The Rook

Firstly you have to wonder about a TV series where all the characters call the lead by the incorrect way. Myfanwy is an old Welsh name pronounced me-van-wee, not as they say Miffany, surely someone should have pointed this out. As for the cast, well they are going through the motions, nothing more. From the first few minutes in you dislike the lead, wishy-washy, bland etc. To be honest if you want something different from the usual superhero, anti-superhero you're in the wrong place, it ain't Legion. Basically it's the same as all the other banal sci-fi teen stuff, not as bad as 'The 100', but daft. Six stone slight women beating the hell out of man three times their weight, woman loses her mind, but leaves clues that anyone could find etc. The script is laughable in places, you wonder what research was ever undertaken, crime scene, pathology wasn't included in the research that's for sure. If you like your sci-fi with pretty people, characterless, pointless sex scenes, swearing for the sake of it, poor acting and a plot more open than a mountain range then you'll enjoy. If you prefer TV series like 'The Expanse', 'Discovery', 'Legion', 'Westworld', then avoid.

I haven't read the book,but I didn't really like what I saw.I gave it a 6 for its filming-London is beautiful-and the superb Joely,aside from these two...it had nothing else. A supernatural spy thriller is always an ambitious idea and it has rarely been done well.It was technical and boring,the writing was tedious and the plot was somewhat predictable and didn't evoke any kind of interest.Overall i found it flat and uninspiring.I really really don't like the lead girl,didn't like her when I first saw her in Shameless,didn't like her now.Character development was nonexistent.After finishing the episode I didn't care whether I would watch the next one or not.Keep in mind that STARZ is a network that traditionally renews shows for a second season,only to cancel them a little before its finale...has done so with BOSS, MAGIC CITY and COUNTERPART.Sooooo,I really don't know if I'm gonna invest.

The Rook is an interesting series with some fresh ideas, beautifully filmed, but a bit slow for its concept and not showing enough characters' powers in action. The main female character's play is mostly bad and cringe-worthy with awful psychological state of mind.

Most of all, the series lacks fluidity and logic from time to time, very often showing sub-plots and 'random' pictures and acts, leaving it to viewers to link them all together in relation to the whole story.

If they aim for a second season, they need to lube all parts of the story and script up, show more in-depth action and tangible use of characters' powers. The characters interactions together need to be more polished and realistic. In its current state, they are more like pieces of a puzzle, shuffled together and piled up.

All in all, a fresh series, still raw, having the potential to receive a nice polish and shine to brighten up like a diamond.

It's not easy to create a supernatural setting that feels fresh. The Rook is the most successful approach since Sense 8. Most importantly, Gestalt is the most original and hypnotizing character idea since I cannot even remember (I guess you can argue "ever"). I am disappointed that they are not the main character, and this is my main complaint: I find Myfanwy one of the least interesting characters in the story. I still really enjoy the show, but it's tailored for a specific audience that enjoy alternative supernatural stories. If you enjoyed Mysfits, The Umbrella Academy, or Sense 8 - I cannot recommend it enough. The story unfolds slowly, but it is way more subtle than I expected from something based on the book classified by many as YA. Gestalt alone make me want to know what happened next.

This has elements of other shows, like Blindspot, the X-Men. I am particularly fond of mysteries that take a while to unfold. I'm hooked on this show. You do have to put in some effort with the story line. Now let's wait for a few more episodes.