Secret Invasion on Disney Plus is a dark, gripping, and imperfect Marvel TV show
It’s high time Nick Fury was given the spotlight. One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) most prominent and veteran characters has watched on for years as other MCU mainstays have earned their own movies and Disney Plus TV shows. You’d be forgiven, then, for thinking that Samuel L Jackson might have wondered if he’d ever star in his own project.
More than 15 years after Fury’s cameo in 2008’s Iron Man, the cocksure ex-director of SHIELD (and the Avengers’ handler, lest we forget) is finally getting his due. Secret Invasion, a six-part miniseries, puts Fury front and center of an espionage thriller-style story that promises to change everything (or, at least, some aspects of) we thought we knew about the MCU.
As with any new Marvel project, the overriding question fans have is: is it any good? In short: yes, but there are caveats. Secret Invasion is a grounded, tonally dark, and polished spy thriller with a talented ensemble cast who deliver terrific performances. For the story it tells, however, Secret Invasion lacks emotional gravitas and is bizarrely paced in its opening two episodes; inescapable problems that stimy its chances of being labeled one of the best Disney Plus shows.
War of the worlds
Set in the MCU’s present day, Secret Invasion sees Fury return to Earth for the first time since he was turned to ash during Avengers: Infinity War’s shocking ‘Blip’ event. SHIELD’s former head has spent the past few years helping to build SABER, an intergalactic space organization in Earth’s atmosphere, which acts as the planet’s first line of defense against extraterrestrial invaders.
But Fury has taken his one good eye off the ball. An invasion, led by an idealistic and callous Skrull known as Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) has already happened. Unbeknownst to Fury – but monitored by Fury’s Skrull ally Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and former second in command Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) – a million Skrulls are already planetside.
Disillusioned by Fury’s broken promise to find them a new home (remember, the Skrulls are galactic refugees, as we learned in 2019’s Captain Marvel), Gravik and his forces are ready to turn Earth into their new, permanent abode. And, with Gravik creating geopolitical instability in a bid to turn humanity on itself, Fury and company – with a little help from Talos’ estranged daughter G’iah (Emilia Clarke) and Sonya Falsworth (Olivia Colman), a high-ranking and brutal MI6 agent – must thwart Gravik’s plan before it’s too late.
The introduction of new characters aside (more on them later), the sheer amount of connective tissue between Secret Invasion and previous MCU productions is evident from the outset.
For one, the series is directly tied to the aforementioned Captain Marvel, which established the Skrulls (and Fury’s role in their future) in the MCU, plus Blip-based events from Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The inclusion of other familiar MCU characters, including James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) also bridges the gap between Secret Invasion and previous Marvel movies and TV shows. Their roles aren’t extensive early on, but it’s satisfying to see the pair get a bit more to do – from dramatic and action perspectives – than in previous cameo and/or supporting roles.
Curiously, there are no links to Spider-Man: Far From Home and WandaVision, tales where the Skrulls also appear in some form. These projects could be referenced in later episodes but, considering how interconnected the MCU usually is, I was bemused over the lack of callbacks to this pair, especially with the Skrulls being so central to Secret Invasion’s narrative.
Hell hath no Fury like a man scorned
But this is, for all intents and purposes, the Nick Fury show. The last time we saw Jackson’s fan-favorite spy at his daring best, he had aided the Avengers in the battle against the rogue AI known as Ultron. After the dissolution of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Captain America: Civil War, though, Fury has spent the past few years laying low, being Blipped out of existence, and funneling his energy into SABER’s formation.
Fury’s best days, then, are seemingly behind him. And, in Secret Invasion, it shows. Returning to Earth at Talos and Hill’s request when he learns of Gravik’s plan, Fury is depicted as an old, lone gunslinger returning for “one last fight” (as he puts it). As evidenced by the fact he’s kidnapped mere hours after returning to Earth, he appears to be a shadow of the skilled, intelligent agent we previously knew. The image of him disembarking from his SABER spaceship – a bright, out-of-focus camera shot with shades of an extraterrestrial visiting Earth for the first time – also vividly positions him as an alien on his home planet.
This is Jackson's strongest, most in-depth, and rewarding portrayal of the popular MCU character
A man firmly out of touch with the new world order, Fury’s old-school repertoire – being abrasive, bullish, and at times a bully to get what he wants – no longer work among his peers or frenemies. Talos and Hill aside, Fury has no firm allies to combat Gravik (more on him in a moment) and save the day once more. His caustic personality alienates Rhodey during a frosty encounter in episode 2 – he also lashes out Talos earlier in that episode, which drives a wedge between them. Meanwhile, his unwavering pride in trying to lead the charge against Gravik in the series’ opener does not go well for one of the allies he brings along for the ride.
And yet, because we’ve never seen Fury this isolated, underappreciated, and humbled before, it’s hard not to sympathize with him. In the quieter moments, we see the physical, mental, and emotional strain that years of fighting to protect Earth has taken on him. Jackson has delivered numerous bravado and wisdom-laced displays as Fury since the MCU’s inception, but this might be his most relatable and hard-hitting performance yet. Jackson captures Fury’s struggling, at-times broken state in striking fashion. I suspect few will be able to argue the fact that this is his strongest, most in-depth, and rewarding portrayal of the popular MCU character yet.
