Gone is the goofy ass MCU and now we have something serious, something sinister, something with actual stakes, we have Secret Invasion!
Update: The series didn’t live up to expectations and is one of the worst from Kevin Feige and Marvel.
Warning: Spoilers follow.
Marvel’s “event series” debuted tonight with the first episode where the Skrulls are invading Earth and it’s up to Nick Fury to put a stop to those darn and dirty shapeshifters.
The episode is the best of any of the Marvel shows on Disney+ – light years better than both She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel – and comparisons to Andor are right on the money, but I would argue Secret Invasion is actually better as Andor features a lot (like a real lot) of build-up while Secret Invasion builds you up to an explosion!
The episode quickly brings viewers up to speed regarding the history of Nick Fury from Avengers: Endgame as well as the Skrulls from the Captain Marvel movie. What I particularly like about the episode and the series is a major problem I had with the Captain Marvel movie – and even the legendary Roy Thomas! – is that the Skrulls weren’t the bad guys (as they are in the comics), but, boy, does that all change in Secret Invasion!
The series, so far, isn’t your typical MCU same old same old where everything ends all honky dory and is full of goofy jokes. Things might not end with the good guys winning, which is a theme used throughout the episode in regard to why Fury left and returns to Earth. I’m tired of the Thor: Love and Thunders, the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumanias, the Guardians of the Galaxys — Secret Invasion is more in line with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Infinity War! Give me more of that, Feige!
The episode actually feels like an episode of Agents of SHIELD and I was hoping Coulson would be back! Imagine if the end of the episode featured Coulson returning especially with what happened! Feige needs to get over his Marvel TV resentments and bring back Coulson! Now would be the perfect time!
Some thoughts:
– Wow, they killed off Martin Freeman as Agent Everett Ross?! Watching the start of the episode you could tell they were building up to him being a Skrull but I wasn’t sure if he was impersonated or not. I’m not sure if they said it in the episode, but my take is that it wasn’t the real Ross.
– Nick Fury is back! Nick Fury returns and seems to be rather old and tired. However, I question if that is all a ruse and Fury is simply playing possum.
– Emilia Clarke is terrific in the episode and plays the Skrull daughter of Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos. I called it that she set her father and Fury up regarding the bombs.
– Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik is one badass villain! Sure the dude might not know jack about comic books but just as I said – who cares! – the guy is a damn fine actor and Gravik is one SOB.
– Cobie Smulders! It was great to see Maria Hill back especially with Fury (where’s Coulson?!) and what an ending!!! MCU stans are already crying on Twitter about it! I loved it! It shows just how far the Skrulls are willing to go and what a villain Gravik is going to be throughout the series and that the MCU does have actual stakes! Also, did they make it look as if Maria Hill is actually to blame for the bombs?!
– Who else thought Fury and the gang were going to get the bombs and save the world again? Nope! BOOM!!! That first explosion surprised me. Wow! Question: Weren’t they supposed to be dirty bombs?
– I also found it funny that while in Russia, Maria Hill says “excuse me” in English as she pushes through the crowd, and when they showed Fury looking through the glasses, they showed as if he was using both eyes! lol.
What else?
– Oh, of course, Samuel L. Jackson had to throw in a couple of racist remarks and jokes. He’s an executive producer so you had to see that coming. I laughed!!!
What about the comics?
– The director recently said Marvel told him not to read the comics as they have nothing to do with the show. You know what? Bendis’ Secret Invasion really wasn’t any good, so I’m okay with it; however, I am wondering if Veranke, the Skrull Queen, is going to be in the Disney+ series. Feige is all about diversity, so I can’t see Feige simply using Gravik when he has an opportunity to go the diversity route. Wouldn’t that be a hoot if he didn’t use her?!
Secret Invasion is so far off to a good start. Again, this isn’t your silly Marvel Cinematic Universe. Let’s hope it continues.
