John and I just finished watching The Umbrella Academy on Netflix, and I kid you not: the second the screen went blank after the last scene, I did something I've never done before when a show ended: I yelled - yelled! - into the suddenly quiet room, "THAT WAS AWESOME!"
Which is about how this review is going to go, with a few caveats.
As always this will be as spoiler-free as possible; I'm just gonna rave about what I think you'll like, what to look out for, and also ponder aloud whether I like Number 4 or Number 5 better. (We'll be taking a vote at the end, feel free to write in your own nominations. ;P )
First things first, the show premise is your typical X-men situation: kids born with powers, raised in a gorgeous mansion academy. After that it takes a sharp left turn, and delivers a fresh mix of dysfunctional sibling drama, intrigue, brutal action, fantastic music worked into major scenes, and - for lack of a better word - pure zaniness. It bounces from hilarious to gut-wrenching and back again, and the suspense never lets up.
The show is based on the comic of the same name, which I'd never heard of before now:
I can't tell you how faithful it is to the source material, but for once I'm glad I didn't read the book first; not knowing what was coming next was a big part of the fun.
The Umbrella Academy hits the ground running, so you'll know by the end of the first episode if you're going to like it. It's consistently paced, and feels more like a 10-part movie than a TV series. As with Stranger Things, you can tell Netflix didn't skimp on the budget, either; there are lavish sets, some truly gorgeous camera work, and a CGI ape butler so convincing, you just accept that he's real and move on.
I was joking with a friend last week that any time an especially good, upbeat song starts playing in Umbrella Academy, it's about to get violent. Think the arrow scene on the ship in Guardians of the Galaxy 2: popcorn action sequences that make you bop along in your seat. And ohhh, the music. Y'all, they play songs by Tiffany and They Might Be Giants (!!). 'NUFF SAID.
While those peppy fight scenes are mostly fun, there are also much, much darker bouts of violence. I mentioned *that* torture scene last week: it's in episode 2, and for me, in my sleep-deprived, extra sensitive state, it was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen in a show. Bear in mind I avoid gruesome stuff when possible, though, so your results may vary.
I still think that scene was the worst of the season, but there is more: more torture, more gruesome murders, and one or two more lingering disturbing images. (You can tell when most are coming, at least, so be ready with the remote if you don't like gore.) I was surprised by the TV-14 rating, since this seems like a solid R on violence alone, but... {shrug}... again, my base of reference could be off.
There's also rampant drug use, but no sex - just some that's implied.
There's also rampant drug use, but no sex - just some that's implied.
These two are what brought the word "zany" to mind: they're assassins named Cha-Cha and Hazel, and they wear giant cartoon heads while they're trying to kill people. Y'know. Like ya do.
Nightmare fuel. (These had to be modeled off of Five Nights At Freddy's, right?)
The siblings themselves are a decent mix of powers and personalities, with believable squabbles and just the right combination of exasperation and affection for each other.
These two are my favorites:
Klaus and Number 5 are dear to my heart for so many reasons, but mostly it boils down to their phenomenal actors knocking it out of the park. Don't get me wrong, the whole cast is pitch perfect, but these two crank it up to 11. I'm convinced Robert Sheehan is having the time of his life playing Klaus, and 15-year-old Aidan Gallagher puts most actors twice his age to shame. The scenes with just the two of them positively crackle, love it love it love it.
Oh, and it took me a good 4 days to realize who Klaus sounds like, and I was SO HAPPY when I did that now I have to share: Martin Short. He has that same high-to-low way of speaking, like a vocal roller coaster. I don't know how else to describe it, but seriously; dead ringer for Martin Short.
Also I could listen to Hazel complaining about their job conditions in that endearing Midwestern accent all day.
Oh, and it took me a good 4 days to realize who Klaus sounds like, and I was SO HAPPY when I did that now I have to share: Martin Short. He has that same high-to-low way of speaking, like a vocal roller coaster. I don't know how else to describe it, but seriously; dead ringer for Martin Short.
Also I could listen to Hazel complaining about their job conditions in that endearing Midwestern accent all day.
Getting back to the overall show, there's a driving mission and mystery that keeps the 10 episodes zipping along, so this show is eminently bingeable. Obviously I won't tell you what happens, but you'll be happy to know the ending is just the right mix of resolution and dangling plot points. The writers could take this soooo many directions with season 2, and they left enough unanswered questions that I. can't. wait.
So where are my fellow Umbrella heads at? (I don't know if that's actually what we're called, but I'm onboard if it is.) Have you binged? Are you in process? What'd you like, what'd you hate? Who's your favorite, and why? Note there may be spoilers in the comments, so proceed there with caution. (And some spoilers may be from me, because I want to talk about the villain, dangit! Who's with me?)
