THE VISITORS RETURN TO TV
ONLY THIS TIME THEY'RE WITH THE SPORTY MOUSE NOT THE ELECTRIC PEACOCK
NOVEMBER 3, 2009 by Max Rottenstein - Tonight, ABC will resurrect "V", one of the all time cult classics of American science fiction. Originally created as a two episode mini-series for NBC in 1983, the popularity it drew not only brought back V for a three episode mini-series the next year but also immediately spawned a TV show; all of which were faithful to the original storyline of seemingly benevolent "we-come-in-peace" aliens whose malignant intentions are not revealed until it was almost too late.
But the show went a bit deeper than that. So much of the best drama that made the show memorable, not necessarily the best visual scenes per say, (like Jane Badler's supervillian, Diana, swallowing a whole guinea pig) but the best dramatic scenes were borne of how the conflict affected the groups themselves. Much of the best fighting in the show wasn't between humans and visitors, it was between humans and humans, and visitors and visitors.
Sadly, NBC executives decided to cancel the show. Since the choice was made so close to the end of the first season in 1985, producers were left with no choice but to proceed as planned and end the show's TV run on a cliffhanger. V fans were left in agony, and the original show has been a cult classic ever since.
(MINOR SPOILER ALERT) Indeed, that same kind of species infighting will play as a major part of the plot of the ABC production as humankind becomes enthralled with the visitors which consequently ease's the alien takeover of the planet. However, a major departure from the original plot will be the fact that the visitors have been infiltrating human society with "sleepers" for decades and that their public appearance is actually the final stage of the master plan...like I said, minor spoiler alert.
Although Kenneth Johnson, who created and was so intimately involved with the NBC production of the first mini-series, is not involved with what you will see tonight on ABC, he not only, "wishes them well", but also, "does not see the ABC project as an obstacle to his [long-time] determination to make a feature-length film based on the V concept, for which he still owns the rights.
There has been much hype originating from the ABC/Disney universe over renewing this classic for another generation, and many other critics who have already seen the first episode have said that it is nothing short of spectacular.
As a true fan of the original I will keep my mind open to this "reimagining".
It certainly will best the original for production values and special effects. Although as an aside, true fans of sci-fi can tell you that in productions from 25 or 30 years ago the hokieness not only wasn't a negative factor, but actually played into the mix that made great sci-fi shows even better. The question I will carry is not whether the new V will be a visual treat, it is whether it will highlight the kind of spiritual, mental, and psychological struggle that ensues when the very survival of humanity is threatened.
So tonight, I and many others will be watching our TVs to see and if this new incarnation of V is truly all that it has been promoted to be...and if it's really good, on the commercial breaks we might even occasionally be check the skies just to make sure there's no one out there.
Below is a little tidbit I found on the interwebs! ENJOY! V for VICTORY!
But the show went a bit deeper than that. So much of the best drama that made the show memorable, not necessarily the best visual scenes per say, (like Jane Badler's supervillian, Diana, swallowing a whole guinea pig) but the best dramatic scenes were borne of how the conflict affected the groups themselves. Much of the best fighting in the show wasn't between humans and visitors, it was between humans and humans, and visitors and visitors.
Sadly, NBC executives decided to cancel the show. Since the choice was made so close to the end of the first season in 1985, producers were left with no choice but to proceed as planned and end the show's TV run on a cliffhanger. V fans were left in agony, and the original show has been a cult classic ever since.
(MINOR SPOILER ALERT) Indeed, that same kind of species infighting will play as a major part of the plot of the ABC production as humankind becomes enthralled with the visitors which consequently ease's the alien takeover of the planet. However, a major departure from the original plot will be the fact that the visitors have been infiltrating human society with "sleepers" for decades and that their public appearance is actually the final stage of the master plan...like I said, minor spoiler alert.
Although Kenneth Johnson, who created and was so intimately involved with the NBC production of the first mini-series, is not involved with what you will see tonight on ABC, he not only, "wishes them well", but also, "does not see the ABC project as an obstacle to his [long-time] determination to make a feature-length film based on the V concept, for which he still owns the rights.
There has been much hype originating from the ABC/Disney universe over renewing this classic for another generation, and many other critics who have already seen the first episode have said that it is nothing short of spectacular.
As a true fan of the original I will keep my mind open to this "reimagining".
It certainly will best the original for production values and special effects. Although as an aside, true fans of sci-fi can tell you that in productions from 25 or 30 years ago the hokieness not only wasn't a negative factor, but actually played into the mix that made great sci-fi shows even better. The question I will carry is not whether the new V will be a visual treat, it is whether it will highlight the kind of spiritual, mental, and psychological struggle that ensues when the very survival of humanity is threatened.
So tonight, I and many others will be watching our TVs to see and if this new incarnation of V is truly all that it has been promoted to be...and if it's really good, on the commercial breaks we might even occasionally be check the skies just to make sure there's no one out there.
Below is a little tidbit I found on the interwebs! ENJOY! V for VICTORY!
Here is the link to the original PDF file for those interested:
http://www.paperfoldables.com/vguy_paperfoldable.pdf
http://www.paperfoldables.com/vguy_paperfoldable.pdf