Invincible Season 2 – Part 1 Review: Well Worth the Long Wait

Invincible is finally back and in its second season, the hit Prime Video series hasn't skipped a beat. Following the release of Season 1 back in 2021, Invincible became such a hit that Prime Video ended up greenlighting the show for two additional seasons. And while it has taken longer than many would have liked for the animated series to finally return, the wait has been well worth it. 

Rather than releasing all eight episodes of Season 2 sequentially, those at Prime Video have opted to split the season into two parts. Part 1, which is comprised of the first four episodes, will begin rolling out in early November while the other four are releasing in early 2024. Having seen the initial four episodes of Season 2, I continue to be quite pleased with how this show is adapting its comic book source material. 

That being said, Episodes 1 and 2 of Invincible's new season do take a bit to get going. In the wake of such a bombastic conclusion to the end of Season 1, Season 2 opts to slow things down and further develop the show's main cast of characters. Additionally, this slower pace allows for the introduction of a variety of new characters. In the moment, this made these opening episodes a bit harder to get through as I was instead overeager to see how many of the show's lingering threads would be advanced. 

Fortunately, Episodes 3 and 4 absolutely delivered on this desire and are likely two of the best installments in the entirety of Invincible. Like Season 1, these latter two episodes come with a ton of big surprises that those who aren't familiar with the story material will be baffled by. Even for returning comic book readers (like myself), it's the manner in which Invincible executes on its story in a new medium that I continue to be impressed with. There are a lot of characters and storylines that Invincible is juggling in Season 2, and despite this, it never crumbles or feels like its spinning too many plates at once. 

Outside of the story being told, one of the most apparent things about Invincible's newest episodes just comes with the higher production value. The animation work in this series has received a noticeable upgrade, with characters and backdrops now popping that much more. This was already a series that boasted quite a bit of color, but Invincible looks way better in motion, especially during its fight scenes. There's also an injection of more licensed music into the series, which I have found to be really enjoyable. For instance, one sequence in Episode 1 features Invincible flying around while Radiohead's "Karma Police" plays in the background. It's a pretty basic scene, but it's also easily one of my favorites in all of Season 2 so far. 

Despite being a serious drama at times, Invincible is also legitimately funny. The writing in Season 2 remains top-notch and is rife with moments that will end up being quite meta with the show's fanbase. One gag tied to Invincible's opening title card proves to be a true standout in Season 2 amidst a number of other moments that prompted genuine laughter from me. 

If there is one thing that might prove to be a problem for some with Invincible Season 2, it would be the multiverse. Like so many other pieces of media over the past few years, Invincible begins incorporating its own take on the multiverse concept, primarily by proxy of the new character Aangstrom Levy. For now, I think the manner in which the multiverse has been included isn't offputting or convoluted and its involvement is mainly just tied to a single episode. Still, "Multiverse Fatigue" is a very real thing for many, and I fear that Invincible might struggle to have its own take on this storyline stand out from the crowd as it moves onward.

The first four episodes of Invincible Season 2 feel like they barely scratch the surface of where this series is heading. In fact, the long wait between Episode 4 and 5 is likely the biggest problem that I have with Season 2 so far, as I would have preferred to see all of these episodes release in one go. Despite this, Invincible continues to be one of the best and most unique superhero shows around and almost certainly won't disappoint those who have been counting down the days until its return.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Invincible Season 2, Part 1 debuts on Prime Video on November 3, 2023. New episodes will be released weekly before going on hiatus after Episode 4. The series will then return with Season 2, Part 2 at an undetermined date in 2024.