As the curtains open on the premiere episode of season 2 of The Umbrella Academy, we are swiftly brought back into the action via a stylistic fight montage set to inappropriate music – now an established hallmark of the show. The finale of its initial season saw the Hargreeves family supposedly time jump to safety in the wake of the apocalypse; however, it seems the super-powered siblings cannot escape the end of the world.
With the characters scattered across time over 4 years in ‘60s era Dallas, Texas, the show explores different dynamics between the siblings, as well as giving them all their own stories outside of the (new) impending apocalypse. Once again, a true standout performance of the season is Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, who, despite his youth, masterfully and believably plays an old man trapped in a child’s body. As the resident time traveler in the family, it is up to Five to reunite the Academy, although, due to how much time has passed, this is easier said than done.
Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman) has spent her time getting involved in the civil rights movement, with the show making full use of the new setting to highlight issues of racism and discrimination in an organic and authentic way. In particular, the scene where her group organises a sit-in at the local “Whites Only” diner was incredibly moving. In a show about people with superpowers, I enjoyed the fact that the writers included ample moments that demonstrate the strength of those without them too.
Five’s botched time jump also inadvertently results in Allison and Luther’s separation, akin to an unorthodox version of star-crossed lovers. Thankfully, this season the incestual undertones of the pair’s relationship are addressed. Even though the siblings are not technically related, as Klaus (Robert Sheehan) puts it, “if you have to use the world technically, you’re already in trouble”. As she marries and tries to move on with her life, the sensitive Luther (Tom Hopper) turns to violence – seeking another inadequate father figure to give him purpose as he becomes a bodyguard and underground boxer for real-life gangster Jack Ruby (John Kapelos), infamous for killing Lee Harvey Oswald.
Also struggling with ‘daddy issues’, Diego (David Castañeda) aims to resolve his identity crisis by embarking on a hero’s quest to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy, supposedly carried out by Lee Harvey Oswald. Despite his hard exterior, he is clearly the softest of the bunch, and his chemistry with mysterious newcomer Lila (Ritu Arya) was one of my favourite parts of the season. His character really had the chance to shine this time around, his endearing vulnerability making him edge out Klaus (just about) as my favourite in the family.
In another instance of history being used as plot inspiration, Klaus is back in style as a reluctant cult leader, spouting a whole host of iconic one-liners, my personal favourite being, “frogs are bitches and we don’t negotiate with terrorists”. Despite honing his powers with help from his brother Ben (Justin H. Min), tension rises between the two as Ben fights for his autonomy. One of my biggest gripes with the show has always been the sidelining of Ben, and although he is given something of a storyline in the latter half of the season, not much has changed. With his intriguing powers and personal turmoil in his own form of purgatory, this feels like a waste. It often appears as though his character only exists to try and talk Klaus back down from the ledge he is perpetually teetering on while he continues to struggle with PTSD from his time with Dave in Vietnam. It is upsetting, yet unfortunately realistic, to see Klaus go in circles with the same problems he faced in season 1, which is wonderfully portrayed by Robert Sheehan.
The final and most powerful sibling, Vanya (Ellen Page), conveniently suffering from amnesia after blowing up the moon and ending the world in 2019, seeks refuge at a remote farmhouse. As she forges new relationships with her siblings, lonely farm wife Sissy and her quiet son Harlan, while developing a better grasp on her powers, her previous villainization is justly broken down, and she finally becomes one of the family.
While the siblings slowly find each other in this new timeline, by the halfway point they are all reunited and ready to tackle a tangled web of conspiracies involving JFK, an impending nuclear apocalypse, and their own father. They must figure out how all the pieces connect before it’s too late and stop the world from ending (again). This goes in tandem with the Commission’s attempts to stop them, a plot point I found weak and underdeveloped in comparison to the captivating Hargreeves gang. Part of this may be due to the lack of compelling villains, with new mercenaries known as ‘The Swedes’ coming across as Wes Anderson-esque caricatures who are unfortunately not a patch on Hazel and Cha-Cha (Cameron Britton and Mary J. Blige) from season 1.
As I said at the beginning, one of the highlights of the series for me is the unique music choices, and this season did not disappoint. Standouts include Diego’s escape from the sanitarium set to an acoustic cover of ‘Crazy’, and a fight scene scored by The Backstreet Boy’s ‘Everybody’. However, the true heart of the series is the Hargreeves family themselves, thanks to impeccable casting and character development. Much like last season, the final episode ends on a cliffhanger, which will undoubtedly leave you wishing you could time travel like Five in order to watch it immediately.
The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is on Netflix from July 31.
