Why Some People Just Can't Stand Watching The Umbrella Academy
"The Umbrella Academy" quickly became one of Netflix's most popular series when it premiered (via CBR). We were introduced to every member of the makeshift superhero team, and fans and critics fell in love with Netflix's adaptation of the original comic from Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá (via Rotten Tomatoes and Collider). This primarily positive response likely resulted from "The Umbrella Academy" having a balance of humor and sincerity. Although there are many oddities, from time-traveling assassins with animal heads to even weirder small details you might have missed.
Season 2 of the show also received critical praise. "In its best moments, 'The Umbrella Academy' second season manages to balance both humanity and superheroics without sacrificing either" (via Vox). Although Season 3 also received critical praise, it missed the mark for many fans. Although, this isn't necessarily the case for Season 3 alone, as some people haven't been able to stand watching "The Umbrella Academy" for some time.
Fans think The Umbrella Academy can be too cringey
According to a Reddit thread, some viewers of "The Umbrella Academy" have a tough time watching due to its embarrassing moments. U/chaosattractor explained that the show leans too much into humor that humiliates the characters. "I get second-hand embarrassment really easily, and it's actively painful to watch this show as a result," they explained. They continued that a few moments in Season 1 make it challenging for them to watch, including Klaus (Robert Sheehan) throwing a bowling ball to the ghost of Ben (Justin H. Min) to try and prove Ben's existence to the family.
Other viewers like this deleted user would agree. However, they argue that "The Umbrella Academy" does a nice job of cementing a character's behavior beforehand, which then makes it easier to see an embarrassing moment arriving before it happens. "I think the difference for me with UA was that I almost always saw it coming, but it usually lined up so well with the establishment of the characters that I could handle it," they noted.
"The Umbrella Academy" does use a lot of humor that embarrasses its characters. Still, the show is a little tamer compared to the comics (via Polygon). It will be interesting to see how the show continues if it develops into a possible Season 4.