The Umbrella Academy (TV series)
A dysfunctional family of superhero siblings faces apocalypse.
The Umbrella Academy is an American superhero comedy drama television series loosely based on the comic book series of the same name. Created for Netflix by Steve Blackman and developed by Jeremy Slater, it follows a dysfunctional family of adopted sibling superheroes who reunite for their father's funeral and face an imminent apocalypse. The series became one of the most-streamed shows of 2019, with 45 million households watching its first season within a month of release.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Action
- Comedy drama
- Science fantasy
- Superhero
- Based on
- The Umbrella Academy
- Gerard Way
- and Gabriel Bá
- Creator
- Steve Blackman
- Developer
- Jeremy Slater
- Showrunner
- Steve Blackman; Jesse McKeown
- Music
- Jeff Russo; Perrine Virgile
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Plot summary
The Umbrella Academy is set in a universe where 43 women gave birth simultaneously at noon on October 1, 1989, despite no prior signs of pregnancy. Seven of the children are adopted by eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves and turned into a superhero team called "The Umbrella Academy." Hargreeves gives them numbers; their robot-mother, Grace, later names six: Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Ben, and Vanya. Reginald keeps Vanya apart, claiming she has no powers. The first season, set in the present day, finds the estranged siblings reuniting for Reginald's funeral. Five returns from the future, warning of a global apocalypse, and is chased by time-travelling Commission operatives Hazel and Cha-Cha. The siblings try to uncover Reginald's secrets and prevent the apocalypse. In the second season, the siblings are scattered in Dallas at different times in the early 1960s. Five arrives on November 25, 1963, minutes before a nuclear doomsday linked to JFK not being assassinated. With Hazel's help, he travels back ten days and reunites his siblings to stop this new apocalypse. In the third season, the siblings find that their actions created a new timeline where they are replaced by another Hargreeves group, the Sparrow Academy. They must stop a kugelblitz from destroying the universe, caused by the grandfather paradox of their time-travel. They reset the universe, lose their powers, and go their separate ways.
Cast and characters
Elliot Page portrays Viktor/Vanya Hargreeves / Number Seven, a meek violinist alienated from his siblings, who can convert sound waves into physical force. The character was originally named Vanya and referred to as female until coming out as a trans man in the third season, going by Viktor and using he/him pronouns. Tom Hopper plays Luther Hargreeves / Number One, an astronaut with super strength who lived on the Moon for four years; his upper body was turned into that of a gorilla after an injury. David Castañeda plays Diego Hargreeves / Number Two, a rebellious troublemaker with telekinetic ability to curve the trajectory of moving objects; he starts a relationship with Lila in season 2 and marries her. Emmy Raver-Lampman plays Allison Hargreeves / Number Three, a celebrity actress with the ability to control minds with the phrase "I heard a rumor..."; in season 3, she can control minds without the phrase in moments of intense anger. Other cast members include Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Cameron Britton, Mary J. Blige, John Magaro, Adam Godley, Colm Feore, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, Yusuf Gatewood, Marin Ireland, Kate Walsh, Genesis Rodriguez, and Britne Oldford.
Production
A film version of The Umbrella Academy was optioned by Universal Studios, with Mark Bomback hired to write the screenplay; Rawson Marshall Thurber reportedly replaced him in 2010. In 2012, Gerard Way mentioned a "really good script" but said it was "kind of up to the universe." On July 7, 2015, it was announced the series would be developed as a television series by Universal Cable Productions. On July 11, 2017, Netflix greenlit a live-action series adaptation, with Way and Gabriel Bá as executive producers, to premiere in 2019. The series was created by Steve Blackman, who served as showrunner; the pilot was written by Jeremy Slater. On April 2, 2019, the series was renewed for a ten-episode second season. A teaser trailer released on May 18, 2020, featured the cast dancing to "I Think We're Alone Now." Blackman stated he wanted to stay close to the comics. On November 10, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a ten-episode third season. The maturity rating increased from TV-14 to TV-MA for the third season due to increased profanity. In August 2022, Netflix renewed the series for a fourth and final season of six episodes, with Jesse McKeown serving as co-showrunner with Blackman.
Reception
On April 16, 2019, Netflix announced that over 45 million viewers streamed the series within its first month, making it the third most popular TV series on Netflix in 2019. Following the second season debut, the show broke viewership records, with 3 billion minutes viewed in its first week, topping Nielsen ratings. The second season was streamed by over 43 million viewers in its first 28 days, becoming the 6th most watched show of 2020. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season received 77% positive reviews from 94 critics, with an average rating of 7.2/10; the critics' consensus noted the series' imaginative yarn and compelling ensemble but a dour sensibility. Metacritic assigned a score of 61 out of 100. The second season earned 91% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7.9/10; critics praised its lightened tonal load and emotional core. Metacritic gave it a score of 67 out of 100. The third season received 91% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7.6/10; critics noted overstuffed scope but gonzo creativity and character relationships. Metacritic assigned a score of 74 out of 100.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of The Umbrella Academy (TV series) are there?
The Umbrella Academy has 36 episodes across 4 seasons.
When did The Umbrella Academy (TV series) first air?
The Umbrella Academy first aired on 15 February 2019.
When did The Umbrella Academy (TV series) end?
The Umbrella Academy last aired on 8 August 2024.
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