Misfits (2009–2013) User Reviews

Great show, up until season 4...

[Wililjam · 8/10 · 13 October 2018]

I hadn't really seen anything about the show before, so I went in blind when I started watching it on Netflix. To my surprise, it was amazing. I loved the characters, especially 'Nathan Young', he was incredibly funny, albeit annoying at times. The rest of the cast had great chemistry, but somewhere along the lines, it just fell apart.

I watched season 1-3, and a few episodes of season 4. But season 4 just ruined everything that I loved about the show. Practically every original character was gone, and I had really grown fond of them, so to see the new faces get introduced killed the vibe.

In my opinion you don't need to see season 4 or 5, as season 3 ended quite good. Horrible, but in a great way, going full circle with everything.

If you want to watch something entertaining, then Misfits is probably for you.

Heroes.On.Crack!!!

[yinkawills · 9/10 · 2 December 2009]

Misfits is the story of what happens if teens who are juvenile delinquents (convicted of minor, not major crimes) get super powers. And as its a British TV show, there's more foul language, rough sex, sharp dialogue,obscenity and eccentricity than it would be if it were an American one. I watched the first one out of curiosity not expecting much, but was hooked. At first (and second and third) glance, the characters are unsympathetic. Kelly- an aggressive version of Vicky Pollard, Alisha- a sexaholic, Curtis a disgraced track star, Simon a kid so withdrawn he's heading into creepy territory, and Nathan the smart-arse whose snark makes you laugh AND want to kill him. A disparate bunch forced to do Community Service under court orders as an alternative to jail. They get superpowers from a freak storm- and then its a thrill ride all the way. Violent attacks, murder, burying bodies..from the action packed first episode its a hair raising thrill ride with some amazing music in the soundtrack. The actors are superb. This is MUST SEE TV!

Big decline after season 2

[cagesliquidators · 7/10 · 1 January 2018]

I fell in love with this show after the first 15 minutes. Amazing story and characters. I'm sure you will here this repeated hundreds of times in reviews made after the second season. Robert Sheehan carried this show on his back. Every season after gets progressively more boring. by the time I got to season 5 i found myself fast-forwarding during a lot of meaningless dialogue.

The best thing ever shown on E4

[kaboomboomboom · 10/10 · 10 December 2009]

Misfits has been described in a lot of reviews as a cross between Skins and Heroes, however, in my opinion, it doesn't contain the biggest flaws of these shows- pretentiousness or unoriginality. I'm *not* slating these shows, I'm just saying that as quite a comic-book fan, it's difficult to watch or read something about characters with superpowers without ripping it apart- getting irritated by the plot lines that are taken, or 'influenced' from other sources and neither does it have an impossibly good looking set of people living a life you can't help but envy, no matter what drama has unfolded in their life due to partying too hard. Misfits is very unique and while you can guess some plot lines of the show, you can never guess what'll happen next episode.

What Misfits provides is a group of interesting, likable and believable characters involved in well thought-out stories that are not over-complicated but still challenge the audience.

To complete the show, the episodes are also full of thick, dark humour.

Overall, it is an excellent show.

Surprisingly Fresh !

[ah_bitter_dregs · 10/10 · 21 November 2009]

Considering the scenario has been recently done into the ground by numerous TV shows and movies, Misfits has a surprisingly fresh take. I like the realism in the dialog countering the surreal happenings. It's the kind of show that can make you feel like you are really there or it could really happen. The characters work well together, the acting and script are well done so there is nothing awkward or difficult to follow in the face of multiple characters. Very good looks into personal realizations that make the watcher wonder how they would feel in that situation. Much attention to detail, you won't be watching the show and picking out obvious flaws that are so annoying in many shows of this genre. I simply have not found any yet. I hope to be watching for many seasons. Brilliant !

