In the onslaught of Too Much Television, Invasion is flying under the radar. Less baroque than Foundation, and more grounded than The Expanse, the series has quietly unfurled a gigantic retelling of The War of the Worlds this year on Apple TV Plus. But with season 1 coming to a close, now is a the time to catch up with the drama.
The above clip, which Polygon exclusively debuts before the finale on Dec. 10, gives you a taste for Invasion’s mode and scope. In the scene, Trevante (Shamier Anderson), a Navy SEAL previously stationed in Afghanistan before the aliens arrive, deals with a fed who wants to know what Trevante knows. And Trevante knows a lot — in episode 9, he’s aiding a boy who suffers from epilepsy, which grants him a psychic connection with the aliens. And true to the H.G. Wells story, the extraterrestrial invaders seem to be spreading an organic substance with the intent of conquering Earth.
As sensational as it sounds, Invasion creators Simon Kinberg (the X-Men films) and David Weil (Hunters) keep the action grounded, and the drama squarely centered on the characters. So while all hell is breaking loose, this clip gives a clear sense of what an actor like Anderson can bring to the table with this kind of material. Literally — he’s at a table!
Invasion’s season finale premieres on Friday, Dec. 10, wrapping up the first 10-episode season. Earlier this week, Apple TV Plus picked the series up for season 2.
