Review: The Umbrella Academy Season 4 – A Disappointing Finale

Review: The Umbrella Academy Season 4 – A Disappointing Finale

The fourth season of Netflix’s unique superhero series, The Umbrella Academy, has left fans disheartened, with many dismissing it as a failed conclusion. Once lauded alongside Amazon Prime’s The Boys as a standout in the superhero genre, this latest installment has challenged that reputation.

The Umbrella Academy and The Boys have been praised for their innovative takes on the superhero genre, diverging from the traditional Marvel and DC formulas. However, Season 4 of The Umbrella Academy has cast doubt on this acclaim.

End of season 3 and open questions

In 1989, 43 women mysteriously gave birth simultaneously. Billionaire Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven of these children with superpowers, raising them at the Umbrella Academy.

By the end of Season 3, the Hargreeves siblings once again saved the world from an apocalypse, which ironically originated from their actions. Their father, Reginald Hargreeves, revealed that their powers stemmed from energy particles known as Marigold. Alison returned to her family in 1963 and 2019, seemingly reaching a deal with Reginald after “betraying” her siblings.

The remaining siblings, including a resurrected Luther, found themselves in a garden without their powers, leading them to part ways. Reginald and his resurrected wife Abigail watched from above.

While Reginald’s plan to save the world succeeded—preventing the apocalypse and preserving the lives of the Hargreeves siblings and his wife—each member lost their superpowers.

Can season 4 answer all the questions?

Season 4, with only six episodes compared to the previous seasons’ ten, was expected to address the series’ numerous unresolved questions. While some answers were provided, they felt unsatisfactory.

Fans familiar with time travel narratives in series like Dark and films like Donnie Darko and The Butterfly Effect may recognize the series’ tragic yet logical ending. However, the journey to this conclusion was not as convincing. In simpler terms, the show seemed to miss the mark on the notion that “happiness is in the journey, not the destination.”

The Umbrella Academy is more than just a superhero series; it delves into family dynamics marked by the harsh upbringing from their father. Despite their flaws and conflicts, the Hargreeves siblings remain devoted to each other, protecting their family from external threats.

Mixed Reviews and Fan Reactions

After two days of release, Season 4 holds a dismal 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a stark drop from the fresh ratings of previous seasons (Season 1: 77%, Season 2: 91%, Season 3: 91%).

Notably, Rotten Tomatoes often rates TV series leniently, as seen with Bridgerton Season 3, which received an 88% rating despite being less engaging than earlier seasons. The fan community for The Umbrella Academy has largely criticized Season 4, drawing unfavorable comparisons to the final season of Game of Thrones, which was similarly disappointing.

Rare bright spots

However, The Umbrella Academy season 4 is still not all minus points. The film still has some notable advantages.

iktor found recognition from his father – Reginald Hargreeves. What he always wanted as a child. Viktor is probably a rare person who still remembers family values. Even though he was standing in front of Ben who had turned into a monster, he still risked his life to find every way to save Ben.Allison always gave all her love to her daughter Claire, until the end. Everything she did, although reprehensible, was somehow understandable.

Klaus has successfully recovered from his addiction. Until I had to use Marigold. He, Allison and Claire were truly family.

To be fair, The Umbrella Academy season 4 had a relatively good start (first 2 episodes). With the charming and jubilant style of the series. But the first 2 episodes and certain bright spots cannot save the content from increasingly slipping. The only thing that remains in the minds of the audience of season 4 is probably the Baby Shark music on the old car that Diego (at this time not yet cuckolded) drove with his quarreling siblings.

In the past, the fan community of The Umbrella Academy series often argued about which season was the best. But after The Umbrella Academy season 4 debuted, everyone agreed that season 4 was the worst season!