I was unaware of the backstory/roots of this series before watching on Netflix. So are you saying that the comic book itself (that this is based on) is a rip off of the Dark Phoenix Saga? I don't follow X-Men all that closely, and while the series does seem to combine a bunch of other seen-before elements, to me it had something unique--if forgettable--to offer.

Yes. And it has done that storyline better than Dark Phoenix will.

At least its a good ripoff of x-men.

and not a rip of the cloney batman.

If this is a clone then we need more clones. Good s#1¤t

@TheVorlon said:

It was clear by the second episode they were redoing the Dark Phoenix Saga.

Yeah, now you mention it. I didn't think about the Dark Phoenix comparisons before. In fairness though, it is a pretty good X-Men clone. Not exceptional, but pretty good. I'll be watching season 2.

Here's why I don't care that UA is derivative of X-Men: It's well written, well performed, beautifully shot with wonderfully motivated camera and lighting choices, surprising, and in season 2 every time powers come into play I'm cheering out loud because it feels so hard earned.

Derivative works that bring nothing new to the table can go straight to hell, of course. When I'm in the moment with these characters I'm not thinking X-Men. I'm totally engaged. The only explanation I have for why some unoriginal work pulls me out of the moment and others don't is that, when you boil it all down, absolutely nothing is original. X-Men is a retelling of an old story. So is Star Wars. So is Being John Malkovich. So is Lord of the Rings. So is the Bible. Either there's enough good stuff there that the derivation is unnoticeable or there isn't, and it's different from person to person.

For me this show is the absolute bollocks, I love every moment in it, and the similarities to X-Men have zero effect on my enjoyment.

I would even add...and it's hard to do so with the expansive superhero universe...that I prefer UA to XMen.

I think for me it's the grit...yeah, probably the grit.

X-Men Clone?

There are over 7B people on the planet. So, for those of us who have never hear of, or seen, X-Men...not a problem. Thankfully, we can like it for what it is…and not hate it in comparison to something else.

@FormerlyKnownAs said: we can like it for what it is

It sucks for what it is.

@TheVorlon said:

@FormerlyKnownAs said: we can like it for what it is

It sucks for what it is.

I don't think it sucks at all; but then...

"One man's meat is another man's poison."

@Alpuccino said:

Here's why I don't care that UA is derivative of X-Men: It's well written, well performed, beautifully shot with wonderfully motivated camera and lighting choices, surprising, and in season 2 every time powers come into play I'm cheering out loud because it feels so hard earned.

Derivative works that bring nothing new to the table can go straight to hell, of course. When I'm in the moment with these characters I'm not thinking X-Men. I'm totally engaged. The only explanation I have for why some unoriginal work pulls me out of the moment and others don't is that, when you boil it all down, absolutely nothing is original. X-Men is a retelling of an old story. So is Star Wars. So is Being John Malkovich. So is Lord of the Rings. So is the Bible. Either there's enough good stuff there that the derivation is unnoticeable or there isn't, and it's different from person to person.

For me this show is the absolute bollocks, I love every moment in it, and the similarities to X-Men have zero effect on my enjoyment.

This show doesn't remind me of any shows/movies I've seen; even so, I agree with you on principle. I’m just not the kind of person who’d watch something about a brother-murdering-his-brother and declare it a “Cain and Abel" rip-off.

Just finished season 2 and thought it was better than season 1. Better and more unique choices of music. There didn't seem to be any filler episodes whereas I found season 1 did follow it's great 1st episode with a few meandering ones as it took a little time to hit it's stride. Season 2 found and kept it's momentum all the way through.

I don't know about the X-man vibe. I got sort of a Watchmen: the Teen Years thing overall. It got a bit Alphabet-retarded in the 1st season, but nothing that was close to intolerable. The plot was more than story-based enough to watch the second season where the Alphabet taint really tried to gain some head way. But, all in all, I did not get a lacking Eternals, Birds of Prey, Loki, Black Widow, or Wandavision vibe from the show. It wasn't like, "Oh god! Here we go again with the forced gay identification 'thing.'" No. The story and sub plots all went together nicely. It's as I was saying in another review, if they can keep the story ahead of the alphabet-taint and identity politics, and keep the bi-racial chick from eating everything within her line of sight off camera at the staff buffet table, the show should make movie cult status.