Freakshow (Legends Of Tomorrow)

The third season of the American television series '' Legends of Tomorrow'', which is based on characters from DC Comics, premiered on The CW on October 10, 2017, and ran for 18 episodes until April 9, 2018. The season follows the Legends, a dysfunctional team of time-traveling superheroes and anti-heroes, and their mission to correct anachronisms in time that they unintentionally caused. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe, and is a spin-off of ''Arrow'' and ''The Flash''. The season is produced by Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment, with Phil Klemmer and Chris Fedak serving as showrunners.

The season was ordered in January 2017. Production began that July and ended in February 2018. Principal cast members Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Victor Garber, Franz Drameh, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Amy Pemberton, Nick Zano, and Dominic Purcell return from previous seasons. They are joined by new cast members Tala Ashe and ''The Flash'' alum Keiynan Lonsdale. Drameh, Garber and Lonsdale all depart the series thought the season. Multiple of the seasons recurring characters were promoted to regulars in the following season including, Matt Ryan, Jes Macallan, and Courtney Ford.

The series was met with positive reviews from critics. Critics praised the season for its goofiness and cast. Several of them felt that it greatly improved on the previous two seasons. It was nominated for a Saturn Award for "Best Superhero Television Adaptation Series". The season averaged 2.37 million viewers per episode.

Premise

The Legends find out that attempting to time travel with two versions of themselves on board the ''Waverider'' had more of an impact on time than they thought. Due to this blunder, anachronisms have popped up along the timeline including both objects and people. Rip Hunter's new Time Bureau, a replacement organization for the Time Masters, forces the Legends to disband and resume normal lives. However, they are forced back into action and allowed to work as deputized members of the Time Bureau; they remain unaware that Rip is planning to use their often-destructive tendencies for a threat bigger than the anachronisms.

Episodes

Cast and characters

Main

* Caity Lotz as Sara Lance / White Canary
* Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer / Atom
* Victor Garber as Martin Stein / Firestorm
* Franz Drameh as Jefferson "Jax" Jackson / Firestorm
* Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe / Vixen
* Amy Louise Pemberton as Gideon (voice)
* Tala Ashe as Zari Tomaz
* Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West / Kid Flash
* Nick Zano as Nate Heywood / Steel
* Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory / Heat Wave

Recurring

* Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter
* Christina Brucato as Lily Stein
* Jes Macallan as Ava Sharpe
* Adam Tsekhman as Gary Green
* Hiro Kanagawa as Wilbur Bennett
* Tracy Ifeachor as Kuasa
* Joy Richardson as Amaya Jiwe's ancestor
* Neal McDonough as Damien Darhk
* Courtney Ford as Nora Darhk
* John Noble voices Mallus
** Noble also appears as himself
* Matt Ryan as John Constantine

Guest

Production

Development and filming

In January 2017, ahead of the second season's conclusion, '' Legends of Tomorrow'' was renewed by The CW for a third season. Later in the year the season was officially given an 18 episode order. Filming for the season began on July 18, 2017, and ended in February 2018.

For the episode " Here I Go Again" Amy Pemberton physically portrayed Gideon, unlike most episodes where she only voiced the character. Sellers called her experience playing the 72-year-old version of Amaya Jiwe "horrible" because of the practical elements that were involved in creating the character's look, particularly the makeup. She recalled, "I was sent to a full head cast ..I was covered in plaster from my shoulders up with just two breathing holes for two hours. They then created a whole new face and neck for me that was glued on and spray painted over the course of four hours. The end result was freakishly convincing."

Writing

Season three features a genre shift from science fiction to fantasy, as well as a change in tone being far lighter than the previous two, being far more wacky and silly. Showrunner Phil Klemmer teased the changes described season three as being "more in the world of the occult and monsters". Co-creator Marc Guggenheim explained that, part of the motivation for adding the Muslim character Zari Tomaz to the series was the "political climate" in the United States following the 2016 elections.

Klemmer revealed that he wanted to have the Legends visit new locations including Golden Age Hollywood and Victorian London. The character Gorilla Grodd throughout the season in an antagonistic role. Though he was written to be more sympathetic following his defeat in ''The Flash'' as seen in the "Gorilla City" two-parter.

Casting

Returning series regulars from the previous season include Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Franz Drameh, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Amy Pemberton, Nick Zano and Dominic Purcell as Martin Stein, Ray Palmer, Sara Lance, Jefferson Jackson, Amaya Jiwe, Gideon, Nate Heywood and Mick Rory respectively. They were joined by Tala Ashe and Keiynan Lonsdale playing Zari Tomaz and Wally West, respectively. Lonsdale was previously a regular on ''The Flash''.

