Credit: Marvel StudiosWarning! Minor spoilers for Marvel’s Secret Invasion ahead.
Since Marvel’s Secret Invasion wrapped up its six-episode run on Disney+ earlier this month, you’ve probably seen a bevy of headlines deeming it the “lowest-rated” or, in extreme cases, the “worst” MCU show to date. While most would agree that the Samuel L. Jackson-helmed series wasn’t egregiously bad, per se, it continues a disappointing trend of Marvel projects not faring well on Disney+, with audiences seeming increasingly uninterested in these new stories. But when it comes to its latest project, here are seven reasons why Secret Invasion might’ve missed the mark with viewers.
What is ‘Secret Invasion’ About?
Cast, crew, and plot synopsis
Picking up after Avengers: Endgame (2019), Secret Invasion follows a rattled, post-Blip Nick Fury attempting to reconcile with his past as he returns to Earth to confront a dangerous new threat: a radicalized group of shape-shifting Skrulls led by the conniving General Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir).
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With over one million Skrulls relocating to Earth after the Kree overtook their home planet during the events of Captain Marvel (2019), it’s difficult to trust anyone—even top-ranking government officials like Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle). To stop the Skrulls’ plans to wipe out humanity by pitting the U.S. and Russia against each other, Fury has to rely on unlikely allies, including Skrull Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), MI6 Agent Sonya Flasworth (Olivia Colman), and Talos’ daughter, G’iah (Emilia Clarke) to help this perilous conspiracy from escalating.
The show premiered on Disney+ on June 21, 2023, and features six episodes that run just shy of one hour. Secret Invasion was directed by Ali Selim, based on scripts co-penned by creator Kyle Bradstreet, Brian Tucker, Michael Bhim, and Brant Englestein.
Connections to the MCU
The most obvious link between Secret Invasion and other corners of the MCU is Captain Marvel, with the 2019 flick laying the groundwork for the Skrulls and their intentions on Earth. Although Brie Larson didn’t have a cameo in the latest Disney+ series as the beloved high-flying hero, Fury did namedrop Carol Danvers and other Avengers, particularly when mentioning the mysterious “Harvest” serum that gave Gravik his Super-Skrull powers.
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Of course, Nick Fury himself has a long MCU history that dates back to Iron Man (2008), with the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director playing a pivotal role in the franchise over the last 15 years. Secret Invasion acts as a sort of catalyst between the Infinity Saga and whatever Marvel has hidden up their sleeve for the coming phases dubbed the “Multiverse Saga.” While it’s unclear just how crucial Secret Invasion will be in setting up the rest of Phase Five and Phase Six, it seems inevitable that Skrulls, and G’iah in particular, will eventually pop up in future Marvel projects down the line.
Critical Reception to ‘Secret Invasion’
Initial reviews and lackluster critiques
Initially, critics weren’t so enamored with Secret Invasion after catching early screenings last month, landing the show an abysmal 67% rating. Since its premiere, its Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes has only dropped, now sitting at a 55% critical score and a 55% audience score—a rare instance where professional reviewers and the general public could agree on the quality of a new Marvel project.
Director Ali Selim responds to review-bombing
After the show wrapped up its six-episode run last week, Ali Selim responded to mixed reviews of Secret Invasion by claiming that he didn’t feel bad about the matter during a recent interview with Variety. Selim said he had successfully delivered his “half of the dialogue,” adding, “If you had unanimously good reviews, every movie would gross $10 billion, trillion dollars, right?” Still, MCU fans remain divided on Secret Invasion, with the overall conclusion being that it’s a pretty unremarkable addition to the franchise and its increasingly lackluster catalog of Disney+ originals.
Top 7 Reasons Why Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Flopped
7. Its overly predictable finale
Many viewers would agree that the Secret Invasion finale was a bit of a snooze fest, with the story building up to an inevitable conclusion that could be spotted from a mile away. For one, G’iah and Fury’s bait-and-switch body-swapping scheme had already been used in previous episodes, taking away any element of suspense. G’iah defeating Gravik in a CGI-packed battle of the mutant Skrulls also felt both too quick and too predictable. It’s clear that Secret Invasion wanted to establish Emilia Clarke’s character as a formidable hero for future MCU installments, but her arc, unfortunately, came at the cost of detracting from Nick Fury’s arguably more compelling journey of growth and self-acceptance.
