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5 Reasons Legends of Tomorrow Is the Best Superhero Show

We can't get enough of this wacky time-traveling adventure

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Keisha Hatchett

DC's Legends of Tomorrow will not be a part of this year's Arrowverse crossover, and with good reason: It's just too different. The wacky time-traveling space opera has distinguished itself as a truly unique series with a light-hearted tone that doesn't quite mesh with the likes of The Flash, Supergirl and Arrow.

Comprised of second-string heroes who screw things up for the better, Legends is a wild ride filled with bombastic adventures, weird science, supremely nerdy references and, as of Season 4, magic now that fan-favorite Constantine (Matt Ryan) has joined the cast full-time. They're the B Team, but in this case, the "B" stands for best. Here's why we think Legends is the best superhero show on TV.

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DC's Legends of Tomorrow

DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Dean Buscher/The CW


1. There's magic. After releasing the ancient demon Mallus from his cage, the Legends unwittingly unleashed magic into the real world and set the stage for what promises to be Legends' wildest season to date. With magical beings sprinkled over different timelines, it will be up to the ragtag group to wrangle them up and send them back where they belong, which probably won't be easy but will surely be fun to watch unfold.

2. It stopped taking itself so seriously. After a lackluster first season, a lot of people checked out of this show with good reason; it just wasn't fun to watch. The show centered on Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill) enlisting a bunch of second-string heroes to save his family from their future fates, a task that was both grim and taken much too seriously given the ridiculous situations the Legends often found themselves in. Things changed for the better in Season 2, however, with the introduction of more humor and formidable villains that took the show from underwhelming to must-see TV. Finally realizing that time travel is fun, the show leaned heavily into its frivolous tone and delivered many memorable moments such as Wally West and Rip Hunter singing "Careless Whisper" in a karaoke bar in 1992.

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3. This show is WILD. No other show has had more fun stretching the limits of believability and imagination quite like Legends. From killer unicorns to Grodd attempting to assassinate a young Barack Obama in order to "Make America Grodd Again," this show has never been afraid to experiment with wild plots and has been all the more entertaining for it.

4. Beebo. Furry, cuddly and lethal, there's no figure more fascinating on Legends than Beebo. First introduced in 1,000 A.D., even the Vikings fell under its spell and made it their God of War -- a mistake the Legends were forced to fix. He returned in the Season 3 finale when the Legends summoned him to fight the ancient demon Mallus, an enemy he literally cuddled to death. What's not to love about that? Plus, it looks like this isn't the last we've seen of him. Legends boss Phil Klemmer confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that Beebo will be back in Season 4 with presumably deadlier cuddles.

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5. It's nerdy as hell. From a thinly-veiled homage to Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to having the Legends team up with J.R.R. Tolkien to find the blood of Christ, Legends has never been afraid to pay homage to pop culture's nerdiest figures. For anyone who's ever been an avid fan of literally anything, you can find wonderful gems sprinkled throughout this supremely nerdy series.

DC's Legends of Tomorrow returns for Season 4 on Monday, Oct. 22 at 9/8c on The CW.

(Full disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)

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Jack Rowand, Jack Rowand/The CW