It was the only season to feature Lonsdale as a regular, as he departed after the season finale, citing his desire to seek other acting opportunities. This was the final season to feature Garber and Drameh as regulars. Garber leaves in " Crisis on Earth X, Part 4", followed by Drameh in the following episode. While Garber departure was due to him wanting to resume his career in Broadway theater, Drameh's exit was a creative decision. Drameh returned in the season finale, "The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly". Richardson-Sellers's character Amaya Jiwe, leaves in the season finale. However, Richardson-Sellers returned the following season as Charlie / Clotho.

Arthur Darvill, who played Rip Hunter as a main cast member in the first two seasons, was demoted to recurring for the season. Various actors returned in their roles from other Arrowvverse series in recurring capacity, such as Neal McDonough as Damien Darhk, David Sobolov as the voice of Grodd, and Christina Brucato as Lily Stein. Tracy Ifeachor was cast as Jiwe's granddaughter Kuasa, replacing Anika Noni Rose who voiced the character in the animated web series '' Vixen'', and Courtney Ford replaced Tuesday Hoffman as Damien's daughter Nora, Ford was upped to series regular in the following season. Sellers' mother Joy Richardson recurred as Jiwe's vision quest ancestor.

Matt Ryan recurs as John Constantine. He previously portrayed the character in the canceled NBC television series ''Constantine''. The series was retroactively added to the Arrowverse after Ryan guest starred in the ''Arrow'' season four episode "Haunted". Ryan was promoted to a series regular in the next season.

Wentworth Miller, who played Leonard Snart / Captain Cold as a regular in season 1 and recurred in season 2, returned to play the character's Earth-X doppelganger Leo Snart / Citizen Cold. Miller portrayed the character in a guest capacity. Jes Macallan, Adam Tsekhman and Hiro Kanagawa recurred as the Time Bureau agents Ava Sharpe, Gary Green and Wilbur Bennett, respectively. Macallan was promoted to regular in the following season.

John Noble voices Mallus, the season's main antagonist, but the character's true form is not revealed until the season's penultimate episode, "Guest Starring John Noble". During the episode Noble additionally portrays a fictionalized version of himself in a guest appearance.

Crossover

In May 2017, then president of The CW Mark Pedowitz publicly announced plans for a four-show Arrowverse crossover event, consisting of '' Supergirl'', ''The Flash'', ''Legends of Tomorrow'', and ''Arrow''. The crossover, '' Crisis on Earth-X'', began with ''Supergirl'' and a special airing of ''Arrow'' on November 27, 2017, and concluded with back-to-back airings of ''The Flash'' and ''Legends of Tomorrow'' on November 28.

Release

The third season of ''Legends of Tomorrow'' aired on The CW in the United States. It aired weekly from October 10, 2017, through December 5 where it took a mid-season break. It returned on February 12, 2018, and concluded on April 9. The season was made available for streaming on Netflix in late April 2018, soon after the season finale aired. It was released on bot DVD and Blu-ray on September 25, 2018.

Ratings

In terms of live viewership season high was "Crisis on Earth-X, Part 4" with 2.80 million viewers, and the season low was "No Country for Old Dads" with 1.19 million viewers. When accounting for seven-day DVR viewership "Crisis on Earth-X, Part 4" remains the peak with an additional 1.82 million viewers for a total of 4.62 million. The season low becomes "Amazing Grace" with 2.03 million. Overall the season averaged 2.37 million viewers per episode.

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 88% approval rating off of 36 reviews. The average rating being 7.95/10 based on 8 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'' lightens up the tone in its third season while spotlighting adventurous plots and a distinct sense of humor." Critics praised the season for its lighter tone and overall cast of character, several of them labeling the season the best one to date.

'' Vox'' writer Sara Ghaleb wrote, "The corner of The CW's Arrowverse became its best self in season three". Ghaleb described the episode as goofy and silly, feeling that while the premise of the plot seemed ridiculous it came together neatly. Writng for ''Tell-Tale TV'', Jennifer Ann rated the season a 5/5. Ann felt the season finale provided a satisfying narrative conclusion to the season.

''IGN'''s Jesse Scheeden felt that season was the best of the series so far but also had the worst episodes overall. He rated the season a 8.1/10. Scheeden criticized the seasons main villain feeling that Mallus did not properly pay off the build up. He also labeled the totem plot line "boring". Despite his negatives he strongly praised the team dynamic and the general cast of characters.

In a ranking of Arrowverse seasons for ''Screen Rant'', Kath Leroy placed season three at the seventh best. Ahead of ''The Flash'' season five and behind ''Supergirl'' season five. It is the second highest placed ''Legends of Tomorrow'' season only behind season two. In '' Collider'' ranking of all seven seasons by Adam Virgona, season three placed third, ahead of season four and behind season seven. Virgona praised the seasons transition from science fiction to fantasy. Writing for '' MovieWeb'', Richard Fink ranked the season second ahead of season four and behind season two.

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Notes

References

General references
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External links

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{{Arrowverse

2017 American television seasons
2018 American television seasons
Legends of Tomorrow seasons