I managed to catch up on all three of the current episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and with that immediately creating a new gap, I found myself again scrolling through the library of Apple TV in search of something new to check out. While I feel I haven't really looked through it all that much, I did come across a show that seemed a bit fun, something unique in this era of television series: Invasion. The name may seem a bit self-explanatory, perhaps because it clearly is! This is a show about some sort of world ending event, an alien invasion that results in events felt by various characters. The general synopsis implies it unfolds in real time, the experiences being authentic to the characters, not seeing the past or present events that led to it all. Growing up, I actually loved these sorts of shows and films. Ones about catastrophic events that threatened humanity, whether it was an end of the world scenario caused by natural causes, or some strange outbreak that is caused by zombies or aliens.
There was a time in which this felt a bit over-saturated, especially the zombie genre, which came and went pretty quickly as all media adopted the idea and milked it to death. Yet in regards to series, there aren't many that really explore various scenarios such as these anymore. Drama seems to be the priority, a stronger reflection of current events rather than any fantasy, futurism, or deep science-fiction events. I really watched through Apple's first season of Silo, which was a more science-fiction adaptation of a book, a refreshing idea that I quite enjoyed. Looking at Invasion, I felt that I almost knew what to expect from it. These genres are often neglected though, primarily due to their higher cost of production and perhaps more niche audiences that don't quite justify the risk.
For some reason, Apple seems to like this idea with Apple TV, creating shows that are more related to science-fiction, putting some effort into them and not particularly relying on the cheaper gimmicks that have ruined prior attempts from other streaming services; Netflix for example really struggles to create good looking originals in these genres. But of course, the main questions come down to whether they're successful or not, and whether they're actually any good.
Invasion
One of the first things I noticed with Invasion was how engaging its manner of storytelling is. In the aforementioned narrative progression that is done in "real time", Invasion tells the slow events of numerous characters around the world as an alien invasion unfolds in different locations, each containing their own odd events that amount to curious oddities to the characters. Eventually some of these events connect, having similarities or telling a broader set of mysteries, but it's very interesting to see the progression of the story in this manner, constantly jumping from location and character, as their lives slowly become something of great chaos. This means there are thriller and horror elements here and there, some of which are done very well. And for much of the earlier episodes, much of the alien invasion elements are more background, as the characters are being introduced each with their own personal lives and drama that they must deal with.
This means that immediately these characters are given some depth and struggles beyond the broader narrative, something for us to care for and to make them seem more authentic. This makes the show feel as if it has better pacing, showcasing the events unfolding in real time, the oddities that take place slowly and how people don't really notice them or have a real way of adjusting. Particularly interesting in how the show navigates between different locations to achieve this, different cultures and different backgrounds, ranging from regular family people to military backgrounds, as each of them slowly discovers one piece of this broader invasion that's taking place around the world.
In regards to the sound design and cinematography, the show has a pretty impressive quality. Disaster and end of the world series rarely have a quality to them, particularly in the way in which they display intense moments that require a lot of special effects, yet Invasion seems high end in this regard. I really liked the cinematography in parts, the attention to detail and the suspense that connects with it. It's very good. Especially in the aforementioned transitions between locations, showcasing the environments, although of course with some typical filmmaking tropes: the typical middle east colour grading and the grey beyond comprehension portrayal of England. Though that last one is a bit more accurate, I must admit.
And regarding that sound design: things really do have a punch to them. The show sounds great, especially when it comes to the moments in which the alien invasion side of things comes into play, unique sounds and with some really interesting sounds. There was a scene in the third episode that really stood out to me with this, the editing and cinematography alongside the sound design just made for a very cool scene, guns blazing and the muted effects as of being around a strange alien object. From that point on I felt a bit more hooked with the show, really curious as to where it could go from this point on. And with some uncertainty I had to begin with ultimately gone.
I'm really excited to see where the show goes from here. The building of the story so far has been very good. I'm definitely enjoying the real time aspect of it, watching the suspense and events unfold. I have no where where it can go and how it can maintain this quality though, something that may be a challenge for the story once the pay off finally comes and the show has to find a way to drag itself out. Often enough these shows have great starts but fail to really hold your attention. This is something I am being a bit more considerate of, though I'm excited still nonetheless. And at this point I can recommend it as a fun show that holds some unique disaster and alien elements done well. Especially with actors I haven't really seen elsewhere, making it all feel new.
And what's more surprising, I don't think I have ever seen anyone mention it before. It sort of sits in a limbo with an audience that seems to be there, but certainly not very vocal about it. And with two seasons in, I don't think it's likely to get the unfortunate cancellation anytime soon.
