By Lake DiStefano
Staff Writer
When launching a new show, especially one as narrative focused as “Invincible,” there is often one core tenant of storytelling bound to be deployed: getting your audience invested as fast as you can. Interest is fickle these days, and if you want that second season, you have to hook viewers early.
This ideal would manifest itself as the first season of the show — a murder mystery in which the killer is revealed at the end of the very first episode. The conceit, however, is moreso the killer in question: the father of our protagonist, as well as the biggest superhero in this world.
In a now infamous scene, the very first episode concludes with Omni-Man killing his teammates in cold-blood — with zero explanation given to the audience. It’s a scene that shatters any illusion of this being a typical superhero show, and sets the grim and gory tone for the show going forward.
The entire first season operates in relation to this gigantic reveal and teases the audience, as it slowly allows the characters to realize and reckon with just who murdered the big superhero team of this world.
The show, due to this fact, resonated widely. The superhero genre at large is a tired concept to many, due to the seemingly endless slew of Marvel films. So a show such as “Invincible,” which contains darker themes within a traditional superhero setting, was seemingly a breath of fresh air.
The suspense and dread this storyline afforded the show to play with was a treat to watch, and the climatic and horrifying final episode, in which the cast finally catches up to the audience in terms of knowledge, was a truly outstanding season finale.
“Invincible,” is a mostly faithful adaptation of the comic series of the same name. It has recently finished airing its second season, and despite the positive buzz still surrounding the show, many, including I, have mixed feelings about it.
While watching this season, I felt a certain comparison arise, no matter how many times I tried to wave it away. I kept getting the sense that while everything I was watching was good, it simply didn’t top the heights of season one.
Season two of “Invincible,” through no fault of its own, is cast in the shadow of its own previous excellence.
Whereas season one felt like one continuous and engaging plotline, season two is more like a series of mini storylines that are all the result of the events of season one. The entire season is dedicated to detailing the fallout of the previous one, and while it does wonders in terms of character development, it unfortunately has the side effect of constantly drawing that comparison for the listener.
Season two simply doesn’t have the kind of forward motion that season one had, and while that doesn’t make it bad by any means, it does make for a fairly jarring transition in terms of both pacing and plot.
The season takes its time, and while many may prefer this approach, it does leave something to be desired in terms of an overarching story. The plot is more scattered, which leads to the viewer only remembering certain details when they present themselves again, rather than having that foreboding dread that season one so expertly captured.
Regardless of this one main point of contention, season two of “Invincible” is still a spotless example of how superhero media can be made — in spite of the exhaustion most audiences have with the genre at this point in pop culture. It consistently utilizes its darker themes to undercut stale tropes, and inject nuance where many other shows lack.
As for the animation, it is still as stellar and fluid as the first season, with the final fight being a particular highlight. The animation is expressive, while still retaining the feel of the comics it's trying to adapt. Even the more mundane scenes are carried by its colorful style, allowing the show to get away with more of those character building moments previously mentioned.
“Invincible” is a show that ultimately came out of the gate swinging, and needs to recuperate before it can reach that fever pitch of intensity again. In the meantime, however, season two is a more mellow, albeit still excellent, subversion of the superhero genre. It still has that same eye-catching animation, well written characters and gruesome fight scenes. If you liked the first season, you’ll be sure to get a similar enjoyment out of this one too.
