They’ve got powers. They’ve got baggage. They’ve got eight days to save the world. Welcome to the Umbrella Academy. The Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba series comes to Netflix, introducing the world to the eccentric Richard Hargreeves and his superpowered progeny, who themselves have become less than superpowered adults.
Hazel and Cha Cha get a leg up on their hunt for Five, and back at home, it’s family meeting time about Mom. Put on a pot of coffee and let’s dive in to “Extra Ordinary.” As always, spoilers within
1. “I hadn’t noticed.”
If there was ever anyone who exemplified the title of this episode, it’s Vanya. She wasn’t special as a child, so she tried to be special as an adult with that tell-all family expose. (Inspired by a display of Umbrella Academy comics, no less. How meta.) She achieves the fame and recognition she craved, but it was fleeting. It’s back to no one noticing her. Not even the orchestra master, not even the first chair violinist.
Just like Natalie Portman’s character in Black Swan, Vanya can play the notes technically correct, but she lacks . . . something. A guiding north star, a passion. You can’t slog away at Stravinsky like a scared teenager forever. But what – – or who – – will Vanya’s passion be? Maybe a wood carving of herself playing the violin from Leonard (awwww) will inspire her, like she inspired him. Even in the face of her famous sister, he’s still smitten with Vanya. She may be the Fifth Beatle of the Hargreeves family, but hey, some people are Stones fans.
2. The Family Meeting
While reviewing some old surveillance tapes, Allison and Luther seem to have stumbled upon some evidence that suggests Mom, their Stepford Android Wife maternal figure may have had involvement in Papa Hargreeves’s death. For some of the kids, like Diego, this is very hard to believe. How could the woman who had such love for them as children become such a monster?
But Mom is not of flesh and blood; she is a robot, and robots break down. She served and protected the Academy for 30 years with nary an upgrade, so it’s understandable that something in her code could have gone haywire. During the shootout with Hazel and Cha Cha (more on that later), she’s completely oblivious to the entire thing, and has been sewing through her thumb as well. And with that, Diego finally believes, and gives his Mom a peaceful end of life. Could he finally believe Luther’s accusation and is providing a mercy killing of sorts to protect her fragile mind from the horrors of arrest, trial, and conviction?
3. The End of the World As We Know It?
We’re about 30 percent into this series right now, and in spite of the world ending in six days . . . well, we’re not seeing much movement on trying to stop it, from Five or anyone else. Sure, we get some of Five MacGyvering his way to prevent the end times, complete with creepy van watching. But, the way this plot has been thus far left to the B-plot of these episodes, coupled with his “conversations” with a very inanimate Dolores (because she’s a mannequin) are leading me more and more to believe that perhaps this imminent end of the world is just all in Five’s head. Time travel, it can really mess you up.
4. This Week in Klaus
So what was our favorite (or at least my favorite) Hargreeves up to this week? Let’s see . . .
- Dumpster diving
- A waltz with his brother’s mannequin girlfriend
- Something involving waxing and Hershey’s syrup (don’t lie, you’re intrigued as much as you’re disgusted)
- Robbing a bodega
- Drowning himself in the bath and seeing what looks like a knockoff Stevie Nicks.
- Putting on a pair of headphones while STILL IN THE BATH.
- Smoking in the bath.
- A post-bath salsa dance party in the middle of the Hazel and Cha Cha shootout
- Gone and get himself kidnapped by Hazel and Cha Cha
5. Love at the Krispy Kreme
Hazel’s crush Agnes the Donut Shop Lady provides a break for him and Cha Cha in their search for Five (along with some delicious jelly donuts): a drawing of the Umbrella Academy tattoo that leads them over to the Hargreeves residence. And since knocking politely isn’t part of their repetoire, it’s time to blast their way in. And when they do, they see Five’s portrait. Putting two and two together with the tattoo drawing from Agnes, and they realize: they shouldn’t be looking for a senior citizen. (I hope they go back to that mechanic and give him a proper apology.)
Continued belowBut they don’t find Five. They meet up with the angrier Hargreeves: Diego. And then it’s bullets and brawn time. While Mom quietly cross-stitches.
The fight reveals that Luther’s time on the moon has left him to be a very hairy Hulk. Or perhaps even part orangutan. Which no one in the family knew.
Afterthoughs:
– Hazel’s got a bit of an HGTV addiction.
– Hazel and Cha Cha’s employer can afford to send them messages in a No-Tell Motel shower, but can’t afford to up their accommodations just a bit. They don’t need the Four Seasons, but perhaps a Hampton Inn with some free breakfast would be nice.
– Here we find out what could be Allison’s biggest regret of her superpowered life was: using her powers on her child to calm a toddler temper tantrum. Or several. We can safely presume her ex-husband discovered this and was very much (and rightfully) unhappy. Thus her current divorcee with supervised visits with her child predicament.
– What’s with those pills Vanya’s been taking? Apparently in the comics Hargreeves gave her medicine to suppress her superpowers – – could that be the case here?
We’ll see you next week for “Man on the Moon” and let us know what you thought of the episode in the comments!
