Secret Invasion: TV Review

Marvel's latest mini-series, the ominously monikered Secret Invasion, leans more heavily into the spy-led shenanigans previously witnessed in the likes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier than the more cartoony elements of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A six-part limited series that mixes some of 24's terrorism elements with portions of the old TV shows Alien Nation, The Invaders and V as well as movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the Samuel L Jackson-led piece focuses on the return of Nick Fury to Earth amid the dire warning of a Skrulls takeover of the planet.

Wearied by a loss of faith after the Thanos-led blip, Fury is a broken man, allowing Jackson to lean deeper into the more melancholy side of his acting while occasionally letting rip with his furious vengeance-led speeches.

Reuniting with Ben Mendelsohn's Skrull leader Talos and Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill, Fury is put on a collision path with Kingsley Ben-Adir's Gravik, a militant Skrull who's out to radicalise and weaponise the other Skrulls into rebellion...

To reveal too much about Secret Invasion is to spoil some of the surprises that lie within. But what is true is that while a series whose premise involves shape-shifting aliens can lead to some paranoid moments of tension and action, it can equally head towards an audience indifference where death feels meaningless and could perhaps be reversed.

However, it feels this time like Marvel is leaning less into that with some big moments happening in the first episode in the opening and closing scenes at least.

The ensemble cast of Secret Invasion is largely great, with Jackson leading the charge, but others equally following the way. His partnership with Mendelsohn leads to some thrillingly prickly character moments but also paves the way for some fascinating debates over idealism, and reality, philosophical clashes which feel particularly pertinent in these current climes.

Elsewhere, Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke plays intriguing well with her Giah, a Skrull seemingly caught up in the conflict but suffering a crisis of faith.

However, it's Olivia Colman's MI6 boss Sonya Falsworth who leaves the biggest impression here - a scene-stealing mischievous tour de force who can flip from manipulation to malevolence with ease and who one hopes, will become a larger part of the wider MCU.

Ultimately, with only 2 of the 6 episodes available for preview, it's hard to see if Secret Invasion will stick the landing, and if some of the dramas will stick, but based on the early evidence, this grittier side of the story seems to be off to a strong start.

Marvel's Secret Invasion starts streaming on Disney+ from June 21.