If you’re looking for your next favorite show on Prime Video, look no further than Invincible.
The adult animated superhero show tells the story of teenager Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) — a hero in training who discovers a sinister plot that has devastating consequences for Earth.
The show also features the voices of J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh and a laundry list of guest stars.
The show has an impressive 99 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and just dropped its fourth season.
Read on to see why Watch With Us thinks Invincible should be next on your watchlist queue.
It’s a Subversive, Compelling Take on a Familiar Genre
The premise of Invincible surrounds half-alien teenager Mark Grayson. Mark has big shoes to fill as he comes into his own as a superhero like his dad, Omni-Man (Simmons), who hails from a faraway planet. As Mark enters his senior year of high school, he finds his powers further developing while he struggles to balance his dueling lives as a student, a friend and a superhero. But Mark ends up becoming privy to a dangerous conspiracy that involves his own father. The more he learns, the more he realizes that his dad isn’t quite the heroic figure he’s positioned himself to be.
Based on the Image Comics comic book series of the same name, Invincible is so widely acclaimed because it offers a refreshing take on a well-worn genre — kind of in the vein of something like Prime Video’s other anti-superhero show, The Boys. Ultimately, Invincible takes the ideas of superheroes and flips them on their head, creating a narrative that thoughtfully examines the realistic effects of violence and the emotional burden of power. Invincible acts as a critique of standard superhero fare, questioning the gray area of mortality instead of presenting black-and-white stories of good versus evil.
The Characters Are Complex and Grounded
Mark Grayson (voice: Steven Yeun), Omni-Man (voice: J.K. Simmons) in Invincible season 4. Amazon/MGM Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection
Invincible gives deep, complex focus to its characters, exploring their relationships, inner turmoil and moral conflicts with care and nuance often absent from other mainstream superhero stories. Instead of putting the primary narrative weight into action sequences, Invincible thrives on character-driven storytelling surrounding Mark’s relationships with his family and friends, his difficulty in navigating his double life and the ethical quandary he is placed into when he discovers the terrifying truth about his father. We also see the emotional toll of all his decision-making; the consequences are huge in Invincible.
The writers of Invincible do an excellent job of grounding Mark, despite the character’s status as a fledgling superhero. The series moves away from standard superhero tropes and places emphasis on realistic character development, with particular praise going to the growth of characters like Rex (Jason Mantzoukas) and Oliver (Lincoln Bodin and Christian Convery). In Invincible, it’s clear that emotional stakes have just as heavy repercussions as physical stakes, and this creative aim is realized deftly through writing that manifests complex, flawed characters who feel remarkably like real people.
‘Invincible’ Is the Rare Animated Show That Features R-Rated Brutality
Make no mistake: just because Invincible is a grounded, subversive superhero cartoon doesn’t mean that the creators are going to skimp out on the action sequences. In fact, critics and fans have highly praised Invincible for the sheer unflinching brutality of its action scenes. The battles are a technical extravaganza of gore, in high-stakes fight sequences in which characters regularly do not make it out alive. The visceral nature of these sequences indicates immense care (and/or a high budget) put into the animation of such moments. Invincible is a show you can watch and instantly know that every last cent is being put into making the animation look incredible.
Yet despite these intense, blood-soaked fights, the writers of Invincible never forget to imbue these scenes with affecting drama that pushes character development forward. Rather than simple spectacle, the fight sequences are crucial moments of plot that go on to leave characters emotionally and physically scarred. Plus, the filmmakers do all they can to simply keep the action scenes moving, utilizing diverse powers, characters and creative technical work to make these moments continue to feel fresh and exciting as the seasons go on.
Stream Invincible now on Prime Video.
