The Umbrella Academy Wows Fans

  The Umbrella Academy was released on Netflix on February 15, 2019. It follows six adopted children with special abilities as they deal with the death of their father, reconnecting, and the inevitable apocalypse.

  This Netflix series was based on the comic books of the same name by ex-My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way and Brazilian comic book artist Gabriel Bá.

  The Umbrella Academy is a school commandeered by multi-billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves that allows his 6 children with special abilities (Child #1: super strength, #2: the ability to throw things accurately, #3: influence people’s actions, #4: communicating with the dead, #5: space-and-time travel, and #6: turning into a monster) to grow these powers and use them to fight crime.

  “I think child number five is probably [my favorite]. I like that he’s so small but has a bunch of sass.” Five has the brain of a 58-year-old man but is trapped inside the body of a 13-year-old boy. “[It’s] a really interesting contrast and I think that’s what draws me in,” freshman Zoë Walczyk said.

 “The Rumour would be [a] good [power] for teaching. I heard a rumor you’re all going to study tonight,” Brink said.

  One unforgettable part is the opening scene of the first episode: We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals. It starts off in a Russian pool where two young lovers flirt with -and kiss- each other, which is a big no-no. The music helps build up the suspense to the revealing moment in the scene, but not the kind of suspense you would suspect from young lovers. A kiss turns sour when a girl gives birth in a public pool.

  “On the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began,” says the narrator. The screen clicks to black, then fades to a bright, cheery day paired with Picture Book by The Kooks.

  There’s just something about this scene, especially the transition from something that seems so horrible (almost giving birth in a public pool) to a song and scene that makes you want to dance, that makes its mark on the audience.

  Another absolutely fantastic thing about this show is the music. A personal favorite is the shootout in Griddy’s Donuts while Istanbul by They Might Be Giants plays in the background. This show matches music perfectly with scenes, or they make the music contrast what’s going on in the show. The choice in music is one of the things that makes this show so unique.

  “The moment where Hazel and Cha Cha are really high [was a ’high’light],” sophomore Alex Merg said. This scene is paired with Shingaling by Tom Swoon, setting the mood for a dance party surrounded by flames.

  While weed chocolate may make Hazel crazy he can be sweet while not under the influence. During the 10 episodes, Hazel has a chance to fall in love with Agnes, the owner of Griddy’s Donuts.

  “She was the number one well-rounded character who saw good in anything,” Spanish teacher Alison Brink said.  

  But one thing that Agnes did not sign up for in her relationship with Hazel was him attacking the Hargreeve family. It’s a good thing the family has special abilities to protect themselves against these killing machines.

  Overall, this is a great show and I would recommend it for everyone who can handle a little bit of gore. It has some great music and iconic scenes that are unforgettable. The way the show explores what happens after the superheroes grow up makes it more realistic and intriguing for any audience.