I watched The Umbrella Academy when we were all locked down and had nothing but Netflix to provide for entertainment. I’m going to deliver this review to you like an assassin would. Because instead of making you suffer watching this, instead, I’m sending the bullet right in the head, quick and painless.
That’ll save you the torture I had to endure watching this dumpster fire of a show during the pandemic. The Umbrella Academy is a Netflix series that tries to mix elements from various genres, telling us a story of a group of oddballs with supernatural abilities, that can do time travel, and are all with the background of having a dysfunctional family dynamic.
I’m going biased on this one because if you’ve seen your fair share of superhero movies and series, when you put The Umbrella Academy under the magnifying glass, it becomes evident that the show lacks originality, lacks good characters, and is very incoherent with its storytelling.
While some may find entertainment in its quirky and visually appealing presentation, The Umbrella Academy ultimately falls short of delivering a meaningful and engaging narrative, making it a series that is not worth watching.
The Problem With Umbrella Academy
The Umbrella Academy has a number of obvious problems, one of which is its lack of originality. The show has a tendency to be a mishmash of concepts taken from different sources, with little effort made to introduce a novel viewpoint.
Its resemblances to films like Suicide Squad and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children are evident. If Netflix and these showrunners wanted to do something good, the lack of original ideas could be excused, but I just can’t give the OK to The Umbrella Academy because even at plagiarizing concepts, they do it miserably.
The show’s supposed heart is in its characters, but they are flat, dull, idiotic, woke, and frustratingly illogical.
Despite being the group’s unofficial leader, Luther (also known as Number One) lacks any true leadership abilities. He frequently makes illogical decisions and takes illogical actions, making it impossible to relate to or empathize with him.
The motivations of the group’s other members are also inconsistent and underdeveloped, which makes it challenging to understand and enjoy their storylines.
Additionally, the show makes an effort to address delicate subjects like racism and civil rights but does so without the slightest hint of delicacy or tact.
The Umbrella Academy relies on flimsy, offensive portrayals rather than offering insightful commentary or thoughtfully examining these themes.
The way these problems are handled undermines the show’s authority and casts doubt on the creators’ motives and worldviews.
Also Read: What Happened to Sloane in Umbrella Academy Season 3 Ending?
Incoherent And Boring
The plot itself lacks coherence and focus, which causes viewers to become disinterested and cut off from the narrative. The show’s attempts to combine time travel, superhero dynamics, and supernatural abilities come off as forced and disjointed, leaving viewers to wonder what the show’s true theme or goal is.
The Umbrella Academy is unable to engage viewers or make a lasting impression due to its convoluted plot and dubious character motivations.
Additionally, attempts at humor and eccentricity frequently fall flat, with jokes that seem forced and misplaced in the context of the story. These attempts at humor don’t improve the viewing experience; they only serve to divert attention away from the already subpar narrative.
Even the show’s frequently praised stylistic and visual elements are unable to entirely make up for its many flaws. Even though The Umbrella Academy features visually stunning scenes and outstanding special effects, a show cannot be supported solely by its aesthetics.
Without an engaging and cogent story, the visual spectacle is hollow and has no lasting effect on the audience.
How Many Seasons Are There In The Umbrella Academy?
The Umbrella Academy has had so far three full seasons and a fourth one in development. The debut season was released in February 2019 with a ten-episode run. The sophomore season consisted of ten episodes and landed in late July 2020.
The third season consisted of ten episodes as well and landed on Netflix on June 2022. There’s a fourth season in the works, and it is confirmed for four episodes, but there’s not much details about it.
Is It Worth Watching?
No. The Umbrella Academy is as though you put Suicide Squad, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and X-Men in a blender without offering any unique value presentation. The show’s popular indeed, but I hated every moment of this. It is unoriginal and unimpressive.
The inconsistent and illogical behaviors of the main characters, especially Luther, whose decisions seem baffling and unreasonable.
The lack of substance in the characters, their motivations, and the plot overall contributes to making the show disappointing and forgettable. Because this is Netflix, and they are married to a woke agenda, the show’s attempts to explore topics like civil rights and representation fails spectacularly.
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