Thursday 8 October 2020

T.V. REVIEW: THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY - Season 2

4/5

Parasol School. 

10 Episodes. Starring: Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Dan Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Kate Walsh & Colm Feore. Creator: Steve Blackman. 

Under the umbrella, the Academy invites you to come into Season 2 like Rihanna. And Dallas, Texas 1963 what a way to start JFK. Just like a rolling stone or a 'Times They Are A-Changin'' Dylan 'Watchmen' like opening that sees war break out and Ellen Page's Vanya break battalions of artillery like Dr. Manhattan or someone shot Superman in the eye. Right after crash landing in this time in a white suit like the Ziggy Stardust of David Bowie. Seasons after moving worlds as she did like an artist with Leonardo in the Parisian streets of Nolan's 'Inception' like Da Vinci. Or when she was another superhero as a former X-Men like 'Days Of Future Past'. But this time she's got the whole family behind her, no spinning thimble. Right after striking the world down with a meteor for the final note of her violin, opera epic, orchestral, swan song. So now here's the encore. It's the end of the world as we know it in real life in 2020 with COVID-19 and the San Francisco skies burning up like 'Blade Runner 2049'. And I don't feel fine. We even lost the Black Mamba and the Black Panther in the same year. Everybody is hurting and I'll be lucky if I get a decent nights R.E.M. again. But the reign of 'The Umbrella Academy' could shelter us from the storm. Like the Frankenstein big arms of the Hyde like Thing. Or the Klaus, 'Misfit' best thing about this show. The type of character Marvel and DC only wish they had. Looking more and more like the lovechild of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Incubus' Brandon Boyd with Snoop Dogg delivering the milk (I just thought you should know like Antonio Banderas), as the show goes on...and he could be a twin to that acid. But nothing has burnt us quite like the time he crawled across the dance floor for pills and found something else that you fiend and hurt for like nothing more.

'I Think We're Alone Now'. So let's talk about the soundtrack more high scoring than a 'Watchmen' one. Like Season One's synchronised dance to Tiffany which revealed to us the jewels of which character was who they said they were and who was someone completely costume change different behind the scenes or bedroom doors. This 80's bop was even more revealing than Giovanni Ribisi's creepy but weirdly hypnotic hip grind with a slurpee in 'Ted 2'. Music matters and this one brings out all the classic hits that will make you react with the same open mouth as when Johnny Knoxville welcomed you to 'Jackass'. What more can you expect after you get beat down to the Backstreet Boys after someone pretended to quote something as holy as scripture but ended up going right back to 'Backstreet's Back'. Is that original? YEEAAAAH! Even if Season One's scene stealing music and Netflix 'Mudbound' star Mary J. Blige assassin is dust, not returning for the sophomore set like no more drama. This one with fond nostalgia really goes 'Beyond The Sea' like Bobby Darin. Doing it their way like the Chairman of the Board, Ole Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra. From Kiss to 'Major Tom' like Ground Control we don't want to spoil this surprise shuffle like a Spotify playlist but it will have you changing your listening one as you watch. So hold on like Sam and Dave, it's coming. Nothing beats Sam Cooke though for a big-three sibling soirée in a salon (we won't say who...but one of them loves getting his hair permed) that could almost take on Tiffany in a dance off as they twist the night away. All for that sixties sound that is atmospheric as the amazing aesthetic of a show that takes you back to a critical age in American history during a time where Sam Cooke wondered when a change was going to come, whilst Uncle Sam didn't ask you to join his war. He just pointed at you. Not Ali though. This amazing comic canvas is so accurate and nostalgic you can smell the blades of grass behind the knoll. 

So much so once the closing credit frantic violins come into play you'll be strumming for the next time you see the creative way they open the umbrella icon for each episode. Scratching for it like the chimpanzee return in this 'Planet Of The Apes' that is all monkey business around this academy...we're just glad the simian from the old PG Tips commercials found work again, and that's the tea. But how about the rest of the roll call character and actors in a show with so many inspired incarnations you can forget Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, 'Far From Home'. How about an actual character with a real fishbowl for a head? Smoke that kipper and be back for breakfast. This one is bubbling like living in a glass quarantine. But "is it me, or did we just get sexier?" Klaus is right...at least about his long haired self. We all know the 'Mortal Instruments' of Robert Sheehan is the best thing about this show. Even with 'Juno' big star Ellen Page turning a new one and the big lug and 'Iron Giant' heart of 'Merlin', 'Black Sails' and 'Game Of Thrones' star Tom Hooper who looks and acts like Captain America got in that juicing machine over and over again. His arms looking like Will Smith's face in 'Hitch' after fish. But there's more. Like 'End Of Watch' and 'Sicario: Day Of The Soldado' star Dan Castañeda as on point as the knives out that he throws with Hawkeye precision. But what about the round table of  'A Light Supper' that sees him stutteringly lost for words when bullied by his own maker. Acting acclaim hasn't been this amazing like all the other snapshots of seriousness in this superhero genre that could ever shield the reign of Marvel and DC (although Amazon's 'The Boys' may have something to say about that). Even the Nicky of the Nickelodeon quadruplets now as this umbrella families Number 5 (hey, when you run out of names) kid Aidan Gallagher is more than alright. Going beyond his actual years with wisdom of the experience of the actual character embodying him. But when it comes to this family I heard a rumor that the deepest and one of the best character portrayals goes to 'Hamilton' and 'Wicked' Broadway star Emmy Raver-Lampman with a first name born for that award, who really finds her stage. In this second season stirring with civil rights protests from lunch counters to marches worthy of a million men and women right now, we really need this seasons subplot this year. Black Lives Mattered then as they still do now and always and forever more will. And Raver-Lampman shows us exactly how with a performance you'll rave about, no need for hypnosis. All this and the spirit of 'Rebirth' star, Justin H. Min, the Cruella villainess of '13 Reasons Why' (we could give you more to just how good she is) star Kate Walsh and the instantly recognisable character actor Colm Feore as the father (looking completely different and older than his character in his other superhero segue 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'), if you could believe he put a man on the moon. All this and 'Fargo's' Steve Blackman has done the chemical romance of former MCR front man Gerard Way's source comics (still can't believe he's the real lead creator?) justice. This is an academy of its own. Even Mary Poppins' umbrella couldn't f### with this y'all! TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Watchmen', 'DC Titans', 'The Boys'. 

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