Summary
- Invincible creator Robert Kirkman wants the show to run for seven to eight seasons, ensuring ample time to tell the entire story and avoid any dip in quality.
- The show’s confident pacing and lack of filler episodes make it well-suited for a planned ending, preventing it from overstaying its welcome like The Walking Dead.
- Kirkman’s ending plan shows that he has learned from The Walking Dead’s mistakes and is focused on creating a strong and well-rounded legacy for Invincible.
Robert Kirkman’s latest update regarding the ending of Invincible is great news for the show. After debuting in 2021, the show’s near three-year wait for season 2 has been the topic of conversation around the series, but its upcoming return isn’t the only good news surrounding it. With Invincible having such a successful first season, it is clear the showrunners want to take their time crafting the perfect show, and that includes its proposed ending. Invincible creator Robert Kirkman gave an update on how long the show would run, and it is positive for the future of the series.
Kirkman recently revealed he has a rough idea as to how many seasons Invincible will have, or at least should have, to adapt the entire story (via Polygon). He stated, “I think in the seven-to-eight-season range seems like it would be enough.” A timeline regarding the show’s length and when it will end is a massive positive with a lot of preplanning clearly involved to make Invincible so successful. Kirkman already revealed the release gap between Invincible season 2 and 3 will be smaller; planning to avoid such a long window between releases shows how much preparation is being put into the show to maximize its potential.
Invincible’s Targeted 7-8 Seasons Allow It To Tell Its Whole Story
Seven to eight seasons should be enough time for Invincible to tell its whole story, especially if the creator shares this belief. The first season managed to cover around the first 13 of Invincible’s 144 issues. While this may seem to leave the proposed number of seasons a little short in terms of coverage, season 1 has also explored some topics past the initial 13 issues. With Kirkman confident this is the optimal number, there is little reason to doubt him. In just eight episodes, season 1 managed to tell plenty of Invincible’s story while having perfect pacing.
There is little filler, and Amazon’s eight-episode format allows each episode to be packed with substantial content that is always driving the plot forward. The Invincible comic book series finished in 2018, meaning there is already a solid foundation that the series can follow and take plenty of inspiration from. This makes judging how long the series will need even easier, especially after completing the first two seasons. With plenty of comic book moments to get excited about in Invincible season 2, the show looks to have its future planned out, and there should be plenty of great seasons still to come.
Invincible’s Ending Plan Will Prevent A Dip In Quality
With an idea of when to end, Invincible will prevent having a dip in quality. Many shows fall victim to overstaying their welcome, being renewed season after season with little idea of how to keep the plot moving. This can lead to filler episodes or plots that derail the overall quality. Invincible looks to be far more prepared in terms of its future and has a strong chance of avoiding this. Robert Kirkman has also teased Invincible season 2 telling new stories that weren’t part of the comics. While this may be a concern regarding things going too long, this was said before he revealed how many seasons the show had planned.
Changing some story elements would help keep the show interesting and could surprise comic readers. Invincible season 1 made comic book changes that ultimately helped the TV show, and there is no reason new or adapted content can’t do the same. So far Invincible has been full of quality, and if season 2 can meet those same standards, its potential seven or eight seasons should do the same. As long as it avoids too much filler and stays on track, Invincible has all the potential to be one of Amazon’s biggest shows and has already proved it can branch out with its Invincible: Atom Eve special.
A Planned Ending Avoids The Problems That Plagued The Walking Dead
Invincible isn’t Kirkman’s only comic book adaptation to hit TV. His The Walking Dead series managed to find huge success, but it was plagued with one massive problem. Despite being one of the most popular shows in the world at one stage, The Walking Dead’s viewership dropped drastically in its later years. Its season 5 premiere had over 17 million viewers yet come the series finale eight years later, it had a little over 3 million. This drastic decline was a symptom of the show going on too long, with viewership dropping season after season and seemingly no end in sight.
If Kirkman sticks to his planned number of seasons, Invincible should avoid sharing this fate. Outside of having the same creator, Invincible and The Walking Dead share actors, but that doesn’t guarantee they will follow the same path. Kirkman’s announcement of his plans for how long Invincible will run and having an ending in sight suggests he has perhaps learned his lesson from his previous show. There is no denying how popular The Walking Dead once was, but Invincible has the opportunity to create a more well-rounded legacy, and this ending plan is positive news in trying to do so.
