Invasion 1.8: Contact!

I don't usually entitle my reviews with the given title of an episode, but today's Invasion 1.8 on Apple TV+ was so much about contact, that I didn't have much choice.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

First, I realized as soon we saw Trevante's plane land in England that he would likely come into contact with Casper and Jamila, and sure enough, he did.  This is a very important development.  There's no way we beings of Earth can stand a chance against the invaders unless we pool our intelligence -- the smarts and the knowledge -- that some of us have.  Plus, after seeing the separate narratives play out in isolation in the previous seven episodes, it's good storytelling to see at least two of them come together now in episode eight.

But "contact" has crucial relevance in another important way.   We finally learn about what's going on in Casper's head and what that has to do with the invaders.  He's seen them, before they arrived.  He tells Trevante and Jamila that when he has seizures, scenes of the invaders appear in his mind.  More than anyone on Earth -- except Luke, who may have similar powers -- Casper may have seen things essential to the defense of this planet and the survival of its human inhabitants.

By the way, Billy Barratt as Casper and Shamier Anderson as Trevante work well together.  As does India Brown as Jamila, as I mentioned last week.   Only two more episodes left in what I hope is just the beginning season of Invasion.  It's time to get Luke in America and Mitsuki in Tokyo into the mix.  I'll be back here next week and let you know how I think that went.

See also Invasion 1.1-3: Compelling Contender ... Invasion 1.4: Three Out of Four ... Invasion 1.5: The Little Creepy Crawly Thing ... Invasion 1.6: Close Up! ... Invasion 1.7: Two Boys and their Connection to the Invaders