Invincible - Season 3

I was a believer that as good as the second season of Invincible was, it never reached the heights of the first, something I echoed in my initial thoughts of the first few episodes of Season 3, which seemed like a return to form for the animated series. Five weeks later, the third season has concluded its run, and following a mega finale, it's clear to me that Invincible is back on top.

Before I get into why Season 3 ended up being such a strong batch of television, let me just share some quick thoughts on the animation debate. Many like to point fingers at this show and how its animation style is quite subdued and basic, and while there are definitely arguments that Invincible lacks a bit of charisma and vibrancy, the more minimal appearance does allow it to maintain a release cadence that was lacking after Season 1 and which other shows (like X-Men '97) simply cannot compete with. This is why I'm completely fine with Invincible's art direction even after three seasons. Would some more flair be appreciated? Of course. But getting a new batch of episodes, a continuation of the great story on an annual basis, this is the most important and appealing part to me. Also, a more rudimentary look is much less expensive to animate, therefore making it increasingly unlikely that the show will underperform and Prime Video will cancel it before it meets its eventual conclusion years and years down the line.

Anyway, back to the important stuff. Invincible's third season has been nearly incredible all the way through. Aside from a slightly weaker detraction in the middle of the season, the majority of the episodes have been heavy, emotional, action-packed, gut-wrenching, and ruthless. Beloved characters and faces either die or are dismembered routinely, showing that no one is safe, and the nameless civilians are torn about in sheer brutality at the hands of the superpowered godlike beings that exist in this version of Earth. At no point does Invincible feel predictable or boring, and its weakest parts are usually still fine television at their lowest points, showing the overall high ceiling that it maintains.

The storylines and narrative has looked to tread some truly delicate ground in this season too, seeing Mark Grayson faced with the impacts of his super battles and the kinds of effects they have on regular people. It's uncomfortable to unpack and characters like Aaron Paul's Powerplex help to show that this show exists in a world where the lines between good and bad are blurry at the best of times. Also, talking on a narrative front, Season 3 presents better storylines revolving around Omni-Man and Allen the Alien, with the pair locked in a fantastic cosmic arc that encapsulates your attention throughout, all while Mark back on Earth showcases a strong balance between challenging action and emotional growth through his newly formed relationship with Atom Eve, a character that is infinitely more interesting to follow when compared to Amber.

The pacing of this batch of episodes only really falters in the fifth episode, which is more about criminal syndicates than the overarching story, which otherwise chugs along at a brisk and rewarding pace, delivering memorable scene after memorable scene. In fact, this season has perhaps the two best final episodes of a season that Invincible has delivered yet, with the amazing Invincibles invasion being followed by the arrival of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Conquest, a villain that the series only formerly matched with J.K. Simmons Omni-Man in Season 1. There is real brilliance in this batch of episodes, brilliance that will make you tense, uneasy, and even shocked, especially when all hope seems to be lost...

If the task of Season 3 was to see Invincible returning to the same heights as Season 1, then the only logical conclusion is to say that this has been achieved and then some. This batch of episodes are some of the best animated television you will likely watch all year, and frankly I'm now once again faced with the uncomfortable thought of having to wait around 12 months before seeing how the next chapter of the series unfolds.