Chapter 1

"Chapter 1" is the pilot and first episode of the first season of the American cable television series Legion, which is based on the Marvel Comics character David Haller. The episode is connected to the X-Men film series, the first television episode to do so, and follows Haller, who believes himself to have schizophrenia until he is interrogated by government agents who think he may be the most powerful mutant discovered. The episode was written and directed by series creator Noah Hawley. Dan Stevens stars as Haller, alongside series regulars Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Jeremie Harris, Amber Midthunder, Katie Aselton, and Jean Smart. FX ordered a pilot for Legion in October 2015, with Hawley attached. He structured the episode to reflect the confused mind of Haller, and to explore issues of mental illness. The episode was filmed in Vancouver and nearby soundstages, with elaborate sequences and in-camera practical effects worked into the 21-day filming schedule. These included several montages, a Bollywood dance number, and a complicated single take action sequence. The practical effects were digitally augmented by Folks VFX. "Chapter 1" originally aired on FX on February 8, 2017, and was watched by 3.59 million viewers within a week of its release. The episode was praised by critics for its inventive storytelling and visuals, distancing itself from other superhero stories, as well as the performance of Stevens and Hawley's direction. However, some critics found the unreliable narrator aspect too confusing. Plot David Haller is being interrogated by officials of the agency Division 3, who believe he may be the most powerful mutant (someone possessing a genetic trait that gives them superhuman abilities) discovered. He explains that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was young, and became increasingly troubled growing up. He eventually attempted suicide, and was taken to Clockworks Psychiatric Hospital. He also starts to remember unexplainable incidents, such as a time that an entire kitchen exploded around him. Six years after entering the hospital, he was visited by his sister Amy, who believed that he was much improved. By then, David was just waiting for something new to happen.