Speak Now Storyteller

Summary: In the final season, the siblings reconnect with the goal of stopping the “Cleanse”.

You can read my reviews of Season 1 and Season 2. I didn’t get around to reviewing Season 3 but I do plan on rewatching the entire show and I’ll finally do my S3 review. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum and do a spoiler review. It’s been a while since I’ve done one of those, so that’s 3 posts I have in store for this particular season.

This review is oh so late and is gonna be kind of weird because the season is weird. But if you don’t want major spoilers, read this review and if you want a more in depth review, keep an eye out for that one.

Pros:

Cast and Characters. The Hargreeves siblings are back! But unfortunately this won’t be very long because either it’s too spoilery or… there’s not much to say.

• Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves. In this season, Luther is living alone and is an awkward male stripper but he seems to be enjoying his life for the most part. I thought it was cute how he greeted both Ben and Klaus in the first episode. I think Luther has really come a long way from S1 in terms of his personality and how he interacts with his siblings. I don’t think he’s gets much development this season but I think he works when he’s with his siblings. Tom Hopper brings great energy to Luther, he’s goofy and likable and I think that’s enough for Luther with what he’s given.
• David Castañeda  as Diego Hargreeves. Diego became extremely likable after that first season because I really didn’t like him at first but S2 onwards did wonders for him. Here, he’s very much the same person but wants to relive his glory days. He’s almost like Mr. Incredible from The Incredibles but without powers. He’s a father to 3 kids, married to Lila and without his powers, so he misses what he used to be able to do. They keep calling him chubby, fat, and pudgy and I don’t know about all that because he looks good to me lol. Sure, he might not be “skinny” anymore but I think he still looks good lol. He’s funny when needed, he’s naïve in places because he just wants to be taken seriously and a lot of times he’s not. Along with Luther, he’s not the brightest in some instances but when it counts, Diego tends to be there and quick on the draw. David Casteneda is very good as Diego, he gets a few emotional moments and I think he does a great job with them, I really felt for him. I think he also does well with the Diego that misses the “glory days”. I didn’t mind the storyline they had going on for Diego.
• Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves. I’ve always liked Allison, we’ll talk about S3 when I finally review that season, but as of now, I still really like her. She’s able to be a mom to Claire again after losing her at the end of S1 and I think that dynamic works very well, she seems to be a good mom. After the events of S3, she’s basically isolated herself from the others, besides Klaus and is fearful to be around them as she thinks they hate her or will retaliate or whatever. But she’s still very fierce when it comes to her siblings but also tries to do abide by what they want, which is shown when everyone wanted her to do something for Klaus but she said “no, he doesn’t want that!” I thought that showed just how attentive she was to others’ needs and I think with her power, that’s an important trait to have. Emmy Raver-Lampman continues to do very well in her role, I think she’s really grown. I also love Allison’s personal style. I like her chemistry with Millie Davis (Claire) and Klaus as they got to interact a lot this season. She’s been a mother the entire time we’ve seen her, technically, but it was nice to see her in an actual motherly role as she had a lot of emotions to sort through last season.
• Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves. Klaus is still a great character but I do think the writers aren’t sure what to do with him a lot of the time so he’s just vibing in the background. Here, he’s living life extremely cautiously due to not being immortal anymore. He lives with Allison and Claire and seems to have a great relationship with Claire, they’re very close and I think it was a great relationship for him to have. I also appreciated that he was the only one who saw through Ben’s little trick at the beginning. Without going into spoiler territory for his storyline, I will always enjoy Klaus and his interactions with the others. I think over the years, the others have taken him more seriously than they have in the past which is nice. Robert Sheehan is always great as Klaus, I’m mad his hair was cut again and that it wasn’t at least curly, but his Klaus portrayal is always a joy.
• Aidan Gallagher as Five Hargreeves. Five has remained my favorite character in the show and that’s still the same here but I do have some major gripes about his character this season but I’ll get into that in the cons and in the spoiler review. In this season, he’s physically about 20 now and is working for a well-known organization and is investigating a mysterious group. He ends up being pulled back into the shenanigans with his siblings due to a parent asking them for help finding their daughter and Five notices a jar of marigold. When they get their powers back, Five accidentally discovers a subway station where the train seems to travel to different timelines. That is what his storyline really relies on. Aidan Gallagher is still very good at Five, being that Five is an older adult in his late 60s, Aidan continues to do a great job playing a grouchy man but I do think he’s much more chill than he has been in the past, but I think that’s due to having 6 years of a regular life. But still love Five, best character.
• Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves. In this season, Ben has been released into Luther’s custody after spending some years in prison. This is the Ben from S3, Sparrow Academy Ben so he’s mean and I don’t really like him but I can forgive it a little because Justin H. Min is a likable guy and there are moments when that natural sweetness Justin seems to have shines through this version of Ben. I think he has some good interactions with the others, good chemistry as he always had but the dynamic is different being that this isn’t their Ben. His storyline largely revolves around this whole “Jennifer incident” thing and I didn’t mind that. I just wish we got more of it. Justin H. Min is fine this season, I feel like he’s funny when he needs to be and there are some emotional moments that he gets that are good.
• Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves. In this season, Viktor has moved to Canada and is apparently a ladies’ man and owns a Bar. A lot of his storyline is wrapped up in his feelings and emotional baggage about his childhood and Reginald. It’s fine but I’m personally tired of that plot point lol. But he does have a really good scene with Reggie and I’m glad it was enough to finally move on from this lol and after that, Viktor’s determined to save Ben and ends up having to work with Reggie. I didn’t mind this considering how he was unable to fight alongside his siblings when they were younger. Elliot Page is still good in this role.
• Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts. Lila has become an integral part of the series and I tend to like her. I like the chaotic energy she brings. All of the siblings are chaotic but she’s a different kind of chaotic, very quick with her comebacks, very funny and smart. In this season, she’s married to Diego and they have 3 kids together but her life seems to be something that doesn’t make her happy anymore. It’s clear she loves being a mom and loves her kids fiercely but it’s more about her relationship with Diego and it’s a pain point throughout the season. Their dynamic is mostly the same though which has always been fun in the past. She wants adventure which is why she makes some of the decisions she makes in the season. I can’t go much further without spoiling so that’s all I’ll say. I think Ritu Arya is great at Lila, her delivery of her lines tend to make me laugh. She has great chemistry with everyone else and when she has emotional moments, I feel for her.

