The Umbrella Academy
Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Umbrella Academy seasons 1-4.
That mostly works in the show’s favor, though there are downsides to it.
Overall, it’s a fun journey with a great cast of characters and soundtrack.
It does feel stronger at the beginning than towards the end, though.
The fourth season picks up with the Hargreeves living without their powers in their newly reset timeline.
While the overarching themes ofThe Umbrella Academyseason 4 are admirable, the execution doesn’t do them justice.
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
It’s also fitting that they’re the ones responsible for the broken timeline and recurring apocalypses.
After all, they continuously fail to blend neatly into the universe.
Unfortunately, such elements of the final outing aren’t enough to save it.
The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic book of the same name created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. The Hargreeves — collectively known as The Umbrella Academy — were born with superpowers, and their adoptive father utilized their abilities. However, as they grew older, the siblings grew apart as they dealt with their trauma. They are brought back together after their father dies and Five returns from the future with grave news: The world will end, and The Umbrella Academy has to stop it before it happens.
There’s a reason why season 4 has thelowest Rotten Tomatoes scoreof the entire series.
Sadly,The Umbrella Academyseason 4 fails to give the show the ending it deserves.
Thanks to its Hotel Oblivion story, the plot is as wild and thrilling as ever.
It’s full of twists and turns that allow the Hargreeves to dive into action and utilize their powers.
Still, the third outing is leagues ahead of the fourth.
The threat feels more high-stakes and fresh, as it hasn’t been done before.
Despite the cast being comprised of seven main characters, it balances them properly.
It also lands the right balance of drama and humor, and the soundtrack strikes the perfect chord.
Needless to say,The Umbrella Academyseason 1 would always be difficult to follow.
Like any new series, the show is still finding its footing at the beginning.
While the Hargreeves are great in season 1, season 2 takes all of them to the next level.
Viktor, in particular, showcases impressive character growth.
And Ben’s sacrifice will tug at any viewer’s heartstrings, packing an emotional punch.
The Umbrella Academyseason 2also tackles important social issuesthrough its various storylines, including racism and misogyny.
Allison’s entire arc revolves around the segregation and civil rights movement that took place in the 1960s.
All of this gives season 2’s subplots more depth, bringing the entire outing together nicely.
There are few issues withThe Umbrella Academy’s second outing, and that’s reflected in its positive reception.
Season 2 boasts a high 91% critic score onRotten Tomatoesand an 88% audience score.
However, as they grew older, the siblings grew apart as they dealt with their trauma.
