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What Did the Rain Ever Do To You?

Hectic.

That’s what my week was.

With multiple tests coming up, having to attend basketball practice, preparing for Model United Nations, and filling out various gruelling forms for other activities, I barely had time to sleep, and I value my sleep very much, thank you.

And yet, I still found time to start watching a new show, and the title for this week’s blog is a huge hint for what it is (it also rhymes Nutella Anatomy). If you haven’t guessed it by now, it’s The Umbrella Academy. Now, on to the actual review.

Honestly, I can’t decide if I like the Umbrella Academy or not. The initial idea has potential, but the actual execution of it is, well, mediocre. In an attempt to be unique, it has actually become generic.

The first major issue is that the character types are overdone. Allison is the self-righteous hypocrite who displays an urgent need to atone for her mistakes in a conversation, but that plot arc is abandoned and conveniently disregarded for the rest of the season. Luther is the Leader who sincerely believes that his Father was not the horrible man he was, and must have had an ulterior motive that will serve humanity for all the misdoings he committed. Klaus is the alcoholic and substance abuser whose unhealthy habit is simply a way to keep his demons at bay. Diego is the vigilante with a heart of gold, driven by his traumatic childhood and the “death” of his “loved” ones. Vanya is the odd one out, who believes she is ordinary, but the biggest plot twist of the season is that she is not! She is the most powerful out of all. Five may be the only original character in the series. Such character types are getting repetitive, being referenced in various movies, tv shows, books, and more. I wouldn’t have such an issue with them if they started out as cliche and then twisted into something original, but the characters are textbook examples of their archetypes.

The next issue is the plot arcs the writers have employed. Simply, they are pointless. They lead to nowhere and nothing. Every divergent plot arc is abandoned halfway. It’s like the writers don’t want the viewers getting distracted from the main plot, but seem to have forgotten that a viewer will get bored when having to keep out with one story only, especially considering that the pace set is slow-moving. I get immersed in a certain plotline, eagerly awaiting to see what’s going to happen, and then nothing happens. This is completely unsatisfying and makes me skip forty minutes of a fifty minute episode because I simply do not care for what happens in the already boring main plotline. We as humans naturally look for and expect a resolution to any presented problem, and the inexistence of one is very bothersome.

All things considered, the series is not all bad. The soundtrack is great, kudos to whoever picked the music. Combining lighthearted uplifting music with a seriously violent action scene lessens from the annoying intensity of the scene and exhilarates any viewer, such a contrast is nice. The production value and quality are high, which is pleasing. The consistent use of quips in any situation is a relief and a bit funny at times. And believe it or not, some scenes were really well executed, making them memorable and effective, such as Diego “killing” Grace, or whenever Five showed his attachment to Delores. The surprise deaths of characters also serves to keep me on my toes. I never know who is going to die next, and quite important characters have been cut loose so far. However, the main characters never do seem to stay dead, and that is counterproductive in my opinion.

All in all, I would rate the Umbrella Academy 6.38 out of 10. I believe that it may be significant to mention that I have not completed the entire season, pausing at episode 7, but I do know what happens, as it is quite obvious. I do recommend watching the show, but if you don’t happen to like it from the first three episodes, do not force yourself to continue. It only gets worse in most aspects.

Peace.