Netflix’s Jupiter Legacy, Old School Storytelling

“One day you’re gonna be stronger than anyone else in the world,” in the words of Sheldon Sampson, the alias of the superhero known as the Utopian, “Every evil you can imagine is gonna rise up against mankind, but not for justice, for vengeance, and you’re gonna be the future.” The title role stars Josh Duhamel.

Jupiter’s Legacy is an adaptation of the comics of the same name from Mark Millar’s comic (wikipedia), who executive produces the show. It’s about The Union, the first generation of superheroes who’ve been active since the 1930s with the Utopian as the leader. But as they get older, they’re forced to look to their super-powered children to continue their legacy, which isn’t an easy thing to live up to, given the parents' prestigious reputations and their exacting personal standards.

This series looks like a TV serialization of one of Don’s Champions Role Playing scenarios. We’ve got Sheldon’s wife Grace Sampson/Lady Liberty, played by Leslie Bibb. Ben Daniels plays Sheldon’s brother, Walter Sampson/Brain-Wave; Elena Kampouris plays his daughter, Chloe; Andrew Horton plays his son, Brandon; Mike Wade plays Fitz Small, another member of The Union; and Matt Lanter plays George Hutchence, a former member who has since become a supervillain.

Another article from EW about this Netflix adaptation, coming in May 2021.