The Gifted Season 1

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

I think Fox has got a winner. The Gifted – I’m iffy about the title – has got one thing over Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s got honest-to-gosh mutants while AoS has got Inhumans who, as we all know, are mere pale imitations. I wasn’t too enthralled with the trailer(s) they’d put out, so I went into the pilot episode with a raised eyebrow. Except the pilot ep turned out to be so dope. It covers a lot of ground in just under an hour.

I won’t say who, but longtime Marvel comics readers will right away recognize plenty of the characters. This seems to be set in the same universe as the mainstream X-Men’s, as opposed to, say, Logan’s alternate universe or Legion’s. In this reality, anti-mutant sentiment has given rise to harsh anti-mutant laws, giving the federal agency, Sentinel Services, license to hunt and persecute those with the mutant gene. As a response, a nationwide mutant underground network was founded to help fleeing mutants, founded just before the X-Men vanished.

Who knew north Atlanta was a hotbed of muties? For the past five years, Reed Strucker (Stephen Moyer) had worked for the Mutant Task Force, prosecuting mutants suspected of criminal activities. It’s very ironic what happens to him and his family. If you’d seen the trailer, then you know.

Happy to say that this show packs in the Easter eggs, from references dropped about the X-Men to a certain cameo at (Te)x’s Lounge to oh-my-gosh! Marcos Diaz’s ringtone. Makes me think that the budget must be biggish since they’ve come correct with the special effects. The mutant powers unleashed look wicked legit. The acting? I got so caught up with the storyline I really didn’t catch myself analyzing the performances, which, in a way, is a win for the cast. I anticipate bigger things for Amy Acker’s character because it is friggin’ Amy Acker. She can’t just be a normal housewife. Stephen Moyer, by the way, musters up an impressive glower that dials up to eleven. Also, Percy Hynes White, who plays the relentlessly bullied Andy Strucker, looks a lot like a teen Steve Buscemi. I liked him right away. Fact is, I liked the Strucker family. And that very much includes Lauren Strucker (Natalie Alyn Lind), the older teen sister who watches over Andy. I like how level-headed Lauren is. You’ll see. You’ll like her, too.

I am now seriously stoked about this show. Color me impressed. Given, the story arc embarked upon is a familiar one. But I’m sold. Sold on the production values and, more importantly, sold on the characters. In 47 minutes, The Gifted has made me care tremendously for the Strucker fam and some of the folks in that underground network. The odds are dreadfully against them. But isn’t that the nature of the superhero narrative? Please, please, please live up to potential.

-H. Bala

DVD Wholesale Main Features:

Actors: Stephen Moyer, Amy Acker
Format: Box set, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR-Not Rated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: September 25, 2018
ASIN: B0765JXG9P