Supporting Characters. So we a few new characters and returning ones that pop up in the season. I’m not going to hit on all of them because I don’t feel the need. but a very strong shout out to Colm Feore as Sir Reginald Hargreeves. We have seen him play the same character but different versions of him in each season but you know he’s ultimately the same person, just a different timeline or time period. He’s very good as Reggie, I always enjoy his delivery and his chemistry with the siblings. He’s very short with everyone and apathetic, thinks he’s always right and will do whatever he thinks is best to get what he wants. We learned why he was doing all of this in the last season and in this one, we get to see a bit more emotion from him now that he has his wife back. Victoria Sawal as Jennifer, is a girl that they meet and have to find, she and Ben spend the most time together and I enjoyed what we got to see of her, I just wish we got to see a little more and that questions provided were answered. She’s so beautiful. Real life couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally join this season as Gene and Jean Thibedeau who are the creators of a radical group called “The Keepers” who seem to recognize that the timeline they’re in, is not the right or “original” timeline. I think they’re great, have great chemistry with each other obviously and work very well together.

The Story Potential. I see the vision for what they were doing with certain storylines and even the overall storyline. I think the idea was good in theory. I think it makes sense that there would be people who are remembering glimpses from past timelines considering how Reggie and Allison created it. In the beginning, I was intrigued about the Keepers and what their overall plans were because they were finding and collecting relics that were directly involved with the Hargreeves siblings. Not to mention, how far their influenced reached around the

Diego & Luther’s Fight Scene. This is the only actual fight scene we get this season, which is a travesty, but I will praise the one we got. Diego and Luther end up in an official organization as a way of distraction, courtesy of Five. Luther doesn’t care but Diego is so excited, it’s cute. But they find out things aren’t what they seem and they end up having to fight some grunts and it was a bonafide TUA fight, the music choice, the slow motion moments and them using their powers. So fun. Also, Diego… looking good lol.

