Jodi Deutrom

I avoided it until now because I thought it was dumb but I just watched three episodes back to back because it’s compelling. Great storytelling and well shot, sharing the side of the families, the escapees, and the injustice that smacks them square in the face. A sad revelation that not even victims jumping through unjustified demeaning hoops can see this man face consequences. I will follow the 2025 trial eagerly in hope for them.

This season made me realise what a hodge podge mash up of comic book motifs The Umbrella Academy is. S1 & 2 were entertaining, engaging, felt fresh - then it got nonsensically complex. While S4 is more enjoyable than S3 it smacks of unique ideas from popularised film and tv tropes being shoved into a plot: Loki’s TVA, the Stranger Things’ Hive Mind and Christmas Lights lounge, Fight Club, 1980s serial killer duos, CIA, Bourne Identity, old timey science fiction… the list goes on. Then it all gets wrapped in a crude script written seemingly by an early film student’ bow, with a nauseating last frame. While some are left satisfied eating someone else’s leftovers, a keen observer sees the sleight of hand and it spoils the magic. Some character arcs grew while others remained stunted, serving as devices rather than part of the family or team. I can’t help but wonder what kind of show we’d be watching if they had chosen prune their ideas to focus on one or two characters and advance the S1&2 storylines each season.

It’s well shot and acted but the poor script kicks the legs out from what could’ve been a good series. Glacial pace and unresolved tangents kill the story - what scammer walks away from $100K? Make it a thriller, halve the length and you’d have something engaging. Not worth the 5+ hrs viewing.