CW's Superhero Sitcom Gets Magical, Musical in Fourth Season

Starting out as a B-team of heroes in the CW's Arrowverse, DC's LEGENDS OF TOMORROW has evolved from being a time-traveling adventure story that didn't take itself too seriously to being a full-out sitcom of superheroes who reference the main continuity but who remain unaffected by it -- and, apparently, don't affect it all that much themselves, despite what should be some world-changing impacts -- particularly given the very public appearance of some very supernatural happenings.

Magic takes front and center this season, as the "fixes" the Legends made defeating Mallus have opened up the doorway for creatures from myth to make their way into the mundane world. In fact, much of the team has been replaced since the series began, and the majority of the additions are magical: John Constantine (MATT RYAN), Zari "Don't call her Isis" Tomaz (TALA ASHE), Nora Darhk (COURTNEY FORD), and the shapeshifter Charlie (MAISIE RICHARDSON-SELLERS) are all magical beings, putting the supers in a minority of one -- Nate "Steel" Heywood (NICK ZANO), with technology genius Ray "The Atom" Palmer (BRANDON ROUTH), hotheaded Mick "Heat Wave" Rory (DOMINIC PURCELL) and Captain Sara Lance (CAITY LOTZ) being ordinary humans with either a piece of equipment they utilize or highly developed fighting skills. Where they used to travel time trying to catch time-traveling bad guys, then seeking out to fix anomolies, this season they are on the hunt for released magical beasts -- all part of a plan by the demon Neron to release thousands of souls from hell to "Make Earth Hell Again." 

While, on the whole, the series is something of a superhero sitcom, engaging in self-reference, self-deprecation, and sometimes problem-solving by way of a musical number, it is ironically one of the more entertaining superhero shows of the CW's Arrowverse slate. The ensemble is diverse, but that's not its reason for existence. Rather, it is simply something that is, with the focus being on escapist adventure rather than hamfisted political agitprop (*cough* Supergirl *cough*). It's fun, and doesn't pretend to be anything more than that.

When the demon Neron ultimately takes residence in Ray Palmer, after a deal made to save Nate's life, the rest of the team must figure out a way to nullify that deal and make Neron vulnerable. The solution involves a theme park for magical creatures and heroes disguising themselves as superheroes, but ultimately comes with a "Bill & Ted" twist that is tragic--if only the team remembered it happened.

The Legends did not participate in the annual crossover event this year, although an oblique reference was made to it. Here's hoping that the time-traveling misfits come into play somehow during the highly anticipated Crisis on Infinite Earths event later this year.