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V (1983 miniseries)
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This article is about the original 1983 miniseries. For other versions, see V (franchise).
V
V-2001DVDcover.jpg
2001 DVD cover
Genre Science fiction
Written by Kenneth Johnson
Directed by Kenneth Johnson
Starring
Jane Badler
Frank Ashmore
Bonnie Bartlett
Diane Cary
Michael Durrell
Robert Englund
Faye Grant
Richard Herd
Richard Lawson
Peter Nelson
David Packer
Neva Patterson
Andrew Prine
Marc Singer
Jenny Sullivan
Blair Tefkin
Penelope Windust
Michael Wright
Theme music composer Joe Harnell
Country of origin United States
Original language English
No. of episodes 2
Production
Executive producers
Kenneth Johnson
Brandon Tartikoff
Producers
Chuck Bowman
Patrick Boyriven (associate producer)
Cinematography John McPherson
Editors
Paul Dixon
Alan C. Marks
Robert K. Richard
Jack W. Schoengarth
Running time 189 min
Production companies
Kenneth Johnson Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Distributor Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Release
Original network NBC
Picture format Color
Audio format Mono
Original release May 1 –
May 2, 1983
Chronology
Followed by V: The Final Battle
V: The Second Generation (novel)
V (or V: The Original Miniseries) is a two-part American science-fiction television miniseries, written and directed by Kenneth Johnson. First shown in 1983, it initiated the science-fiction franchise concerning aliens known as the "Visitors" trying to gain control of Earth and of the ways the populace reacts.
Contents
1 Plot summary
2 Origins
3 Historical references
4 Legacy
5 Production notes
6 Marketing
7 Cast
8 Releases
9 Novelization
10 References
11 External links
Plot summary
A race of aliens arrives on Earth in a fleet of 50 huge, saucer-shaped motherships, which hover over major cities across the world. They reveal themselves on the roof of the United Nations building in New York City, appearing human, but requiring special glasses to protect their eyes and having a distinctive resonance to their voices. Referred to as the Visitors, they reach out in friendship, ostensibly seeking the help of humans to obtain chemicals and minerals needed to aid their ailing world, which is revealed to be a planet orbiting the star Sirius. In return, the Visitors promise to share their advanced technology with humanity. The governments of Earth accept the arrangement, and the Visitors, commanded by their leader John and his deputy Diana, begin to gain considerable influence with human authorities.
Strange events begin to occur. Scientists in particular become the objects of increasing media and public hostility. They experience government restrictions on their activities and movements. Others, particularly those keen on examining the Visitors more closely, begin to disappear or are discredited. Noted scientists confess to subversive activities; some of them exhibit other unusual behaviors, such as suddenly demonstrating hand preference opposite to the one they were known to have.
Television journalist cameraman Michael Donovan covertly boards one of the Visitors' motherships. Donovan discovers that beneath their human-like façade—a thin, synthetic skin and human-eye contact lenses—the aliens are carnivorous reptilian humanoids with horned foreheads and green, scaly skin. He also witnesses them eating whole live animals such as rodents and birds. Donovan, who first took footage of one of the alien ships flying overhead while on duty in El Salvador, records some of his findings on videotape and escapes from the mothership with the evidence. However, just as the exposé is about to air on television, the broadcast is interrupted by the Visitors, who have taken control of the media. Their announcement makes Donovan and his close friend and assistant Tony fugitives pursued by both the police and the Visitors.
Scientists around the world continue to be persecuted, both to discredit them (as the part of the human population most likely to discover the Visitors' secrets) and to distract the rest of the population with a scapegoat to whom they can attribute their fears. Key human individuals are subjected to Diana's special mind-control process called "conversion", which turns them into the Visitors' pawns, leaving only subtle behavioral clues to this manipulation. Others become subjects of Diana's horrifying biological experiments.
Some humans (including Mike Donovan's mother, Eleanor Dupres) willingly collaborate with the Visitors, seduced by their power. Daniel Bernstein, a grandson of a Jewish Holocaust survivor, joins the Visitor Youth and reveals the location of a scientist family, his neighbors the Maxwells, to the alien cause. One teenager, Robin Maxwell, the daughter of a well-known scientist who went into hiding, has a sexual relationship with a male Visitor named Brian, who impregnates her as one of Diana's "medical experiments".
