AppleTV+'s 'Invasion' Knows How to Build Tension and Not Much Else

The show also follows Sam Neill's character Sheriff John Bell Tyson, who is, naturally, working on his last day before retirement just as things worldwide begin to fall apart. He hasn't gotten much screen time so far but watching Neill attempt to pull off an Oklahoman accent and fighting off his natural New Zealand one leaves a lot to be desired.

He hasn't been given a ton of screentime, so his character feels a bit like a cliche, but the door is open for a ton of development.

This issue certainly holds true for most of the characters, including the last group we've been introduced to, a field trip full of students in Great Britain. When debris from space begins falling to Earth, their bus crashes into a sinkhole, and they are forced to figure out how to escape and survive. The situation quickly devolves into a Lord of the Flies type of scenario, with a bully attempting to take charge of the group.

Where Invasion is at its best is the way it creates tension and the overwhelming feeling of dread as things continue to spiral downward. Outside of one or two scenes, the invaders are not seen; they lurk in the shadows. We don't even see anything resembling an alien until the end of the first and second episodes, a narrative decision that is a smart one.

This uneasiness is further compounded by a scene where nearly all the children, and just the children, of the school that Aneesha's kids attend break out into nosebleeds all at the same time. Watching scores of kids simultaneously go into a panic is enough to give anyone pause, and the show succeeds in causing the viewer to freak out right alongside the students.

Unfortunately, the show's success at building tension has yet to pay off in any significant way. It's almost hard to remember at times that you're watching an alien invasion show and not something from a completely different genre. By the end of the third episode, you'll probably be asking the same question I was: "Where the hell are the aliens?"

Invasion will undoubtedly give those looking for a new science fiction show a reason to tune in, but whether it is enough to keep people interested for a whole season remains to be seen.

The first three episodes of Invasion are available on AppleTV+ right now, and a new episode will premiere weekly through December 10th.