This Friday (or Thursday evening if things play out how it did before), the first episode of Invincible‘s long-awaited second season will debut exclusively on Prime Video.
Just like the first season, we’ll be publishing detailed recaps/reviews of all eight episodes as they’re released. The first four will debut during the month of November with the remaining chapters coming out in early 2024. Leading up to the November 3 premiere, however, Amazon was kind enough to send us screeners of those first four — which we’re happy to report were definitely worth the wait.
The following review contains very minor spoilers, but won’t reveal any of the major plot points or character moments.
What Works
Invincible (Amazon Studios)
As expected, the animation and voice acting are superb. The story continues to be great, but not simply because of the exciting/engaging narrative. After the catastrophic events of season one, Invincible avoids the sophomore season mistakes of either having the characters remain static or being completely different. Instead, they organically evolve from their trauma and experiences — sometimes for the better, sometimes not.
We also get new characters who improve and enhance what came before their arrival instead of hampering it. You’d think a cast as big as this one wouldn’t need any additions, but they fit seamlessly into Invincible‘s major plotlines and themes.
Invincible (Amazon Studios)
Despite much higher stakes and even more intense battles, the human side of things remains the series’ beating heart.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m a big old meathead who’d definitely get cranky if we went too long without any of that beautifully animated action. But the personal stories are just too damn compelling not to draw you in.
That said, the narrative is really good. Much like the comic the series is based on, the most vanilla elements of superhero lore are molded and spiced into something much more interesting as the story progresses. Even the stuff you see coming from a mile away is presented in a manner that remains impactful. Add in some well-timed comedic relief (which is definitely needed after how dark things start out) and you’ve got a show that’s impossible to pause…most of the time.
What Doesn’t Work
Invincible (Amazon Studios)
Nothing in the first four episodes is ever bad, but there were a couple of moments when some excessive exposition brought the story to a screeching halt. It was interesting, but also provided moments where I felt comfortable pausing the show and going to bed instead of continuing to binge all four episodes into the wee hours of the morning. While that’s good for my health, it’s not good for a narrative — especially one with so many moving parts.
There were also some moments that felt like they needed to cook a little longer to have the impact they deserved. Invincible does a good job portraying the passage of time since the end of season one, but that still didn’t stop some plot points from feeling like they were being revisited or evolving a bit too quickly.
Speaking of plot points, as someone who’s read the entire comic series (and reviewed/loved the first season), I still found myself having to look things up to remember what happened. I also keep a beeper on my keys and work ID for the multiple times I misplace them, so take that for what it’s worth.
The Verdict
Invincible (Amazon Studios)
Instead of attempting to recreate the shock and awe of its first season, Invincible evolves and pushes its narrative and characters to new heights. There are still a few missteps here and there, but nothing that detracts from how great the series has been thus far.
Oh, and if you already didn’t hate the whole midseason finale trend that’s all the rage these days, then you’re REALLY going to hate it at the end of episode four.
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