By Published Apr 9, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT
Faith Roswell is a Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Classic TV team. Since earning her degree in Creative Writing over a decade ago, Faith has written articles on film and TV from a variety of different angles. Faith now combines her knowledge of psychology with her love of monster movies to give more insight into what makes the best ones.
You may have read her Screen Rant lists and features covering horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or read her Amazon Top 10 book, "Movie Monsters of the Deep."
Faith has had an extensive career as a writer, appearing on BBC live radio, researching true crime for Rotten Mango podcast, and writing for publications including Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and The Daily Jaws before beginning here at Screen Rant.
Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
The superhero genre has, until relatively recently, been fairly formulaic and predictable, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Like classic Westerns or police procedurals, viewers knew what to expect, and enjoyed the spectacle anyway. While seemingly telling stories about good defeating evil, highlight social issues like racism, corruption, and mental health.
The most common superhero tropes involve regular people acquiring superhuman powers and deciding their fate, leading to some surprising wisdom and and TV. The phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" might have originated in Spider-Man, but is embodying it in many ways, even switching genres as a new age of creativity has arrived in the superhero genre.
With its 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating, Invincible's strong start made new viewers sit up and pay attention. The show began as a typical superhero story, with Mark, the son of a legendary superhero, getting powers of his own. However, after hit the right notes for the genre, the show has set up a drastic change.
Invincible Switches From The Superhero Genre To The Sci-Fi/War Genre In Season 4
Invincible's first seasons established the show's world, with the young Mark taking on the name Invincible, and getting to grips with his powers, which included super-strength and flight. Idolizing his father, Mark then discovers the terrible truth about him; he was sent not to protect Earth, but to colonize it. The show then takes a shocking new direction.
is still releasing new episodes, but the show has taken a significant, and much darker, turn. From the start, it had been clear that Invincible's world extends far beyond Earth, but the earlier seasons mostly dealt with smaller-scale problems. Season 4's continuation of the Viltrumite War storyline has shifted the genre into a blend of sci-fi and war.
With this recent shift in tone, Invincible has become a , being both ambitious and hard-hitting. While there are several superhero genre TV shows that are decidedly not family friendly, the image of superheroes, especially animated ones, as a family theme still persists. Invincible's current devastating plots firmly disprove this idea.
ever pushes the boundaries further by taking the characters to Hell. While some viewers felt that the episode resembled a side-quest, it explored the wider reaches and implications of the Viltrumite War in a way that few other superhero shows do. With season 4, the series has stepped away from its superhero roots, becoming a blend of war and sci-fi.
Will Invincible Ever Go Back To Being A Superhero Series (Can It?)
Invincible has officially been renewed for season 5, leaving room for speculation about the show's future and change in genre. It is possible that the series could return to its roots, but this may not be the best direction, especially with peace being most characters' goal. Creator , which hints to more series to come.
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In an interview with ScreenRant, Kirkman said, "we know roughly what the premiere and finale of every season that could exist of Invincible if we're fortunate enough to do them would be." Most TV shows raise the stakes with every season, so it would be extremely unusual, and likely unpopular, if Invincible retreated from the world it has opened up.
Invincible has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.
That said, Invincible's story is still rooted in the superhero genre, as it is about a protagonist trying to do what is right, while protecting the Earth. for his morally-conflicted persona, and if the show explores the long-term consequences of his actions, Invincible could remain a superhero show, but an extremely ambitious one.
Cast
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Mark Grayson / Invincible (voice) -
Debbie Grayson (voice)
Where to watch Close
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingBased on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father's legacy isn't as glitzy and glamorous as he's been led to believe.
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