I did want to do this since the moment that season two came out, but I just wasn’t in the right headspace to do it. Umbrella Academy is my favourite show, but it’s also a lot of people’s favourite show. The Netflix Original is in high demand which means that there are a lot more websites that bring out reviews as fast as they can until everyone gets fatigue, it’s almost like a race of who gets their review out quicker, not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, now all the hype has died down, I’m ready to say what I think about this show.
I’ll split it down into two sections, what I liked about it and what I didn’t like about it. This saves me from rambling on and losing my train of thought, keeping my points clear and concise. Here it is, this is my review of Umbrella Academy.
First off let’s start with the positives. This is what I liked about the season
What I liked:
The 1960’s
The 1960’s brings a splash of colour to the Umbrella Academy. As the show is set in sunny Dallas Texas, we get to explore more of the world that the show is set in. I didn’t think that the 1960’s would be a great back drop for the show but the decade itself is its own character, throwing different obstacles at the siblings that we’ve grown to love. The 1960’s can also be really sinister, its optimistic setting is a brilliant juxtaposition of the jaded citizens that live in Dallas.
Vanya
Now, I’m normally not a fan with amnesia story lines, they’re annoying and you always have to wait until the end of a show/movie for the victim to gain their memory back, so when Vanya was struck by the car I sort of gritted my teeth. However, getting amnesia was the best thing that happened to the character because she developed a confidence that she really needed. She’s more emotionally driven in this season, not having the history of her siblings to weigh her down. I like that she’s more passive and let her sibling do whatever, accepting that she destroyed the world but willing to change with this new opportunity. I personally think that with her siblings she was more funnier than Klaus (at times) when they tell her what Reginald put her through and she replies with “well, now I have to meet him”.
The storyline with Harlan was…OK and I’m glad she wasn’t the one who destroyed man kind this time but there’s no scene that I want to talk about that involved her. Luther finds Vanya on the farm very early in the season and you can see the fear in his face he doesn’t know she’s lost her memory so he is still willing to play the hero. However, once Luther sees how vulnerable she is he sheds the hero in him and just is a good brother by saying “I’m sorry I let you down”. I love this scene because it shows that Vanya is the progression of this family, whether it’s phyiscal (being thrown through time because the world is ending) or mentally (admitting what you’ve done and moving on).
Diego
David Castenada steals the show as soon as he appears on screen, he adds layers to Diego, making sure that he’s always improving. This season focusses on his hero complex which is brought to the forefront as Number 2 tries to save JFK. He ultimately fails but it’s the determination that makes him seem like a mad man which I love, I mean, imagine someone that is obsessed with a crime before it’s even committed. There is a sense of comedy in Diego’s vigilante character because he’s grasping onto the fact that he is still a superhero in a tie that doesn’t need him.
We also get to see Diego’s more tender side as he’s given Lyla as a love interest. Not only does he get Lyla, but you can see that there are bits of him that really does love his siblings, whether it’s going after Luther, embracing Ben or telling them all that they’re all “Team 0”. David Castenada plays the best rendition of a brooding vigilante…one that is capable of love.
Allison’s Storyline
Considering this show was filmed months before we were locked down for quarantine and the Black Lives Matter movement was in full force, Allison’s storyline was more powerful than ever. As a black male, always joke when I say that if I were to time travel, for it to be safe I’d have to go to the future instead of the past. Allison’s story sort of brought that joke into full force as the theme of discrimination was extremely hard to miss.
Emmy Raver-Lampman broke the mould because she didn’t just play a black superhero, she played a black superhero that stood in the face of oppression. Allison gets coffee poured on her lap, assaulted by the police and harassed by members of the public as soon as she’s dropped into the 1960’s. You can argue as much as you like that comic books shows are too political but I feel like it was the best time to broadcast a message like this.
Reginald
The inclusion of Reginald in season 2 is a nice touch, he’s been on Earth for quite some time so it made sense that he’d be seen in the 1960’s. The other reason why I liked him in this is that we got to see that he was an asshole…but he was a misunderstood asshole. He generally cared when his cabal killed the JFK and his relationship with the real Grace was interesting to see. Yes, Reginald is cold and harsh but that doesn’t mean he’s a villain, he didn’t give the kids a good childhood but they were instruments in stopping the apocalypse, they were never meat to be kids. The alien reveal was also cool but I’ve read the comics and it was revealed in like one of the first pages so it was long overdue in my opinion.
The Siblings
You know, for a show about a superhero team they spend absolutely no time all together. However, when they are together these siblings are simply brilliant bouncing off each other. There’s one scene in particular that gets me every time I see it and it’s one that’s improvised by Number 1 and 3, if you’ve seen the show then you know which one I’m on about. I don’t know what it is with these actors but you can sort of believe that these people grew up with each other. Credit to the good acting I guess.
Familiar Faces
I kind of predicted that we’d see the past versions of characters that existed in the present day. Nothing really came of seeing Grace and Baby Pogo but it was a nice touch. I’m glad they didn’t utilise Baby Pogo so much that he cheapened the experience (like the minions) instead just showing his story. There’s nothing much to talk about because of the fact that they don’t really impact the plot greatly, they were just a fun addition
Anyway, now that we’ve done the things that I liked this season…now onto the things I hated.
What I Didn’t Like:
Number 5:
Now, I’m not saying that Aidan Gallagher doesn’t do a good job on this character, it’s just the fact the fact that it felt as thought Number 5 was a little bit samey. Everyone had stories this season that made them go through journeys, however, Five’s pilgrimage to save the world leaves him next to no character growth because he doesn’t interact with different characters.
Next season, I’d like Five to interact with at least one or two different characters. He doesn’t say a single word to Allison which sucks because I think those two would actually be so much fun together. Five needs to grow now because the grumpy old man act is getting really old (no pun intended).
AJ Carmichael
Netflix’s Umbrella Academy did AJ Carmichael dirty. In the comics, he’s a force of nature that is threatening enough to put Number Five in his place. In the show? He’s a talking goldfish that barks orders at people. The only scene that AJ gets with Five is when he’s begging for his life, honestly, there was a missed opportunity with this character.
Lyla and The Handler
The writing for these two is simply the worst part of season 2. Again, that’s nothing on the actors, but it’s the fact that the plot twist of Lila’s true intentions is so bland that the show makes Five work it out in an instant. The “not like other girls” personality trait is so boring now that I was actually embarrassed that such a smart show used the cliché, I honestly don’t know who got more annoyed with her, me or Five. Not only was that the only let down, but Lila being one of children was something that made my eyes to a full on 360 in my head. Of course they were going to explain what happened to the other children but I thought they were going to do it in a much smarter way, hell, I would’ve liked it better if Elliot was one of the kids instead of Lila. Her power was just so…average as well, he ability to absorb ability is such a copout (sorry rogue) and just seems like an after thought.
Next is The Handler. Now, I had the same issue with The Handler that I did with Number 5, she just stayed the same, her plan was even weaker than the first season and it easy to see why it just fell apart. Honestly, I didn’t really want her to come back for the second season, I thought it was alright that she had her time to shine and that she wasn’t totally done for.
Overall
This season isn’t as strong as the first season because of the fact that it knows what was successful in the first season and runs with it, making the successful characters like Five and The Handler stay the same. Personally, the soundtrack isn’t as memorable than the first season, which is a shame because season 1’s songs were amazing. However, season 2 explores the world a little bit more, going to more locations and involving more characters in the mission to save the world
Reel Comics 
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