Since its release last week, Steve Blackman and Jeremy Slater’s Netflix series has intrigued audiences with its quirky characters and compelling storyline.
The Umbrella Academy is a truly addictive show that draws the viewer in with its constant cliff-hanger moments. Based upon the comic book series of the same name ÔÇô co-created by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way ÔÇô the series focuses upon seven of 43 children who were all born simultaneously on October 1st 1989 (despite their mothers showing no signs of pregnancy before labour) and then adopted by an eccentric billionaire named Reginald Hargreeves.
Admittedly, the premise is a fascinating one, with the children all possessing special abilities. The story is complex and the constant winding in and out of different story arcs can create confusion for the viewer, though this also distracts from the numerous plot holes that the show possesses. Most pressingly, there is little to no explanation as to what has happened to the 36 other children who presumably also possess special abilities. Are they aware of their abilities?  Were their mothers not harassed with media attention and eventual fame? Why was it those particular women who gave birth?
Aside from this confusion, the show itself is surprisingly enjoyable. The plot is powerful, and its many unknown elements have left viewers yearning for a second season.
Aidan Gallagher gives an impressive performance as the fifty-year-old ÔÇÿNumber FiveÔÇÖ, who is trapped inside a fourteen-year-old body, due to a mistaken calculation during time travel. For such a young actor to steal almost every scene he is in so effectively is almost unheard of, with his comic timing and wit standing out in a commanding performance of a character nearly three times his age.
Robert Sheehan also slides into his almost typecast role as the disturbed and talkative drug addict, Klaus. In many ways, he appears to play the same role as he did in Misfits, just with a different power and a new American accent.
The most interesting aspect of SheehanÔÇÖs character is how he represses his power of speaking to the dead with his drug habit. Whilst this power could be considered useful, it is also fairly overwhelming and disturbing to deal with, particularly for a child. Eventually, Klaus overcomes his demons and gains a grasp over his ability and his drug addiction.
Despite some impressive performances, we rarely see the childrenÔÇÖs special abilities in use. It would be so enjoyable to see more than just some knives being thrown and a huge half-ape half-man hybrid. If the audience got to see some more of these powers in action then the show would be in a league of its own. Despite this, the action sequences are wonderfully filmed and choreographed along with well-fitting music to accompany the fights.
The soundtrack for this show is phenomenal and perfectly sets the tempo. The music guides the audience gently but also adds to the overall enjoyment of the show with recognisable tunes to help to give scenes a buzz of excitement.
Ellen Page supposedly leads the cast, but in truth does little more than skulk around and stare blankly into the camera. It begins to become almost painful watching her as she fights to express a single emotion throughout the whole season, though at one point the directors were able to force a smile out of her. Admittedly, this is partly how her character is meant to be portrayed, but Page is unlikeable on camera and severely detracts from the show. You should feel sympathy with her character, Vanya, due to her being mistreated and belittled for years, but, instead, you sit uncomfortably hoping that somehow she gets killed off at some point in the script. Eventually, PageÔÇÖs Vanya develops powers and the show makers decided to paint her near white, to emphasise her paleness, and give her contact lenses. Having done this they film her walking around set, merely showing her getting from one place to another. Amongst this, some people minorly inconvenience Vanya and so she obliterates them, without anyone appearing to notice. This is to emphasise her drastic change in personality, but seems all too unnecessary. Either way, she has serious anger issues.
The only thing worse than PageÔÇÖs character is her relationship with the eventual antagonist, Leonard. Another bitter character, Leonard was born on the same day as the Umbrella children, but to a normal mother, meaning he has no powers. His mother died in childbirth and his father naturally became an alcoholic, who Leonard then kills as a child, seeing him subsequently imprisoned for twelve years. The last time a couple fell so intensely in love in such a short space of time was in a play written by a certain William Shakespeare, and the results was equally as tragic. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, this is the modern day, and LeonardÔÇÖs interference in VanyaÔÇÖs life is creepy and any contemporary woman wouldnÔÇÖt go near him with a barge pole after his familiarity so early within their relationship. He is reminiscent of Joe from NetflixÔÇÖs You, but, in contrast, there is nothing even slightly likeable about Leonard and you wonder how anyone could fall in love with him.
A refreshing storyline, which gives viewers a different perspective of the events in the show, is that of Cha-Cha and Hazel. These two are time-travelling assassins, something that Number Five was before travelling in time to return to his siblings. Hazel is an especially likeable character, whereas Cha-Cha begins to grate on the viewer as the season progresses. Both appear, unusually, to be immortal, with Cha-Cha surviving being thrown through the window of a car going at full speed, whilst Hazel fights Luther, a sibling who possesses super-strength, even managing to lift him up and knock him out. Yet, once again, the show appears to ignore these plot holes in order to further the story and retain its characters.
Ultimately, the problem with The Umbrella Academy is that it is too interesting. It has too many storylines, and each character could be explored in their own series, yet they cannot be due to the mass of characters that the show contains and continues to introduce. The show even has hinted at evolving Reginald HargreevesÔÇÖ origins, as he appears to have arrived from an alien planet on a spaceship. Undoubtedly, there will be new characters and plots to be discovered in the second season, meaning that many of the semi-open plot points may remain unexplored.
By Jack Vavasour