Bittersweet. I know people hate the ending… I don’t hate it. I’m okay with what was going on, I just would have liked the process to get there was different. I cried both times I watched so far. I feel like what they decided to do is a choice that makes sense. I think it’s well filmed and well acted.

Cons:

Pacing is Crazy! (6 episodes). The biggest issue with the season is that it’s only 6 episodes compared to the previous 3 seasons having 10 and you can definitely feel the difference in how the story is told and how the characters are handled. I feel like the same story could have been told but would have been fleshed out way more if they took their time like they have in the past. It’s been a while since I’ve watched S3 but I remember S1 and S2 doing pretty well with the pacing.

Story Threads & Questions. There are a lot of questions that this season poses but doesn’t answer, like what happened to Sloane? At the end of S3, she doesn’t appear with the rest of them and Luther mentions her twice but we never find out what happened to her. They got married… that’s so weird. Why did Five join the organization he joined? I can’t see him actively joining another organization after being involved with the Commission for so long. At least not earnestly, unless he did it because he wanted some organization in his life after what happened at the end of S3 or that he was doing it because he needed their resources. But he wanted to retire so what happened? What happened with Ray and Allison? How did Lila find out about that group? Why was that girl in that thing?? Did it have to be Ben or could it have been anyone if the past was different? Or just in general? WHY the hell did that happen to Luther when he got his powers back?? Why was the Keeper’s plan so lame?

Character Development/Characterizations. I’ma need to break this down for the ones I had issues with. Lila is ultimately fine I think.

• Luther – I feel like Luther hasn’t had much development since season 2. There’s always been a goofiness about him and he’s still that and I feel like that’s worked for him but that’s all he’s been and nothing has changed for him in this season and it’s almost dialed up even more. I think that sucks, it’s been 6 years, I would have liked to have seen a little something for him. Did he look for Sloane? Where is she? Why did he become a stripper? I don’t expect him to be moping around or to not be goofy but I feel like the depth he’s had in the past isn’t there. Why was he the “emergency contact” for Ben? Did he ever try to live somewhere else? Why is his life in such shambles?
• Diego – Diego’s story I think is overall fine. Just would have been nice to see it fleshed out more and more of it.
• Allison – I would have liked to have seen what happened with Ray. We know that Claire isn’t Ray’s daughter in their original timeline, and since Ray was born in a different time… how did that go? Did he know? What happened between him and Allison? How did she and Klaus end up living together? I think Allison has always been one of the best characters, I’ve liked her since S1, and I think it’s interesting how she was the one who actively tried to be close with Viktor in earlier seasons but because of her choices in S3 she’s the one making the decision to stay away from the others, besides Klaus. How did she get back into acting? Why isn’t it going as well as it was in S1? The stuff that Klaus was saying when they argued… well show me that so I can agree with him because as far as I could tell… that’s not particularly true, or at least it’s not only true of Allison.
• Klaus – He is now a germaphobe and an agoraphobe which I think is implied because he’s no longer immortal so he can’t just live all willy nilly. I think this is a fine development for him as I can see how that could happen. He’s also the only one who doesn’t get his powers the same way everyone else does but when he does, his character regresses a lot and I don’t like that. He literally chooses to do this without actually trying! It really annoyed me. I also feel like his little side plot should have been something he already was doing, just handled differently. I think it was inspired from his spin-off graphic novel “You Look Like Death“. That was a fun spin-off. Klaus is another favorite character due to Robert Sheehan’s charismatic portrayal but a lot of times I feel like they don’t really know what to do with him. I like that he was wrapped up with Allison and Claire, I loved that dynamic and I do think what we saw was good, but I would have liked to have seen more or what else he does when he’s not around them.
• Five – He’s my favorite character and this has been since I read the graphic novels and I’ve loved him even more in the show due to Aidan Gallagher’s fantastic portrayal. I feel like he’s not the same Five I’m used to seeing and I think in part that’s okay as characters grow and since it has been 6 years, it makes sense that he might mellow out a little but I feel like he makes decisions he wouldn’t make. I don’t think Five would join another big organization unless there was an actual reason and the show never gives a reason. Technically, his body is now about 19/20 because he was 13 in S1 and literally S1-3 takes place within at least one year in Five’s timeline so by S3, I’d think he would have turned 14 at some point. The timing is outrageous in this show honestly. And for him to be in the organization he’s in, did he go back to school? I mean he disappeared at 13 and was the only human for years so it’s not like he had time to get a degree unless he did it while working for the Commission but that poses a ton of questions. Anyway, I feel like he didn’t get to interact separately with many of his siblings. I always enjoy his interactions with Lila, they’re clever, fun and antagonistic but there are some things concerning that I feel like was out of character for him. That I will talk about in my spoiler review. Then he makes a decision at the end, that I feel like he wouldn’t have made BUT I CAN to an extent understand. I also don’t think Five was as on top of things as he usually is or that he was a smart as he usually is and that was so noticeable to me. Not taking Luther’s win away from him, but I feel like Five should have already been on that or suspicious. He would have already been on that, like that should have been the reason he was in that organization. Don’t get me started lol.
• Ben (and Jennifer) – I don’t really like this version of Ben and I feel like he’s ultimately fine but I would have liked to have seen more between him and Jennifer. I do think what we got was okay, but it was just rushed.
• Viktor – It’s been a while since I’ve watched S3, but I feel like they handled his transition well and now in S4, it’s been 6 years and he’s just living in his new life which is great. Apparently he’s very much a ladies’ man which is hilarious to think about and how much Viktor has apparently grown from how he was in S1. But I’m tired of his daddy issues and I guess I’m glad he was finally able to get it all out… wrong version of Reggie but I get it. I just wish I cared more about it. But I feel like outside of that… that’s kind of it? It’s nice that he made a life for himself but we didn’t see a thing of that life so I felt very detached from who Viktor was now that he’s been able to live his life the way he wants for 6 years.