6. AI controversy and the SAG-AFTRA strike
As you may recall, Secret Invasion made headlines for all the wrong reasons following its debut in June for its controversial use of AI generative technology in its opening credits. The title sequence, which features abstract interpretations of masquerading Skrulls, city skylines, and even Nick Fury himself, was slammed by critics who detest the use of such technology for creative matters, which replaces hardworking artists with computer software. The use of AI is a hot topic for the SAG-AFTRA members currently on strike, who fear studios’ use of AI will threaten to eliminate the need for background actors in future productions.
5. Superhero fatigue is causing people to lose interest in Marvel
Although the phrase “superhero fatigue” is pretty much drilled into the minds of anyone who’s been on the internet in recent years, it’s important to note that audiences’ growing disdain for the genre could’ve contributed to Secret Invasion‘s downfall. Marvel TV series like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Ms. Marvel failed to make much of a splash on Disney+, with many accusing Marvel Studios of putting “quantity over quality” regarding their newer projects post-Infinity Saga. Secret Invasion could very likely be the latest victim of “superhero fatigue,” with the show earning some of the lowest viewership numbers the franchise has ever seen.
4. Its marketing campaign was mediocre, at best
Secret Invasion failed to rev up its advertising until it was too late, with many Disney+ subscribers and even casual MCU fans being unaware of the series until it began airing on the streaming platform. While the company made some weak efforts to get eyes on the series, like sending out real-life Skrulls to major U.S. cities, it was simply too little, too late. To remedy this, Disney made the unexpected decision to add Secret Invasion episodes to Hulu, but only time will tell if this move actually does anything to promote the ill-fated project moving forward.
3. Connections to ‘Captain Marvel’
When thinking of the MCU’s more successful cinematic feats, Captain Marvel probably doesn’t come to mind. The movie received immediate backlash for its lifeless portrayal of Carol Danvers, where she was played by actress Brie Larson. Even though some of the backlash was purely rooted in explicit sexism, many would agree that the movie lacked the charm, action, and formable villain set-ups of other Marvel flicks. And with Secret Invasion having strong connective tissue to Captain Marvel, maybe the link between the two projects was enough to scare people away from watching.
2. Lack of new Disney+ subscribers
During the Walt Disney Company’s quarterly earnings call back in May, it was revealed that Disney+ saw a loss of four million subscribers—a whopping statistic given the streamer had already been steadily losing subscribers since launching in late 2019. With average U.S. households now having to pay for upwards of five of six streaming services, Disney+ just might not be a priority for them, meaning fewer audiences have access to Marvel shows like Secret Invasion. Disney+ has also begun cracking down on password sharing, drawing prospective customers away from the platform. There’s also the matter of Disney’s recent cost-cutting initiative, which includes a historic content purge that has resulted in the loss of shows like Lucasfilm’s Willow and The Mysterious Benedict Society.
1. Its slow burn story
With the increase of social media and high-volume, fast-paced content-sharing apps like TikTok, it’s safe to say that audiences’ attention spans are shorter than ever. And Secret Invasion is a show that’s not afraid to take its time. Sadly, this seems like a bit of a recipe for disaster, with its slow burn pace meaning certain arcs take multi episodes to get fully resolved. The critically-acclaimed Star Wars spinoff, Andor, was met with similar criticisms after it premiered on Disney+ last year, though it’s since become one of Lucasfilm’s top-rated projects to date. While Secret Invasion probably won’t follow suit, it’s worth noting that its lengthy setup and patient, character-driven storytelling likely was drastically different from what viewers had in mind when deciding to click on the latest show from Marvel.
What did you think of Secret Invasion? Let us know in the comments below.