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Television

Review: THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY Season 1

The Umbrella Academy follows a family of eccentric superheroes that reunite when their adopted father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore); who has suddenly and mysteriously passes away.

When I first saw the trailer for The Umbrella Academy, I did not know what to expect. I knew it was adapted a Dark Horse comic created by Gerard Way, the former lead singer of My Chemical Romance. When I saw the trailer, it gave me the feeling that I was witnessing something odd. Ten episodes later, and I think I’ve found my new favorite Netflix show.

While I have seen Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy is not your average TV show. This adaptation comes off as a blend of Marvel’s X-Men, DC’s Doom Patrol, the quirkiness of Tim Burton, and the soundtrack of Phantom of The Opera.

Umbrella Academy contains a cast that screams personality. Even though the members are a group of misfits, you can see that they still love each other when the push comes to shove. The actors work great in each of their particular roles. With the chemistry between them is very reminiscent to the crew for Guardians of the Galaxy.

If I had to point out one break out star among a lot of solid performances, then it is Aidan Gallagher (Number 5). The 15-year-old did a fantastic job of playing a 60-year-old man in a kids body.  I will go as far to say that he should be nominated for an Emmy. He’s just that good in the role. The runner ups would be Mary J. Blige and Cameron Britton. Their performances as the cynical assassin duo who is one of the hurdles that the family is up against during the first season.

The show feels fresh and unique – it’s not your average superhero show. If you are looking for something that could be the next Arrow or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., then the Netflix adaptation of Umbrella Academy is something you might want skip. Though, I think everyone should give this series a chance.

At the end of things, this is a show that I very much enjoyed. I can’t wait for the second season! While it is reminiscent to the comic books I mentioned above, it does more than enough to call itself its own thing. Even if the songs themselves feel random at times, they still worked in the context of the show. The acting is fantastic and it’s something you should support. Especially if you are looking for something that breaks the mold.  I can’t wait for season two myself to the point that I’m thinking about reading the comic-book.

Metallic Umbrellas: 4/5

Isak Wolff
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Co-host of the Amateur Otaku Podcast. A writer of many things. Loves everything nerdy from anime/manga to comics and video games. Fire Emblem is the greatest of all time.