We Need To Talk About All Those Damn Wigs in Jupiter’s Legacy

This week saw the premiere of Jupiter’s Legacy, a new superhero drama from Netflix and Mark Millar’s Millarworld. The series, based on Millar and Frank Quitely’s graphic novels of the same name, follows a superpowered family grappling with generational change and the moral and ethical quandaries of superheroism. The series focuses on the Sampson family, with patriarch Sheldon Sampson (Josh Duhamel) aka the Utopian married to Grace (Leslie Bibb) who goes by the moniker Lady Liberty. The duo, who adhere to a strict superhero code, find themselves at odds with their superpowered children, struggling to get out from under the shadow of their parents.

The series splits its time between 1929 and the present day. In 1929, the heroes are supposed to be in their twenties, and thanks to the powers of superhero aging, they’re sporting long grey locks and some old age make-up in the present. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the hair and make-up leaves something to be desired. It’s a design misfire that seems surprising considering the show’s ample budget, and it’s giving us flashbacks to the truly terrible wigs and CGI hair from Marvel’s Inhumans.

(Serinda Swan as Medusa in Marvel’s Inhumans/ABC)

Of course, Jupiter’s Legacy joins the pantheon of bad superhero wigs, which we’ve seen on MCU characters like Loki and Black Widow. But we still have to wonder … why are these wigs so bad? Who robbed the Spirit Halloween? And why are their no heroes with the super-powered ability to properly fit a lace front? Leslie Bibb’s wig is the only one that works, but one wig alone does not a series make.

The series, which currently sports a 40% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, was criticized for pacing issues, poor character development, and having nothing new to say about the superhero genre (you can read our review here). But the fiercest critics by far were the folks on Twitter, who came for the show’s Party City aesthetic:

What did you think of the first season of Jupiter’s Legacy? Did the wigs ruin it for you?

(image: Steve Wilkie/Netflix)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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