Looking for a few more quirky shows like The Umbrella Academy?
While there’s nothing quite like the genre-mashing superhero show, we’ve rounded up a few good alternatives that we think you’ll love!
Read on to discover binge-worthy ideas that will hold you over until the next season drops on Netflix (probably around Spring of 2020).
TV Shows Like The Umbrella Academy
The Umbrella Academy is a television series that encompasses an array of genres- action, dark comedy, drama, fantasy, sci-fi and superhero.
The series is based on the 3-volume comic book series, of the same name, published by Dark Horse Comics. Season 1 of The Umbrella Academy was released on Netflix on February 15, 2019.
In April 2019, according to Deadline, Netflix announced they were renewing the series for a 2nd season.
While there is no premiere date for Season 2 as of yet, Netflix did confirm that filming for the 2nd season began in mid-June 2019, according to Screen Rant.
The series centers around 7 children, out of 43, who were born on the same day- October 1, 1989- simultaneously, to women around the world, under mysterious circumstances.
Those 7 were adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves, a billionaire industrialist, who created The Umbrella Academy, designed to turn the siblings into superheroes, each one having their own unique set of special powers.
In present day, the siblings are now adults, have been estranged from one another and one of the siblings, Ben, is deceased.
The 6 remaining siblings reunite for the funeral of Sir Reginald and they try to solve the mystery surrounding his death.
Also, the siblings are tasked with trying to prevent an imminent global apocalypse.
The Umbrella Academy features an ensemble cast including Aidan Gallagher, David Castaneda, Ellen Page, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan and Tom Hopper, as the Hargreeves siblings.
Cameron Britton and Mary J. Blige round out the ensemble cast.
Let’s check out a few great shows like The Umbrella Academy that we think you’ll love!
1. Arrow
Arrow is an action, crime, superhero television series based on the Green Arrow character from DC Comics.
It premiered on October 10, 2012 and the series will conclude with season 8, premiering on October 15, 2019.
Arrow follows billionaire Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), who return home after being deserted on an island for 5 years.
Upon his return, he becomes a secret vigilante who fights corruption and crime.
2. Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol is an action, comedy-drama, sci-fi, superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero team, of the same name.
It is a spin-off of the Titans (see below). The series has aired for 1 season, so far, which premiered on February 15, 2019. Season 2 is set to air some time in 2020.
The series features a team of misfit superheroes (played by Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Matt Bomer and Brendan Fraser.
The team is led by The Chief (Timothy Dalton), an idealistic mad scientist.
The superheroes, who are tasked with fighting crime, come together when The Chief is kidnapped by Mr. Nobody (Alan Tudyk), a supernatural supervillain.
3. Gotham
Gotham is an action, crime drama television series based on several characters from DC Comics who appeared in the Batman franchise, primarily James Gordon and Bruce Wayne.
The series premiered on September 22, 2014 and it concluded, after 5 seasons, on April 25, 2019.
Gotham follows Police Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie), who is tasked with solving the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne, the parents of Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz).
4. Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones is an action, crime drama, superhero television series based on the Marvel Comics character, of the same name.
It premiered on November 20, 2015 and the series concluded, after 3 seasons, on June 14, 2019.
The series centers on Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), a former superhero with superhuman strength, who hung up her cape after an incident with Kilgrave.
Known as Purple Man in the comics (David Tennant), he’s a villain who has the ability to control a person’s mind, also known as brainwashing.
Kilgrave brainwashed Jones into killing Reva Connors, who was the wife of Luke Cage (Mike Colter).
Now, Jones is a private detective, who handles cases that involve people with remarkable and unusual abilities.
5. Legends of Tomorrow
Legends of Tomorrow is an action, drama, sci-fi, superhero television series based on the characters from DC Comics.
It has aired for 4 seasons, so far, premiering on January 21, 2016. Season 5 is set to premiere in January 2020.
The series showcases Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), a time traveler, who goes rogue after his wife and son were murdered by Vandal Savage (Casper Crump), an immortal tyrant.
Rip Hunter puts together a team of superheroes and supervillains, known as the “Legends,” with each team member possessing a unique set of abilities and skills.
The “Legends” (played by Falk Hentschel, Ciara Renee, Wentworth Miller, Victor Garber, Franz Drameh, Dominic Purcell, Brandon Routh and Caity Lotz), are tasked with confronting and defeating Savage, and his giant secret army, whose plan is to create a sinister future through world domination.
6. Runaways
Runaways is an action, drama, sci-fi, superhero television series based on the superhero team, of the same name, from Marvel Comics.
It has aired for 2 seasons, so far, premiering on November 21, 2017. Season 3 will premiere on December 13, 2019.
The series follows a group of 6 teens (played by Allegra Acosta, Ariela Barer, Gregg Sulkin, Lyrica Okano, Rhenzy Feliz and Virginia Gardener) from completely different backgrounds.
They go on the run after discovering that their parents are supervillains who are part of a secret, criminal underground organization known as “The Pride.”
During their time on the run, the teens attempt to discover the secrets of their origins and figure out how to stop the criminal organization, while becoming a family of their own.
7. The Gifted
The Gifted is an action, drama, fantasy, sci-fi, superhero television series based on properties of X-Men from Marvel Comics.
While the series is connected to the X-Men movies, they don’t exist on The Gifted, since it is set in an alternative timeline.
The series premiered on October 2, 2017 and it concluded, after 2 seasons, on February 26, 2019.
The Gifted focuses on two typical parents- Reed (Stephen Moyer) and Caitlin (Amy Acker) Strucker- who are on the run from the government.
The reason? They live in a world featuring the Sentinel Services, a government agency that tracks down mutants.
And the parents have just discovered that their 2 children- Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind) and Andy (Percy Hynes White)- have mutant abilities.
8. The Magicians
The Magicians is a drama, fantasy television series based on the 2009 novel, of the same name, by Lev Grossman.
It has aired for 4 seasons, so far, premiering on December 16, 2015. Season 5 will premiere in January 2020.
The series follows Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph), a graduate student who enrolls at Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy, where students train to become powerful magicians.
Coldwater soon discovers that his favorite book series is actually real and the magical fantasy world in the books is more dangerous than he could have ever imagined.
9. The Tick
The Tick is an action, comedy, sci-fi, superhero television series based on the comic book character, of the same name, created by cartoonist Ben Edlund.
The series premiered on August 18, 2016 and it concluded, after 2 seasons, on April 5, 2019.
The series follows The Tick (Peter Serafinowicz), a nigh-invulnerable superhero with superhuman strength and agility, who wears a bright blue tick (insect) costume.
The Tick and his sidekick Arthur Everest (Griffin Newman), a mild-mannered yet nervous young man, fight crime around the city.
They also discover that “The Terror” (Jackie Earle Haley), a long-dead supervillain who may not be so dead after all, may still be terrorizing the city’s underworld.
10. Titans
Titans is an action, drama, sci-fi, superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero team- Teen Titans.
The series has aired for 1 season, so far, which premiered on October 12, 2018. Season 2 is set to premiere on September 6, 2019.
Titans follows the team known as Teen Titans (played by Anna Diop, Brenton Thwaites, Ryan Potter and Teagan Croft), a group of 4 young, troubled teens who have special superpowers.
The teens join forces to combat evil and save the world for imminent danger.
If you want a quick recommendation, I highly recommend Runaways! With the 3rd season set to arrive on Hulu mid-December, you have plenty of time to get caught up.
These are great recommendations! I haven’t seen any of these yet but I am sure they are amazing by the reviews I’ve read!