Nothing in The Umbrella Academy feels real or worthy of our interest. From the first episode, we are introduced to a set of characters we know nothing about and expected to be patient while the show catches us up through backstory and exposition. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when it feels like we're discovering these characters along with the creators of the show, it's easy to lose intrest.
When the plot finally kicks in and the audience is finally tossed a bone to chew on, we're taken for a rollercoaster ride of sorts spanning time and, quite literally, space. How or why all of this information fits together isn't really of concern so long as the characters remain interesting.
It is here that everything falls apart for me. The problem isn't that the characters are bad, per se, rather they are one dimensional and inconsistant. They don't evolve with their experiences nor do they mature as people. It's as if someone came up with really interesting characters, but aside from their paper thin personalities they have nowhere to go.
When all is said and done, the first season of The Umbrella Academy, while interesting, quickly became frustrating to sit through. Perhaps, had the creators of the show put more time into making the characters part of the story instead of ammunition to propel the plot, the show would come across in a more compelling way.
Review of The Umbrella Academy
