On March 14, the second half of Invincible’s second season debuted on Amazon Prime.
Fans waited with anticipation after being left on a cliffhanger at the end of the second season’s fourth episode.
The decision to split the release of the second season is an interesting one. On the one hand, it’s clear the show-runners want to do things the “right” way – taking the time needed to craft a season that grows on the previous one.
The main intention appears to be focused on allowing viewers to digest certain plot and narrative events properly.
It is clear that the showrunners want the events of the show to feel more impactful by spacing out the time they’re viewed.
On the other hand, it’ll be difficult to match the hype the show had leading into the second season.
After waiting around three years for the next season, some of the enthusiasm some fans felt had already diminished by 2023.
Of course, the show was still popular and discussed routinely on online forums and news articles.
The cliffhanger and quality of the show will have many viewers returning, and the generally positive reception the first half of season two received may attract new viewers with a prime account – something that Amazon Studios is in constant competition with streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ for.
So far, the second season of the series has responded to critical and audience feedback and made adjustments to make the show better.
During the first season, the characters featured in the series were both one of the show’s greatest strengths and weaknesses.
In response, the second season has improved the characters that needed improving and doubled down on the realism of the characters’ emotions.
As a fan, I feel that this shift was very effective at making the show even better. Amber, Invincible’s girlfriend, received the most backlash out of all the characters from the prior season.
To combat this, she has been cast in a much more sympathetic light; her confused motivations and characterizations from the first season have largely disappeared.
Debbie Grayson wasn’t poorly written in the first season, but she has become a much more central character within the show.
Her combination of guilt, depression, and self-questioning feels very real and visceral.
Sandra Oh deserves massive credit for her performance as Debbie and I believe that her portrayal of the character has led to Debbie becoming one of the most captivating and interesting characters on the show.
The show has also benefited from new and unique plotlines that always leave viewers desperate for answers.
Its comparison to its other gritty superhero counterpart, The Boys, continues to persist, but Invincible has separated itself with its animated style and a more laid-back presentation format. With that said, season two has still featured plenty of dramatic, intense, and violent moments.
It’s still strange seeing such a familiar type of animation depict so much blood and gore, but that feeling only helps to make the violence more shocking.
If the Invincible team can continue to produce a strong show that focuses on character development, then I believe it is likely that it will be picked up for future seasons.
