SERIES REVIEW – Invasion tries to carve out a place for itself in the modern sci-fi genre, in a world where the presence of aliens is a daily threat. The first season starts as a slow-burn drama, the second season tries to up the ante, but both eventually get stuck somewhere in the middle. The characters and storytelling often leave something to be desired, and viewers sometimes want the aliens to win rather than the characters to succeed. Will the series be strong enough to captivate audiences, or will it get lost in the endless sea of the sci-fi universe?

The Invasion series is a global sci-fi drama produced by Apple TV+ that aims to bring a fresh perspective to the subject of alien invasion. Created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil, the series creates a world where humanity confronts its own fragility in the face of an unknown threat. The first season builds slowly, and the second season picks up the pace, but will it be enough to hold viewers’ attention?

Slow first season, faster second, but unfortunately clichés galore

The first season focuses on introducing the characters and building up the backstories. The show is set around the world, with different people trying to deal with unexplained events and personal problems. The invasion slowly comes to the fore, often lurking in the background. The strength of the series is the character development and tension building, but the slow pace often leads to frustration. Characters such as Sheriff Jim Bell Tyson, played by Sam Neill, or Aneesha Malik, played by Golshifteh Farahani, emerge as deep and complex characters whose struggles and choices are brought into focus.

In the second season, however, the show tries to increase the arc and tension, but we often get predictable and drawn-out scenes. Characters such as Mitsuki Yamato (Shioli Kutsuna) or Trevante (Shamier Anderson) remain at the center of the invasion, but the relationships and conflicts between the characters often remain superficial and predictable. The second season promises more movement in terms of plot, but the execution often fails to deliver the level of quality that viewers would expect from an Apple TV + premium sci-fi series.

This is despite the fact that both seasons of Invasion attempt to break new ground in the sci-fi genre, but the execution often leaves a feeling of incompleteness. The characters, while complex, do not always make interesting or convincing choices, and the plot often gets bogged down in its own clichés. The alien scenes, while often spectacular, are a throwback to other sci-fi action horror.

Teens in the apocalypse

In the “Invasion” series, child characters play a major role in the events surrounding the alien invasion. Caspar Morrow (Billy Barratt) is a British teenager who struggles with bullying at home and at school. Caspar regularly experiences seizures during which he receives visions that turn out to bring him into contact with the aliens. Caspar plays a crucial role in defeating the first wave, but subsequently loses consciousness. Caspar becomes a key figure in the series’ communication with the aliens, and his actions affect the fate of humanity.

Luke Malik (Azhy Robertson) and his sister Sarah Malik (Tara Moayedi) are also important characters in the series. At the start of the invasion, Luke and his family are forced to flee their home, and Luke takes with him an alien object that has significance in the story. Sarah is a sensitive and understanding character who notices the tension between her parents and worries about her family’s future. In the series, the child characters not only experience the immediate effects of the disaster, but also portray aspects of family relationships and personal growth.

These young characters in the series provide a unique and in-depth perspective on the invasion, and while many adult characters also play important roles in the series, the conflicts and challenges faced by the children add a special depth to the plot of “Invasion. Through their stories, viewers gain insight into the impact of such a global catastrophe on the younger generation, whose personal growth and emotional crises are detailed in the series.

Inconsistent decisions, a confusing storyline, but Shioli Kutsuna is on top of her game

Unfortunately, the storyline with a child protagonist is not enough to save the show and often ends up being clichéd. The second season is especially disappointing, because after the slow build-up of the first season, viewers would have expected more. The characters’ motivations and decisions are often inconsistent or incomprehensible, and the dialogue is often forced or clichéd, as is the plot. The new season tries to improve the story arc, but the series often loses focus with too many characters and storylines, and the threads get tangled.

However, Mitsuki’s storyline is one of the bright spots of the second season. Shioli Kutsuna’s performance is believable and convincing, and it is her character who really delves into the mysteries of the aliens. Unfortunately, the other characters, such as Aneesha and Trevante, lack the depth and complexity that the show needs to be truly outstanding.

So, while there was a lot of potential in Invasion, the delivery was often disappointing. The slow pace of the first season and the often inconsistent and sloppy storytelling of the second season prevent the show from fully realizing its potential. The characters, while complex, do not always make interesting or convincing choices, and the plot often gets bogged down in its own clichés. Still, certain aspects of the series, such as the visuals and some of the characters, are remarkable.

All in all, Invasion is a series that had great promise, but failed in several areas of execution. Viewers are given the opportunity to learn about a human-centered approach to a global catastrophe, but the series fails to always sustain interest or explore its inherent themes in depth. The Invasion will be remembered as a mediocre work of science fiction, but one that has its charms and interesting moments.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-