The Umbrella Academy has been one hell of a hit for Netflix since its debut last year, and its recently-released second season is faring exceptionally well already. As expected, it’s been dominating the platform since its July 31st launch, but it’s also sitting at a very impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes right now, proving that critics are enjoying the show’s sophomore season right alongside the extremely positive reception from fans.
The first run saw a group of superhero siblings band together in an attempt to stop an apocalypse, but it ended with them having failed to complete the task. However, they escaped through a time portal that landed them scattered in Dallas, Texas across multiple years in the 1960s, forcing each of them to adapt to a new life and try to find their place in the world without one another. When one of them discovers that the apocalypse essentially followed them and is threatening the world in just over a week though, he has to find and bring the family back together for another attempt at saving the planet.
The Umbrella Academy expertly blends together ultra-violent superhero action, compelling and emotional drama, and wacky humor in such a way that it feels completely natural. And much of this is achieved by its stellar casting choices, with each of the Hargreeves siblings being brought to life by incredibly talented actors who really understand the material they’re working with as they face both an apocalypse and strained family relationships.
Though every character in the show is fantastic, Klaus remains a fan favorite for his lackadaisical attitude, quirky mannerisms, and hilarious banter. Yet, despite his often humorous portrayal, Klaus is a tormented individual who can see and interact with the dead – including his deceased brother Ben – and has therefore spent a meaningful portion of his life as a drug addict in an attempt to ease the traumatic experience of interacting with ghosts.
Actor Robert Sheehan was perfectly cast as the emotionally unstable superhero and has done a brilliant job of playing him as multi-layered and delightfully chaotic, and doing so has earned him and his character plenty of attention. It’s even led him to being open to a Klaus spinoff, which he’s directly expressed interest in, stating:
I’ve loved this whole experience. And getting to play Klaus, it doesn’t feel like coming to work, really. It’s really fun, and it’s about accessing that sort of trickster god energy. It’s quite a natural innocence. It’s a great source of creativity. And to get to do more of that? Absolute-bots.
Showrunner Steven Blackman has also stated he feels Klaus would make for a good spinoff character, saying:
I think Klaus and Ben, or Klaus and Diego – Any of those, to me, would be wonderful spin-offs. I think you could do a limited series with them for four or six episodes, and it would be great. I think even Robert could do his own little thing about Klaus. Look, you never want to overdo something. But if there’s an appetite for it, I mean, I think the actors would be up for it, and we would all be up for it. Because we all love working together.
Of course, this isn’t firm confirmation of a spinoff for The Umbrella Academy, which is still a relatively new show on its own, but Netflix recently approved a spinoff for The Witcher after only a single season, so anything’s possible.