Visitors

I just got my copy of V The Complete Series. I had forgotten about all the 80's make-up and Diana's crazy variations on the standard Visitor uniform. Now don't misunderstand me, I still love anything to do with the Visitors, even down to the ridiculous deus ex machina that is the StarChild. But there is one thing about The Complete Series that aggravates the crap out of me. Suddenly, NONE of the visitors have the strange voice, and I mean none - not even a trace. I have always felt that you can detect the early rumblings of decline of this series about 10 minutes into Final Battle. The Complete Series takes the decay up to quick rot. Martin in plaid flannel and a hunter's vest!? Because NBC(?) wouldn't allow Kenny Johnson to take the time he needed to produce another mini-series that probably would have been fantastic, they took the idea and fobbed it off on less talented, cheaper people.

So....back to my original point- is it just me, or is there simply NO voice? Sorry to be so long winded!

I remember watching the original mini-series in the mid eighties and how it caught my imagination and sense of wonder about the real possibilities of humanity's first contact with an advanced civilization.This mini-series was just amazing as was the second mini-series.Then this came out and it was definitely a diminishing of quality across the boards.I don't think I even made it through all 19 episodes back then in 1985.

It's now 2005 and I only invested in the DVD collection because I've been reading books by David Icke who is this conspiracy theorist who believes our planet has been ruled for the last ten thousand years by a race of shape-shifting reptilian beings from another galaxy who are posing to this day as humans and that they are mostly the ruling elite in all fields of human society.It was in his books that he suggested I watch "V".So I purchased the series and have just viewed the entire 19 episodes.

Irregardless of David Icke's theories I have found V:The Complete Series the most fun I've had in years.Yeah, the series is badly acted and the characters are pretty one dimensional and in the case of Diana and Lydia absolutely campy, but so what? The original Flash Gordon serial is campy and the effects are laughable but I can still enjoy that as much as the first three episodes of Star Wars. V:The Complete Series is 1980's television at it's most fun.I suggest just putting your brain aside while watching this series and you'll be just fine.

It's Liberation Day, a year after driving the aliens from Earth. The mother ship has been captured and being examined by scientists. Elizabeth has superpowers. Diana is on trial. While the situation seems to be going well, dangers persist. The aliens are bound to return.

It is 19 episodes and the last gasp of the original V. It follows two years of mini-series. The first season has a great premise but the second season falters a bit. Recently, I watch this again after three and a half decades. It's better than I remember. This 19 episode season is an improvement over the second mini-series Final Battle. It still has some issues with the scale of the TV production. The story logic is better although they still do the thing where the human rebels are always able to sneak in and win despite overwhelming odds. It's the 80's and realism is rarely on TV. It's canceled after one year. It's 25 years before they try rebooting the franchise. At the end of the day, it's fun 80's sci-fi and is still watchable today.

This wasn't too bad as a sequel to the landmark original TV miniseries "V" and "V:The Final Battle." The special effects could have been better, but overall the series was good and the story lines could have gotten better (they were good in the first place) had the show not been cancelled after just one season. They made a good effort to further develop the characters, especially Elizabeth (the star child) and Willie. Willie had some of the best lines in the show with his bungling of the English language. Each episode was good and unique. It introduced new characters and kept the familiar ones. If you liked the original two miniseries, you might like this weekly show.

** 1/2 out of ****

V and V the final battle is 8 of the best sci-fi hours on video anywhere. Yes it's long but any shorter and it would lose something. All the characters, all the inter-weaving stories and the entire plot are just perfectly executed. The underlying anti Nazi message and WW 2 under tones give the story a depth that make it even better. The special effects are very good for an 80's mini-series. The acting is good. But watching it you're glad they don't cut anything out. The best scene is the birth of the twins. Great sci-fi. If you think Independence Day was good you ain't seen nothin' yet.