The Umbrella Academy (Netflix TV series)

[newfan]

Just finished up with this, I enjoyed it, but as I'm not previously familiar I can't know how it rates for character portrayal etc.

I like that you get a whole series with Netflix than have to wait for airing but on the other side of that it's all over quickly too in 10 eps. Also you don't get the same following with others as you get when something airs and people catch eps at the same time.

Still, I'll catch season 2 if there is one.

[Andrew NDB]

Finished it. I mostly had to power through the early episodes without any likable characters to speak of... but about the last 4 episodes were pretty good.

Two things:

1) Cha Cha didn't have enough going on. I've always liked Blige (though I've never seen her act in anything before) but the part just seems miscast, too.

2) What a horrible cliffhanger. If I hadn't already read that the show was picked up for season 2 already, I'd be furious for it all being a waste of time. Still... this is no way to wrap up a season. This is... the opposite of that.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Finished it. I mostly had to power through the early episodes without any likable characters to speak of... but about the last 4 episodes were pretty good.

Two things:

1) Cha Cha didn't have enough going on. I've always liked Blige (though I've never seen her act in anything before) but the part just seems miscast, too.

2) What a horrible cliffhanger. If I hadn't already read that the show was picked up for season 2 already, I'd be furious for it all being a waste of time. Still... this is no way to wrap up a season. This is... the opposite of that.

Yeah, my wife was furious with the cliffhanger, too.

And can't argue with Cha Cha... compared to Hazel, she really had zero characterization. She needed more; there was definitely room.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

And can't argue with Cha Cha... compared to Hazel, she really had zero characterization. She needed more; there was definitely room.

There was the

Spoiler:

subtle revelation that she has a crush on Hazel when he gave his speech in the forest, then she got jealous when she caught him with the donut lady

, but that's not much and nothing really comes of it.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

There was the

Spoiler:

subtle revelation that she has a crush on Hazel when he gave his speech in the forest, then she got jealous when she caught him with the donut lady

, but that's not much and nothing really comes of it.

I didn't even catch that until my rewatching. It was nice, but yeah... that was about it.

Season 2, hopefully. Give her something to chew on.

[Andrew NDB]

News all over the internet today that it's been renewed for season 2:

https://deadline.com/2019/04/the-umb...ix-1202586625/

Even though it was already renewed back in February...

https://www.nme.com/news/tv/umbrella...enewed-2454732

[Utrommaniac]

I just got through a two-day binge watch. Definitely would be watching season 2 and maybe looking into the original source material.

But it was a big downer all the way through. But of course it would be considering everything that happened to the characters growing up.

Spoiler:

And Sir Hargreeves was an idiot with Vanya. What, you couldn't have a little more patience with a little girl who was scared and stubborn at breakfast? I could do a whole essay on how in so many different directions that he was absolutely wrong to not help her hone her power so it wouldn't go out of control!

Ah but yes, this is the same motherfvcker who locks a boy in a crypt thinking it would teach him a lesson.

Gotta say though, there were moments where I was surprised when Pogo would show up. Talking chimp in a suit kind of takes away from the moment, especially when it's a serious one.


I can excuse secret alien man adopting 7 children with superpowers who were literally born unexpectedly and raising them horribly, but I draw the line at Talking Chimp in A Suit

[newfan]

This is returning in 3 weeks (31 July), enjoyed the last season so plan to watch this one.
https://twitter.com/UmbrellaAcad/sta...64216971264001

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Finished it. I mostly had to power through the early episodes without any likable characters to speak of... but about the last 4 episodes were pretty good.

Two things:

1) Cha Cha didn't have enough going on. I've always liked Blige (though I've never seen her act in anything before) but the part just seems miscast, too.

2) What a horrible cliffhanger. If I hadn't already read that the show was picked up for season 2 already, I'd be furious for it all being a waste of time. Still... this is no way to wrap up a season. This is... the opposite of that.

You feel it gets better? I love the comic but stopped about four episodes in for the same reason. Dance scene made me sort of cringe and I didn't love any of the characters at that point.

[ProphetofGanja]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

I can excuse secret alien man adopting 7 children with superpowers who were literally born unexpectedly and raising them horribly, but I draw the line at Talking Chimp in A Suit

You should definitely check out the comics.

Originally Posted by AquaParade

You feel it gets better? I love the comic but stopped about four episodes in for the same reason. Dance scene made me sort of cringe and I didn't love any of the characters at that point.

Yeah, unfortunately my love of the comics kept me from enjoying the show. It's just so, so different. Doesn't feel like the same vibe at all, especially with how they've remixed everything to change the flow of the story for seasons 1 and 2.

