonathan Schaech).

Hex’s debut was obviously the most noteworthy aspect of this episode. And it should come as no surprise that the character fared much better in his second live-action appearance than in the disastrous 2010 film. Schaech’s performance was initially a little shaky when the character debuted and he seemed intent on trying to outdo Mick in the “gravelly voiced badass” department. But Schaech quickly settled into the role and delivered a solid portrayal of this no-nonsense renegade. The shared history between Hex and and Rip was a very welcome surprise. As it turns out, the two go way back. Rip inherited his coat from Hex and even named his son after him. This friendship added a lot to both characters, and it played into the way DC has been handling Hex in the comics over the past few years and trying to make him a more integral part of DC’s superhero universe.

Judging from their farewell this week, it seems all but certain that we’ll see Schaech return as Hex down the road. As enjoyable as his dynamic with Rip is, it would be fun to see Hex become a regular member of the cast in Season 2. Who says the characters all need to be pulled from the same point in time anyway?

This episode easily ranks as the most purely entertaining installment of the season so far. There were moments when it bordered on being too goofy for its own good (particularly that H.G. Wells reveal). The setting was more Lucky Luke or Bonanza than anything approaching a realistic depiction of the era. But despite these silly qualities, the sheer earnestness emanating from Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz and Victor Garber’s performances helped sell the whole thing. Ray was absolutely charming as he lived out his childhood dream and protected an innocent town from the dastardly bandits. And as much as Sara has been a character consumed by darkness, it was refreshing to see her responding so well to her new surroundings. Even Kendra pointed out how rare it is to actually see Sara smile.

Looking good, Hex (relatively speaking).

Looking good, Hex (relatively speaking).

This was also a great week for Mick, though the same could be said for many episodes, really. There was a sense that Mick was finally starting to let his guard down and re-acclimate to being a member of the team again rather than a cold, remorseless bounty hunter. His banter with Sara in the saloon served as a reminder of how fun their dynamic is. As for Snart, he might as well change his name to Captain Cool after all the trick shots and tough guy moments he pulled off this week.

With all the fun cowboy antics at work this week, it’s unfortunate that Kendra had to go and put a damper on things. Her subplot was a drag compared to the rest of the episode, even if the idea of Kendra meeting one of her past selves in the flesh was pretty neat. Once again, the writers are trying too hard to use Kendra and ray as a means of injecting romantic tension into a show that doesn’t really need it.

Part of the problem is that it was really hard to buy the idea that Ciara Renée and Anna Deavere Smith were playing the same character. Smith had so much more energy and general feistiness in her performance that she seemed like a different person altogether (even taking the age gap and differing life experiences into account). This highlights what is really the fundamental problem with Kendra’s portrayal. Every character on this show is charming and charismatic in their own way, whether it’s Ray’s bubbly personality, Stein’s aloof genius or Snart’s air of affected disinterest. Every character, that is, but Kendra. Maybe if she showed a little more spunk or energy, Kendra would better be able to hold her own with the rest of the team.

The one positive when it comes to Kendra's storyline is that it reinforced the central theme of the episode, that heroes can't allow destiny to dictate their actions. Rip made his case for why the past needs to be left alone to unfold as it's meant to, but is it morally right to allow sick children to die and innocent townspeople to suffer from bandit raids when you have the power to right these wrongs? Heck no. Honestly, this episode offered the strongest case yet for why these characters deserve to be labeled heroes alongside the likes of Green Arrow and the Flash.

"The Magnificent Eight" ended on a fittingly action-oriented note given the franchise that title pays homage to. first with the dramatic duel between Rip and Jeb Stillwater and then with the arrival of the dreaded “Hunters.” In truth, the Hunters didn’t exactly live up to their reputation. They looked more like a trio of hardcore paintball fanatics than elite, time travelling bounty hunters. But if nothing else, their arrival offered an excuse for the team to stop pulling their punches and unleash metahuman hell in the Wild West. There’s something profoundly satisfying about watching an episode where Firestorm and the Atom are fighting alongside a laser gun-toting Jonah Hex

And if the Hunters didn’t amount to much of a threat, at least there’s promise in the team’s latest nemesis, The Pilgrim. That one, brief scene of The Pilgrim holding a young Mick Rory at gunpoint was all this episode needed to establish her as a real, credible threat. And the idea that our heroes could now be wiped out as children immediately injects the show with a new sense of danger and uncertainty. How do you fight a foe who can literally strike from whenever and wherever she chooses?

The Verdict

Once again, Legends of Tomorrow found success simply by focusing on an interesting new setting and allowing its characters to run wild. There was a lot to love this week, whether it was Ray playing sheriff, Sara savoring the simple frontier life or Rip reconnecting with his old buddy, Jonah Hex. There were some weak points this week (mainly with the ever troubling Kendra), but on the whole this was a very entertaining diversion for our heroes.

IGN Logo
Great
Legends of Tomorrow made the most of guest star Jonah Hex and the Wild West setting this week.
  • Made great use of the setting
  • Wacky cowboy adventure
  • Rip and Hex's shared history
  • Kendra's subplot
  • The Hunters didn't impress