A resistance movement is formed, determined to expose and oppose the Visitors. The Los Angeles cell leader is Julie Parrish, a biologist. Donovan later joins the group, and again sneaking aboard a mothership in search of Tony, who was captured, he learns from a Visitor named Martin that the story about the Visitors needing waste chemicals is a cover for a darker mission. The true purpose of the Visitors' arrival on Earth was to conquer and subdue the planet, steal all of the Earth's water, and harvest the human race as food, leaving only a few as slaves and cannon fodder for the Visitors' wars with other alien races. Martin is one of many dissidents among the Visitors (later known as the Fifth Column) who oppose their leader's plans and would rather co-exist peacefully with the humans. Martin then reveals to Donovan that Tony is dead, a victim of Diana's monstrous experiments. Afterwards, he befriends Donovan and promises to aid the Resistance. He gives Donovan access to one of their sky-fighter ships, which he quickly learns how to pilot. He escapes from the mothership along with Robin and another prisoner named Sancho, who had aided Robin's family in their flight out of occupied Los Angeles.
The Resistance strikes its first blows against the Visitors, procuring laboratory equipment and modern military weapons from National Guard armories to carry on the fight. The symbol of the resistance is a blood-red letter V (for victory), spray-painted over posters promoting Visitor friendship among humans. The symbol was inspired by Daniel Bernstein's grandfather Abraham, a Holocaust survivor.
The miniseries ends with the Visitors now virtually controlling the Earth, and Julie and Elias sending a transmission into space to ask other alien races for help in defeating the occupiers.
Origins
Inspired by Sinclair Lewis' antifascist novel It Can't Happen Here (1935), director–producer Kenneth Johnson wrote an adaptation titled Storm Warnings in 1982. The script was presented to NBC for production as a television miniseries, but the NBC executives rejected the initial version, claiming it was too "cerebral" for the average American viewer. To make the script more marketable, the American fascists were recast as man-eating extraterrestrials in order to capitalize on the popularity of franchises such as Star Wars. V, which cost $13 million ($33,000,000 today) to make,[1] premiered on May 1, 1983.[2][3]
Historical references
With the Visitors' swastika-like emblem, their SS-like uniforms, and their German Luger-like laser weapons, the miniseries became an allegory of Nazism.[4]:28[5]:254–255 A youth auxiliary movement called the "Friends of the Visitors" has similarities to the Hitler Youth, while the Visitors' attempts to co-opt television news reporters suggests the Nazi-era propagandization of news through the film industry.[4]:35 The miniseries' portrayal of human interaction with the Visitors bears resemblance to Occupied Europe during World War II, with some citizens choosing collaboration, while others join underground resistance movements.[4]:77 Where the Nazis persecuted primarily Jews, the Visitors were depicted persecuting scientists, their families, and anyone associating with them.[5]:254 As the Visitors start eliminating scientists who could reveal their true nature, a Jewish family is shown hesitating helping their scientist neighbor and his family, until their grandfather suggests that to do otherwise would mean they had not learned anything from the past.[6][7]
Legacy
The two-part miniseries ran for 200 minutes; the first part was the second-most popular program of the week, with 40% of the viewing television audience at that time watching it.[1] Its success spawned a sequel, V: The Final Battle, which was meant to conclude the story. In spite of the apparent conclusion, this was then followed by a weekly television series, V: The Series, from 1984 to 1985 that continued the story a year after The Final Battle. Johnson left V during production of The Final Battle due to disagreements with NBC over how the story should progress.[8]
In November 2005, Entertainment Weekly named V one of the 10 best miniseries on DVD.[9] The article noted, "As a parable about it-can-happen-here fascism, V was far from subtle, but it carved a place for lavish and intelligent sci-fi on TV. Its impact can still be felt in projects like Taken and The 4400."[9] (The 4400's executive producer Scott Peters later helmed ABC's 2009 reboot.[9]) In December 2008, Entertainment Weekly put V on its list "The Sci-Fi 25: The Genre's Best Since 1982", and called Visitor leader Diana's devouring a guinea pig "one of the best TV reveals ever."[10]
For many years, Johnson has campaigned to revive V, and even wrote a sequel novel, V: The Second Generation, which picked up the story 20 years after the original miniseries (but omitted the events of The Final Battle and V: The Series). Warner Bros. Television (which owns the television rights to the V franchise) declined to make a continuation as Johnson had planned, and opted for a remake instead. A reimagining of V premiered on ABC on November 3, 2009, and ran for two seasons.[11][12] Though Johnson was not involved in the remake, which featured all new characters, executive producer Scott Peters said that it would nod to the most iconic moments from the original franchise and may potentially include actors from the original in new roles. Both Jane Badler and Marc Singer appeared in the second season. As of 2009, Johnson has also said he is still moving ahead with his plans for a big-screen remake of his original V miniseries[13][14] though no progress has been made.
