20 TV Storylines We Can't Believe Are Real

Loosely based on the comic book event of the same name, Secret Invasion opens with Nick Fury learning that shapeshifting Skrull aliens have infiltrated Earth, posing as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, political figures, and superheroes for years. This bombshell should've been monumental, since it could re-contextualise key moments and character choices throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe and set up major long-term consequences.

But looking back, it's easy to see why Secret Invasion is the lowest-rated MCU show on Rotten Tomatoes. Unlike its source material, this adaptation is low-stakes, uneven, and paradoxically rushed and sluggish at the same time. Also, fan-favourite Maria Hill had an insultingly anticlimactic death. On top of that, the only important character exposed as a Skrull is James Rhodes, aka War Machine. 

Rather than being an earth-shattering twist, this reveal left viewers scratching their heads, as it implies that the Rhodey from Avengers: Endgame was an imposter all along. Retconning the identity of a main character in the MCU's biggest project wasn't just inane, but insulting. It's such a flagrant misstep that Marvel advocates struggle to accept it as canon.

Despite the strong premise, Secret Invasion fumbled the execution big-time, particularly with Rhodey.