REVIEW: Invincible, Season 1 Episode Two 'Here Goes Nothing'

 REVIEW: Invincible, Season 1 Episode Two 'Here Goes Nothing'

It's fair to say that the previous episode in this adult superhero series ended with a massive shock. The Guardians Of The Globe were all dead, and at the hands of Mark's (Steven Yeun) Dad Nolan/Omni-Man (JK Simmons). The man who seemed to be one of the good guys was, in fact, anything but. It was an excellent final twist to what was a strong opener, with plenty of promise for the show's future.

'Here Goes Nothing' picks up directly from where that episode left off. Nolan is now in hospital and the shadowy organisation known as the Global Defence Agency are investigating into what took place. Here we get to see the emotions of Mark and Nolan's wife Debbie (Sandra Oh) play out as they come to terms with their loved one lying injured in a hospital bed. These scenes are so beautifully understated; it shows that animation is not just about the flashy effects and action sequences. It can also deliver on heartfelt moments such as this, and give us an insight into the emotions of our characters.

The GDA are interesting. They seem like this universe's take on the Marvel organisation SHIELD, essentially a top secret government department that deals with the superheroes of this universe. There's an amusing remark about how the loss of the Guardians of the Globe means they have become 'understaffed in the superhero department', which makes them feel almost like they are just a cog in the wheel of the various American governmental bodies.

This 'understaffing' means that Mark ends up having to don his 'Invincible' alter-ego, and help deal with the alien invaders known as the Flaxans. This sequence is great as we get to see Mark's weakness come to the forefront. He's somebody who is hopelessly unprepared and out of his element, essentially the kind of guy who decides to run before he can walk, and ends up in over his head. It's a clear reminder that Mark is relatively inexperienced in the superhero game, and not at all ready for the big leagues yet.

It's a good job then that he has help from the Teen Team, comprising of Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs), Rex Splode (Jason Mantzoukas), Dupli-Kate (Melise) and Robot (Zachary Quinto). Essentially they are the Young Avengers of this universe, a younger superhero team who are drafted in when the bigger and older ones are unavailable. They provide for some extremely fun pieces of animation though, especially Dupli-Kate, who can - you guessed it - duplicate herself at will. Dare I say it, but they're kind of more interesting than the Guardians of the Globe, because they are basically the underdogs dealing with a threat that would normally be the territory of the Guardians.

This smaller league status (although we are told they are still the fourth most popular superhero team) soon becomes clear when the Flaxans develop to the point where the time dilation between Earth and their home planet no longer affects them. Previously the Flaxans had either found themselves being aged to death because of this issue, or having to wear wrist devices to protect them. But they return, without the need for a wrist device, their fancy new armour providing all the protection that they require. The situation initially seems hopeless. And then Omni-Man turns up and sends them all back to their dimension without even breaking a sweat. It's scary just how powerful this guy is, especially when he has become a clear threat after eliminating the Guardians of the Globe, and especially as he goes on to totally obliterate their planet after becoming trapped in their dimension. We as viewers are shown just how much power this rogue hero holds, and we're made to dread his every move. The screenplay feeds on that excellently, and it makes for a truly compelling watch.

Another equally interesting character is Damian Darkblood (Clancy Brown), a detective from hell brought on by the GDA to investigate what happened at the Guardians' headquarters. He's quite a stern and gruff character, with such a striking presence that you find yourself hanging on his every word. He seems like a character who will have a particularly noteworthy reaction to discovering what Omni-Man did, although I suspect that moment is a long way off for me yet.

Something that Invincible had yet to do after its first episode was show the more zany side of comic-book storylines, but the second episode gives us a fun glimpse of that here. Partway through the episode we are introduced to Allen The Alien (Seth Rogen), somebody who we are initially teased to be a Thanos or Galactus-level threat, but instead turns out to be the 'Champion Evaluation Officer for the Coalition of Planets'. Every three years he is tasked with testing the strength of a planetary guardian, but here he accidentally approaches the outer atmosphere of the wrong planet. It's like a hilarious take on Ofcom or OFSTED, but for superheroes, and in space, and Seth Rogen is the perfect actor to voice a part like this. I hope Invincible embraces more of this crazier side, as it's always one of the most fun parts of comic-books in general.

Overall, 'Here Goes Nothing' is a great second episode for Invincible. This is an episode that challenges our central protagonist both physically and emotionally, whilst introducing us to new characters within this superhero universe. Hopefully the show will give us more of the weirder side of Invincible's world in future episodes, as I'd like to see further characters of the zaniness of Allen The Alien.

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What are your thoughts on Invincible's second episode? Let me know in the comments section.