Roughly eight months after its last Disney+ offering, Marvel Studios returns to the streaming service with another title intended to further expand the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe. The previous show, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, was a fourth-wall breaking comedy. Secret Invasion, which kicks off its six-episode run on June 21, couldn't be more different. This is perhaps the MCU's darkest Disney+ show yet, almost immediately plunging viewers into a twisty tale of conspiracy theories, shadowy partnerships, and deceptive characters. Two episodes in, it remains to be seen if Secret Invasion can pull off the ambitious story it's selling, but with Samuel L. Jackson in the lead, it seems certain it'll be a gripping journey.

MCU fans may recall that Nick Fury (Jackson) was last seen relaxing up in space, overseeing the construction of a high-tech space station. Now, concerning developments have brought him back to Earth, where he reunites with longtime trusted confidant Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and enemy-turned-friend Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), the Skrull from Captain Marvel who was determined to find a new home for his people. Talos informs Fury of Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), a renegade Skrull who has tired of unfulfilled promises of a new homeland and is taking matters into his own hands. How? By orchestrating an invasion of Earth's most powerful spaces.

When the enemy is a race of shape-shifting aliens, as the Skrulls are, anyone can be an opponent, and Secret Invasion establishes that from the get-go with a heart-pounding sequence that turns expectations, getting right to the heart of what makes this conflict so compelling — and terrifying. Appearances can be deceiving, and the first episode of Secret Invasion emphasizes that. It also moves at a somewhat jerky pace that culminates in a devastating ending, effectively raising the stakes while featuring one of the most unsettling visuals the MCU has produced yet. Following the gradually rising tension of episode 1, Secret Invasion episode 2 comes across as strangely slow, even as it plants the seeds for storylines that will no doubt unspool in the weeks to come. Director Ali Selim excels at bringing an old-fashioned sensibility to the series, stylizing Secret Invasion like a classic conspiracy thriller, albeit one with aliens.

Stepping into the spotlight for the first time in the MCU, Jackson finally gets to truly sink his teeth into the Nick Fury role. He was once the towering man who brought the Avengers together, but now he's a world-weary soldier traumatized by recent events. As multiple characters note, practically verbatim, Thanos' attack from Avengers: Infinity War has changed Fury; after all, he was blipped out of existence alongside millions. However, despite everyone — from Maria to James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) — pointing it out, Secret Invasion has yet to actually show the ways in which Fury is affected by what happened. The closing moments of episode 2 present a surprising turn for the character that could prove fruitful in offering more development, but that will depend on how the rest of Secret Invasion shakes out.

Nevertheless, Jackson is certainly up to the task of digging deeper into Fury and going up against a formidable enemy. Fury fires off quippy banter with Talos and former associate Sonya Falsworth (Olivia Colman) with the same ease that he reveals the haggard, broken insides he is desperately trying to keep under wraps. Secret Invasion has an impressive supporting cast, with Colman quickly standing out as the most promising new addition to the MCU. Sonya's playful demeanor is fascinatingly contrasted with a steely and dangerous determination, best shown when she makes her own moves in the investigation into the Skrull threat. Ben-Adir so far makes for an unnerving villain as Gravik, and it seems likely his character could reveal additional layers in future episodes that will make him a standout antagonist in the franchise. Also important to the plot is Emilia Clarke's G'iah, Talos' estranged daughter who has aligned herself with Gravik, but might have contrasting loyalties.

Secret Invasion also offers the opportunity for MCU alums like Cheadle and Mendelsohn to further explore their characters, though it's Talos' arc that proves to be the most compelling of all as he struggles to hold onto his Skrull loyalties even as more of his people clamor for war. Secret Invasion is juggling a lot in its early episodes, and the ambitiousness of a Skrull takeover plot threatens to be too large for television. So far, though, head writer Kyle Bradstreet has set the stage for a gripping conflict that could hold serious ramifications for the whole MCU. In some ways, Secret Invasion gets off to a slow start. Luckily, it also sets up enough mysteries and character arcs to fuel audience interest and suggest this could be one of Marvel's strongest Disney+ shows to date.

Secret Invasion episode 1 begins streaming on Wednesday, June 21 on Disney+. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly.