Summary
The Umbrella Academybroke its positive Rotten Tomatoes streak with its final season, butthis was inevitable after the Netflix show’s controversial decision to shorten its fourth outing.The Umbrella Academyseason 4 closes out the Hargreeves' story once and for all, but itsfinale isn’t what the Netflix series deserved. In fact,The Umbrella Academy’s endingis controversial in multiple ways. It fails to do right by the main characters, and it leaves a number of pressing questions unanswered.
Needless to say,The Umbrella Academyseason 4 is getting more negative feedbackfrom critics than usual. It debuted with the show’s first “rotten” critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, with season 4 holding a 58% upon its premiere. That number has since gone up to 63%, rendering it “fresh,” but it’s still thelowest Rotten Tomatoes scoreThe Umbrella Academyhas ever had. Its viewer rating is even worse, coming in at 15%. While many reviews condemn the ending, there’s another problem that made such backlash inevitable.
Every Hargreeves Sibling’s New Powers In The Umbrella Academy Season 4
The Umbrella Academy’s Hargreeves siblings regain their powers in season 4, but their returned abilities aren’t exactly the same as before.
Cutting The Umbrella Academy’s Final Season To Six Episodes Was Always Going To Backfire
The Shortened Season Set The Netflix Show Up To Fail
The Umbrella Academy’s ending has storytelling issues, but these are made significantly worse by the fact that the final season is only six episodes long. CuttingThe Umbrella Academyseason 4’s episode countwas always going to backfire, especially during a time when viewers are growing increasingly frustrated with shorter seasons. And with so many subplots and character arcs,condensing the ending into a mere six episodes setThe Umbrella Academy’s final season up to fail.
The Umbrella Academy’s ending has storytelling issues, but these are made significantly worse by the fact that the final season is only six episodes long.
It’s no wonder that the last batch of episodes is getting such a negative reception. Viewers aren’t just responding to the poorly handled storylines and character arcs. They’re also disappointed in the lack of build-up to the conclusion. This stems directly from the lack of timeThe Umbrella Academyhad to spend on its ending. See theRotten Tomatoesscores for each season of the Netflix show below:
1
77%
85%
2
91%
88%
3
55%
4
63%
15%
Why The Umbrella Academy Season 4 Needed A Full 10-Episode Run
The Show Has Too Many Characters & Subplots For Six Episodes
Some TV shows can get away with shorter seasons, butThe Umbrella Academyreally needed to end things with a 10-episode run. For one, the Netflix series has too many main characters for a shorter outing to work. Fitting so many arcs into a single, six-episode season is difficult enough; concluding these narratives is borderline impossible in that amount of space.The Umbrella Academyalso has too many looming questions when season 4 opens, from Ben’s connection to Jennifer to Reginald’s alien origins. It fails to address any of them with enough depth, highlighting the need for additional installments.
The Umbrella Academy
Cast
The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic book of the same name created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. The Hargreeves — collectively known as The Umbrella Academy — were born with superpowers, and their adoptive father utilized their abilities. However, as they grew older, the siblings grew apart as they dealt with their trauma. They are brought back together after their father dies and Five returns from the future with grave news: The world will end, and The Umbrella Academy has to stop it before it happens.
