'The Umbrella Academy': Ripe with potential, but doesn't quite cut it.

The Umbrella Academy crashed onto Netlix on 15^th February 2019, and has been receiving  an enormous amount of  attention, and for good reason. The series feels electric, with an engaging story and a cast of (mostly) dazzling characters, having been developed from a  comic book series by Gerard Way.

Although the series is a refreshing break from the superhero world in media that is currently  saturated by Marvel and DC, it also feels slightly disjointed and unsure of itself. The episodes may have benefitted from being cut down to about 30 or 40 minutes as opposed  to an hour, as it often feels dragged out and clunky.  

The atmosphere and soundtrack, however, are on point, perfectly encapsulating a dark,  slightly gothic  world where seven siblings with superpowers come together after being  separated for years to address the loss of their father. The scenes where action finally  does  happen are phenomenal, although, at least in the first few episodes, they are few and far  between. 

This disjointed nature translates to the characters; some, such as Number Five and Robert  Sheehan’s brilliant Klaus, are impossible to take your eyes away  from. Others are less  enthralling, particularly Luther and Allison, who spend an alarming amount of their screen-time frowning at each other. Others are outright unlikeable, such as Ellen Page’s character  Vanya, who despite being presented as a slightly naïve loner, still manages to come across  as selfish and a little bland.

Ultimately, the series is novel and ripe with potential, its quirky storyline and distinct world  being just entertaining and weird enough to keep you watching. However, it is far from perfect, often feeling a little unwieldy in pacing and tone; hopefully these teething pains are a result of the sometimes-awkward transition from graphic novel to the screen, and with  some fine-tuning will be resolved in a highly-anticipated second season.