Best show on TV right now

[j-cameron22 · 10/10 · 26 November 2009]

Where DID this show come from? Though it's not the most original concept (freak lightning storm strikes and gives a ragtag bunch of community service workers special powers) this show rises above Heroes and the many clones by bringing enough freshness to the table. Now I'm judging this show having just watched the first two episodes. At first it looks like your average Skins type rip-off but it very quickly establishes an intriguing plot with lovable characters and unexpected twists aplenty. The script is sharp like a razor and offers laugh-out-loud moments and witticisms to rival the best episodes of Friends or Fraiser. All the misfits are perfectly cast and brilliantly acted with just the right amount of cynicism and pathos and the situations don't seem forced like Heroes often does but emerge logically and organically from the characters. Even the powers themselves extend from the character's personas. Fantastic show. I cannot recommend it enough!

Go Britania, Go!

[hejsamester · 10/10 · 21 December 2009]

Brilliant! People seem to refer to Heroes when talking/writing about Misfits. This isn't valid as Heroes is a very different series. Misfits is about some ordinary late-teenagers getting super powers - Heroes is about Hollywood characters receiving superpowers and saving the world by being superheroes.

The storyline of Misfits is twisted and clouded. Until now no one seems to be using their powers for anything weird and they still do their community service. I like that. They're not suddenly super heroes and nothing fancy is going on.

The more I see of British "telly", the more I love it. The budget is smaller, the realism is more important and the various series seem to be shorter with focus on quality instead of ability to survive a buck load of seasons. Go Britania, go! As the Brits would say: SPOT ON!

Crass, perverse, vile characters... superb!

[illusio_uk · 10/10 · 18 December 2009]

Never have I laughed so much at a bunch of snotty, revolting weirdos who should be deserted on a remote island for the sake of the rest of us. Have just finished watching episode 6 and am dying for another series to be made. Episode 2 made me snort my tea through my nose with laughter/horror/revulsion, it was epic.

I don't get the comparisons with Heroes - other than the 'superpowers', this bears no resemblance to the 'save-the-world' schtick and good-v-evil piety Heroes is full of. This is definitely black (with a collection of mottled stains that it's best not to ask about). I'm still undecided about Simon (sweet underneath or fundamental embryonic psychopath); I'd have to throttle Nathan if he were my offspring, but he's a joy to watch, I look forward to the series' 'ressurrection'......

2-season stand-alone amazingness

[FeastMode · 8/10 · 17 August 2019]

This show is so different and enjoyable. it oozes awesomeness... for two seasons. third is decent. last two are bad. watch this as a two season show. assume the second to last episode of season 2 is the series finale. and the last episode of season 2 is a fun bonus episode.

season 1: 9/10 i heart this show (2 viewings) season 2: 8/10 (2 viewings) season 3: 6/10 the first half was pretty awesome with some great episodes. then it nose-dove. last few episodes i was wondering why i was still watching (2 viewings)

season 4: 3/10 (about 1 viewing) season 5: 2/10 (about 1 viewing)

Watch Series 1 and 2 - then stop

[hazzabamboo · 7/10 · 10 January 2013]

Series 1 and 2 of Misfits are outrageous and far more entertaining than the synopsis suggests. The production values are sky high, and it can do horror and thrills as well as almost any other TV programme. Much more importantly though, it surprised me... because it made me roar with laughter. The credit for that goes almost exclusively to Nathan, who takes one look at all the cool haircuts and pouts before tearing it all apart with filthy sociopathic charm. He leaves at the end of Series 2, and the show misses him badly. Rudy tries to fill the hole, but he is increasingly alone in trying to provide some charisma and laughs. By Series 4, the characters who populate the show have become entirely forgettable. Get in, get your fill, then get out while you're ahead.

Awesome first 2 seasons

[mruzicka-87055 · 10/10 · 12 November 2018]

After 2 seasons it's just peace of cr**. But the 2 seasons are absolutely brilliant. Pity, it had a great potential I got to admit.

Original actors

[partridgeluk · 7/10 · 14 November 2019]

The original actors were Fantastic with this series but when when the Robert left the others dwindled and it ruined the whole program, but the series before they left was just as good as heroes!

wasted potential

[lindseysoraya · 26 February 2020]

Season one and two are absolutely amazing!!! I was so excited for this series and the potential it held. Then season three came, where Nathan has been removed from the show & replaced with a new, obnoxious "ruby" character. Every season after that just gets progressively worse. very sad RIP to what could of been the best show ever

The two-season curse strikes again?

