Prime Video's hottest superhero show right now isn't The Boys, though spinoff Gen V has seen much success since it debuted a couple of months ago. Instead, it's an animated series with an unassuming name and a seemingly pedestrian hero: Invincible.
Invincible's long-awaited second season has amassed the coveted 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, out of 21 critic reviews. The first season managed to hover at 98% since it streamed all the way back in 2021, but it seems season 2 improves on the original in a number of surprising ways.
Considering those numbers, you should probably get into this top-rated show, as critics seem to agree on one thing: It's fantastic. With a dearth of new seasons of familiar shows premiering until 2024 (or even 2025), now's a great time to jump on the Invincible bandwagon and watch the main character grapple with life as a teenager and fledgling superhero all at once — while coming to grips with a beloved father who may not be all he appears to be.
With Invincible season 2 streaming now on Prime Video, here’s everything you should know about the superhero show with perfect scores — and what critics have to say about it, too.
What is Invincible about?
Invincible is the second TV adaptation from Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead fame and it's based on his own comic series of the same name. After the show premiered on Prime Video, it quickly snapped up two additional season renewals almost instantly.
The story is about superheroes to be sure, but it's a lot more than that, too. Invincible is more of a coming-of-age tale about a teen named Mark Grayson (voiced by Walking Dead alum Steven Yeun). In many ways, he's just your average guy, looking to navigate high school the best he can and trying to catch the eye of his dream girl. There's just one major difference that sets him apart from the rest of his classmates — he's the son of one of the world's most popular heroes, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons).
Mark reaches the age where his own superhero abilities begin to manifest, which means he has to learn how to control them and hopefully put them to good use like his father. Eventually, he takes on the title of Invincible. When Mark learns the true nature of Omni-Man's powers, however, and his true origin, things start to change — especially when one of the biggest plot twists of the entire show is revealed.
Like Superman is revered by all to be a paragon of justice, Omni-Man is considered much the same. But what if he was the opposite of what everyone believed him to be, and Mark is unknowingly growing up just like him? These heavy revelations and more make Invincible much more than just your average superhero show.
What to expect in Invincible season 2
At the end of Invincible's first season, Omni-Man ended up missing in action after the knock-down, drag-out battle he had with his son. Now, the whole "protecting the Earth" thing has been left to Invincible himself as well as the Guardians of the Globe, aka the heroes left to defend the planet after its strongest member has seemingly fled.
Where season 1 explored Mark's upbringing and coming to terms with the powers that he had so desperately wanted for most of his adolescence, season 2 will explore the fallout after he learned of his father's true bloodline and personality.
Kirkman told Entertainment Weekly that the overarching story of the series will be about "the growth and change that Mark goes through as he moves from a teenager into adulthood ... and possibly even into old age." Season 2 will see him "maturing and growing up a little bit."
What the critics are saying
Critics have lavished Invincible with unanimous praise, with Rendy Jones of RogerEbert.com calling it "one of the best superhero series on TV."
Though Radio Times' Nicola Austin questions the show's "shaky start," she goes on to appreciate how it "finds its footing balancing poignant character-centric storytelling with a greater focus on the all-encompassing threat of the intergalactic planetary conquerors, the Viltrumites."
Meanwhile, Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge was pleased with the way this season "lets you sit with the weight of things," namely the events of the first season, before moving forward and exploring further, "highlighting how much heavier things have gotten."
Most critics seem to agree that the series has managed the difficult balancing act of continuing the series from the shocking place it left off and establishing a new baseline. It's been called "bigger, bolder, and bloodier than ever" and lauded as a "promising foundation for the remainder of the season" as well — all high praise for the Prime Video series.
How will it resonate with fans after its official debut? We’ll have to wait and find out.
