Invasion Season 1 review: An engrossing slow-burner let down by an uninspired finale

3/5

Story:

With the alien invasion seemingly at an end, the people of Earth have come out in droves to celebrate. The protagonists on the other hand have very little to celebrate, Trevante and Jamila are mourning the loss of Casper, Aneesha is mourning the loss of Ahmed and is not convinced that the danger has passed, and Mitsuki is mourning the loss of Hinata.

Review:

It is a well-established fact that the series is unconventional and lacks fast-paced action for most parts. This unique take on this particular genre has not endeared it to several viewers but is just popular enough to have a second season greenlit. And with the cliffhanger that the finale ended with, the story does warrant at least another season to complete its arc. However, it begs the question as to whether the narrative could’ve been a lot crisper to facilitate the entire arc in one season. There is an argument to be made that the series could’ve worked much better as a limited series unless showrunners Simon Kinberg and David Weil have something truly spectacular planned for the upcoming season or seasons.

The season finale has gone down the ‘Game of Thrones’ route with most of the significant events of the narrative taking place in the penultimate episode. As one would imagine the episode is flat just like the Game of Thrones finale. But taking into consideration that this is only the first season with plenty of stories left to tell for Invasion, the finale should have packed a lot of punch to keep the audience invested in the next season. While the cliffhanger is intriguing, it was one that was always expected.

Aneesha’s storyline has not progressed in the finale, other than her son Luke throwing tantrums. For some reason, the narrative has focused on this rather than the fact an alien invasion nearly wiped out human civilisation. Ironically, it is Mitsuki’s arc that appears to be heading towards a more adventurous side despite being underwhelming for most parts of the season. Meanwhile, Trevante Cole and Casper’s arc remains the most compelling arc of the story. It is likely that Trevante might play a bigger role in the forthcoming series.

Despite the inconsistencies in its pacing, the show does boast some excellent production value and the drama excels in part, delivering an alien invasion story like no other. The performances by the cast keep the screenplay engaging and elevate some of the slower scenes across the season. The choice of telling human stories instead of a fast-paced action narrative may have upset a few but the narrative does offer a lot underneath its exposition.

Verdict:

Despite its failure to deliver on its promise as a compelling alien invasion story after its finale, it did manage to execute a thought-provoking narrative for its primary characters. Sadly Sam Neil’s character was wasted for just the pilot and his arc did not amount to anything. However, there is enough quality to suggest that season two could offer a lot more than the first.