In 1985, I didn't have a VCR. I loved "V" in 1983 and enjoyed "V The Final Battle" in 1984. I was really happy to hear that the struggles of Mike Donovan and the rest of the resistance were coming back as a series. At the time I worked at a local grocery store and, as fate would have it, I was usually scheduled when V the series was on. As a result I only caught a few episodes here and there when I had a day off. It was not as good as the two mini series but I thought it was entertaining. After a mere 19 episodes the show was cancelled and V was gone forever.
Since that time, I ran across friends who didn't like the series. Whenever I found articles about "V", the series follow up was always dismissed as crass exploitation of the franchise. Last week, WB released the series (possibly to test the wind for a new mini series) on DVD for the first time. Finally, after nearly two decades (can it be that long?) I have been able to finally discover what the series was all about. Here are my impressions:
There will be many SPOILERS so please do not read further if you want to be surprised.
1. This series isn't bad. It is not as good as the two mini-series but it is entertaing in its own right. I also think that this show was innovative in the field of TV Science Fiction. Prior to "V", Science Fiction was very episodic. Star Trek, Space: 1999, Logan's Run, Planet of the Apes, Buck Rogers and to a certain extent, Battlestar Galactica all told self contained stories. The plot was resolved by the end of the hour. "V" The series was different in this respect. It had story arcs and continuing plot threads. Every episode ended in a cliff-hanger and it left you wanting more. In this aspect, it has a modern flavor. Like Babylon 5, StarGate SG 1 and Season 3 Enterprise, it tells a big story over a run of several episodes.
2. People could die on "V". For most TV shows, you know that the heroes will make it in the end. Not on "V". Over the 19 episodes, long-standing characters like Dr. Maxwell and Elias Taylor buy the farm surprisingly abruptly. This raised the stakes dramatically and kept the viewer involved in the narrative.
3. The cast was great. Marc Singer was perfectly cast as heroic Mike Donovan. Micheal Ironside ruled as perfect tough guy Ham. Jane Badler was very memorable as Uber-B**ch, Diana. June Chadwick was suitably catty as Diana'a rival Lydia. Duncan Rehgar was fantastic as Charles, the leader's envoy. His fight with Donovan in "The Hero" is classic. He was a great villain and it is a great shock when he is killed after a mere 4 episodes.
4. There is a sense that this is merely a peek at a global war with the Visitors. For the first 12 episodes or so, The Freedom Network newscaster, Howard K. Smith ( A real journalist by the way) reads the headlines on the state of the war. We learn that the Visitors are sweeping through Spain and so forth. This makes us understand that The resistance in LA is only one story in this global conflict. It really gives the story a certain gravitas.
5. The stories are often action adventure tales that are on par with anything that was on the air in the mid 1980s. Unfortunately, the sociological aspects that made the first mini series so memorable are ignored completely. The show, evan though it is watered down, is entertaining in its own right.
There are some things that are unfortunatle about this show:
1. All the SFX are recycled from the two mini series. (I think one new shot was filmed for "The Dreadknot.") Even entire sequences are lifted from the minis. Remember when Donovan is on horseback and is being chased by a skyfighter? Well, the entire sequesce appears again in "The Champion." After a while, it becomes really grating to see the same shots over and over. I know that SFX on TV was really expensive back then but WB should have spent some money on new shots.
2. As the series goes on, it is clear that there was less and less money bugeted for each episode. The first episode, "Liberation Day" has an outdoor crowd scene with hundreds of extras. By the last episode, we only have the main characters walking around on the standing sets. By the end, the production valules of the show looked rather thread bare.
3. The producers decided to exploit the alien lizards by showing them without their Human masks. This was a mistake. The people who created the lizard makeups were not as artful as John Chambers. As a result the lizard appliances were very stiff and immoble. By showing the Lizards in their natural state too often, it undermined their credibility as a frightening threat. The full face lizards were about as scary and convincing as a halloween slip on mask. It became a bit silly.
4. I hate cliffhangers that are unresolved. I can't understand why they would create a cliffhanger for a show that was doing poorly in the ratings. It is really unfair to viewers who watched every episode.
5. The Star Child. One of the big weaknesses of "The Final Battle" was the ending where Elizabeth gets all glowy like Decker in Star Trek the Motion Picture. Elizabeth uses some kind of super powers that come out of nowhere and saves the day. In the series, the Star Child goes through some type of metamorphosis and comes out of a cacoon as a 17 year old love interest. Elizabeth's powers become a crutch that the writers could use to solve any problems that face the main characters. This undermines the drama of the series and cheapens the series. The powers were kind of kooky. The Star Child could levitate objects and people, mimic voices, had a photographic memory, raise the dead etc. She could do whatever the plot required. It was strange that they spent so much time on her character. I guess, as a writer with a deadline, she was really handy to have around.
Well, thats my take on the series. I reccomend that if you like V, chances are you will like the series. It is a more cartoony version of Kenneth Johnson's creation but is worthy as entertainment and a nostalgic trip back to the 80s.
V-The Series. A second look.