On February 6, 2018, Desilu Studios announced that it would be producing a feature film of V. The film was to be written and directed by Kenneth Johnson, and produced by John Hermansen, Barry Opper, and Johnson. Johnson added, "We are delighted to team up with Desilu to bring the timeless — and timely — story of resistance against tyranny into the 21st century ... V will be the first of a cinematic trilogy, which will tell the full epic tale in the manner I always envisioned."[15] However, in late 2018, CBS (owners of the Desilu name) reportedly had initiated legal action against Charles Hensley, a convicted marketer, whom they claim used the Desilu Studio name to influence investment into a shell company.[16]
Production notes
Production was halted for two weeks when Dominique Dunne, the 22-year-old actress originally cast to play the part of Robin Maxwell, was murdered outside her apartment by her ex-boyfriend while rehearsing with actor David Packer.[17] Some scenes with her are still in the original series, but only of the back of her head. Blair Tefkin was hired on to play Robin after her death.
Johnson subsequently dedicated the series to her memory.
Marketing
The viral marketing campaign was unique. Posters appeared in train stations of a smiling man behind wraparound sunglasses, others grinning along with him, with only a motto "The Visitors are our friends" to explain it. Days later, those posters had a red "V" (for "victory") spray-painted on them. Nothing suggested this was an advertisement for a television show, which made the marketing even more intriguing.[18]
Cast
Humans
Character Actor
Mike Donovan Marc Singer
Juliet Parrish Faye Grant
Ben Taylor Richard Lawson
Caleb Taylor Jason Bernard
Elias Taylor Michael Wright
Kathleen Maxwell Penelope Windust
Robert Maxwell Michael Durrell
Robin Maxwell Blair Tefkin
Polly Maxwell Viveka Davis
Abraham Bernstein Leonardo Cimino
Stanley Bernstein George Morfogen
Lynn Bernstein Bonnie Bartlett
Daniel Bernstein David Packer
Ruby Engels Camila Ashland
Kristine Walsh Jenny Sullivan
Arthur Dupres Hansford Rowe
Harmony Moore Diane Civita
Eleanor Dupres Neva Patterson
Tony Wah Chong Leonetti Evan C. Kim
Sancho Gomez Rafael Campos
Brad William Russ
Sean Donovan Eric Johnston
Visitors
Character Actor
Diana Jane Badler
John Richard Herd
Steven Andrew Prine
Martin Frank Ashmore
Willie Robert Englund
Brian Peter Nelson
Barbara Jenny Neumann
Lorraine Greta Blackburn
Visitor Captain Stack Pierce
Releases
The miniseries was first released as V: The Original Miniseries on VHS during the mid-1990s, and later on DVD in 2001. The VHS release was in 4:3 fullscreen format as originally broadcast, while the DVD release is in a matted 16:9 widescreen format. The miniseries was originally filmed in open matte format, with director Kenneth Johnson stating he had also composed the picture to be more or less "widescreen-safe" in the event that it got an overseas theatrical release, which it did not.[citation needed] It was released on Blu-ray on August 27, 2019.
Novelization
A. C. Crispin wrote a 402-page V novelization in 1984 for Pinnacle Books that combined both the original miniseries and The Final Battle. Following the release of V: The Second Generation in 2008, Tor Books re-released the original miniseries' section of Crispin's book, with a new epilogue by Johnson that tied the events of the first miniseries with Second Generation.
References
Bedell, Sally (May 4, 1983). "'V' SERIES AN NBC HIT". The New York Times. p. 27. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
Gross, Edward (Fall 2004), ""Visiting Hours" TV's Most Famous Alien Invasion Saga Comes Home To DVD", CFQ Spotlite (1)
Original Miniseries DVD commentary.
