Marvel's Secret Invasion - First trailer!!!

[The Letter M]

Just finished episode two, and it was definitely a step up from the first one. Lots of great character moments and interactions, even just talking.

Seems like all the pieces are being set for whatever the show is moving towards, and I'm slightly more curious as to where things go next.

Maybe it's me and I'm just kind of burned out/let down by some recent Disney+ Shows (from Marvel and Star Wars), but I've not been as hyped or excited for this as I usually am, but I think that helps in my enjoyment. The less hyped I am, the lower my expectations, so if it DOES turn out to be at least fairly good, I can enjoy it more.

-Marc.

[Orbert]

I'm with you there.  Things are starting to take shape a bit more, some more info has come out, and as many suspected, a lot of it has to do with Fury and Danvers not keeping the promise they made nearly 30 years ago.  I'm curious as to why that is, and I can actually sympathize with the Skrulls.  If someone tells you they're going to do something, how long do you wait before you decide that they just haven't done it and you can call them on it?

Mrs. Orbert is bored out of her mind.  Not that she's all about the action and explosions; she likes a good spy flick and/or political intrigue.  She just doesn't find it a particularly compelling story.  They're dragging it out too much.  We only have six episodes, and after two episodes they're still putting pieces in place.

[bosk1]

Just finished episode two, and it was definitely a step up from the first one. Lots of great character moments and interactions, even just talking.

Seems like all the pieces are being set for whatever the show is moving towards, and I'm slightly more curious as to where things go next.

I'm liking the series so far, but the parts that give me pause largely boil down to one big point that I know is going to be somewhat controversial, and it is this:  I don't like Samuel L. Jackson's acting.  Not just here, but in general.  There was a time in the '90s when I considered him one of my favorites.  But that time has long since passed.  The last thing I saw him in where I thought he was great was One Eight Seven (if you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and do it--fantastic movie, although very hard to watch).  Since then, most of the time he appears in things, he just comes across as so...wooden and one-dimensional.  It's like he is just reading lines directly from a script he was just handed 30 second earlier.  He's just saying words.  These two episodes have been interesting in that respect because there have been some scenes where I feel like we catch glimpses of the "old Sam Jackson," where he is genuinely emoting and being the character, and I love that.  But there are plenty of others where he is just "cardboard cutout Sam Jackson" who is there just to put on the Fury costume and say words without anything behind them.  He frustrates me like no other, so it's sometimes hard to fully immerse myself and enjoy a series where he takes center stage.

[Orbert]

I know what you mean, but in this particular case I think it might be intentional.  Others have told Fury that he seems "off" since returning from space (or wherever he was).  Gravik said he wanted to see what was left of Fury these days, and he saw an old man, grey beard, slow, and easily duped and taken.  Not particularly encouraging.  Anyway, I think in this case Fury is supposed to be kind of lethargic and out of it.  But in general I know what you mean about Sam basically phoning things in lately.  I can't remember that last time I've seen him in something where I thought he really impressed me.

[lonestar]

He's definitely a one note actor...when he's doing his thing in the right situation it works, but when he for example embraced his wife, I didn't buy the emotional aspects of the moment.

[Adami]

Really liked the episode.

[gmillerdrake]

I don't like Samuel L. Jackson's acting.  Not just here, but in general. 

With ya on this 1000% and is why I probably won't watch this series. Been checking in on the thread to judge whether or not it's 'worth' watching....but....this sentiment above weighs pretty heavily in my mind. He has completely bought into and plays into him being 'Samuel F'n Jackson' and it's annoying as all hell. He's had a couple roles where he was 'good' but he's never been a great actor yet somehow he's been thrust on this pedestal where he can't do any wrong and he is this 'elite' actor? I get he has a curated image and what not and when these films and shows hire him it's for the Sam Jackson package but for me.....the Sam Jackson package isn't all that good.

[bosk1]

He's definitely a one note actor...when he's doing his thing in the right situation it works, but when he for example embraced his wife, I didn't buy the emotional aspects of the moment.

I almost feel like the process for him getting cast for any given movie is like Ryan George's "Pitch Meeting" videos on YouTube (if you don't know what I'm talking about, watch a couple--they are hilarious), where the process is something like:
-Pitch Man:  So we're going to make this new movie, and we're going to cast Samuel L. Jackson as one of the leading characters.
-Studio President:  Oh!  What character will he be playing?
-Pitch Man:  Samuel L. Jackson.
-President:  Okay...How's that going to go?
-Pitch Man:  Well, we're going to have him be pseudo angry all the time, and talk like he knows all the White characters are somehow beneath him, without him coming out and outright saying it.
-President:  Seems on-brand.  What else?
-Pitch Man:  We're going to have the camera zoom in on him and have him say 'mother f***er!'
-President:  Oh, Samuel L. Jackson saying 'mother f***er!' is tight!
-Pitch Man:  Yeah!
-President:  Yeah!

