The Umbrella Academy is a Netflix show that premiered its first season in February 2019 and its second at the end of July 2020. The show features seven siblings who were raised by billionaire Reginald Hargreeves to fight crime with their superpowers (well, all except one). When he adopted them, Reginald gave them numbers, while their robot mother eventually gave them names, except for Five. The siblings are Luther (number one), Diego (number two), Allison (number three), Klaus (number four), Five (number five), Ben (number six), and Vanya (number seven). When it comes to superpowers, Luther has super strength, Diego can manipulate objects that are thrown while they are in the air, Allison can change the outcome of anything simply by saying that she “heard a rumor” about whatever outcome she wants, Klaus can see ghosts, Five can teleport and time travel, Ben is dead but when he was alive was able to channel eldritch beings through an interdimensional portal in his body, and Vanya was raised without powers. The first season follows a “dysfunctional family of adopted sibling superheroes who reunite to solve the mystery of their father’s death and the threat of an impending apocalypse”, according to the Netflix synopsis.

When asked about what she thought the strengths of the show were, junior Caroline Lehman said that she thought it was interesting that all of the characters were “so different and [had] really varying personalities” even though they were all raised together. This is true of the show; the characters range in the way they feel about themselves and each other and how they interact with the outside world and all of the events they face. While more of an action-packed show, it also deals with dysfunctional family relationships and, having not seen each other in a while, the siblings often don’t get along, which a lot of people can relate to, especially now. Lehman also said, when asked about the weaknesses of the show, that the only one was “the fact that there aren’t enough seasons”. As of now, there are only two seasons but there are plans for more in the future.

Senior Caelan Rice has not seen the show, but when asked about what she generally looks for in a TV show, she said that she looks for something that is “immediately captivating”. In my opinion, The Umbrella Academy captivates you from the very beginning and keeps that captivation throughout the first and second seasons. I also asked if there was a certain length of time she thought episodes of a show should be and she replied that she likes shows that are “20-45 [minutes] and ones that are 2+ hours”. The Umbrella Academy is generally between 45 minutes and an hour, so while it may not be optimal for some people, it’s perfect for those who are in the middle. Rice also mentioned that for her, a show takes “at least 3-4 seasons to really develop a plot”. While the Umbrella Academy only has two seasons as of now, the plot is well-developed; it has lots of action, there’s a clear story arc, and the characters are given a chance to grow.

The Umbrella Academy is unlike any other show I’ve seen before. It deals with so many different issues, including family, civil and LGBTQ+ rights, and of course, superpowers. I would recommend the show to anyone who can relate to these topics or even if you just need something new to watch. It may be high tension at times but that high tension is exhilarating. It’s a great show to end the day or just to distract yourself with. I would suggest that everyone should watch it, no matter if you’re a student or teacher; there’s something in it for everyone!