Canon-free, that's me. I've seen some of the comics since binging the show. Those make it very clear about just who will be the Big Bad, which I will not say in case there are a few folks out there who have not enjoyed UA yet.

We finished The Umbrella Academy last night. I wasn't surprised by the reveal. I think I've watched enough fantasy genre series, that I was always pretty sure * what the sitch was with the pills, and that Vanya would be instrumental in the apocalypse, in one way or another. *

Narrative-wise, I do wish the story had unfolded in say the 1990s, when cell phones weren't so ubiquitous. I mean, I can accept that in the show's universe, they're not a thing, but that doesn't mean when characters didn't try to call or text each other, or when they used pay phones, that it didn't take me out of the story.

Character-wise, I'm still frustrated that Allison's power wasn't better fleshed out and that use of it was always seen as negative. Before I realized the apocalypse was still going to happen, I figured she would have an opportunity to redeem the use of her power in the right situations. *

For example, since Reginald Hargreeves * made young Allison use her power to convince Vanya she wasn't special/didn't have abilities, I was thinking/hoping adult Allison would finally break out the power to use it in a positive way, like, "I heard a rumor you can control your power and use it for good." *

And, from a feminist perspective, * I'm disappointed in the realization of both Allison and Vanya. The two women's powers are somehow bad and they misuse or can't control them, so they must abstain (or be drugged, locked up, etc). *

Since Luther * really seemed to screw the pooch with every decision he made regarding Vanya, I'm hoping this suppression of the women's power is addressed in the second season. It seems like it should be, but it also seemed like it would have been (by the S1 finale), after he initially choked her until she passed out.

I was also frustrated as hell that Allison literally had no voice at the end of the season. If that's the set up for a big payoff, that's okay. I just don't know whether I should have faith in this show or not. *

At any rate, I'll definitely check out season two.

Do the comics continue the story past what's shown in season one?

Well, I definitely loved Russian Doll. That was great.

When I covered Russian Doll before the premiere, I was afraid it would depress or disturb me. Maybe I'll give it a shot next. Everyone seems to be raving about it

I was afraid it would depress or disturb me.

I didn't find it depressing at all. It was very hopeful, I thought.

I loved it. I think it's a masterpiece. Emotionally and intellectually satisfying.

I second the hopefulness of it--it's tremendously rough and rude and some of the characters (including the lead) are painfully self-destructive, but it has great hope and generosity as well. Using very, very different techniques, it's exploring many of the same themes as The Good Place.

Plus 1 on the Zmayhem's Russian Doll take!

Do the comics continue the story past what's shown in season one?

Apparently they do. I haven't read them, though.

At any rate, I'll definitely check out season two.

Is there even going to be a season 2? The last couple of episodes really turned me off on the series. Part of it was what Cindy talked about regarding Luther's (and the others') treatment of Vanya and Allison, but also because I really disliked where they left the ending.

Also, the scientist in me completely lost his suspension of disbelief when a big ol' chunk of the moon made the 250,000 mile trip to earth in, like, a minute.

WARNING: There could be season one spoilers in all the links below. I read them last week, and just found them again for this conversation, but I didn't examine them for spoilers.

Is there even going to be a season 2?

The Umbrella Academy hasn't been renewed for a second season (which isn't unusual -- it just premiered on February 15th) but Screenrant published a story (and a hard-to-read graph with poor color choices) a week into its run indicating the first season was performing well for Netflix.

Last week, they also published a story that the production was scouting season two locations, but that happens on all kinds of series which aren't renewed, so season two isn't a done deal.

Indie Wire reports the showrunner, Steve Blackman, said it takes them 18 months to do a season. That kind of wait-time for a 10 episode installment is a big turn off for me.

I'm not sure long waits aren't damaging to the lifespan of a streaming series, either. With network and cable shows, we all know stuff starts up in the fall, or mid-winter, or whenever. I might tune into ABC to catch Black-ish and see an ad for Whiskey Cavalier, etc.

When I'm streaming, I'm either going to Netflix/Hulu/Amazon to watch something specific, or I'm browsing, with no idea what to watch. I'm only going to find season two of your little show, if it shows up on the front page of the streaming outlet's interface. If it's been a year and a half since your freshman season, I may forget to look for you at all.

Aaaaaaand Netflix canceled One Day At A Time. Fuckers.

I don't normally watch streaming stuff, so I never post in here, but I am 2 episodes in to Shrill and I love it so, SO much.

I saw Aidy Bryant on TV last week (maybe The View) talking about Shrill, which got me interested. Is it very watch-from-the-hall Steph?

Dh and I have been streaming Merlin on Netflix. Even though Anthony Stewart Head plays Uther Pendragon, I never checked it out during its original TV run (NBC & Syfy, I think).

BTW, ASH's Uther is an utter S.O.B. I think I spent the first couple of episodes waiting for Willow to come in and break whatever spell was making Giles into such an ass.

[ASH's Uther absolutely hates magic, and wants to execute anyone practicing it, so I like to pretend it's Giles after BtVS season 6, but before he hand-waved away Willow's actual magic addiction at the start of season 7.]

The show feels a little kidsy. I don't know if that will change as it goes on, but it's kind of mindless fun, and right now seems to be made up of related but still largely stand-alone episodes.

Did anyone watch this either when it aired (2008-2012 on BBC1) or since? What did you think?

Ah, Merlin.

I think Uther gets more complicated as the show goes on, though it always balanced moments of genuine feeling and complexity with stupid jokes and bad makeup.

It is generally mindless fun, though obviously thing get less standalone as you get closer to the end.