*Warning - contains full spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4*
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The fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy is now available to stream on Netflix, and it has not arrived without some controversy, particularly surrounding one major sequence.
The moment in question happens in episode 5, when Lila and Five get stuck in the waypoint between timelines, and strike up a romance, despite Lila being married to Five's brother Diego.
Speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, showrunner Steve Blackman has defended this storyline, explaining that he felt the romance was "an earned moment".
He said: "Well, you know, I sat with the writers and we said, 'What would happen if you spent seven years with someone and we're starting to give up ever coming home?'
"I mean, some of it speaks to the domestic problems between Lila and Diego. And part of it has to do with that, as much as Five and Lila would hate to say it, they're very similar."
Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts and Aidan Gallagher as Number Five in The Umbrella Academy. Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix
Blackman continued: "They've been fighting so hard all the seasons, but alone, they realised they have a lot in common. They're very similar people. So, you know, I wonder what the fans will take of that moment. But I think it's an earned moment.
"But remember, it's not a few days, we've been together now trying to stay alive for seven years. And I thought it was a great moment."
Lila actor Ritu Arya told RadioTimes.com that she initially thought the plotline was a joke when it was pitched to her, saying: "I literally laughed, and I was like, 'Haha,' and then when I read the script, I was like, 'Oh, they weren’t joking!'"
Meanwhile, Five star Aidan Gallagher added: "I had a similar reaction. Well, at first it's, like, just fully unexpected, because the characters always seem at odds with each other.
"But it sort of flipped like a magnet at a certain point. I was like, 'Oh, that actually makes a lot of sense, personality-wise.'"
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