Infiltration nation
Every hero needs a compelling, charismatic, and/or cruel villain to duel with – and, in Ben-Adir’s Gravik, Fury has absolutely met his match.
The Skrull commander doesn’t have the presence of the best MCU villains early on and, as introductions go, his is certainly unassuming. That, though, belies his powerful demeanor and skillset. There’s no denying he’s a brutal, unforgiving go-getter who’ll stop at nothing to turn Earth into a Skrull stronghold. From causing acts of terrorism across the globe, which kills thousands of humans, to forcing his second-in-command to mercilessly murder Skrulls who fall out of line, Gravik is not to be trifled with. He’s an emotionally detached, idealistic foil to Fury’s aging rockstar, and the only one who sees through the brazen charade Fury continues to exhibit in public. It’ll be fascinating to see the pair’s hostile interactions play out, and build upon the teased history they share, in future episodes.
Fury and Gravik aren’t the only ones whose grievances bubble to the surface amid the wider battle for dominion of the Earth, particularly where the Skrulls are concerned.
Secret Invasion needs to do a lot more in its final four episodes to justify the hype it’s built up
The fractured bond between Talos and G’iah adds a pleasing layer of familial drama to proceedings, honing in on their torn allegiance to each other, their race, and what they’re ultimately fighting for. Equally, Gravik’s dismissive attitude towards the Skrulls he leads, especially those in his inner circle, such as G’iah and Pagon (Killian Scott), has shades of the brittle trust that the Flag Smashers, Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s secondary antagonists, was similarly built on. It won’t be a huge surprise if dissent slowly sets in within Gravik’s ranks as the series progresses.
Ironically, such infighting is foreshadowed by the political paranoia that runs deep between the show’s human cast of characters.
Like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s United Nations scene, there’s a growing sense of unease between Earth’s biggest countries when Rhodey is cross-examined by world leaders after the US allegedly attacks Russia (little do they know Gravik’s forces are behind the incident). It’s a scene that satisfyingly sows the seed for the undercurrent of tension felt throughout the miniseries’ opening episodes, and the foreboding atmosphere that gradually weaves its way through Secret Invasion’s labyrinthine, politically-charged plot.
I spy a problem or two
There are missteps along the way, though. Secret Invasion does a decent job of balancing its ensemble cast, nimbly flitting between characters to give each one a turn in the spotlight.
Unfortunately, some characters don’t receive the screen time they deserve. Colman’s Falsworth is a delightfully wicked scene stealer whenever she appears, which makes it all the more frustrating that her morally complex character isn’t a larger part of the story.
The number of times Talos rescues Fury from a scrap or explosive encounter with Gravik – I counted three instances in episodes one and two – also borders on superfluous plot armor. Yes, Fury isn’t the hardy individual who can get himself out of a sticky situation anymore, but any further rescues in future episodes will be one too many.
And then there’s the elephant in the room. Secret Invasion’s positioning as an international spy thriller, coupled with its Cold War-esque narrative, meant it was inevitable that Russia would be used as a key location. But, given real-world events concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – something Marvel couldn’t foresee, admittedly – it’s unsettling that the world’s biggest nation (based on landmass) serves as a primary backdrop to the miniseries. In July 2022, reports surfaced that Marvel had to reshoot some Russia-based scenes because they closely resembled what was happening in Ukraine at the time. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those evidently reshot sequences are narratively sticky when they appear, slowing the pace of the series and distracting from the tense atmosphere that’s been built up in previous scenes.
My verdict
Secret Invasion has a lot going for it as an MCU TV series. Fans of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Marvel’s first foray into espionage genre territory, will be particularly pleased with what’s on offer here. Those looking for a long overdue, Fury-centric story – Marvel’s first crossover Disney Plus show, no less – will be equally enthused by this continent-spanning, suspense-filled miniseries that’s packed with shock moments and immediately endearing, albeit morally complex, new characters.
Upon the release of Secret Invasion’s official trailer in April, I opined that it could be the reassuring win that Marvel needs right now. That came off the back of a sticky patch for the Disney subsidiary, who had to contend with mixed receptions to Marvel Phase 4, negative reviews concerning Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and domestic abuse allegations against Jonathan Majors, who is currently set to play the MCU’s next big bad across multiple projects.
Along with Guardians of the Galaxy 3, the latest Marvel Phase 5 movie to release in theaters, Secret Invasion seems like it'll help to steady the ship. However, if Secret Invasion hopes to be considered a top-tier MCU TV show, such as Loki and Moon Knight, it needs to do a lot more in its final four episodes to justify the hype it’s built up. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good TV series with plenty of entertainment value. Equally, though, the tempestuous makeup of its first two entries means it’s something I’d likely recommend to MCU fanatics and casual viewers alike, but not a TV show I’d consider absolutely unmissable.
Secret Invasion debuts exclusively on Disney Plus on Wednesday, June 21.
