Chapter 16 (Legion)
David races to find Farouk's body in a desert where time and logic do not apply.
"Chapter 16" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American surrealist superhero thriller television series Legion, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It was written by series creator Noah Hawley and Jordan Crair, directed by Jeremy Webb, and originally aired on FX on May 22, 2018. The episode follows protagonist David Haller as he discovers the location of his nemesis Amahl Farouk's body and hurries to find it, though he is one day behind Farouk.
- Series
- Legion
- Season
- 2
- Episode
- 8
- Title
- Chapter 16
- Air date
- May 22, 2018
- Network
- FX
- Viewers (household)
- 0.409 million
Lore & Background
The desert is a constantly changing location where time and logic do not apply, with Farouk one day ahead of David. Syd catches up with David, but both struggle passing a storm. They find a tent with their future skeleton selves. David says he has a plan and telepathically communicates with Clark, telling him to find "the clock". However, Clark is knocked unconscious by Melanie, revealing she is under Farouk's control. Back in the desert, Farouk summons a minotaur to help with his mission. In the middle of the episode, the Narrator discusses narcissism and the idea that people don't matter, viewing it as people struggling to see the real world outside their "shadow".
Reader's Guide
"Chapter 16" received positive reviews from critics, who praised the cinematography, visual style, and character development, though the pacing and lack of progress drew criticism. According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.409 million household viewers and gained a 0.2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, a 10% decrease from the previous episode. With DVR factored in, the episode was watched by 0.80 million viewers with a 0.4 in the 18-49 demographics. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.4/10 based on 9 reviews. Critics such as Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B" grade, while Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx called it a weird episode even by Legion standards, noting it felt like a collection of ideas. Oliver Sava of Vulture gave it 3 out of 5 stars, and Nick Harley of Den of Geek gave it 4 out of 5 stars, praising the show's style.
Did You Know?
- The episode was written by series creator Noah Hawley and Jordan Crair, and directed by Jeremy Webb.
- It originally aired on FX on May 22, 2018.
- The episode was seen by an estimated 0.409 million household viewers according to Nielsen Media Research.
- The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating for the episode based on 9 reviews.
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