Binge Umbrella Academy on Netflix (Spoilers Ahoy!)

It's HERE guys Netflix's adaptation of Gerard Way's The Umbrella Academy and boy IS THIS ONE GOOD. Before we go any further I want to take the time to say, that if the title of this particular blog doesn't say it all, there are going to be spoilers ahead. If you do not want them I suggest going away and returning again when you HAVE watched the series. That being said,  I have waited years for this very moment, and last night I binged all ten episodes on Netflix and omfg, I want MORE. I am so all over the place ADD that usually I can't binge a show unless it's a 'edge of your seat' kinda deal...so this was BIG for me. I watched straight through with ALMOST no pauses, hey a girl's gotta potty and eat. I also want to state that THIS PARTICULAR BLOG won't be addressing the comic book, other than the fact that it's an adaptation of the series that Gerard Way penned. This post is strictly for the Netflix series. Okay! Ready for this adventure? Let's do it.

Wow I don't know where to start guys, the first episode (and every episode thereafter) has so much going on, jam packed into one episode that it'll have you clinging to the edge of your seat or chewing

your nails wondering if they are really going in the direction they are going in or if things are going to pan out a different way. The character building in the VERY FIRST EPISODE is so essential to getting you into relating to and/or loving the vibe and personalities of each character--and in the space of an hour I have to say that's very impressive. So I already had a favorite by the time the 55 mins was over, and I mean--I'm sure I'm not the only one that's felt this way.

Let me break it down.

The show begins with a series of 43 spontaneous births around the world; by standards they are not an average pregnancy as the pregnancy, swelling, and birth all take place in an instant in various parts of the planet--but in the very FIRST episode we are seeing the birth of Vanya (I believe) and then the very unorthodox dismissal of said child to an eccentric billionaire (Reginald Hargreeves) who was going around purchasing the children from their parents. She was the seventh.

It is made clear from the get go, that the story is going to take you from the past to the present, and so on...but it starts in the present day--showing the (seven) children, and explaining their lives a bit through a montage of action sequences while a pretty rockin violin rendition of Phantom of the Opera is being played by Number Seven (Vanya) in a dark concert hall. Number one (Luther) is a man/ape hybrid

with super strength--living on the moon doing research for god knows what. The sequence intensifies as we are introduced to a family being held captive by some people threatening to kill them for money in their family safe if they don't give it up--enter, number two (Diego) a knife curving expert who crime fights in leather and has ties to the police force. He saves the family, and the sequence pans to number three (Allison) on the red carpet. As far as we can tell she is celebrity with the gift of a silver tongue, as she can literally with the words "I heard a rumor" make a person do whatever she desires.

Vanya continues her concerto, Luther watches the sun rise, Diego tells the family they're safe, Allison is being marveled on the red carpet, and finally we meet number four (Klaus) a drug loving addict who overdoses right in the first episode and is revived by narco only to laugh out and high five the emt. In this episode, it is made clear that Klaus can communicate with the dead, though we are not aware if his powers go beyond
that just yet. The spotlight is on Vanya and she finishes auditioning for first chair at the opera house only to find that she hasn't made it again, she is number seven. And as far as we know? She is just ordinary, and mostly not included as a special part of the family. She's a huge disappointment who told the family secrets in a tell-all book that sold pretty well--but otherwise she doesn't seem to have any extraordinary skills whatsoever. Number six (Ben) can summon extradimensional monsters to do his bidding, and he is badass, but also deceased. There are some hints to how he died but it's not actually very clear, and especially not so in the first episode--but we do the see the kids in action in a flashback of a bank robbery which was really cool.

Anyway, the entire point of the ten minute introduction seemed to be just a way to get the children back together. They come back to the Umbrella Academy where they all grew up, to reunite in the event of their adopted father's death. Their mother (a cyborg/robot/machine) is unaging and seems to be a little off like her programming is degrading, but the kids don't seem to notice--they're too busy fighting one another and reacquainting after years apart to notice right away. Another character that is introduced as a main supporting character is a talking hyper intelligent chimp butler by the name of Pogo. He's wise but seems to be hiding something from the get go. 

It is clear that these kids weren't raised properly by the man that adopted them. Later in the episode Number five (Five) who has been missing since he was thirteen years old, returns through a interdimensional time jump. The same way he apparently got lost when he was younger (he can run through time and space), and he reunites with the others as well. Letting them know that he was a 58 year old man in a 13 year old's body because he had time jumped without the right equation and ended back there to save them. From what? The end of the world.

"I'd probably ended up like an emotionally stunted manchild like the rest, so thanks for that I guess..." -five.


At the very end of the first 55 minute episode we are introduced to an organization that is apparently hunting Five--though we don't know why. He kills them all in a doughnut shop, and leaves like nothing happened. After that, is when we are finally introduced to dead Ben, who is apparently alongside of Klaus at all times. Through his best efforts he tries his best to take care of and give advice to his hurting brother, but Klaus tunes him out mostly and does his own thing. Final scene shows number Five running through firey debris on the Earth, searching for the cause of the end of times--and then roll credits.

OMG how intense?!?

All of that boiled over and made me squirm in my seat so I had to watch the next episode....and guys....I am not fucking exaggerating one bit when I say, that it ONLY gets better from there. As we are tossed back and forth on the timeline we get to see various points of the kids upbringing with Reginald as a father. All of them harbor resentment toward the man, who is a lowkey selfless genius (but you don't know why until the end). And ALL of them are living lives that they actually hate but wouldn't admit to hating (except Klaus he will say that shit right to your face).

I wanted to break down that first episode for you, so you could see how much was jam packed into one episode--and tbh there is some stuff I have left out that you should GO WATCH FOR YOURSELVES. I wasn't going to get Netflix this month because I'm perfectly happy with my Shudder subscription, but this series? this made me get Netflix, and if you have it--you should WATCH IT. Ten episodes of a complete action-packed emotional roller-coaster ride. I am emotionally wrecked for the rest of the fucking month. WOW. This show is so well written. SO well written. I could see things coming sometimes, but I didn't expect them to come about the way they did. The characters are ALL relatable and fucking GREAT. Even the VILLAINS. In the second episode the organization that is after Five sends out Chacha and Hazel, to take care of things. They are the funniest most relatable fucking villains I have ever met. I LOVE them. BOTH of them. OMG they are amazing. Please go watch this show. It's worth every fucking second.


Now, if only I can get my hands on that new Peaky season that's supposed to be coming....

Thanks for reading ya'll and keeping me going strong every week. I love you. You are all amazing and if anyone ever says otherwise? punch them in the face with some truth. Tell them not to be jealous because you're so fabulous.

Can't tread on us. ;)

See you next week fam!

*~DaniiGrimm~*

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