By Randall Elvin · Staff Writer
Amazon Prime Video released “Invincible” in 2021 and has since put out three full seasons, with the fourth coming out now.
The animated series has grown into one of Amazon’s flagship original series and is commonly ranked as one of the most popular shows across the television world. “Invincible” expertly blends brutal action with high emotional ties. The star-studded cast has been a driving factor behind its success in those areas and its prominence online.
To give a little context, “Invincible” initially appears to follow a predictable formula centered on teenage Mark Grayson, son of Omni-Man.
Omni-Man is known for being the strongest superhero in the world, and we follow his son’s journey of unlocking his own powers in his teenage years. Together they train, fight bad guys and balance school and family life.
Slight parallels could be drawn with another superhero film, “Sky High.” Both share the same idea of a father helping his son to learn his strength, but the similarities end there.
The premise of the show feels heartwarming — a typical colorful superhero team partnered with a government agency overseeing it all.
Then the show delivers a seismic shock in the final moments of the very first episode. Omni-Man single-handedly kills the entire league of superheroes (one vs. seven), displaying his raw power and leaving the series flipped on its head.
The reveal shows Omni-Man’s evil actions but begs the question of why the greatest hero would take out the league known as the Guardians of the Globe. What started with a script that looked narrow transforms into a colossal mystery of Omni-Man’s identity and the loyalties of his son, freshly dubbed as Invincible.
The series is based on Robert Kirkman’s comic series, utilizing animation to bring the story to the screen. As the story expands, Mark confronts alien forces, government conspiracies and the mystery of his father, all while struggling to keep his friends and family safe.
Season one sets the premise, seasons two and three expand the universe while deepening the emotional factor and season four is currently tying it all together.
Season four’s first three episodes were announced by Amazon on March 18, and the remaining five episodes of the eight-episode season will be released one at a time every Wednesday.
One major reason for the show’s popularity and success is its stacked voice cast. Steven Yeun, widely renowned for his role as Glenn in “The Walking Dead,” voices the titular character. J.K. Simmons, who voices Omni-Man, can be recognized instantly as the actor for J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy. Debbie Grayson, Invincible’s mom, is played by Sandra Oh, who is most known for her role as Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy.
The supporting cast displays even deeper talent as Mark Hamill, Seth Rogen and Walton Goggins serve as recurring characters. With all the familiarity and experience, “Invincible” is in good hands with its voice actors.
Amazon has leaned heavily into the superhero genre, and their other similar hit show will begin releasing at the same time as “Invincible.” “The Boys” leans more into satire and dark humor, while “Invincible” balances storytelling and intense action.
Although both shows have brutal scenes, “The Boys” is live action, not animated, so it is significantly more graphic, especially as it wraps up its final season.
For readers who haven’t watched “Invincible” yet, now is the best time. With three seasons already out and the fourth releasing weekly episodes, an enthralling storyline and excellent animation await.
As season four releases, Amazon will prove why they set up this show to be one of their “invincible” cornerstone projects.