Copp, Dan (August 2015). Nazi Lizards from Outer Space: The Politics, Literature, and Cultural History of Kenneth Johnson's "V" (Master's thesis). Murfreesboro, TN: Middle Tennessee State University. No.1597421ProQuest 1718550153.
Koistinen, Aino-Kaisa (December 2011). "Passing for Human in Science Fiction: Comparing the TV Series Battlestar Galactica and V". NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research. 19 (4): 249–263. doi:10.1080/08038740.2011.621898.
Booker, M. Keith (2004). Science fiction television : a history (1. publ. ed.). Westport, CT [u.a.]: Praeger. p. 91. ISBN 9780275981648.
Johnson-Smith, Jan (2005). American Science Fiction TV : Star Trek, Stargate and Beyond. Great Britain: Wesleyan U Pr. p. 121. ISBN 978-0819567383.
Johnson, Kenneth (Writer/Director) (2001). V: DVD commentary (DVD). Warner Home Video.
Susman, Gary (November 17, 2005). "Mini Splendored Things". Entertainment Weekly. EW.com. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
Jensen, Jeff (December 11, 2008). "The Sci-Fi 25: The Genre's Best Since 1982". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
Rice, Lynette (July 25, 2009). "V: ABC's alien series invades Comic-Con — but does it come in peace?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
Sullivan, Brian Ford (August 8, 2009). "ABC Books V for November 3rd". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
Schneider, Michael (October 30, 2009). "'V' voice revisits familiar turf". Variety.
Lee, Patrick (August 11, 2009). "V producer on who might return and other homages". SYFY Wire. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
"'V The Movie' Coming From Original Creator Kenneth Johnson And Desilu Studios"
"CBS Lawsuit Claims “Desilu Studios” Brand Was Used To Dupe Investors"
Justice: A Father's Account of the Trial of his Daughter's Killer, Vanity Fair, March 1984
Johnson, Allan (August 12, 1996). ""V": It was a different kind of mini-series when NBC first..." Chicago Tribune.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: V (1983 miniseries)
V: The Original Miniseries at IMDb
V: The Original Miniseries at TV.com
V: The Original Miniseries at Rotten Tomatoes
Kenneth Johnson's Official Site
V The Final Battle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
This article is about the sequel to the original 1983 miniseries. For other uses, see V (franchise).
The correct title of this article is V: The Final Battle. The omission of the colon is due to technical restrictions.
V: The Final Battle
V-FinalBattle-2002DVDcover.jpg
2002 DVD cover
Genre Science fiction
Created by Kenneth Johnson
Written by See individual episodes
Directed by Richard T. Heffron
Starring
Marc Singer
Faye Grant
Jane Badler
Andrew Prine
Richard Herd
Michael Durrell
Michael Ironside
David Packer
Peter Nelson
Blair Tefkin
Robert Englund
Michael Wright
Sandy Simpson
Denise Galik
Thomas Hill
Composers Joseph Conlan
Barry De Vorzon
Dennis McCarthy
Country of origin United States
Original language English
No. of episodes 3
Production
Executive producers Daniel H. Blatt
Kenneth Johnson
Robert Singer
Producers Patrick Boyriven
Dean O'Brien
Cinematography Stevan Larner
Editors Michael F. Anderson
Paul Dixon
Running time 272 minutes
Production companies Blatt-Singer Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Distributor Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Release
Original network NBC
Picture format Color
Audio format Mono
Original release May 6 –
May 8, 1984
Chronology
Preceded by V (1983 miniseries)
Followed by V (1984 TV series)
Related shows V (2009 TV series)
V: The Final Battle (abbreviated as V:TFB) is a 1984 American TV miniseries. It is a sequel to the 1983 miniseries V written by Kenneth Johnson about aliens known as "The Visitors" trying to take over Earth.
Johnson parted ways with NBC over creative differences regarding the content of the miniseries; his writing contribution is credited under the pseudonym "Lillian Weezer".[citation needed]
V: The Final Battle is included in the V novelization written by A. C. Crispin.
Contents
1 Synopsis
1.1 Part 1
1.2 Part 2
1.3 Part 3
2 Cast
2.1 Humans
2.2 Visitors
3 Reception
4 Awards and nominations
5 References
6 External links
Synopsis
V: The Final Battle was played out over three episodes, set several months after the events of the original miniseries.
