The Umbrella Academy

'The Umbrella Academy' Review: This Netflix Superhero Blockbuster Has an Inferiority Complex

The premise of “The Umbrella Academy” is both the best hook for the Netflix original series — and its infuriating downfall. On October 1, 1989, 43 women gave birth to a child, but none of them were pregnant when the day began. Fascinated by the freak occurrence and convinced these children were the key to saving the world, billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) tried to adopt as many of the kids as he could. His deep-pocketed bribery earned him seven super-powered children, w... more

7 New Netflix Shows to Binge in February, and the Best Reasons to Watch

1. “The Umbrella Academy” (available February 15) Why Should I Watch? In what looks like a timely blend of “X-Men” and “Deadly Class” — though hopefully more of the former — Netflix’s new youth superhero series focuses on a group of seven kids who are born under mysterious circumstances and adopted by a billionaire industrialist who trains them to “save the world.” Years later, after their “father” ... more