Invincible Season 3 Review
The third season of ‘Invincible’ sees audiences catch up to Mark in the wake of the devastating ride of season two. Season three takes a slightly different approach, as while there are still hard-hitting moments for the young Mark, the impact that they seem to have on the overall story the season is going for is minimal. The voice acting and animation for the show is still as top-notch as ever, with Steven Yeun being brilliant as a version of Mark that keeps going after all of the hard-hitting stuff that comes his way. This review is based on the first six episodes of ‘Invincible’ season three.
One aspect of the show that continues to improve with each season is the animation style. It’s simple, yet this simplicity is still able to convey a huge range of emotion and depth throughout. The gore is heightened up even more from seasons one and two, with more and more grisley shots. There are a few moments that come to mind that will likely haunt audiences for a while after the show has finished. It’s one area where there’s nothing but unqualified praise.
Another area where there’s a lot of praise is the voice acting. Steven Yeun, Gillian Jacobs, continue to deliver stellar voicework, and newcomer Christian Convery as Oliver quickly establishes his place in the show. Moments are made more impactful thanks to their input, which elevates the already strong production work.
‘Invincible’ is a show that works best when it flips the audience’s expectations on their head, delivering hard hitting moments that rock the character’s world to their very core. While there are of course allowed to be positive beats – Mark’s life feels like it’s getting back on track after the second season, the especially tough moments help to set the show apart. And while the first two or three episodes certainly does this – in the trailer Mark falls out with Cecil and Oliver is beginning to experiment with his superhero persona, again as seen in the trailer – the final three episodes lack the impact that these moments have.
This is because the last three episodes dance around with disconnected plot elements, tugging the show in different directions. Things lurch from one thing to the next in a way that doesn’t feel satisfying. It also leaves the consequences to big looking actions unexplored, contributing to the randomness of the show this time. Mark is continually put through the wringer as before, but it doesn’t feel as heart-wrenching and as bold as in the past as nothing is building off one another. Things just go on in the show without any connective tissue to hold it all together
The quieter moments do get to shine more this season, with different characters thinking about their place in the world they live in. This more introspective angle will likely disappoint those who come to the show for big action setpieces, as there are fewer of them around this season. It does let the characters breathe a bit more, and experience something else in their lives outside of the superhero side of things.
To be clear, the third season of the show is by no means bad. But it feels like there’s been a loss of sight over what the major arc is for the show, as Robert Kirkman desperately tries to tie in as many different elements from the comics as they can, without asking if it’s needed. Despite this slight step down, ‘Invincible’ season three is still worth watching, and is a welcome addition to the show overall.