Part 1
Teleplay by Brian Taggert and Peggy Goldman
Story by Lillian Weezer & Peggy Goldman & Faustus Buck (pseudonym for Craig Faustus Buck) & Diane Frolov and Harry & Renee Longstreet
The first episode begins with a nightmare showing Mike Donovan and his son, Sean, trying to escape from a Visitor mother-ship with Visitor troopers in pursuit. Mike is knocked down by laser fire, Sean is shot in the back and apparently killed. Julie rouses Mike from his sleep as the Resistance prepares for a raid on a Visitor processing plant to rescue humans who have been repackaged into food cocoons. The raid is easily thwarted at the plant perimeter, due to the Visitors' advanced armor and security measures. In the raid's debriefing at the Resistance hideout, the team bickers over how things went wrong. Robin Maxwell's pregnancy is also at an advanced stage.
The rebels later get wind of a major event to be held at the Los Angeles Medical Center, where John is expected to announce a medical breakthrough - a universal cancer cure. Because of the extensive media coverage, the rebels infiltrate the hospital. However, while he can provide uniforms for the infiltration, Martin could not supply weapons because all Visitor armories were heavily guarded. The rebels scout the place and secure medical supplies while Robin seeks an abortion with Julie's help. They cancel the abortion because of potentially fatal complications to her.
Meanwhile, television reporter Kristine Walsh begins to doubt her association with the Visitors, because of Mike's request to find Sean aboard the mother-ship and a well-known doctor's stinging criticism of her at the hospital (and sudden turn-around due to Diana's conversion of him). During a scouting mission, the rebels succeed in capturing Willie, a friendly Visitor technician, and his human girlfriend Harmony, whom they bring to their hideout for study.
The hospital raid is a success, with Julie unmasking John's true, reptilian nature. Martin and Lorraine, another member of the Fifth Column, prevent the mother-ship from cutting off the live feed. Diana also kills Kristine after she disobeys her orders to dispel the incident as a terrorist hoax and makes a desperate call for rebellion. After a fire fight inside the hospital corridors, the rebels escape with help from the Fifth Column, who have assigned a transport crew to "capture" them; however, it is a Pyrrhic victory, as Julie (who got separated during the escape) is captured during her own attempt to escape from the hospital.
The fiasco of the previous evening forces Diana to have the scene re-enacted under heavy security, stage managing the audience at gunpoint, to be passed off as the actual broadcast with Eleanor DuPres eagerly taking Kristine's place reporting the event. As it concludes, Stephen tells John and Diana they have the location of the resistance base and that troops are on their way.
On the mothership, Juliet is being brainwashed in the conversion chamber. As she writhes in discomfort, Diana watches, claiming Julie will be her masterpiece.
Part 2
Teleplay by Brian Taggert and Diane Frolov
Story by Lillian Weezer & Diane Frolov & Peggy Goldman & Faustus Buck
Two mercenaries, Ham Tyler and associate Chris Farber, join the Resistance. Ham reveals the existence of an international resistance force that can supply armor-piercing ammunition plus other effective weapons for the war.
The Visitors storm the hideout, but the rebels escape with the help of Tyler and Farber and further advance warning from Ruby, who's now working at their security headquarters as a cleaner. They relocate to an old western movie studio.
Julie is forced to endure another conversion session. The chamber inflicts horrifying hallucinations on Julie's mind, designed to turn her into a Visitor ally. However, she proves quite strong, forcing Diana to continually increase the intensity of the process. This eventually causes Julie to go into cardiac arrest and nearly die. Despite Julie's failing health, she is subjected to another session. Frustrated with Julie's resistance, Diana takes the power of the chamber to maximum. Now in intense agony, Julie struggles to resist. Just as her heart is beginning to give out, Julie is broken. After the session, Mike Donovan bursts in and attempts to shoot Diana, but Jake kills him in time. Seeing this, however, appears to snap Julie out of her conversion. It is later revealed that the man appearing to be Mike is a Fifth Column agent in disguise.
Because of the danger of Fifth Column infiltration (especially now with the arrival of Diana's superior, Squadron Commander Pamela), Martin suggests that all major prisoners be transferred from the mother-ship to the security headquarters on the ground for further protection. Mark's girlfriend, Maggie Blodgett, who has seduced collaborator and Visitor Youth member Daniel Bernstein, brings this information to the rebels, who see the opportunity and rescue Julie. Daniel, however, kills Ruby after she cuts the power for the laser fencing, a critical part of the operation.
Once again in the ranks of the Resistance, Julie tells the others of a 30-day plan to steal all the water from southern California by means of a water pipeline to a Visitor mother-ship. With the aid of devices that shift their voices and make them similar to the Visitors, the rebels scout the facility and prepare to destroy it. Tyler questions Julie's loyalty, convinced she had been converted. She responds firmly and retains command in front of the others. In private, however, she is mentally scarred from her torture aboard the mothership. She finally seeks comfort in Mike's arms. At the same time, Maggie confronts Mark over their relationship in light of her undercover liaison with Daniel. They make peace, and he proposes to her.
The attack on the water facility goes as planned, and after placing explosives, a fire-fight ensues between the rebels and the aliens. Mark is wounded and sacrifices his life to cover the escape - something that Maggie would grieve over.
Later on, Diana and Stephen appear in a news bulletin along with Sean, whom Stephen had Brian take out of stasis per a favor from Eleanor. It is a clear invitation for Mike to surrender to them in exchange for his son. Mike gives himself up and is taken on a mother-ship, while Ham and Julie bring Sean to safety. The rebels relocate to an old city jail afterwards, where their prisoner Willie gradually wins their trust when he helps Robin through her pre-labor stage.
A Fifth Column agent named Oliver visits Mike at his cell and offers a suicide pill to prevent him from divulging information about the Resistance and the Fifth Column, in light of Diana's ultra-potent truth serum. Jake kills Oliver and Diana injects Mike with the drug. The effects take place immediately, with Mike forced to compromise Martin, who is present. Martin tries to shoot Diana, but she escapes with the knowledge that Martin is a Fifth Columnist. Donovan and Martin hide in the mother-ship's air shafts.
The episode ends when Robin goes into labor and via a caesarian section gives birth to dizygotic twins - a human looking girl with a forked tongue, and a reptilian boy with blue human-like eyes.
Part 3
Teleplay by Brian Taggert and Faustus Buck
Story by Lillian Weezer & Faustus Buck & Diane Frolov & Peggy Goldman
The first few days after Robin's delivery prove to be challenging for her and the others. The male child dies while the baby girl, Elizabeth, begins to grow at a rapid rate. Julie and Robert's analysis of the male child's corpse reveals certain bacteria that only affected the boy despite his proximity to Elizabeth in the uterus. Encouraged by the sudden development, the duo decide to culture the germs as a potential weapon.
Mike Donovan and Martin skydive out of the mothership and Martin hides with other ground-based Fifth Columnists. After Mike reaches the jail, the team discuss testing the bacterium, now called the "Red Dust," but reject Ham's suggestion of using Willie as a guinea pig. Instead, the rebels capture Brian at the Bernstein house and frame Daniel. Stephen retaliates by sending Daniel off to be processed as food.
The team locks up Brian, and Robin (with Elizabeth in tow) visits him in the middle of the night. However, the family reunion is short, as Robin seeks revenge by throwing a vial of the Red Dust into Brian's holding chamber, with fatal results. Father Andrew Doyle, the team's resident priest, carries Elizabeth off to safety while the others look at the outcome. While Ham and Mike mull over capturing a Visitor Youth member to be used as a test subject, Julie enters the chamber and proves the dust is non-lethal to humans.
Father Andrew brings Elizabeth to Diana, who makes them feel welcome, but later murders the priest after reading the Bible; the Bible makes Diana realize she is 'vulnerable.' The danger of compromise forces the rebels to evacuate and regroup at a coastal lighthouse complex, where more Red Dust stocks are produced. Ham and Mike also get into a small but physical argument over delivering the stocks to other resistance groups when a vaccine was not yet complete, one that would protect the Fifth Columnists.
Martin later asks Mike to stop producing the toxin, revealing the Visitors contingency plan: using their mothership as a doomsday device if the situation was lost. Despite the team's debate over whether to attack or not, Elias successfully appeals to take a chance and possibly save the world.
