Aliens in America

This show is one of the best shows that I have come across in recent years. However, I am afraid Aliens in America, much like the other great shows (Freaks and Geeks, Arrested Development, etc.) will have an early death due to low ratings (while Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Girls Next Door continue to live). If you have any interest in checking this show out, please do, you will certainly not be disappointed with it's smart comedy and extremely original ideas. I will also add that although it may take place in high school about a nerd, it does not feel too much like a teen comedy and feels much more like a Judd Apatow film, but clean enough to be aired on television.

A Pakistani foreign exchange comes to live with a family in Wisconsin. A comedy about teens in high school, friendship and general cultural clashes. There are some Christianity vs. Islam touches, however I do believe Dave Chappelle said it best that "America has to have an honest discourse with itself".

It has good actors and good writing, as you can tell by Dan Byrd moving on to another great show, "Cougar Town" not to Mention Lindsey Shaw to "Ten Things I Hate About You". I think that these are much better fits for these two actors however this show was a very good starting point for the two. Bringing in Amy Pietz was also a great move, I think of her as a combination of Fran Drescher (The Nanny) and Marisa Tomei. I've been a fan of hers ever since "Caroline in the City".

However, since it came out on the CW network, it would be tough to sell this to their audience. This is meant for an edgier network. This is typical of them, the same thing happened with Reaper, another great show that was cut short in it's prime. I do think it's still a good show, and should be a nice thing to kill a couple of days with. Eighteen (18) episodes at 30 minutes each is Nine (9) hours, so I also recommend this to marathon with friends, if you're up for it :)

Pakistani exchange student Raja (Adhir Kalyan) moves in with a Wisconsin family (Amy Pietz, Scott Patterson, Lindsey Shaw, Dan Byrd). This provides for some great comedic possibilities. However that well starts to run dry and they didn't make the transition to a traditional sitcom nicely. It's not surprising that it didn't make it pass its first season.

I like everybody. Maybe the problem was that they couldn't mix the seriousness of being Muslim in America with the cuteness of the traditional family sitcom. Maybe America was just not ready for a Muslim lead. Maybe the writing could be better.

2007/2008 will be remembered for very boring new shows; "Aliens In America" was probably the only glimpse of hope in a very dry year.

Comparing this wonderful show to the ongoing "Little Mosque In The Prairie" would be a mistake. "Little.." is a rather bland, predictable comedy, very much in the 80's style.

"Aliens.." however had it all: Topical issues, sharp humour, superb writing, dream cast and high production levels. and above all it was the funniest show on television. It is a must see.

It is regrettable and sad that CW has chosen to end the one show that really brought home a devoted and cheerful audience. Shame on them!

This show is really ahead of its time. It humanizes Muslims, exposing stereotypes of Muslims and also of racism in general. I think it's clear that the producers don't have a huge budget, but I think they have done an excellent job with what's available, and I really hope that this show survives and grows in popularity. It's interesting to watch and is very funny. All of the characters do a good job acting, and I think most people can relate to Justin, the main character, who is suffering from being teased in high school. He is very human. So when he begins to accept and befriend a Muslim, and they both grow to understand and care about one another, it gives a very powerful message.