The Umbrella: Academy

At first glance, The Umbrella Academy seems like a simple question: What if a squad of superpowered children was raised in isolation by a ruthless, eccentric billionaire, and then they all grew up to be deeply traumatized adults? But the genius of Gerard Way’s comic series (and Steve Blackman’s Netflix adaptation) is that it’s less a traditional superhero story and more a surreal, operatic family drama wrapped in doomsday clocks, time-travel paradoxes, and a soundtrack of killer cover songs.

In an era saturated with Marvel and DC, The Umbrella Academy offers something different: Yes, the world ends every season, but you never really care about the moon falling. You care about Luther finally kissing Allison. You care about Diego learning to trust Lila. You care about Klaus getting sober (again). You care about Viktor looking in a mirror and finally seeing himself. The Umbrella Academy

On the same day in 1989, 43 women around the world give birth despite showing no signs of pregnancy until that moment. A strange, momentary light flashes across the sky. A flamboyant, alien-inventor billionaire, Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore), adopts seven of these children. He raises them not as a father, but as a commander, training them to save the world as "The Umbrella Academy." He assigns them numbers, not names, and subjects them to grueling physical and emotional tests. Then, one by one, they leave—or break. At first glance, The Umbrella Academy seems like

The story truly begins on the day of Reginald’s death. The six surviving siblings (Number Five is missing, presumed dead) reunite for the funeral. But Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) returns, having time-traveled into his 13-year-old body from a post-apocalyptic future. His message? The world ends in eight days. You care about Luther finally kissing Allison