Marvel has put some incredible content on Disney+ to this point, including WandaVision and Loki. Now, they’re ready to give us a new series that has the potential to be one of the best MCU projects of any kind, and it doesn’t feature a single Avenger.
Marvel’s Secret Invasion is based on one of the most popular comic story arcs of all-time and it sees the return of Nick Fury. Faced with the threat of a potential alien invasion, the man responsible for assembling the Avengers is tasked with saving the Earth on his own and this time, he has no idea who he can trust.
One of the brilliant things about the “Secret Invasion” comic arc was that the reader never knew when they were looking at their favorite hero or a Skrull impersonating them. That feeling translates perfectly into this new series as there is a unique tension from start to finish. Viewers will be on the edge of their seat wondering exactly who is really who they say they are. Each episode is incredibly tense in a way that no Marvel project has ever delivered before.
Another thing that jumps out about this show is how incredibly fast-paced it is. The lore of the MCU has been built up for 15 years at this point, so don’t expect any world building or table setting from the beginning of this new series. If you are not familiar with the characters or the events of films like Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, it will only be a matter of minutes before you are completely lost.
That being said, for those of us who have watched every second of the MCU to date, this series wastes no time getting right into this new story. It’s not exactly nonstop action, though there is plenty of that as well, but rather just a fast moving race against the clock as imminent danger always seems to be around each corner.
And as you would expect from any Marvel project, this series is going to pack a few surprises. Don’t worry, we won’t be getting into any specifics, but there are at least a couple of buzzworthy moments in the early going for this new show. And with the nature of this story and the sheer magnitude of the MCU at this point, I would imagine there could be plenty more later on.
As far of the cast of this show, it’s almost impossible to judge any performances because you really cannot tell exactly what angle any character is playing. In that sense, each and every member of the cast does a tremendous job of keeping the audience on their toes and not really letting them get comfortable with their respective characters. Samuel L. Jackson of course does a great job of letting us see a new side of Nick Fury (if that is in fact what we’re seeing). Meanwhile, MCU newcomers Emilia Clarke and Kingsley Ben-Adir shine in their antagonist (maybe?) roles.
Of course, Marvel fans are always going to compare any new MCU project to the comic on which it is based and this series is certainly very different from the original story. It is obviously very scaled down in that it does not feature virtually every superhero you’ve ever seen before. However, that is necessary in creating that aforementioned tension as the show feels much more intimate and the audience can really feel like they’re a part of the story. And yet, the stakes of the show are simply alien invasion and an all-out world war.
Which of course leaves us with the question of how this series will impact the bigger picture of the MCU. So often, smaller projects can get lost in the shuffle when there are much bigger problems, such as a time-traveling genocidal maniac and his army of dangerous variants, lurking in the shadows. The future for the Skrulls in the MCU remains to be seen but this show, at least in the early going, does a fantastic job of feeling very important.
Overall, Secret Invasion one of the best Marvel shows ever to hit Disney+. It’s crafted in a way that is going to keep the audience guessing from start to finish and will have everyone ready to be on the edge of their seats every Wednesday. Comparing it to a film like Captain America: The Winter Soldier would be setting a very high bar, but Secret Invasion is up to the challenge.
Marvel’s Secret Invasion debuts Wednesday, June 21st on Disney+.