I'll probably turn season 2 on when it comes out just out of curiosity, but I'm far more eager for news of Volume 4 of the comics.

[Andrew NDB]

I'm a couple episodes into season 2. So this season is all about a time traveling jaunt to the 60s, stopping JFK's assassination and avert a nuclear war. Eh, not at all where I imagined they might go with things after season 1. It's not bad, though it feels like kind of a side thing.

Also there's a bit of a racism thing in it that I'm getting a bit tired of in a lot of TV shows of late.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Managed to finish our marathon of Season 2 last night. Or, y'know, waaaaaaaaay earlier this morning.

Didn't like the first half of the season as much, but by the end of the season, they've done some pretty spectacular things with Ben and Lila. So it gets better!

Never liked the Swedes. Boring.

Also, while I'm all for diversity, making Allison black blocked the Umbrella Academy show from ever adapting a pretty fvcking great plot twist from Dallas where she impersonates a rather important white lady. Still disappointed we'll never see that moment.

[newfan]

I think I've watched about 3 eps then took a break as it hasn't greasped me as much as when I started the first season, might get back on to it tonight. Does this season differ greatly from the comic also, besides the point you mentioned already Cylons?

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by ProphetofGanja

Yeah, unfortunately my love of the comics kept me from enjoying the show. It's just so, so different. Doesn't feel like the same vibe at all, especially with how they've remixed everything to change the flow of the story for seasons 1 and 2.

I'll probably turn season 2 on when it comes out just out of curiosity, but I'm far more eager for news of Volume 4 of the comics.

It's interesting to see all the negative reviews for the comic up on Amazon, left by people who enjoyed the show first and wanted to check out the origin.

To each their own, and it makes sense. Like you said, they feel quite different from each other. It's quite hard to capture the tone of Gabriel Ba's art in live action, for one thing.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by newfan

I think I've watched about 3 eps then took a break as it hasn't greasped me as much as when I started the first season, might get back on to it tonight. Does this season differ greatly from the comic also, besides the point you mentioned already Cylons?

Hugely. The TV show is much more grounded. If you've never read the comics, that should give you some idea of how bat$hit insane the comics are!

Originally Posted by AquaParade

It's interesting to see all the negative reviews for the comic up on Amazon, left by people who enjoyed the show first and wanted to check out the origin.

To each their own, and it makes sense. Like you said, they feel quite different from each other. It's quite hard to capture the tone of Gabriel Ba's art in live action, for one thing.

I like the show a lot more. There are some things from the comics, however, that I really wish hadn't been changed or cut out.

Oh, and I first read the comics, long before the show came out.

[Andrew NDB]

A couple more into it. They're really doubling down on the anti-racism stuff and now anti-homophobia stuff, which again, seems to be pretty trendy in like... almost all TV shows right now. Was that in the comics, or are TPTB on the show just trying to ride a wave?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

A couple more into it. They're really doubling down on the anti-racism stuff and now anti-homophobia stuff, which again, seems to be pretty trendy in like... almost all TV shows right now. Was that in the comics, or are TPTB on the show just trying to ride a wave?

Riding the wave, man.

Everybody's white in the comics. Now, I like that they made the kids more diverse; there's no particular reason they should be all white, given that Hargreaves recruited them from around the world. But as I've already b!tched, they should have kept Allison white for a great plot twist in the Dallas story.

Can't make Luther black, given he's half-ape... THAT'D be offensive for sure. But there's no reason Klaus or Five couldn't have been the black character when Netflix was casting for diversity. There's nothing inherently "white" about the characters' background or story arcs.

Also, Ellen Page is lesbian, so it's possible she suggested/requested the whole Sissy subplot.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Also, Ellen Page is lesbian, so it's possible she suggested/requested the whole Sissy subplot.

I've skimmed them all but I don't remember. Was she a lesbian in the comics?

[Powder]

I saw an ad (single image; group shot) for this on the Netflix homepage & that was more than enough to keep me away. How ridiculous. You could rent ad space on Ellen's forehead & the one guy dead ass looks like the Coomer meme come to life.

[Andrew NDB]

Finished it. Well, after a certain point (maybe 2/3s of the way through the season?) they mostly get all the anti-racism, anti-homophobia stuff out of their system and get to work on a decent resolution.

Way better season finale than the first one. This one, we at least have some idea of what's to come. A little too "neat" on the disposal of all those agents, though.

Originally Posted by Powder

I saw an ad (single image; group shot) for this on the Netflix homepage & that was more than enough to keep me away. How ridiculous.

That's fair.