Legion: Jean Smart Soars As Dr. Melanie Bird
With its consistent swerves, the folks at FX have enthralled if not overwhelmed a growing body of [...]
With its consistent swerves, the folks at FX have enthralled if not overwhelmed a growing body of fans with this season's hit, Legion. As the team's protector, Dr. Melanie Bird, Jean Smart thankfully brought her compass to the show's Summerland proving grounds.
Bird is an all new kind of role even when considering that Smart has enjoyed an extensive career across film and television. Though she has played key roles in other recent hits dealing with action and revenge (like 24 and Fargo), Legion marks the first time that Smart has used her acting talents in a live-action, comic-inspired story.
She said that the end result of her craft of the character is yet to be determined.
"I think it's a work in progress," she said.
Though Bird trains David -- and the other suspected mutants at Summerland -- the character is in stark contrast to the other, similar characters in recent origin stories. Often a hero's trainer being his surprise tormenter is a common trope, Smart excels by making Melanie's motives ambiguous throughout.
Though she hails from the Pacific Northwest personally, the Squamish, British Columbia locations where Legion was shot were "breathtaking" for the cast. Since the small pieces of Legion shown on screen have had the same impact on audiences, it's fortunate that the cast was able to take it all in.
The contrast of mountains and forest available in Squamish and the surrounding area is just one of the tools Smart and the rest of the cast could draw from to create a completely different feel in the new series from many of the same creators of FX's Fargo.
In Fargo, Smart played crime family matriarch Floyd Gerhardt, who leads a gang of conflicted family members in their conflict with outsiders. But the similarities between Floyd and Melanie Bird may end there. The characters command respect through totally different means, and the so-called "Minnesota Nice" approach is certainly not what Legion needed.
One lucky carry over from Fargo was the opportunity to work with Rachel Keller again.
Though Keller's early work on Fargo already represented a big leap, her performance as Legion's Sydney Barrett is notable for how unconventional and reserved it is compared to many leading roles in comic book movies.
[MORE LEGION: Would Patrick Stewart Reprise Professor X in Legion?]
"I think Rachel is so special," Smart said. "She's so poised as a young actress… I love watching her. She has big soulful eyes. She's so right there in the moment, so relaxed and so focused."
The Legion collection of characters also got a big shot of energy with the addition of Bill Irwin after the first episode. A legendary clown alongside his extensive acting qualifications, Irwin's experience with mime work and props produced many unexpected moments on set.
One scene with Irwin and Smart that fans have been talking about ever since is the silent encounter in David's childhood home that eventually freezes in place, providing the unbalanced scales which the team must eventually correct to free David (and Melanie's husband, Oliver) and allow them to focus on becoming Legion.
The tricky scene could have been disorienting but Irwin's versatility allowed everyone to keep track of the plot.
"He was able to do it at times that were much more comical and at times much more serious," Smart said of creating the scene with Irwin. "I've been a fan of Bill's for a very long time."
But Melanie's main motivation is undoubtedly a reunion with her husband Oliver Bird (multitalented comedian and performer Jemaine Clement). Through its story so far, Legion has kept the former companions separated by increasingly abstract divisions inspired by the rich X-Men mythos.
The trials that David undergoes (and, so far, passes) may help Melanie and Oliver meet again. The seven chapters of Legion aired so far have fans holding their breath to see the powerful result.
-- Zach Ellin will provide coverage Legion coverage for ComicBook.com throughout the entire season of the show. Follow him on Twitter for more of his insights.
EPISODE RECAPS: Episode One | Episode Two | Episode Three |Episode Four | Episode Five | Episode Six | Episode Seven
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