Why has ‘Secret Invasion’ failed to be another Marvel monster hit for Disney Plus?

After initial reactions were wildly positive, failed to even earn 1 million viewers domestically across its first five days on streaming.

To be fair, episode 2 managed to become turned it into a show that “no one cares about.”

That’s a bold claim, of course, but it’s clear that Secret Invasion is not making the kind of impression on people as previous MCU shows, like WandaVision, Loki, or even The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. So what’s going on here? Well, one option could be that Marvel curiously kept promotion to a minimum until very shortly before its release. One the one hand, this cleverly reflected the secrecy and mystery in its plot, but on the other, it allowed the show’s entire existence to slip many people by.

What’s more, Secret Invasion came a full eight months after She-Hulk: Attorney-At-Law, the last Marvel streaming show. You might think this would leave folks hungry for more, but what if it actually weened them off their need for more MCU TV content? Then there’s the issue with the show’s unique title, which may be likewise causing problems with brand recognition.

Secret Invasion is actually the first Marvel Studios production not to feature a character or team name in the title. Combine that with the darker, grittier tone of the show and it’s just about possible that some Disney Plus s might not even realize it’s part of the MCU. On the other hand, more casual fans might even find its title confusing, if they’re somewhat aware of Avengers: Secret Wars and don’t fully understand the difference between the two projects.

Perhaps, and it almost feels sacrilegious to say it, Samuel L. Jackson as a leading man is not all that much of a draw for audiences. He’s obviously a beloved ing actor in everything from Star Wars to his many Quentin Tarantino roles to naturally the MCU itself, but perhaps the idea of Jackson’s Fury getting his own show just wasn’t as appealing as, say, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight. , the only Marvel series to have a weaker opening than SI was Ms. Marvel, starring complete newcomer Iman Vellani.

Whether it is due to any one of these reasons, a confluence of several, or just part of a general downward trend when it comes to interest in Disney Plus series (don’t forget how The Mandalorian season three fell under the radar too), Secret Invasion is a worrying sign for Marvel’s future on the small screen, even if those who are watching it believe it to be an encouraging step back towards greatness for the MCU.

Secret Invasion continues Wednesdays on Disney Plus.