The planning sessions take place, but Julie notices Sean overhearing the details. She then tells Mike of the possibility that Sean was converted before the exchange, which Ham later confirms. Sean escapes the hideout to warn the Visitors, but the original plan of using United States Air Force planes to spray the toxin into Earth's atmosphere turns out to be a ruse; the rebels will use hot air balloons instead. Martin and a number of Fifth Column members arrive at the complex aboard a Visitor tanker vehicle, which will carry a stock of Red Dust for dispersal aboard the mother-ship. They are later given a vaccine for the Red Dust.
The raid begins in earnest and Sean's false information leads the bulk of the Visitor forces to secure all airbases for an attack that never arrives. The tanker strike team manages to steal aboard the mother-ship, where Mike closes all security feeds as the rest of the team pump the toxin into the ventilation system. Robert, Ham, and Chris lead the assault on the Visitor security headquarters. Red Dust mortar blasts eliminate the defenders with no human casualties. Desperate to escape, Stephen kills Eleanor, but Ham takes him down long enough to douse his face with a bag of Red Dust. The balloons' mass dispersal of Red Dust around the world will allow the deadly bacteria to multiply in the Earth's ecosystem. The Visitor forces evacuate Earth.
Diana activates the doomsday device aboard the Los Angeles ship before shooting John, who did not want any part of it. Mike, Julie, Elias, and Lorraine get pinned down by Visitor troops in a ventilation tunnel. The Red Dust begins to circulate, killing more soldiers. Martin joins up with them as they face Diana on the bridge, where Lorraine and Mike attempt to disarm the auto-destruct sequence. The other rebels and Visitors evacuate the ship while Martin attempts to move the ship up and out of the atmosphere beyond Earth orbit. Diana uses her conversion of Julie to distract her long enough to escape. Elizabeth steps up and stops the countdown with her latent superhuman powers. Martin then brings the mother-ship back to Earth.
Cast
Humans
Marc Singer as Mike Donovan
Faye Grant as Juliet Parrish
Michael Ironside as Ham Tyler
Mickey Jones as Chris Farber
Thomas Hill as Father Andrew Doyle
Michael Durrell as Robert Maxwell
Viveka Davis as Polly Maxwell
David Packer as Daniel Bernstein
Neva Patterson as Eleanor Donovan Dupres
Blair Tefkin as Robin Maxwell
Michael Wright as Elias Taylor
Jason Bernard as Caleb Taylor
Hansford Rowe as Arthur Dupres
Jenny Sullivan as Kristine Walsh
Diane Civita as Harmony Moore
Denise Galik as Maggie Blodgett
Sandy Simpson as Mark
Eric Johnston as Sean Donovan
Jenny Beck as Elizabeth Maxwell
Visitors
Jane Badler as Diana
Sarah Douglas as Pamela
Richard Herd as John
Andrew Prine as Stephen
Frank Ashmore as Martin
Robert Englund as Willie
Peter Nelson as Brian
Greta Blackburn as Lorraine
Stack Pierce as Jake
Reception
Like the first miniseries, V: The Final Battle was successful for NBC. Its three parts averaged a 25.1 rating and 37 share, beating ABC's miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii, which aired on the same days as The Final Battle.[1] Ed Siegel of The Boston Globe stated that The Final Battle was "by far the better" of the two and "spirited escapist entertainment", but still "rather uninspired". He judged both inferior to PBS's Concealed Enemies, which Siegel stated "treats its audience as if it has an IQ above 25."[2]
In his review for the New York Times, John J. O'Connor opines how "in its own dizzy way, 'V' is rarely less than compelling," adding that, "the continuing saga is still impressive where it counts most in this sort of science-fiction caper. The overall look and the special effects are remarkably striking, perfectly calibrated for the context of the small television screen."[3]
Awards and nominations
Year Association Category Result
1984 36th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound Editing for a Limited Series or a Special Nominated
Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Visual Effects Nominated
1996 Saturn Award Best Genre Video Release Won
References
Prial, Frank (May 12, 1984). "TV Notes: Strike at NBC During Convention is Threatened / 'V' for Victory for NBC". The New York Times (Vol. 133, No. 46, 042). Retrieved April 10, 2017.
Siegel, Ed (May 6, 1984). "THIS WEEK'S TV FARE: HISS-BOOM-BAH". Boston Globe.
