By: Alana Penn and Charlene Yang
“The Umbrella Academy” is an American science fiction and drama series released on Feb. 15. It was developed for Netflix by Jeremy Slater and Steve Blackman. The show is based on the comic book series of the same name, which was created by former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way and comic book artist Gabriel Bá. The TV series was met with both praise and criticism from viewers upon its release. So, is this new Netflix original series worth watching? Stick around to find out.
“The Umbrella Academy” follows the story of the estranged Hargreeves siblings, a group of six adopted individuals with extraordinary superpowers. Raised by an eccentric billionaire, the Hargreeves children are made into a superhero team known as the Umbrella Academy. The TV show follows the lives of the Hargreeves siblings as adults, when the death of their adopted father brings them all back together. Once reunited, the Hargreeves must solve the mystery of their father’s death and deal with the looming threat of an apocalypse.
Luther (Tom Hopper) is the first of the Hargreeves siblings and the reluctant leader of the group. Diego (David Castañeda) is a hot-headed character who sees Luther as competition, often bumping heads with him. Next is Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), an actress who has a complicated relationship with Luther. The fan favorite character is Klaus (Robert Sheehan), a party animal and drug addict with a troubled past. Next is Number Five (Aidan Gallagher), who discovers the apocalypse after traveling into the future. Vanya (Ellen Page) is the last of the living Hargreeves siblings, an outcast to the others due to her initial lack of powers.
“The Umbrella Academy” has many high points to it. Screen time is decently spread out between the main cast of six as each character’s individual story unfolds into the main story. Each of the Hargreeves children brings his or her own personal flair to the table, and this makes it fun to follow them through the story. It’s also satisfying to watch as the clues leading to the apocalypse settle into place as time progresses in the show. The action scenes are engaging, and the songs that play to them only add to that.
There are, however, some minor issues. For instance, the CGI effects, while serving their purpose satisfactorily, can sometimes leave something to be desired. The soundtrack, though consisting of many catchy beats, includes a tad too many insert songs, if that matters to you. The show also includes a romantic subplot between adopted siblings Allison and Luther, which might make some viewers uncomfortable.
Overall, “The Umbrella Academy” is a worthwhile watch. Even with all its flaws, the exciting action, interesting storyline, and cast of colorful characters are enough to make up for the problems. So if you’re looking for a new show to get into, this could be the one for you!
