"V": A Refresher Course

"V": A Refresher Course

While there is a lot of heat building behind ABC's new version of "V", there are likely a number of people who have no idea what the concept is. For veteran fans and newcomers alike, consider this piece a quickie course in "Visitors 101."

By EdGross - Jun 25, 2009 01:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi

The Visitors are returning.

V-STARTU
"The Vis-i-who?" some of you may be asking, but for the uninitiated, "V" was a sci-fi miniseries that aired in 1983 and was viewed by an estimated 65 million people.
The four-hour spectacular postulated that alien space vessels come to earth and begin hovering over all of the planet's major cities. Its inhabitants identify themselves as the Visitors, who claim to be humanity's friend. According to their leaders, they've come to earth seeking our help: it seems they need a chemical that is natural here that will save their people. In exchange, we're promised cures to all of our ills.

It all sounds good, until the truth is discovered by a handful of people: the Visitors are a race of reptilian beings disguised as humans who have actually come to steal the water, harvest the humans as food and lay this planet to waste. A resistance movement rises to fight back and expose the Visitors for what they are, thus laying the groundwork for a six-hour miniseries follow-up ("V": The Final Battle, airing in May of 1984) and the subsequent "V": The Series, which ran for a single season beginning in the fall of that year.

Mark_Singer_as_Mike_Donovan
That should have been it, but it wasn't. "'V' never really died," offers actor Marc Singer, who played cameraman/resistance member Mike Donovan in the original. "I think the fan support over the years has been the lifeblood of the series, but it has been on life support. It's been comatose, and it's awaiting revival."
That time has come.

For the rest of this story, please click HERE.

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LEEE777
LEEE777 - 6/25/2009, 1:57 PM
V is growing on me ED!!! ; )
ManhuntersBastardChild
ManhuntersBastardChild - 6/25/2009, 1:58 PM
hmm...this sounds promising! I had heard alot about the series, but never actually sought it out. I wonder if the original is still worth seeing if a "new version" is being made.
ThisFan
ThisFan - 6/25/2009, 2:01 PM
at comic con they are showing the pilot episode. i plan to go to that so i will write a review for what i thought
EdGross
EdGross - 6/25/2009, 2:03 PM
Glad to hear that, Leee. Obviously the effects and that sort of thing from the original are somewhat dated, but the power of the storyline really does hold up. And I really do have high hopes for the remake. They're going to be screeening it at Comic-Con, so I'm looking forward to that as well as speaking to whichever cast members are there.

And MBC, if you do seek out the original, you would be better off watching things in order (the original miniseries, "V": The Final Battle and the series, though the series has got some SERIOUS problems in terms of budget and scripts. I think if you start with the new version and THEN go back to the original, there's no way the original can compare to modern day effects, editing and that sort of thing.
EdGross
EdGross - 6/25/2009, 2:04 PM
By the way, I hope you'll follow the link over to the full arrticle at Earths Mightiest.
ManhuntersBastardChild
ManhuntersBastardChild - 6/25/2009, 2:20 PM
thanks, Ed, sound logic that I will follow. Just loaded the miniseries and final battle into my queue! Will go for the series if those two go down well!
EdGross
EdGross - 6/25/2009, 2:29 PM
Cool, MBC. I'd be curious to hear what you think about it.
superdog
superdog - 6/25/2009, 2:39 PM
im actually excited about this show. if nothing else we'll see laura vandervoot again. but i think it could be a good quality sci-fi show, which means it will be cancelled in a couple of weeks.
Bamf7
Bamf7 - 6/25/2009, 2:47 PM
I'm looking forward to it too! I never watched the original...but my best friend loved it and speaks really highly of it. I'm excited for this new version!
EdGross
EdGross - 6/25/2009, 2:48 PM
I had misgivings about it, frankly, but then I saw the ABC promo and I have to say, I'm pretty excited.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 6/25/2009, 2:49 PM
Okay ED will do! ; )

I hope this is as good as the new BSG was! Heck, i'll be watching it anyway! ; D
spideysweb
spideysweb - 6/25/2009, 4:08 PM
I can't wait for this...loved the original. Thanks for the article Ed
spideysweb
spideysweb - 6/25/2009, 5:15 PM
leee i remember you a while back putting V down....ahhh i see you have finally come over to the V side..lol
shibazz
shibazz - 6/25/2009, 8:43 PM
Just go to google and type in Reptilian Race or planet Nibiru. The resistance begins.
xobten
xobten - 6/26/2009, 5:05 AM
Anyone know when this is actually airing ??
EdGross
EdGross - 6/26/2009, 5:49 AM
ABC hasn't announced an airdate yet. I'll be at Comic-Con, by the way, and should be scoring interviews with whoever's there from the show.
BCat
BCat - 6/26/2009, 6:03 AM
Veteran here!!

I'm pleased to say that I was one of those kids, horrified seeing Diana swallow a rat and scared witless when the Visitor took his face off for a hiding Donovan to see lol

Really looking forward to seeing what they do with this!
EdGross
EdGross - 6/26/2009, 6:22 AM
The one aspect of the new version that I'm not crazy about -- besides the lack of uniforms we've seen so far -- is the notion that the Visitors have been living among us for some time, presumably to weaken us from within. Sounds a little too "Dark Skies" (The Hive), "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (the changelings) and Battlestar Galactica (the Cylons) to me, but I'm open-minded enough to see how they're going to approach it.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 6/26/2009, 8:41 AM
sounds interesting.
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