[bosk1]

I don't like Samuel L. Jackson's acting.  Not just here, but in general. 

With ya on this 1000% and is why I probably won't watch this series. Been checking in on the thread to judge whether or not it's 'worth' watching....but....this sentiment above weighs pretty heavily in my mind. He has completely bought into and plays into him being 'Samuel F'n Jackson' and it's annoying as all hell. He's had a couple roles where he was 'good' but he's never been a great actor yet somehow he's been thrust on this pedestal where he can't do any wrong and he is this 'elite' actor? I get he has a curated image and what not and when these films and shows hire him it's for the Sam Jackson package but for me.....the Sam Jackson package isn't all that good.

The series IS worthwhile, IMO.  It's a slow burn, and if you like slow burn political thrillers, I think you'd definitely like it, as it's that in the MCU.  And it does a pretty good job.  In typical D+ MCU series fashion, we don't know where it's all headed yet, and it feels like the plot is still pretty obscure and up the air to be as far in as we are.  But that's been the case with all of them, and most have turned out to be pretty good by the end, so I have faith in this one as well.  And to be clear, I am enjoying it.  The point I mentioned above is just an impediment to me enjoying it more.

And on your last point, yeah, I tend to mostly agree.  But the thing is, some of his early-to-mid-'90s roles were pretty good.  Again, I submit One Eight Seven as not only one of his best, but one of my favorite movies of all time.  And I could pull others from that era as well.

[gmillerdrake]

I don't like Samuel L. Jackson's acting.  Not just here, but in general. 

With ya on this 1000% and is why I probably won't watch this series. Been checking in on the thread to judge whether or not it's 'worth' watching....but....this sentiment above weighs pretty heavily in my mind. He has completely bought into and plays into him being 'Samuel F'n Jackson' and it's annoying as all hell. He's had a couple roles where he was 'good' but he's never been a great actor yet somehow he's been thrust on this pedestal where he can't do any wrong and he is this 'elite' actor? I get he has a curated image and what not and when these films and shows hire him it's for the Sam Jackson package but for me.....the Sam Jackson package isn't all that good.

The series IS worthwhile, IMO.  It's a slow burn, and if you like slow burn political thrillers, I think you'd definitely like it, as it's that in the MCU.  And it does a pretty good job.  In typical D+ MCU series fashion, we don't know where it's all headed yet, and it feels like the plot is still pretty obscure and up the air to be as far in as we are.  But that's been the case with all of them, and most have turned out to be pretty good by the end, so I have faith in this one as well.  And to be clear, I am enjoying it.  The point I mentioned above is just an impediment to me enjoying it more.

And on your last point, yeah, I tend to mostly agree.  But the thing is, some of his early-to-mid-'90s roles were pretty good.  Again, I submit One Eight Seven as not only one of his best, but one of my favorite movies of all time.  And I could pull others from that era as well.

I can agree with the bolded because that was prior to him being 'Samuel F'n Jackson'. He wasn't 'him' yet.


and, given your feedback on the series I'll most likely check it out....but will probably wait until it's all there ready to be binged.

[Adami]

Unless you REALLY cannot stand watching Sam Jackson, then it's definitely worth watching. Very different from the other MCU shows. Much slower, more methodical, darker, more brutal, thrilling etc.

[bosk1]

Unless you REALLY cannot stand watching Sam Jackson, then it's definitely worth watching. Very different from the other MCU shows. Much slower, more methodical, darker, more brutal, thrilling etc.

Totally.

[soupytwist]

God bless Olivier Coleman - her acting is single handedly carrying this.  Right now this feels like it's written by Dan Browne.

[Adami]

God bless Olivier Coleman - her acting is single handedly carrying this.  Right now this feels like it's written by Dan Browne.

Oh, don't be so hyperbolic. She's amazing, obviously, but this show has a lot more going for it than just her.

[soupytwist]

God bless Olivier Coleman - her acting is single handedly carrying this.  Right now this feels like it's written by Dan Browne.

Oh, don't be so hyperbolic. She's amazing, obviously, but this show has a lot more going for it than just her.

Yeah it's got potential with talent and the story but at the minute (a third of the way in) a lot of this show has been people having meetings and throwing exposition at each other.

[Adami]

God bless Olivier Coleman - her acting is single handedly carrying this.  Right now this feels like it's written by Dan Browne.

Oh, don't be so hyperbolic. She's amazing, obviously, but this show has a lot more going for it than just her.

