Eva cajoled us into watching Umbrella Academy with her, as she really likes it

[conuly]

(She must, she never rewatches things if she can help it.)

So, somewhat belatedly, I have a few thoughts.

1. Whoever chose the music for this show is amazing.

2. I don't quite think the writers put the effort into making us feel the things they clearly wanted us to feel.

3. Whatever my sister says, there is no way Stalker Dude's plan was to cause the apocalypse. Clearly his motivation was either "break up the family" or "I have creepy abusive sympathy for this girl who I'm sure was like me", but nobody who plans on destroying the world bothers to get a false eye a few days before.

4. Dear god, not one of those people understands the concept of teamwork, and every last one of them needs serious therapy. Why am I spoilering this? I say this about every show. But this group was particularly bad. I mean, the most stable and adjusted sibling was Diego, and he only too obviously broke up with his girlfriend because of his issues with his brother/whole family.

Anyway, now that I've watched the show I've got this song running in my head. It's really catchy.

Comments

[gingicat]

The adoptive father is so clearly at the root of these issues.

I want to know what happened to the other kids, but I’m not sure I want to watch the second season to find out, if we even would find out.

[conuly]

The adoptive father is so clearly at the root of these issues.

Naturally.

In the comics, the other kids are dead.

[chelseagirl]

I was so sure you were going to link to the Istanbul, Constantinople song. I had that running through my head for like a month after watching.

[conuly]

Nah, that's always in my head in the background, so.

[movingfinger]

I haven't watched this show, but it would take a lot to get They Might Be Giants' "Istanbul" out of my idling brain as an occasional pop-up.

[the_siobhan]

For me it was the Bay City Rollers song.

[jack]

Gosh, yes, all of that.

Oh. Huh. Good point about the eye. I think. I was a bit confused.

every last one of them needs serious therapy

I mean, I think they're SUPPOSED to be like that. But yes, so much so. It was actually interesting to see a mentor figure who was actually supposed to be "some positive traits, possibly doing a necessary job, but a bad father" rather than all the weird upbringing stuff blinking in and out of existence according to the plot needs of the moment.

[conuly]

Yeah, they are, but... seriously, therapy.

[elainegrey]

Loved the music but the show triggered depression for me.

Also, my question: rich dude didn't get his hands on all the kids miraculously born that day- where are they?

I think I had another question that kept me watching but I guess I can't remember now,

[conuly]

In the comics, dead. That's where the other kids are. Bit of a downer.

[elainegrey]

Hmph, well, at least an answer.

[konsectatrix]

1. Yes, yes, yes.

2. The writing was uneven in places (at best), but I think some of the acting moments, particularly the ones around the 15 yr old playing Five, was outstanding. He was really convincing.

3. Yeah, I'm leaning more in that direction myself. I don't think rational thought was huge with that guy. Like his intent was the cause a massive tragedy but whatever happens is fine probably, and also fuck the world, 'cause he didn't get what he wanted.

4. What I liked about this one was that it was clearly on purpose--that each of them was showing textbook behavior of being raised in an abusive as hell situation, from Luther trying to be the super good and obedient one (and trying to push everyone else to be the same), on down. They're all a mess, and I liked that we kept getting the little snippets of A+ parenting to support the notion. My spouse was basically hooked from the part they dumped the dad's ashes. I'm sitting there going 'geez, I married into this family, just without the super powers.'

I really want to start seeing the other kids, though.

Hahaha, I would've bet on Istanbul not Constantinople but there were a lot of earworms in there. I kept alternating between Three Dog Night, Tiffany, and the G-Way's Hazy Shade of Winter cover.

[conuly]

2. The acting sold it, for sure.

3. He didn't even do more than a few hours planning if the timeline works out.

4. Note that every one of them is obsessed with the idea that either they don't get enough attention, or that others are trying to get all the attention (even when, as in Klaus' case, that explanation in no way matches up with the observed behavior). Nobody mentions lacking love or affection, even though plainly they all are and have been. That's not even on their radar.

4a. In the comics, the other kids are dead.

[moon_custafer]

2. The writing was uneven in places (at best), but I think some of the acting moments, particularly the ones around the 15 yr old playing Five, was outstanding. He was really convincing.

Yeah, my spouse watched it and I kind of occasionally looked in over his shoulder, but (googles) Aidan Gallagher was brilliant. After the scene near the end of the series, where he returns Dolores to the store and bids her farewell, I looked at Andrew and said “I’ve just watched the ending of Brief Encounter acted by a teenager and a mannequin, and it worked."

[conuly]

I wanted that mannequin to talk so much....

[konsectatrix]

Yeah, that entire thing with Dolores got me. He's really talented.

Thinking further, I think not only was the writing uneven, but there were also times where it seemed like it was multiple shows sorta strung along together at various states of polish. Hopefully that's something that will be either corrected or worked in during the second season.

[moon_custafer]

I read an interview where he said he made up dialogue for Dolores that he memorized along with his own and played in his head whenever his character had a conversation with her so that his pauses while she “spoke” would be of convincing length and he’d have something to react to. He’s a young actor to keep an eye on.

[conuly]

He certainly is. Is he really 15? I assumed that they got a young-looking adult actor, as they usually do.

[moon_custafer]

I believe so. I looked him up after seeing the show, and I believe he was already pretty well-known as a child actor from some recent Nicklodeon show.

[conuly]

I'm not even sure uneven is the word I'd use. "Failure to live up to potential", more like, all around the board.

[konsectatrix]

3. Yup, he only had the book near the end and just because he had it didn't mean he had all the information.

4. Uhhuh. They're all so starved. Watching Diego clinging to Mom like a human trial of the cloth monkey vs. wire monkey experient was really, hrm... distressing, I guess is the word.

4a. They changed up so many other things, I wonder if they're going to stick with that though, especially with time travel (I'm SO wary of time travel.) I'm also curious if they're going to reveal more about Ben.

[conuly]

4. And all of them outright asking if Mom really loved them or if she was just another tool to manipulate them, without actually using that word.

[gale_storm]

Aw, d@mmit. I thought of this show a few times over the past week, so now reading this has made me think of it yet again. (Okay, some simple things, like, ‘Who was the cat?’) So I’ve watched about the first 10 minutes of the first episode again. Now I learn that there’s a new series? Grrr... :-/ :-)

[eva_rosen]

I got 'Mad About You' stuck in my head. Also, the INXS cover was awesome.

[thewayne]

We still haven't finished it, we got 2-3 in and stopped.

We're currently watching Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries: it's leaving Netflix on the 15th, so a slight rush to finish it.

[conuly]

Oh, I'd better hurry too! Is it going elsewhere?

[thewayne]

I haven't looked in to that yet.  I suppose Amazon is the most likely suspect, but I don't know if they pre-announce Upcoming.  I did found out there's a Miss Fisher cinema movie, at least I think it's a cinema movie, that's going to release in Australia next summer.  and there's a new series, Miss Fisher's MODern Mysteries that started airing, either Wikipedia or IMDB indexed four episodes.  It's set in the 1960s, thus the Mod, and features the niece when the aunt disappears over the jungles of Borneo or someplace. I suppose in time they'll air on Netflix.  Meanwhile, The Good Place just released season 3 on NF, we watched the first ep last night.