From altering reality by lying to contacting the dead to perfectly throwing knives, the protagonists in the new series The Umbrella Academy are a unique kind of superhero.
The show is based off of a comic book series written by the iconic Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance and Gabriel Ba.
Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Number Five, Ben, and Vanya were all born on the same day at the same time across the world. A rich man, Reginald Hargreeves, adopted them in an attempt to train them to harness their powers and make them into a superhero squad.
The show takes place roughly thirty years after they’re all born and after they’ve all left the nest to begin their own lives. At the beginning of the series, the members of the Umbrella Academy get word that their father died, bringing them all back together again to stop the apocalypse.
And as someone who generally isn’t into the whole superhero thing, the Umbrella Academy is worth the watch.
Although it is a superhero show, it falls under a bunch of categories — there’s drama, comedy, action, and even a little bit of romance.
The character development is nothing to look over. A lot of information is thrown at you at the beginning of the show regarding the plot and the powers of the various academy members, but the ease in which you get to know the characters is incredible.
Within the first episode, I felt like I knew each of the characters individually. I related to Vanya and her outcasted-ness, I understood Diego and his anger, and I appreciated Klaus and his unique personality.
Each character is special in his or her own different way, and the close-knit dynamic that they slowly begin to form keeps you wanting to keep watching and see how they all grow together with their own special powers.
One of the best things about this show is the variety of their abilities. Luther has super strength, Diego can breathe underwater and perfectly throw knives, Allison can tell lies that alter reality, Klaus can contact the dead, Number Five can time travel, Ben possesses monsters from other dimensions, and Vanya can manipulate sound into waves of force.
Their powers aren’t the basic super speed or invisibility or suit-reliant. Although some aren’t the most exciting, Luther’s super strength, for example, others, such as Klaus’ morbid ability, are unique and refreshing.
The Umbrella Academy is incredibly plot heavy, but in no way boring.
You know how sometimes you’re watching something and it’s so intense you get bored? This isn’t one of those times.
Don’t get me wrong, if you get distracted on Twitter for too long, you’re kind of screwed; paying attention is still important. But with the omniscient switch between characters, your brain won’t get too overwhelmed or tired by the intensity of the storyline, which makes it much easier to stay invested in.
The Umbrella Academy is written for the modern millennial — it’s action-packed, funny, and kind of romantic, and with ten episodes on Netflix already, it’s so binge-able.
