The umbrella academy

Blackman and Slater have created a fantastic superhero series. I'm not a comic book, DC or Marvel universe viewer typically, but I have watched both films and series of the genre so I do have something to compare to. I was hooked and binged this season in one day. This series has excellent direction, writing, special effects, cinematography, soundtrack and acting. All the actors involved deliver top notch performances so for once I won't single anyone out in particular. The plot revolves around a dysfunctional family of superheroes brought back together by their father's death. Some in the family believe his death was not natural and that's where the mystery begins. We learn how the family was formed, we learn about their mother who actually named them, we're introduced to their advisor of sorts who is a chimpanzee, we meet a detective and most importantly we learn about each character's power and flawed past. All the characters are different in their own ways but compliment eachother perfectly. While this is happening one of the superheroes who had been missing for sixteen years returns through a time portal and is being hunted by two mysterious killers hell bent on taking him down and the others as collateral damage. The superhero who returns has aged mentally but physically appears as he did when he disappeared. His power to jump through time has shown him an apocalyptic future amongst other things. His goal is to change the future and save all of humanity including his family. There is some examination of the definition of family and loyalty. I could also scrutinize good versus evil, but I simply enjoy these types of series / films for entertainment purposes only. So for this viewer the series unreservedly delivers. The plot is unique, clever, dark, funny, action packed, violent, gritty, quirky and duplicitous. This is a captivating and mesmerizing series. It is one of the very best this viewer has seen on film or television and is superior in it's genre.