[Elain-ee · 5/10 · 13 April 2017]

Until I saw Misfits, my favourite series from the UK were the typical comedies - Spaced, Black Books, Ab Fab, Blackadder - but this has replaced them as the reigning king of black humour, plus having the added bonus of genuine drama and at least a few deep moments to balance it all out. If you're a fan of any of the above, give this a watch. It's as hard to do justice to in words as any of the above as well, so just try it out and see what you think.

Unfortunately, a lot of the best television I've seen in the UK flagged after the first two seasons, and all the previews I've seen of season three suggest that's about to happen with Misfits. Ba humbug. Granted, the Simon story arc was a bit over-egged, but the ensemble and their intersecting tangents have maintained an almost perfect balance all throughout the first two seasons.

Edited later to add:

Okay, I've now watched season 3 and the beginning of 4 and I have to lower my original rating. The end of 3 and beginning of 4 are pants, and not because of the Alisha/Simon 'plot twist'. It's the writing - it's gone totally downhill, the characters seem to have a lot less dialogue and what they do have is blunt and un-witty. Did they change the writers or something? What a mistake.

Another issue is the rank misogyny of the end of season 3 and beginning of season 4. In the last few episodes I've watched, I've seen an episode where a dozen cheerleaders, an old lady, a long lost girlfriend and a female black social worker were all killed off in ever-more gruesome ways.

In another episode, a woman with the power to control people's minds used her power to 'pussy whip' (their word, not mine) her boyfriend and had to be punished by having her power taken away. WTF writers, did you have a bad breakup with your GF or something? What's worse, there is only one female Misfit left and she's a sulky grump who says nothing except to gripe about men. And the 'funny' character makes a lot of cracks that amount to rape jokes, which really isn't funny. Ever.

They really should have hired a woman to help them with the writing but with the attitudes on display in these episodes, I'm not surprised that they didn't bother trying. It just comes off as a show written by (and for) total w*nkers.

I'd give this part of the series about 1/10 and the first part of the series about a 9/10 so overall, it's only a 5/10. I don't watch TV to be reminded what a lot of hatred there is for women in English society, personally. The latter half of this show displays utter contempt for its female viewers by expecting us to find it entertaining.

Brilliant, entertaining and funny

[psaphier-611-157124 · 10/10 · 17 December 2009]

I've had the good fortune of being able to watch this show online as I'm from the States. This show is brilliant and funny and deserves to be seen by viewers here too (USA). I look forward to watching the surprisingly fun and energetic cast perform some really great rolls. The cast work really well with each other and I hope that Misfits get the recognition that it deserves. Sure the effects are a bit cheesy but overall this is not what this show revolves around. It has potential to be something more but I still give it 10/10 for the originality. Comparing this show to Heroes (which obviously has large budgets and production value)is a waste of time as both shows are totally different. I found this show by accident and I'm hooked. I've told my friends to watch it and many are following me and saying that this show, despite its low budget and production value is worthy of a following.

Fantastic Television

[darkspringxl · 9/10 · 8 January 2010]

I must admit that not once did I think of 'Heroes' when watching this programme, although now the point has been raised I can see why people would compare the two. What this programme does is show what a fertile ground British TV still is as not only is it very well cast, but the writing, direction and production design match anything that out US friends can do. Along with Skins and The Inbetweeners Channel 4 have now got another great programme that is 'yoof' but also appeals to an older audience. It is very dark, very twisted and quite often very very funny.

Initially I found Robert Sheehan's character 'Nathan' to be really irritating to the point that I thought he would ruin the programme, but as the show progresses he really is the heart of the whole thing and by the end of it I realised he was far and away the best thing in it !

Sheehan is certainly a face for the future, so too Lauren Socha who as 'Kelly' again initially seems like a real 'Chav' before blossoming into a very rounded character who you can sympathise with. Following her work in the Arctic Monkey's 'Scummy Man' promo she could also be one to watch.

If this was US produced I dare say we'd have had a minimum of 12 episodes to season 1, but the six we do get are excellent.

