SPOILERS!!
YOU’VE BEEN WARNED
With the rash of TV shows in the last few years that have been
adaptations of comic books, you would think that the release of ‘yet
another’ would have everyone rolling their eyes while Netflix rolled out
their long marketing campaign for the newly arrived
‘Umbrella Academy’. Not only is this a show based on the comic created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba but it is also about another somewhat exhausted
genre, superheroes. Only considered a genre and not a sub over the last
couple of decades, TV was slow to catch up, instead
venturing down the route of original stories of the genre, I’m thinking
of ‘Misfits’ here and to a lesser extent, sitcoms like ‘My Hero’ and
‘No Heroics’. That’s what the UK has to offer anyway. But now, we have
the likes of Agents of SHIELD (more spy than
superhero but still very sci-fi) and Legion. Comic book adaptation have
proved to popular and as the original stories were all in episodes, it
makes sense to turn them into serials. Preacher, iZombie, Happy!, The
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Riverdale
and of course, The Walking Dead. Not all can be winners, such as
Outcast and the incredibly underrated Middleman. New shows joining the
ranks this year; Deadly Class, Doom Patrol and The Boys are out later
this year. With new adaptations out every year, is
there room for more? Well, when it comes to the Umbrella Academy, there
most definitely is.
Tag lined ‘Super. Dysfunctional. Family’ doesn’t actually scrape the
surface of this family of super powered people. The comic stands out in
more ways than one as does the TV show its based on not just because of
its characters, universe or plot. With only
two collected volumes of the comic released before the show went into
production, it seems that the creators of the show and Netflix were
banking on the notoriety of the comic to bring in the viewers. I only
read the first book a couple of months ago in prep
for the show and I’m glad I did but I still had multiple questions
about what was happening.
There have already been first reactions to the show going round the
internet as well as the usual lists about what questions have been left
unanswered as well as differences from the comic, all of which I’m
personally fine with. The universe the academy exists
in is a very weird one and not like ‘ours’ so any changes to make
things a little less complicated I’m ok with.
I’ve rambled on for a bit without talking about the show properly.
Beginning with a prologue, a sign of setting up the scene, novel style,
explaining how the Umbrella Academy came to be. When 43 children are
born simultaneously around the world to women who
weren’t pregnant at the start of the day, am eccentric millionaire
adopts (or rather buys) as many as he can find, which is 7. He trains
them, disciplines them and never once fathers them like a real parent.
Out the 7 children, 6 have special powers and one
doesn’t, BUT she does seem to be on medication, so you can guess what
you will hear. Trying to be spoiler free as possible. The children grow
up (apart from Vanya, who plays violin) in the lime light as superheroes
but as they get older, one by one leave the
academy, except for Luther, who pays for his loyalty. All the children
are numbered and this is what their ‘father’ calls them, never by their
names given to them by their robot mother. As adults they are all
following their own path and they haven’t seen
each other in years. One brother, Number Five, disappeared when they
were 13 and hadn’t been seen because he leapt too far into the future
and saw the apocalypse and lived to an old age in it, until he was
recruited to be a hitman for a shady secret organisation.
For anyone who hasn’t read the comics or not seen the show yet, this
might mean absolutely nothing to you. Sorry guys.
Seven children, seven numbers, seven weird powers. Space boy aka No.1,
is strong and he also has monkey DNA so he literally looks like a
mutant. No.2 The Kraken, is good with knives, he always hits his
targets, plus he wears a weird leather thing to carry all
his knives. No.3 The Rumour, literally says ‘I heard a rumour’ and
whatever she says it comes true. Unfortunately she learnt too late that
her life is built on lies and her ‘rumours’ which is why she is
divorced and not allowed to see her daughter. No.4 The
Seance, can speak, hear, hang out with the dead BUT he can do so much
more, like, visit the afterlife and chat with god. More on that later.
Because of the whole dead thing, he’s a junkie, to drown out the voices,
a real tortured soul. No.5 disappeared into
the future, got stuck and then clawed his way back to his family. He
can move through space and time but he’s really a great hitman. No.6,
The Horror, had the ability to release monsters from another dimension
through his stomach, but he died mysteriously.
This hasn’t been revealed in the show or comics, yet. No. 7, The White
Violin, the ‘ordinary’ one who plays the violin but really is the most
powerful. Able to control everything around her, her emotions affecting
the objects and people and if she plays the
violin, well, that means the end of the world. All the family members
are disturbed, scarred and struggling in some way, physically and
emotionally, but together they are, well, really dangerous.
The fact that the show is a combination of both comics, might mean the
show could go its own way, diverted from the comics. Including making
more of time travelling hitmen, Cha-Cha and Hazel which was a fun and
sometimes funny diversion from the main gang.
But who knows what could happen next. I just want there to be a season
2. Plus with all these Marvel cancellations Netflix has room in their
schedule.
A family that tries to prevent the apocalypse together you would think
stay together. I’m hoping Netflix sees sense and renews the show.
Fingers crossed umbrella fans.
