And I missed (most of) the first episode of ‘V’
V was a science fiction series from the 1980s, if I recall correctly, and was in some respects just another “alien invasion” story. Those have been told before, and will probably keep being told for quite some time. Independence Day actually owes a great creative debt to V for the image of circular alien ships of massive size descending — and then hovering — over the major cities of the world*.
The titular letter stands for “the Visitors,” the aliens inhabiting the massive spacecraft. Though they come to Earth with messages of peace, harmony, and goodwill, they are in fact carnivorous space lizards bent on turning the race of man into food.
Yeah, it’s been done before, but V did it very well, or so I gather. Well enough, at least, to garner both a cult following and, now, a remake. ABC is the producing channel, rather than Syfy, which is why I missed the damn premiere: mistakenly assuming Syfy would carry the show, I didn’t look for it on other network schedules, because the hotel I’m in at present doesn’t offer Syfy as part of its cable package. It ultimately took this article at Ace’s to correct my misunderstanding, and by then I was only able to catch the last fifteen minutes.
Which, admittedly, were pretty good. I also caught the first eight minutes on Hulu, by virtue of the fact that I’m currently in the United States. Were I in Canada, there’d be no Hulu for me.
Most amusingly, I caught the “universal health care” reference that has evidently caused no small amount of controversy; evidently, many people (including ABC, apparently) are interpreting the new show’s Visitors as an anti-Obama reference…
Imagine this. At a time of political turmoil, a charismatic, telegenic new leader arrives virtually out of nowhere. He offers a message of hope and reconciliation based on compromise and promises to marshal technology for a better future that will include universal health care.
The news media swoons in admiration — one simpering anchorman even shouts at a reporter who asks a tough question: “Why don’t you show some respect?!” The public is likewise smitten, except for a few nut cases who circulate batty rumors on the Internet about the leader’s origins and intentions. The leader, undismayed, offers assurances that are soothing, if also just a tiny bit condescending: “Embracing change is never easy.”
So, does that sound like anyone you know? Oh, wait — did I mention the leader is secretly a totalitarian space lizard who’s come here to eat us?
Welcome to ABC’s “V,” the most fascinating and bound to be the most controversial new show of the fall television season. Nominally a rousing sci-fi space opera about alien invaders bent on the conquest (and digestion) of all humanity, it’s also a barbed commentary on Obamamania that will infuriate the president’s supporters and delight his detractors.
“We’re all so quick to jump on the bandwagon,” observes one character. “A ride on the bandwagon, it sounds like fun. But before we get on, let us at least make sure it is sturdy.”
…so much so, in fact, that parts of the show are being re-shot to tone the message down:
You are going to see the first four hours of “V” as the showrunners intended…because contractural obligations forced ABC to air the show as-is. However, ABC forced major changes that will be seen in March if they bring the show back…those changes are meant to make things more friendly to the current White House at the expense of the show’s premise.
And admittedly, from the glimpses I caught, there are many other things in V that could be interpreted as being shots at the Obama government and its initiatives. The Visitors promise “universal health care,” start a youth-focused “Peace Ambassadors” program that the young enthusiastically flock to, play favourites with media representatives and choose a young reporter who “courageously” contravenes some principle of his as their media mouthpiece.
Sound like anyone? Maybe someone with rather…stately…ears who’s recently won himself some award named for the guy who invented deenameetay?
Anyhow…Hulu will apparently have the full first episode of the series for viewing come Saturday, and I’ll be sure to check it out then. The last few minutes didn’t feature much in the way of effects, apart from some “creature beneath the human visage” makeup effects which were pretty good; the opening eight minutes featured some excellent effects shots which I hope there are many more of.
It also looks like some flavour of priest — I’d bet he’s Episcopalian, though in the original series he was Catholic — plays a pivotal role in forming the human underground resistance to the Visitors. Nice to see believin’ folk end up on the side of good for a change.
