The Umbrella Academy Season 2
A Weird But Surprisingly Awesome Show
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| Seven Siblings in an elevator |
If the genre of superhero films and shows was glass it would be filled to the brim right now. I mean there are so many superheroes out there to save the world from ending. The Umbrella Academy (adapted from Gerard Way's comic series) is another fantastic addition to this genre.
To do a quick recap of season one, we are introduced to a band of Seven superpowered adults, born on the same day to different mothers across the globe and possessing unusual abilities. They are adopted and raised by a ruthless billionaire (Sir Reginald Hargreeves). He trains them to be superheroes, and save the world. Their dangerous childhood ends up traumatizing and alienating the siblings instead. By the time they grow up, they are all estranged with long-existing conflicts.
Now a quick character introduction, we have super-strong but with the ape-like body, Luther aka Number One played by Tom Hopper, the lady with the exceptionally good persuasive ability Allision played by Emmy Raver-Lampman, an addict who can summon and talk to the dead Klaus played by Robert Sheehan, a wannabe badass superhero Diego played by David Castañeda who can curve any projectile but mostly curves knives (basically he throws knives at people and never misses). A dead brother Ben played by Justin H. Min who is stuck with Klaus, and at last, Vanya played by Ellen Page who is shown as powerless but her true abilities only emerge towards the end of season one.
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| Apocalypse in the Umbrella Academy |
Out of nowhere suddenly emerges their time-traveling sibling Five, who went missing since their teenage years but now aged by decades and apparently still stuck in his teenage body. It's his responsibility to bring all the siblings together, find out what they did so many years, prevent an almost certain apocalypse, and all this while simultaneously dodging the agents The Commission, a time-traveling agency who is determined to let the Earth be gone.
There all done. Now coming back to season two the storyline sees Five return from the future to find his brothers and sisters who are scattered and disconnected. it's now up to him to reunite his family, find out what they have been up to, prevent another almost-certain apocalypse, and fight the agents of the commission. It's same from the first season........you get the idea.
Of course, there are some major changes. While the season one was set in a sort of present 2019. Season two Of the Umbrella Academy is set in 1963 Dallas, Texas.
"1963" + "Dallas" + "Catastrophe' might ring a bell in some people's minds but if it doesn't I'll tell what happened at that time. The president of the United States of America, Jhon F. Kenedy was assassinated in 1963 at Dallas.
In the end of the last season Five makes a jump back in time with all his siblings hoping they can save the Earth from ending. In the most typical time-travel fashion, the jump back in time goes wrong and the seven siblings are scattered across the different time periods in the early '60s. I mean it is like a rule for time travel that something has to go wrong. Okay coming back to the topic, by the time Five arrives every one of the siblings has settled in their new lives in this new timeline. Luther works as the Muscle man for a Gangster, Allison is fighting for black people rights, Vanya has lost her memory and has become a nanny, Diego tries to convince the people that a motor show with the president in an open-top Cadillac is not a very good idea but he is sent to an asylum and Klaus has started a cult and Ben is stuck with him.
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| Five and Vanya face off each other |
That is loosely the story of season 2, but by arriving in the past and escaping the first apocalypse the members of the group must have done something that they have another apocalypse to prevent from happening. What is it? and what it has to do with the death of John F. Kenedy?
This is the mystery that forms the core of season two of The Umbrella Academy.
The biggest and most satisfying change in Season 2 is that the storyline does not just stick to the core mystery ( which was the case in season one) but it also explores the dysfunction dynamics of every member of the Hargreeves family. By separating the siblings and forcing them to adapt to their new surroundings the story give each of the siblings a chance to shine and as viewers, we get to see the emotional and mental state of them that we otherwise wouldn't.
Diego who was underdeveloped in season one ( he just tossed some knives and was there so that his siblings can joke) is given a hilarious and surprisingly a little touching take in the Season two. The show excavates his mental state in fascinating ways that give Diego a well-deserved chance in the spotlight. The same is true for Allision who has to face the dehumanizing realities of the 60s, in a way that her white siblings are unaware of.
The show handles these plot threads with such skill that does not feel too self-important. This adds to the depth of the show even when the characters are reveling something really absurd which is the trademark of The Umbrella Academy. Klaus is again one of the most ridiculous, weird characters but with a pitch-perfect storyline. His weird nature does not stop the story from exploring his emotional development, picking up the plot from the traumatizing event of him accidentally getting stuck in the Vietnam war. In total, the Hargreeves siblings of Season two are able to appreciate each other while also mocking each other mercilessly- which makes the show a whole lot better.
Most of the supporting characters act as lenses for us to know the main characters better. And the villains of the Season two are nowhere near as interesting as Hazel and Cha-Cha were in the Season one. Although that is understandable as the story would have to shift between too many characters if villains were like season one and the focus might have pulled away from the Hargreeves family.
Sir Reginald played by Colm Feore still looms large in the story. The show commits a large part of the story exploring myriad ways the "father" shaped the Academy into the emotional baggage that they are as adults.
Overall the season two of The Umbrella Academy pulls off a spectacular act of maintaining a balance in its tone. It manages to be funnier and more surreal than season one. Arguably the Season two might spend most of its time unpacking the childhood trauma that the protagonists faced but still finds time for a humorous deconstruction of its time travel troops, some inventive fight sequences, and all this with a killer soundtrack is just a delight to watch.
All in all the Season two of The Umbrella Academy improves on what worked for it in season one and dumping the elements that mired it in season one. Its rapid banter, kinetic action, and just amazing soundtrack make it a must-watch for everyone.
The Umbrella Academy has two seasons both streaming now on Netflix.
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