Powers & Fight Scenes. We only have 1 actual fight scene in the season and it happens with Diego and Luther. It was fun and I talked about it in the “pros” but it’s crazy that that’s the only fight we actually got. There have been at minimum 3 fights per season and it’s insane that Five didn’t have a fight at all. He’s the most fun to watch because of how he uses his teleporting to fight… also I’m biased lol. There’s also that scene in the small town but that wasn’t really a fight, but a shootout. We got to see them use the powers but literally once each, besides Luther using his durability. I feel cheated out of a fight of them using their powers together, I feel like we never got an actual team up fight sequence proper, besides the opening of S2. Everyone may use their powers once or twice in places or it’s always little groups fighting. Maybe that’s too much budget but I feel like we deserved to have that.

Overall, I think people are being really hard on this season and this review is kind of… it’s a basic review because I need to spoil things to really get into it. But is this season a mess? Yes but the people acting like it’s ruined the show, I think are being dramatic. Sure they made some decisions that are questionable and I’m not sure whose idea it was to shorten it to 6 episodes but dishonor on them and I hope both sides of their pillow are warm. Anyway, the actors have always done their jobs and have continued to make these characters be memorable and likable. There’s no one I really disliked this season, even if I like dislike some more than others (looking at you Ben) but there’s no one who really stood out in the way that I think some characters stood out in past seasons. The acting is still good across the board and I don’t feel like anyone was checked out or anything. The shootout scene and fight scene we got were both good and fun to watch. I see the vision for what they wanted to accomplish this season but unfortunately due to the short amount of episodes, they really shot themself in the foot. The pacing was crazy, the characters themselves didn’t receive the amount of development they deserved, no one really stood out the way they have in the past. The story elements introduced this season weren’t fleshed out the way that was necessary. So, I’m sorry if this review is kind of weird but again, I have to stress the need to keep spoilers to a minimum in this basic review.

But I didn’t hate the season, I guess I’m a bit more forgiving?

Rating: 3.3 out of 5 stars.

What did you think of The Umbrella Academy‘s final season? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to keep an eye out for my spoiler review!