Part one of the second season of “Invincible” is thrilling, refreshing and nuanced — but only for the characters it has time for.  

Starting from the moment Omni-Man (a villainous Superman-esque figure) decides to spare Mark (his superpowered son and protegé) and leave Earth, season two, part one sets out to cover content from 28 issues of its source material in just four 50 minute episodes. That might sound unreasonable — and it is — but Amazon Studios finds a way to make it work.  

In the interest of avoiding a speculative and unfair review, it’s important to define criteria by which I define an effective “part one” for a project: Are the characters respected? Is there a continuous narrative? And, most importantly, does it stand on its own?

The latter is where season two, part one shines. Its final episode — a climactic fight between Omni-Man, Mark and a group of Viltrumite invaders — is one of the most compelling arguments for splitting a project in recent media.  

What “Invincible’s” peers (namely “Spider Man: Across the Spider-Verse”) so often miss is that cliffhangers alone do not justify a “part one.” The show has to tell a continuous, independent story for which a break would only increase enthusiasm for future installments. The fourth episode accomplishes this by giving the audience a thesis: there are times when grandiose, “I must save everyone” mantras will do more harm than good. In Mark’s case, if he holds back while fighting an unforgiving enemy, he will die. It’s a crude, show-altering realization that a blockbuster ending and a multi-month break can amplify.

Along the way, season two, part one continues to provide an entertaining balance between episodic diversions and an overarching narrative. Its ability to introduce and develop characters for large portions of an episode while not losing pace remains unrivaled. Of particular note is the third episode, whose heart-wrenching development of Allen — an alien who travels from planet to planet in order to determine if they are adequately protected from intergalactic threats — more than earns its runtime.  

This season’s pitfall, however, is ambition. Its jumbled episode structure, which jumps between loosely connected narratives, feels unique and engaging but loses several characters along the way. Angstrom Levy — ostensibly the season’s main villain — is all but nonexistent after the first episode. Granted, he receives half of that episode’s runtime, but the show’s producers consistently seem indecisive about who should receive the season’s focus. 

Similarly, Earth’s new Guardians of the Globe produce very little across four episodes. We see turmoil begin to form between superheroes Rex Splode, Dupli-Kate and the Immortal, but this half of the season hesitates to explore their division further. Robot and Monster Girl continue their awkward, heartfelt romance subplot, but soon disappear from future episodes. Shrinking Rae is completely forgotten. Instead, Atom Eve receives by far the most attention in a “what it means to be a hero” subplot that is at times convincing but often wasted.  

That being said, the show’s core characters — Mark, Omni-Man and Mark’s mom, Debbie — are without question the most compelling.  Each receives about a quarter to half of a respective episode, with consistent time on screen. We’re able to understand Mark and Debbie’s struggle to forget about Nolan because we see it every week. Omni-Man’s moral anguish feels genuine and believable as we directly witness his transition from senselessly killing innocents to saving them.  These developments matter — not because they occupy at least half an episode, but because they have a tangible and consistent impact on the next.  

Fortunately, season two, part two, coming out in 2024, is well-equipped to make up for its predecessor’s minor flaws. The strength of this effective mid-season finale is that “Invincible” can now reunite Mark with the other heroes and give every character the attention that they need.  “Invincible” tends to finish stronger than it starts, and the first half of this season can be a vital tool for making that a reality.