It has taken me a little while to get through the first season of invasion, but it finally happened. A unique show that I stumbled across having finally had a reason to check out Apple TV. Before this, I had never heard of the show, never having seen it mentioned or advertised anywhere. This seems to be the norm for most shows that seem to be on the service, perhaps due to the more niche audience the service has as something that isn't easily accessible to those without Apple devices (and this is certainly weird to me). I mentioned in my first impressions post that I have really liked these sorts of shows in the past, shows about catastrophic events, ones in which humanity is faced with a challenge so great that it almost wipes it out. A few characters that seem stuck trying to navigate through a wasteland or dangerous environment. A bit of a guilty pleasure, though this genre suffered greatly at the hand of cheap and seemingly endless Hollywood thrills.
Invasion is a show in a genre that is pretty much dead, and it has been interesting to see a modern consideration of this genre, attention with some really decent budget and attention to detail. By no means is Invasion your average streaming service "Original", for the most part is is a show that teases with plenty of character development alongside a well-utilised method of storytelling: considered real-time as it shows the events of an alien invasion as it takes place, through the eyes of different characters around the world. It is this manner of storytelling that allows Invasion to stand out. Shifting between characters, each with their own stories and problems, slowly coming to terms with the sudden realisation that their chaotic lives are becoming far more chaotic, ranging from personal drama to the struggle for survival.
This post may feature slight spoilers regarding the first season of the show, though I typically try to avoid just covering plot summary and discussing major points; though sometimes this is inevitable. You have been warned!
Invasion
Due to the repetitive nature of this genre, and the reason why the genre became suddenly so stale and died off almost as fast as it appeared, Invasion tries to do something a little differently, but I couldn't help but feel it wasn't that interesting or necessary as it came to this point. With much of the first season having an interesting quality and dynamic between personal drama and the aforementioned chaos of survival attempts. Though that fear of repetition led the show in a different direction, one that seemed a bit sudden and hard to follow due to the unbelievable aspect of it. Somewhat weaker performances, or perhaps a result of the generic writing of some characters, and the show somewhat started to lose me as it went on. Though my curiosity over whether it would pick up or lead somewhere new kept me happily watching.
The show starts with the backdrop of an alien invasion unfolding, the odd events taking place around without the characters really noticing, until the events are too big to not notice. The world very quickly in a state of ruin as a result of this invasion. The season rapidly unfolds and before we know it, it's sort of over already. The signs of the invasion are almost forgotten, where the quality drops a little in regards to its pacing and narrative. Perhaps for budget reasons, to be incapable of showing too much and instead having to rely on that drama. Some of that interest is lost in the following of the English school children, where they're a bit too stereotypical with the slang and accents, but also a bit off-the-rails with their stories. One, Casper, having visions that ultimately depict things that are going to happen, adding a sort of fantasy layer over the show that I didn't really like. This assumption that there's some sort of prophecy or 'powerful' event that this child is capable of contributing to that may save humanity.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the aspects of the show that are very character driven. I think it's an interesting way to tell such a story, where the lives of these characters continue on even as the world faces something so threatening that it can't seem to fully comprehend. It gives these characters such depth, seeing that they are truly human, that while their lives are threatened, they still have so much to care for and pursue, something to really fight for. A lot of shows don't really capture this regard all that much, especially in the feature film side of things where time is much shorter and thus character development is restricted. And what better way to tackle this than to show the struggles of people from around the world? People with different backgrounds, challenges, expectations and such.
There's the problem of the show taking too much time to focus on the drama and not showing enough of the action though. And sometimes this happens; but the moments of action are very well shot, it makes up for the pacing shift. I found the alien designs and moments quite engaging, sometimes very cool to witness. Especially alongside the sound design and cinematography. Aspects of science-fiction mixed with horror that come to a very fun blend that reminded me a little of the Alien franchise itself, though fortunately it's hard to pinpoint what exactly this show takes inspiration from. It certainly stands on its own two legs.
From my understanding there is a second season, and that makes a lot of sense based on the ending of the first, a sort of cliffhanger that implies that things aren't as simple as they may have seemed, and that the sudden closure perhaps isn't closure at all, that the threat continues to linger on, with more answers left to be discovered; though I can't help but feel that in regards to the alien invasion, it didn't really offer many questions to begin with, another aspect of the focus on drama. Where the invasion itself seems a little mysterious and at times as if it isn't even going on anymore. But that ending, it had such power to it. Really coming in and punching through the rest of the episodes. And now I'm hooked in. I have to see what happens next.
Perhaps them more fantasy aspects of the story will start to grow on me, and I don't mind it all that much. It feel like the show went a little too far, trying a little too hard to continue to be artistic and have that assumed Apple TV standard of approval. With a certain cheapness to be found in some areas. In a way I appreciated that cheapness, the tight budget moments where they clearly chose to make things as quickly and simple as possible; it made that contrast between the more serious moments a bit more noticeable. A rise in quality and attention that gave weight to such moments.
One thing I think I would've liked would've been a bit more depth to the different cultures that deal with the invasion, the ways in which some might react to an alien invasion. It didn't feel like there was a whole lot about this, everyone sort of reacted the same, regardless of religion. I feel that in reality there would be some with unique reactions, almost a perception of God as a result. This could have added to the seriousness of the situation, the political sphere and differences based on how nations react. We did see some government positions featured, but unfortunately just your typical western influence.
Anyway, now it is time to check out season two! I'm really curious on where it is going. That ending, I already mentioned it, but it's definitely enough to have me dive into it.
