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2 TV ENCORE By Kyla Brewer TV Media T elevision fans have long been fascinated with superheroes. Superman (George Reeves) flew onto the small screen in the 1950s, and Adam West's Batman "batusied" in the campy TV series of the same name in 1966. Lynda Carter ruled the airwaves as Wonder Woman in the 1970s, and the fun has continued since then. A new kind of super-powered TV character emerges as Natalie Alyn Lind ("The Goldbergs") and Percy Hynes White ("Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," 2014) star as Lauren and Andy Strucker, teenage siblings with special abilities, in the latest comic book-themed series to hit the airwaves: "The Gifted," air- ing Monday, Oct. 23, on Fox. Set in Marvel's comic and cinematic X-Men universe, the series fol- lows the sister and brother who, along with their parents, struggle to evade nefarious forces. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, creator Matt Nix ("Burn Notice") explained why he chose to focus the series on a single family: "We really get to see the development of powers and per- spectives," Nix said, "and we give audiences who maybe aren't really familiar with the X-Men a window into this world." The Struckers' adventure began when parents Reed (Stephen Moyer, "True Blood") and Caitlin (Amy Acker, "Person of Interest") discovered that Cass Co Family YMCA 2 x 2" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" On the Cover their children possess mutant powers. This was especially shocking considering the fact that Reed worked as a district attorney who specialized in prosecuting much-maligned mutants. Desperate to protect their children and keep their family together, Reed and Caitlin seek help from an under- ground network of mutants as they go on the run from a hos- tile government. The mutants in the new Fox drama include characters from the comics and films, as well as brand-new mutants. For those familiar with the 2014 movie "X-Men: Days of Future Past," Blink needs no introduction. Also known as Clarice Fong, teleport- ing mutant Blink is portrayed by Fan Bingbing in the big-screen hit, but the role is played by Jamie Chung ("Once Upon a Time") in "The Gifted." Emma Dumont ("Aquarius") stars as Polaris/Lorna Dane, a loyal mutant with the ability to control magnetism. In the X-Men comic universe, Polaris is Magneto's daughter, and Nix recently confirmed in an inter- view with CBR.com that would be the case in "The Gifted." Nix also pulled Thunderbird/ John Proudstar from the comics, and he's played by Blair Redford ("The Young and the Restless") in Fox's action adventure. A Native American with superhu- man athletic ability, the character serves as the leader of the mutant resistance. In contrast, Eclipse/Marcos Diaz was created specifically for "The Gifted." British actor Sean Teale ("Reign") tackles the role of the rebellious mutant who can absorb and manipulate photons. Likewise, Special Agent Jace Turner is original to the Fox series, not the Marvel X-Men uni- verse. Coby Bell ("Third Watch") stars as Turner, a human who has worked for Sentinel Services ever since his daughter died during a mutant-related incident. Produced by 20th Century Fox in association with Marvel Television, the show about super- powered mutants features some heavy hitters behind the scenes, beginning with Nix as showrun- ner and executive producer. Other executive producers include Bryan Singer, Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg, who all worked on at least one of the X-Men franchise movies. Marvel's Jeph Loeb ("Lost") and Jim Chory ("Daredevil") are also on board as executive producers. Loeb and Chory share a con- nection to a similarly themed series: NBC's now defunct "Heroes," which also featured a storyline with a super-powered teenage girl whose father works for an organization dedicated to keeping people like her in line. Like many other superhero series, including "The Gifted," those who are seen as different are seen as dangerous, leading to them being marginalized. Interestingly, "The Gifted" can also be compared to many other popular current shows as well. Superheroes abound in prime time right now, with CW's "Supergirl, "The Flash," "Arrow" and "DC's Legends of Tomorrow," as well as "Marvel's Inhumans" and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." on ABC. Meanwhile, villains steal the spotlight in Fox's "Gotham." Streaming services have also got- ten in on the act with Netflix's "Daredevil," "Jessica Jones" and "Luke Cage" among others, and Hulu's upcoming "Marvel's Runaways" is about to drop in November. All of this indicates there's a big market for comic book-inspired television, which bodes well for "The Gifted." Stephen Moyer stars in "The Gifted" Family of heroes: Mutants band together in 'The Gifted' D&J Liquors 3 x 2" Direct Maytag 2 x 1.5" Edward Jones 2 x 1.5" United Methodist Church 2 x 2.5" 3727 E. MARKET ST. • 574-732-1175 BRING ON THE LAUNDRY Home of the Good Guys

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