Invincible’s Most Divisive Episode Ever Raises Questions About The Show’s Future

After three seasons, Invincible has encountered some harsh reactions for a season 4 episode. Prime Video’s hit animated series is known for blowing critics and audiences away. It scored over 90% or better on Rotten Tomatoes for each of its first three seasons, and the general reception of season 4 is high once again: 100% on RT with critics and 87% with audiences.

But there has been a less enthusiastic response to the fourth episode, “Hurm.” The story primarily focuses on Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) descending to Hell to team up with Damien Darkblood (Clancy Brown) and keep the surface world safe from the all-powerful villain, Volcanikka (Indira Varma). The episode brings a comic storyline Robert Kirkman scrapped to life for the first time.

The reaction can be seen in various forms online, including Invincible season 4, episode 4’s series-low IMDb rating. It currently has a 6.9/10 score on the site, which is lower than the previous record-low score of 7.2 set by season 2, episode 2. There are a few reasons why this Invincible episode is dividing viewers to such a degree.

Why Viewers Don’t Like Invincible Season 4, Episode 4

The primary issue that most viewers have with Invincible season 4, episode 4 is the nature of the story. By taking Mark to Hell, the show literally takes the lead hero away from all other main characters and plots for a different, unrelated adventure. It feels a lot like a sidequest in a video game, something that could enhance some elements but really isn’t necessary.

That’s why several user reviews on IMDb use the dreaded criticism of it being a “filler” episode. Not all the reviews that mention it as being filler are overwhelmingly negative, but even those that are more positive note that it still results in a drop in quality compared to what the series is used to. There is a way for “filler episodes” to be well-received, but this wasn’t one for most.

It didn’t help “Hurm”‘s case that this adventure comes at a point in the season where the main plot with the Viltrumite War is really picking up. Allen the Alien and Omni-Man are on their way to Earth to recruit Mark, and rather than get the father/son reunion, the show makes this pitstop to send him to Hell.

Taking time to get to the bigger parts of the Viltrumite War story is okay, but the timing could’ve been better. Excluding some of the thematic importance that the episode holds, such as Mark’s journey to put on his original suit again, there’s a good chance that this story would’ve been better received by some if it had come at an earlier point in the season or come in a totally different season.

For many, the Hell-centric story also didn’t prove to be worthwhile enough to deviate from the source material. It should have been exciting for comic readers to get a brand new Invincible story after all these years, but the poor reviews are littered with users noting they were disappointed to have the comic story broken up like this or not get better results from doing so.

Will Damien’s Story Still Continue After Invincible Season 4, Episode 4’s Low Ratings?

Audiences not liking one Invincible episode as much as the rest is nothing to worry about in the big picture. Prime Video has already greenlit Invincible season 5, and that will not be the end of the show barring a shocking development. But it is possible that these reactions will alter plans to some degree.

Invincible season 4, episode 4 ended with Damien on Earth’s surface and teased Satan potentially visiting it himself. It’s a clear indication that this is meant to be the start of a wholly original storyline for the show, one that will presumably continue to unfold over the coming seasons.

But after this response, will that still be the case? Kirkman and co-showrunner Simon Racioppa could pivot away from this storyline to preserve the high praise Invincible is accustomed to. That would come with a certain amount of them admitting defeat on the concept, even if it would also potentially show a willingness to listen to viewers to fix what isn’t working.

That said, the more likely response to Invincible season 4, episode 4’s low rating is that Kirkman and Racioppa take an even closer look at how this storyline is meant to develop, including when in the seasons it is meant to pop up prominently. It’ll be more impressive if they manage to turn this subplot into one of the most compelling and appreciated by fans after this rough start.

That’s no small task, but if any show can do this, perhaps it’s Invincible. And should the show just not be up to that challenge, they could abandon or shorten this storyline to avoid potentially more poorly reviewed episodes.

Will Invincible Avoid More Original, Non-Comic Storylines Now?

Another possible outcome of Invincible season 4, episode 4’s divisive reaction is plans for additional original storylines. The show has made smaller changes to the beloved source material every season, but this was the first time the series really went beyond what the comics held.

The closest it’s come to doing a new storyline previously is with Ka-Hor, the Egyptian emperor who took possession of Riley in this same episode. Ka-Hor has been little more than a running gag in previous seasons, something that felt like a random bit of worldbuilding that would never become too important to the story.

But “Hurm” finally had Ka-Hor escape with Riley, teasing that this original story could also one day get a larger focus. An entire episode dedicated to Mark and Ka-Hor finally felt realistic. After the less-than-favorable response to Damien’s return, this could be an element that is also reconsidered.

It would be disappointing if Invincible stopped doing original storylines. They offer a chance for this adaptation to be different from what Kirkman did before. But that’s also the exact reason why some viewers are rejecting “Hurm.” If there’s enough negativity about the show deviating from the comics for this story, the show could be less incentivized to take risks on similar types of episodes.

Ultimately, Invincible has found itself in a difficult position thanks to the nature of its most divisive episode ever. Continuing Damien’s arc or telling other original stories could push some viewers away and bring more episodes that audiences are less in love with. But if it gives up on potential plans after the slightest hiccup, the narratives could never realize their full potential.