Yeah it's got potential with talent and the story but at the minute (a third of the way in) a lot of this show has been people having meetings and throwing exposition at each other.

It's definitely a lot of meetings, first episode was a lot of exposition and this was some but less so. It's also character, and more importantly, tension.

[soupytwist]

God bless Olivier Coleman - her acting is single handedly carrying this.  Right now this feels like it's written by Dan Browne.

Oh, don't be so hyperbolic. She's amazing, obviously, but this show has a lot more going for it than just her.

Yeah it's got potential with talent and the story but at the minute (a third of the way in) a lot of this show has been people having meetings and throwing exposition at each other.

It's definitely a lot of meetings, first episode was a lot of exposition and this was some but less so. It's also character, and more importantly, tension.

I'm sure it'll get better just saying right now if this was a standalone random Netflix show or something I'd have lost interest, because it's been pretty boring. Coleman is doing some serious lifting.

[Zook]

So is this show like Andor? I thought Andor was pretty good, but I can understand how many thought it was boring.

[Adami]

So is this show like Andor? I thought Andor was pretty good, but I can understand how many thought it was boring.

2 episodes in, it's definitely not the quality of Andor (in my opinion) but it is similar in that the emphasis is on character, plot, intrigue, etc, rather than fun, quips, battles, excitement, etc.

[lonestar]

So is this show like Andor? I thought Andor was pretty good, but I can understand how many thought it was boring.

I'd say yes in the way that it's more serious, drama centered show ditches the hokie tropes associated with other MCU products.

[hefdaddy42]

2 episodes in.  Liking it so far.

[The Letter M]

Episode three feels like another step in the right direction. Some tense moments but the best parts of the episode have to be the scenes with Talos and Fury. I love their chemistry together and their conversations really feel like they really have been friends for over thirty years.

However, now that we are halfway through, I hope we get some clear picture of where things will go next and that the next 2-3 episodes aren't just "Fury and Talos prevent another international incident that could start WWIII" like this episode was.

-Marc.

[Lonk]

I'll hold off until the show is done, but 3 episodes in and I'm not really feeling this show. But I know the MCU usually saves the meat of the story for the last 2 episodes.

[soupytwist]

I really hope there is something clever is happening below the surface, that when revealed will put an entirely new spin on these 3 episodes (a Keyser Soze moment).

[Adami]

Good episode.

Good show.

[Orbert]

The ending was not surprising.  Actually the scene right before the ending.  The final scene was a bit surprising.

[The Letter M]

Definitely the best episode so far. Its got a good amount of drama and tension and some reveals and moments that left me speechless. Hard to believe there's only two episodes left, especially now that it's hitting its stride!

-Marc.

[Orbert]

Well, shit.  After the fake-out last week, they can't pull one again, so he's gone.  The series has been particularly brutal in killing off characters.

[soupytwist]

This show is so underwhelming.  One episode left to save it I guess.

[Adami]

Another good episode. Digging this show.

[jammindude]

Fantastic episode!

What the post-Endgame MCU has lacked in the theater, it has more than made up for on the streaming TV shows. Only She-Hulk was disappointing. Every other show has been at least good, and in most cases top notch.

[The Letter M]

I liked it a lot. The Black Widow film call-backs have been nice in this series, making it feel a bit more important than ever.

Also, now we know what that helicopter carrying a cargo box from The Battle Of Earth at the end of Endgame might have been! Gotta love when new canon recontextualizes old scenes!

-Marc.

[MinistroRaven]

Great episode this week, the second to last one. It's a bit on the shorter side, like the last one, but things are finally starting to shape up for this low-key Secret Invasion that Marvel Studios has planned. We gotta accept that this is more about Nick Fury dealing with the consequences of his actions. Today we got a decent amount of action and just as much suspense, setting up the finale which will clearly pave the way to 'The Marvels' and other projects. Fingers crossed the final sixth episode doesn't feel incredibly rushed.

Sonya is showing she's got what it takes to be one of the big players in the MCU on a more grounded level. Gravik is getting deadlier, just like his intentions. The explanation for why the big-name heroes are missing is pretty dumb, but other than that, it's all good.

I gotta say, I like how Marvel decided to crank up the level of graphic violence a notch, getting us ready for the future with projects like 'Deadpool' and 'Born Again'. There are some pretty raw moments for Disney, gotta give them credit for that.

And there's a cameo from a character that, honestly, I'd totally forgotten about. It doesn't really add or take away anything, but it did make me go, "Oh yeah, I remember that dude!"

[Samsara]

I have not seen the episode this week. But I am loving this series. Looking forward to watching this week's and next week's...well, next week (we watch as a fam, so everyone had to be home).

[Lonk]

Good episode