It would be a real crime if this doesn't reappear for a Second Series by the end of the year.

BeautifuI, Interesting and Funny...

[ahmetkozan · 8/10 · 14 April 2016]

The season begins with the crippling blow of Robert Sheehan (who played the best character, Nathan and who often gave the show some much- needed humour) leaving the show and never really recovers, stumbling along adequately but never really finding its footing, unfortunately. Regardless, Misfits' third season is a sufficiently made, enjoyable slice of science fiction comedy-drama which is always great fun to watch, albeit Joe Gilgun can't fill Sheehan's size 55 shoes and that Hitler episode was so stupid. The finale is the best out of the three until the final moments, where stuff happens and we say goodbye to Kelly (the lovable Lauren Socha), Iwan Rheon's Simon (btw, he also sucks in Vicious) and Alisha, a slutty party girl with a heart of gold (Antonia Thomas), which is too much to take. I can't watch it anymore. I may watch a compilation of Nathan's best moments on YouTube to make me feel better, however.

The first season is extremely witty, dark, quirky, and hilarious. The series manages to blend plot and humour almost flawlessly. Although the latter seasons are not as good as the former it still manages to hold your attention.

Season 2 of Misfits is my favorite season of Misfits. Season 2 is the best due to the great humour (which is still present in the other seasons, but in this season it is at it's best).

Season 3 is the second best season of Misfits. In my opinion, Rudy is not as good as Nathan, but he still is a great character, and one of the best. I especially enjoyed the zombie cheerleader episode. 8/10

Flawless Execution

[Livewire242 · 10/10 · 7 August 2010]

Science fiction shows usually suffer from poor writing and awkward acting in their first season. They take a season or two to really get warmed up. This cast just clicks from day one. It may have something to do with the age of the cast. They're young enough to take sci-fi acting seriously. Older actors tend to make it look campy. Take Doctor Who for example, or even Torchwood.

And the writing is so crisp and imaginative it's hard to believe this guy has no writing credits before 2005. Howard Overman is sure to be a well-known name in British broadcasting for years to come.

BAFTA award well-earned.

8 out of 10 for seasons 1-3 only!

[Flower71 · 8/10 · 23 September 2020]

I came to the reviews here to work out whether I should carry on as S4 ep 1 was rough to put it politely. Other reviewers have confirmed that the door should be closed at the end of S3. The loss of major characters and intro of new (less interesting) ones was an error of judgement.

So anyway, seasons 1 to 3 a brilliant ride of madness and crazy adventures, really worth a watch if you like this type of show.

A very good fit.

[wrbills · 10/10 · 20 November 2009]

(I have revised my original draft) Now we are a few weeks in I have a better idea of what this show has to offer and it is now a clear 9/10. Misfits is a odd piece of obscene teenage drama mixed with a perfect example of a sci/fi dystopia. What you get is classic TV. The story follows a pack of rogue young adults ejected from society for a variety of problems, they have an armoury of asbo's and criminal offences and the majority are crass and vindictive. Yes, your average UK teen.

A storm rolls over head and the group are morphed into super humans with a peculiar talent that seems to mimic they own personality traits. There are many things good about it: Firstly the cast are supreme. The young actors clearly get stuck into their roles and are enjoying every minute. Secondly, I love the fact that this is a blend of the teen shows with sometimes extreme content. That had to be the longest topless scene in history of normal TV, yet it was acted flawlessly. The dark elements of the story mix wonderfully with the concrete foulness of the environment the group find themselves in, well done to whoever located that youth centre. What really won me over was the one episode where the Irish chap puts on yellow ski glasses and asks the misfits to guess who he is... "I'm an annoying c unit" - "I'm Bonno". And that classic bit where he throws the brick through the car window and is asked by the Social worker if he is special. "If I was special I would have missed". The Big Lebowski bowling scene was not lost on me either and the Misfit tribute to 'the dude'is faithfully executed.

This show is still clever, still very engaging and the male rape scene in the toilet is such a sophisticated take on a difficult subject that it is difficult to imagine where the writers are going to take us next. This show is becoming truly exceptional and I have no doubt that cult status is coming, we just need a few more people to see it. I still have no notable negatives at this stage beyond the fact that I will have to wait for a second series.

