The Umbrella Academy season 4: “The writers totally gave up”

After an underwhelming season 3, The Umbrella Academy seemed poised to redeem itself in its fourth and final season. Netflix, perhaps sensing that the series had lost its spark, decided to give fans a conclusive ending. However, instead of delivering the suspense-filled, character-driven arcs that made the earlier seasons a hit, season 4 felt more like a parody of the original show—a disappointing farewell to what was once a standout series.

Season 1 of The Umbrella Academy was praised for its unique blend of superhero action, quirky characters, and a compelling time-travel narrative. The dysfunctional Hargreeves siblings were brought together by the mysterious death of their father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, and the looming threat of an apocalypse.

Each sibling had their own distinct personality and struggles, which made the show engaging. Season 2 continued this momentum, transporting the siblings back to the 1960s where they faced new challenges, all while trying to prevent another apocalypse. The blend of historical settings with the show’s signature offbeat humor kept viewers hooked.

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However, season 3 started to show cracks. While it introduced the Sparrow Academy and explored the consequences of the siblings’ time-traveling antics, it lacked the tight storytelling and emotional depth of the previous seasons. The season ended on a cliffhanger, with the Hargreeves siblings in a new timeline where they had lost their powers and faced an uncertain future. This set the stage for what should have been a thrilling and satisfying final season.

Instead, season 4 veered off course. The season opens with Luther, who had been devastated by the disappearance of his wife, Sloane, in the previous season, now inexplicably content working as a male stripper. This jarring shift in character felt out of place, especially for someone who had always been portrayed as the serious and responsible “adult” among his siblings. Diego, who had one of the more interesting arcs this season—navigating his relationship with Lila, becoming a father, and taking on a menial job of being a delivery driver to support his family—was still relegated to comic relief, undercutting the potential for a deeper exploration of his character.

The overall tone of season 4 suggested that the showrunners had lost interest in delivering a meaningful conclusion. The shortened episode count, rushed storyline, and unresolved plot points all pointed to a team that had given up on the series as soon as Netflix decided to cancel it. Key elements from previous seasons were either ignored or given unsatisfactory conclusions, leaving fans feeling shortchanged.

In contrast to the suspense and intricate character development of the first two seasons, season 4 felt like an anti-climax. The series that once captivated audiences with its unique blend of dark humor, action, and emotional depth ended with a whimper rather than a bang. For many fans, the lackluster finale only reinforced the idea that Netflix made the right decision in pulling the plug on The Umbrella Academy.

The positives:

Klaus Hargreeves’ story arc in season 4 was a refreshing departure from the Klaus of previous seasons. This time, we meet a much more sympathetic character, one who gives us more reasons to care about him compared to the more annoying version we were first introduced to.

Moreover, the actors poured everything into their final performances with their characters, making the series’ ending the season’s saving grace. This allowed fans to relive the nostalgia of seasons 1 and 2, reminding us of the magic that initially drew us into The Umbrella Academy.

In the end, The Umbrella Academy season 4 was just a reminder of what the series once was—and what it could have been. Fans may find themselves thanking Netflix for putting the show out of its misery, sparing them from further disappointment in what was once a beloved series.