The Nevers is a fun, frustrating Victorian-era X-Men-esque fantasy series

We got to watch the first four episodes of The Nevers, HBO’s new Victorian fantasy series, early. Is this show the next big fantasy hit, or a curiosity that’s several shades too twee for its own good?

The show, set in 19th century London, is about a group of people — mostly women — who have been “touched” and given special powers, whether it’s the ability to see the future, have ice breath, throw fireballs, etc. Many of them gather in an orphanage overseen by the no-nonsense Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), who’s power (or “turn,” as the show calls them) is precognition. (Also she fights like Buffy the Vampire Slayer on a good day; I think that’s just her being a badass, not her power.) With her right-hand woman Penance Adair (Ann Skelly), Amalia defends her flock from a hostile English establishment who see the Touched as a threat, a crazed member of the Touched named Maladie (Amy Manson) who may know more about the nature of their powers than she lets on, and other malevolent forces.

So a group of marginalized, super-powered people battle threats from all sides. A lot of critics have called this show X-Men with Victorian women, and that’s because it’s exactly what it is.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve more or less enjoyed the series so far. The Nevers is pleasantly divorced from reality, and not just because everyone has superpowers. Penance’s turn grants her an especial understanding of electricity and machinery, which allows her to create all manner of crazy steampunk gizmos and gadgets, none of which are overly remarked upon; they’re just kind of here. The show throws us into the mythology of the Touched straight away, presenting us with a world that’s not so much a reflection of actual Victorian society as it is a super-charged pop culture-drunk version of it. And the performances are strong across the board, particularly from Laura Donnelly as Amelia.

Joss Whedon’s The Nevers

The Nevers was created by Joss Whedon, the guy behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and the first couple Avengers movies. Actually, “created by” might be too weak a descriptor. This show is infused with Joss Whedon; all of the director’s favorite things are here. You have a group of warrior waifs taking on the world; rapid-fire self-aware dialog that oscillates between engrossing and overdone; and a couple of characters so prim and delicate you fear they might shatter like glass if you touch them. For that last one I’m thinking mainly of Penance and Augustus Bidlow (Tom Riley), who have a Jane Austen-esque romantic subplot that’s always right on the edge of becoming so cute you want to die.

This is the first TV show Whedon has made in over 10 years, and in a lot of ways it feels stuck in the past. The conversations are still interspersed with playful fight scenes, some of the episodes feel like they’re trying to stand on their own rather than be part of a continuum, and the whole thing has a basic cable sense of propriety, with a few curse words and bare body parts thrown in to remind us we’re watching HBO.

The plot is also a little meandering; you get the idea Whedon was more enchanted with the feel of this world, his cast and his dialog than he was with making a clockwork story, but there are more episodes to come.

And after this, I am interested in watching them, if not ravenously so. As derivative as parts of The Nevers are, I give the show credit for technically being a wholly unique idea. It’s got a very distinct point of view, even if that point of view is one any fan of Whedon’s work will recognize.

Speaking of Whedon, he has been exiled from Hollywood after actors he worked with on Buffy, Angel and Justice League detailed his inappropriate behavior on set. After he left The Nevers, HBO replaced him as showrunner with screenwriter Philippa Goslett. What does that mean for the future of the show? We’ll see. For right now, I’m just curious to see how people react to its beginning.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels