- [Jacki] Move over, Marvel.
Netflix has a new superhero franchise
and, if anything, it's even more twisted,
bloody, and unpredictable
than the street-level adventures
of "The Defenders."
(orchestral swell)
- "The Umbrella Academy" focuses on
a dysfunctional and super-powered family of siblings,
adopted by an emotionally distant billionaire,
Sir Reginald Hargreaves,
to someday save the world.
The first episode does a lot of heavy lifting
in terms of introducing the characters
and establishing the tone.
but manages to make the exposition engaging
and fairly effortless,
thanks in large part to its charismatic cast,
and some truly inspired needle drops.
The show's soundtrack is one of the best
we've heard in years.
♪ I'm a racing car, Passing by like Lady Godiva ♪
- [Jacki Jing] There's something to love about
every member of the Hargreaves family,
from Tom Hopper's super-strong
and super-repressed golden boy Luther;
to Robert Sheehan's mischievous,
drug-addicted Klaus,
who can speak to dead people;
all the way through to Ellen Page's Vanya,
who can... play the violin really well,
but has spent her life left out
of her super-powered siblings' adventures.
But the true revelation of the show
is Aidan Gallagher as Number Five.
- [Klaus] Does anyone else see
little Number Five or is that just me?
- [Jacki Jing] He never got a real name, poor kid.
He's a time traveler who has lived into old age
after going missing and getting stuck
in the post apocalyptic future,
but is now trapped in his teenage form
after finding a way back to his family.
Fives return to try and stop the apocalypse
is the catalyst for the story,
and after a couple of episodes,
you'll be convinced that the fifteen year old
really is a grumpy old man in a kids body,
and his snark, especially in combination with
Sheehans hilarious performance,
is the highlight of the series.
- [Klaus] So... Touching.
- [Jacki Jing] The show is a fairly faithful,
if streamlined adaptation of Gerard Way
and Gabriel Bás comics, with a few pivotal changes.
But the relationship between the siblings
is often more compelling than the mystery at its core.
It can feel like an afterthought
compared to the family drama.
- [Vanya] Put on a pot of cofffee.
- [Jacki Jing] The show is also stylish as hell,
the action scenes are filmed with a kinetic
visually inventive flair utilizing slow-mo,
split screen and constantly moving cameras
to create a sense of momentum without ever
feeling messy or confusing.
Netflix and Universal cable productions,
the studio behind the show
definitely have not skimped on the scale.
A lot of the effects are downright cinematic,
especially Wetas gorgeous work on Pogo,
Sir Reginalds chimpanzee assistant,
who looks like he wandered right off the set of
"War For The Planet Of The Apes".
- [Pogo] And I shall miss him very much.
- [Jacki Jing] Tonally, Umbrella Academy
isn't quite as meta as the likes of
Deadpool or Doom Patrol,
but its wicked sense of humor is in
full effect throughout,
giving it a playful and sometimes deliciously sick attitude.
- [Man] We'll see you soon Klaus.
- [Jacki Jing] The season does lose momentum
around the midway point though,
and it occasionally feels as if
the show is spinning too many plates,
especially in the storyline involving Number Five
and the two time traveling assassins on his tail,
Hazel, played by Mindhunters Cameron Britton,
and Cha Cha, a badass Mary J Blige.
Other supporting character such as
the hapless cop Detective Patch,
and Vanyas love interest Leonard,
feel a little half-baked and designed more to
move the plot forward than as
organic parts of the narrative.
Still, when The Umbrella Academy hits it's stride
it is one of the most confident comic book shows
in years, with a swagger that most
freshman shows can only dream of.
When the team finally comes together
for the good of the universe,
it's an exhilarating ride.
The Umbrella Academy should fill the void
that Netflix's Marvel cancellations have
left in our viewing schedules.
Okay, we're still not over Daredevil,
but the other two at least.
Showrunner Steve Blackman has created
a hilariously twisted stylish
and poignant new superhero series,
that's a witty deconstruction of
our favorite comic book tropes,
and an ambitious time bending romp.
Despite some blows around the mid season mark,
and a few underdeveloped supporting characters,
this is still a super new series
with a ton of potential.
Are you excited for Umbrella Academy?
Tell us in the comments section,
and don't forget to check out our videos on
Umbrella Academy versus Doom Patrol, which is better,
and Doom Patrol explained.
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