The X-Men Universe is not just conquering the big screen anymore as it is now also hitting the small screen with The Gifted.

The pilot does an excellent job in showcasing all the characters and giving the viewers a nice grasp on who they are. Despite being in the X-Men film universe, The Gifted Season 1 Episode 1 doesn't shove it down our throats.

We only get a few hints and nods which felt natural and not distractive. There is never a point where you feel that you had to have seen all the films before this.

Being the big comic book/superhero fan that I am, it was a highlight to see mutants from the comics that I wasn't familiar with.

Emma Dumont's Polaris quickly became my favorite from her magnetic powers to her complex character. I wasn't expecting a romance between Polaris and Eclipse, so that was quite the surprise.

The one thing that was a little unclear was what sort of power Andy has. It was made very clear that it's destructive and dangerous. But what is it exactly?

Hopefully, that is something that is explained fairly fast in the season. It wouldn't surprise me if perhaps Lauren and Andy's powers work even better when "connected" in some way.

Throughout the whole hour, I couldn't stop speculating which one of the parents might be a mutant. While it would be fun to see them both have powers, I expect only one of them to be revealed as a mutant.

I didn't really think much of the Sentinel Services because there weren't many layers to them. That is something that hopefully gets fleshed out compellingly as the show progresses.

It feels like there is a bigger player involved than just the Sentinel Services. While Jace will be one of the villains, there is a bigger antagonist that has yet to be revealed.

It's refreshing to see an X-Men story that focuses on an actual family. The X-Men films have always had a family vibe to them but never really focused on a blood-relative family.

Bryan Singer did a killer job directing the pilot after having been part of the X-Men world for so long. Despite having done so many of the films Singer managed to give this show its own unique tone.

Hopefully, Singer will be back to direct a few more episodes later in the season or future seasons. There were a lot of fun Easter eggs that were nice nods if you spotted them.

Although that Stan Lee cameo should have been a little longer! I was hoping he would at least say something.

The underground network of mutants was a strong highlight of the pilot. Hopefully, they will do a few flashbacks to how they got it all started while also explaining some of the mysteries regarding the X-Men's MIA status.

One of the things that the films have dealt with for years is prejudice against mutants. While The Gifted leans on that, the show is dealing with it from a different perspective. What happens when mutants have no rights and are constantly chased?

That is why the show stands out from the X-Men films rather than feel like a repeat in TV form. It would be an overkill of exploring that theme after the films have done it for so many years.

I was constantly keeping my eye on Reed. I don't expect the show to play around with the "Friend or Foe" plot with his character.

They made it very clear that he feels no loyalty towards his employers and that family comes first. Another thing I was expecting to see more of in the pilot was his and Caitlin's relationship.

There was a focus on them for sure but not as much as I had expected for a series premiere. Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker's dynamic on-screen chemistry was likable and sweet.

It won't surprise me if their status as a couple goes to power couple, although they may have some competition with Eclipse/Polaris!

This was an incredibly solid start to FOX's new X-Men related series that will only get bigger from here. It was unmistakably worth the wait to see what Matt Nix would do with this world.