Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is my video essay on the Marvel series ‘Secret Invasion’. Because after sitting through the end of a disappointing finale, the Secret Invasion confirms to me that the Marvel carnival ride is beginning to end.
For a series built upon an incredible premise with potential from the comics that made me genuinely interested, I was left pondering what exactly went wrong and why none of this show seemed as exciting as it could have been.
At its core, the idea of shape-shifting aliens with the potential to copy humans plays into great notions of artificial intelligence taking over our roles as the most dominant species. But when you add in the next level that they can even steal the abilities of superheroes, you’re looking at an idea that should be next to the level of an epic Marvel superhero civil war.
But after you watch The Secret Invasion, reality sets in.
This is my video exploring exactly why it failed.
Thank you to my incredible Patreons for continuing to support this channel. You guys are amazing.
At the time of this being made, these include the lovely people: “Matthew McKinley, Dr_Slurp, ThatEvilCanadian”.
If you’d also like the option of becoming a Patreon, head to:
patreon.com/motioninart
For more of my reviews, analyses, and other articles:
motioninartmedia.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/motion_in_art
Reddit:
reddit.com/user/motioninart
Odysee:
odysee.com/@motioninart:3
What is Secret Invasion?
Secret Invasion is a 2023 American television miniseries created by Kyle Bradstreet for the streaming service Disney+, loosely adapted from the 2008 Marvel Comics storyline of the same name. It is the ninth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It follows Nick Fury and Talos as they uncover a conspiracy by a group of shapeshifting Skrulls to conquer Earth. Bradstreet serves as the head writer with Ali Selim directing.
Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn reprise their respective roles as Fury and Talos from previous MCU media, with Kingsley Ben-Adir, Killian Scott, Samuel Adewunmi, Dermot Mulroney, Richard Dormer, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Don Cheadle, Charlayne Woodard, Christopher McDonald, and Katie Finneran also starring.
Development on the series began by September 2020, with Bradstreet and Jackson attached. The title and premise of the series, along with Mendelsohn's return, were revealed that December. Additional casting occurred throughout March and April 2021, followed by the hiring of Selim that May to direct the series. Filming began in London by September 2021 and wrapped in late April 2022, with additional filming around England.
Secret Invasion premiered on June 21, 2023, and ran for six episodes until July 26. It is the first series of Phase Five of the MCU. The series received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Jackson's performance but criticized the writing, pacing, and visual effects.
Bradstreet, Tucker, Brant Englestein, Roxanne Paredes, and Michael Bhim served as writers on the series. Feige said the series would not be looking to match the scope of the Secret Invasion comic book storyline, in terms of the number of characters featured or the impact on the wider universe, considering the comic book featured more characters than the crossover film Avengers: Endgame (2019). Instead, he described Secret Invasion as a showcase for Jackson and Mendelsohn that would explore the political paranoia elements of the Secret Invasion comic series "that was great with the twists and turns that that took".
The creatives were also inspired by the Cold War-era espionage novels of John le Carré, the television series Homeland (2011–2020) and The Americans (2013–2018), and the film The Third Man (1949). Selim said the series transitions at times between espionage noir and a Western, highlighting the film The Searchers (1956) as a Western inspiration. Feige said the series would serve as a present-day follow-up to the 1990s story of Captain Marvel (2019), alongside that film's sequel The Marvels (2023), but was tonally different from the films. Jackson said the series would uncover some of the things that happened during the Blip. Cobie Smulders described the series as "a very grounded, on-this-earth drama" that was "dealing with real human issues and dealing with trust".
And if you’re still reading this – hello.
This video is made through Fair Use under copyright law for the purposes of education in criticism or review; as well as parody or satire.
copyright.gov/title17/92c
https://www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod
This is my video essay on the Marvel series ‘Secret Invasion’. Because after sitting through the end of a disappointing finale, the Secret Invasion confirms to me that the Marvel carnival ride is beginning to end.
For a series built upon an incredible premise with potential from the comics that made me genuinely interested, I was left pondering what exactly went wrong and why none of this show seemed as exciting as it could have been.
At its core, the idea of shape-shifting aliens with the potential to copy humans plays into great notions of artificial intelligence taking over our roles as the most dominant species. But when you add in the next level that they can even steal the abilities of superheroes, you’re looking at an idea that should be next to the level of an epic Marvel superhero civil war.
But after you watch The Secret Invasion, reality sets in.
This is my video exploring exactly why it failed.
Thank you to my incredible Patreons for continuing to support this channel. You guys are amazing.
At the time of this being made, these include the lovely people: “Matthew McKinley, Dr_Slurp, ThatEvilCanadian”.
If you’d also like the option of becoming a Patreon, head to:
patreon.com/motioninart
For more of my reviews, analyses, and other articles:
motioninartmedia.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/motion_in_art
Reddit:
reddit.com/user/motioninart
Odysee:
odysee.com/@motioninart:3
What is Secret Invasion?
Secret Invasion is a 2023 American television miniseries created by Kyle Bradstreet for the streaming service Disney+, loosely adapted from the 2008 Marvel Comics storyline of the same name. It is the ninth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It follows Nick Fury and Talos as they uncover a conspiracy by a group of shapeshifting Skrulls to conquer Earth. Bradstreet serves as the head writer with Ali Selim directing.
Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn reprise their respective roles as Fury and Talos from previous MCU media, with Kingsley Ben-Adir, Killian Scott, Samuel Adewunmi, Dermot Mulroney, Richard Dormer, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Don Cheadle, Charlayne Woodard, Christopher McDonald, and Katie Finneran also starring.
Development on the series began by September 2020, with Bradstreet and Jackson attached. The title and premise of the series, along with Mendelsohn's return, were revealed that December. Additional casting occurred throughout March and April 2021, followed by the hiring of Selim that May to direct the series. Filming began in London by September 2021 and wrapped in late April 2022, with additional filming around England.
Secret Invasion premiered on June 21, 2023, and ran for six episodes until July 26. It is the first series of Phase Five of the MCU. The series received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Jackson's performance but criticized the writing, pacing, and visual effects.
Bradstreet, Tucker, Brant Englestein, Roxanne Paredes, and Michael Bhim served as writers on the series. Feige said the series would not be looking to match the scope of the Secret Invasion comic book storyline, in terms of the number of characters featured or the impact on the wider universe, considering the comic book featured more characters than the crossover film Avengers: Endgame (2019). Instead, he described Secret Invasion as a showcase for Jackson and Mendelsohn that would explore the political paranoia elements of the Secret Invasion comic series "that was great with the twists and turns that that took".
The creatives were also inspired by the Cold War-era espionage novels of John le Carré, the television series Homeland (2011–2020) and The Americans (2013–2018), and the film The Third Man (1949). Selim said the series transitions at times between espionage noir and a Western, highlighting the film The Searchers (1956) as a Western inspiration. Feige said the series would serve as a present-day follow-up to the 1990s story of Captain Marvel (2019), alongside that film's sequel The Marvels (2023), but was tonally different from the films. Jackson said the series would uncover some of the things that happened during the Blip. Cobie Smulders described the series as "a very grounded, on-this-earth drama" that was "dealing with real human issues and dealing with trust".
And if you’re still reading this – hello.
This video is made through Fair Use under copyright law for the purposes of education in criticism or review; as well as parody or satire.
copyright.gov/title17/92c
https://www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod
