After significant pestering from Netflix, I began watching The Umbrella Academy. It gripped me immediately, and I’ve enjoyed watching it. I’m nearing the end of Season 2 and so far the twists and turns have been handled deftly in my mind. I’m sure some could find some faults, but it’s been an amazing ride. Since last week I’ve known I wanted to write some brief thoughts on it, but I needed something to say. When comparing it to other superhero and supernatural shows I’ve seen, I realized it’s the show Heroes could have become.
The powers aren’t quite the same (except the parallel between Hiro and Five), nor are the people in Heroes siblings raised by an eccentric billionaire. Yet we get a band of people coming together with strange powers trying to fight against a force they misunderstand. While The Umbrella Academy has yet to dive into the 36 other people who theoretically could have strange powers, there is the same potential as in Heroes to play that card.
Heroes is well-known for flopping hard after its first season. Characters were under-utilized, the plots were messy, and motivation was lacking. They couldn’t find a clear hook to maintain tension. It would have been a fine standalone season, or even a couple of movies, but there was no through-line. I think The Umbrella Academy does a much better job handling these powers. In Season 1, the effects of powers in the real world are largely ignored (as are potential issues with time travel), and I think that’s the right move. It establishes it’s strange, dark version of our modern world, apparently devoid of cellphones, and introduces a chaotic entity that some characters know they are facing against, but most are missing out on. The conflict between the characters is believable given their background, and the intertwining arcs of each sibling, though a bit predictable, is still really enjoyable.
If you have seen Heroes and enjoyed the first season, I think giving The Umbrella Academy a try is a good idea. If you like anti-heroes and apocalyptic fiction, definitely watch it. I’ve found it fascinating and entertaining, and it’s one of the few comic-based TV or movie series that’s given me a desire to read the originals.