The Umbrella Academy is a little bit mad

Coursing through Netflix’s new TV series is a rock and roll spirit that sets this show apart from its superhero cousins.

There’s something a little rock and roll about The Umbrella Academy.

With the influx of superheroes and comic book adaptations on our screens big and small, every new offering has to have something that sets it apart.

Netflix is banking that The Umbrella Academy’s eccentric and slightly gothic spirit will be the magic bullet to pierce your heart — and capture your attention.

Taken from the comics created by Gerard Way, the former frontman for My Chemical Romance, the series was adapted for TV by Steve Blackman (Fargo, Legion).

In 1989, 43 women around the world become inexplicably pregnant moments before they give birth.

An eccentric billionaire industrialist named Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) adopts seven of these miracle babies. His intention is to establish a X-Men type school and harness the tykes’ special powers in preparation to save the world at some point.

But unlike Professor X, he doesn’t seem particularly interested in the nurturing side of child-rearing. Reggie is a cold man who only named the kids by numerals — Number One (Tom Hopper), Number Two (David Castaneda), Number Three (Emmy Raver-Lampman), you get the gist — ordered by how powerful he thinks they are.

In their early teens, the band reveals themselves to the world as The Umbrella Academy — that is, everyone except for Number Seven (Ellen Page), whose powers either don’t exist or haven’t manifested.

Soon afterwards, Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) disappears, followed by another calamity, which sets off the great falling out.

Here comes the rain again.

Fast-forward to 2019 and the remaining members of the Umbrella Academy reconvene in their childhood mansion when old man Hargreeves carks it. The emotional tension is so thick you could slice it with the bluntest knife.

The Umbrella Academy is great at portraying the hang-ups that comes from growing up under what is essentially Reginald’s stifling, utilitarian regime and why none of them have proper relationships with each other or anyone else.

These are not fully functioning adults with rich and healthy emotional lives — they’re all surly, traumatised or broken in some way. Especially Number Seven who’s spent her whole life being sidelined.

The story really kicks along when Number Five reappears, still in his teen body, having time travelled into the future and become stuck. More importantly, he brings back some dire news — the apocalypse is only days away.

Anguished adults

The series takes some time to reveal what each of the superheroes’ powers are, and it takes a lot of delight in doing it.

It’s also got a kickarse soundtrack using tracks like Istanbul (not Constantinople), Sinnerman, Don’t Stop Me Now and, of all things, a Phantom of the Opera medley to underscore the impressive action sequences.

The Umbrella Academy is a fun, diverting show with characters that don’t just conform to the “serious superhero full of mission and purpose” type.

It’s not a barnstormer nor is it a game-changer but there’s enough in it to be an appealing proposition.

Plus, there’s a talking monkey in a tie who’s fond of wearing half-moon spectacles. Yeah, it’s a bit mad.

The Umbrella Academy drops on Netflix tonight at 7pm AEDT.

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