No Robert Sheehan, no misfit reason

[steven_george08 · 7/10 · 5 February 2013]

Sorry, but without this guy, the utmost misfit - Robert Sheehan alias Nathan Young, Misfits lost 40% value. Nathan "vanishes" in Las Vegas forever. This young actor I may say has earn the place among my favorite genuine, spontaneous and brilliant actors like Hugh Laurie (Dr. House). Then Antonia Thomas ( Alisha) follows Robert Sheehan and disappear taking another 15% value with her. Follows Iwan Rheon (Simon)... In my opinion, Misfits would have been one of the best TV series with young and talented actors. What I liked the most was the antagonism between Simon and Nathan - full of humor. When Naive Simon becomes Hero Simon, that was another unfortunate decision. So, making the average, 9 mark for the first 2 seasons and 5 for the later 2 ones, instead of voting a pure 9 for it, my vote will be 7.

All the best.

Don't buy the hate for Season 3-5

[hvirfy · 9/10 · 10 November 2021]

I agree that the story and the characters in season 1 & 2 were great (not every episode was brilliant) but I kept watching and I really enjoyed Rudy and the others in season 3-5. Again they aren't all great but there is some profound (and just plain weird) humour and situations that made it REALLY enjoyable!! I am so glad I watched the lot!!

Fantastic show, but Robert Sheehan leaving was its demise

[brianloughran55 · 7/10 · 13 December 2011]

One of the most gripping shows I've watched in years, though i can see why people are quick to point out the similarities to shows like Heroes, its very far removed. The characters are a lot darker and proud of it which brings a completely different show to the viewer than just a Superhero like show.

What i feel obliged to complain about is series 3, it crashes, the whole feel of the show, and the direction it was going so strongly in just vanishes and i felt like i was watching a completely different TV show. Robert Sheehan leaving proves too much for this show. Whoever cast "the new guy" should have their CV reviewed. He's a polar opposite of who he was replacing and i could not connect with him. very bad choice of actor imo and the new writers should hang their heads in shame

I have watched the first 2 series in the last week and now i could care less about what happens to everyone. I never seen a show drop so far so quick. Sorry about the rant but i had so much faith in the show and where it was going and now i hope it ends before they destroy all the goodness it once had

Terrible Waste Of Time After Original Cast Mostly Left The Show

[blue141 · 2/10 · 19 October 2012]

The original wonderful and convincing actors were replaced by a candy cane and over sweet new cast. I find this abominable expression by actors who are so cute, trying so hard to be misfits,a sickening aftertaste of too much candy eaten all at once, so to speak. The target audience must be cutesy types wanting to be misfits so people will see them, as they are generally invisible in real life.The ratings are good, so there must be a lot of these candy cane types watching this show, and taking their piggy bank money to buys things that remind them of it, at toys are us. It is sad to see such an original show as this one, turned over to the gold fish, cute doggy owner types out there, and their dogs named spot. I am so disappointed at this new rendition of terrible trash that is supposed to look real and inviting, only to come out looking sad and shabby. It's like turning the Munsters into Hansel and Gretal.Any moment I expect a loving grandmother come on the show with a baking pan disguised as a lethal weapon. Terrible terrible show these days. Maybe the writers will try and get people out there like me who don't own piggy banks to watch this again. I doubt that, but they do say pigs fly sometimes when you're not looking.

Read on...

[jamesprice55 · 8/10 · 31 July 2010]

Credit is due...where credit is due In two simple words.....Pure brilliance I like to think I have a good judge of creative intelligence masked into current media. Some of you may think me a tool but for me, I know what I like. After having watched just two episodes I can say without any hindrance that this will, and is, an example of pure brilliance.

The setting, the music, the vibe, the acting..all of a first class standard which, if something I made, would make me proud, more than satisfied and make me wanting to make more of this type of entertainment.

Anyone interested in something clever and alternative would appreciate this greatly and I urge you to watch it. I cannot say any more...

Enjoy