O'Connor, John J. (May 6, 1984). "TV View; In Its Own Dizzy Way, 'V' Gallops Briskly Along". The New York Times (Vol. 133, No. 46, 036). Retrieved 10 April 2017.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: V The Final Battle
Kenneth Johnson's Official Site
V: The Final Battle at IMDb
V The Final Battle at TV.com
vte
The V franchise
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Films directed by Richard T. Heffron
Categories: 1980s American science fiction television series1980s American television miniseries1984 American television series debuts1984 American television series endingsAnthropophagy in fictionNBC original programmingSaturn Award-winning television seriesTelevision series by Warner Bros. Television StudiosTelevision sequel filmsTelevision shows set in Los AngelesV (franchise)
V (1984 TV series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the original series. For the 2009 series, see V (2009 TV series). For other versions, see V (franchise).
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V
Genre Science fiction
Created by Kenneth Johnson
Starring
Marc Singer
Faye Grant
Jane Badler
Lane Smith
Blair Tefkin
Jennifer Cooke
Michael Ironside
Michael Wright
Robert Englund
Jeff Yagher
June Chadwick
Composer Dennis McCarthy
Country of origin United States
Original language English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 19 (+1 unfilmed) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Daniel H. Blatt
Robert Singer
Producers Dean O'Brien
Skip Ward
Running time 47 minutes
Production companies
Daniel H. Blatt-Robert Singer Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Distributor Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Release
Original network NBC
Picture format Color
Audio format Mono
Original release October 26, 1984 –
March 22, 1985
Chronology
Preceded by
V (1983 miniseries)
V: The Final Battle
Related shows V (2009 TV series)
V (also known as V: The Series) is an American science fiction television series for the 60-minutes (47 to 49 minutes without commercials) weekly that aired in the United States on NBC from October 26, 1984, to March 22, 1985. It is a continuation of the V franchise about an alien invasion of Earth by a carnivorous race of reptilians known as "Visitors", which was originally conceived by American writer, producer, and director Kenneth Johnson. Johnson, however, was not involved in the production of the weekly series.
Contents
1 Plot
2 Cast and characters
2.1 Main cast
2.2 Supporting cast
3 Intro
4 Episodes
4.1 Aftermath
5 Reception
6 Production notes
7 Comic book
8 Toys and Collectibles
9 Awards and nominations
10 References
11 External links
Plot
Following directly on from the events of the mini-series V (The Final Battle), the alien Diana escapes from her captured mothership in a shuttle, but is pursued by resistance member Mike Donovan. After a short fight, Donovan captures her.
One year after the day the Red Dust was deployed, now the international holiday called "Liberation Day", the former members of the Resistance and their Fifth Column allies have gone their separate ways and are each looking forward to prosperous careers and bright futures. As Diana is about to be put on trial for the atrocities she committed during the First Invasion, the company responsible for mass production of the Red Dust, Science Frontiers, has her abducted and taken to a secret cabin in the woods outside Los Angeles, where the company's CEO, Nathan Bates, offers Diana better accommodations in exchange for providing him with access to alien technology.
Donovan and Martin, meanwhile, pursue Nathan's agents in a stolen helicopter. After reaching the cabin, Donovan is knocked unconscious by Martin, who wants Diana dead. Before Martin can kill her, Diana is able to overpower him, stealing his pistol. She forces him to surrender his last antidote pill so she can temporarily survive on Earth and then shoots him, enabling her escape to the Southwest Tracking Station.
Martin tells Donovan about Diana's plan to contact the Visitor Fleet moments before his death, and Donovan sets off after her on foot. Donovan meets Ham Tyler, on Bates' payroll, and the two agree to pursue Diana together. Their attempts to stop her fail, and Diana escapes to a shuttle sent by a Visitor fleet hidden behind the Moon. Diana takes command and launches a full-scale invasion of Earth. She learns that the Red Dust bacterium needs freezing temperatures to regenerate, meaning that Visitor troops can safely attack Los Angeles and other cities in warmer climates.
The Resistance assembles once more, now fighting the Visitors nationwide and also contending with the power-hungry Bates, who has used the power vacuum left behind by the collapse of the government to become governor of Los Angeles, declared an open city to both sides. The Resistance fights however it can, often joined by other rebel groups. Although 50% of the Earth is still protected from The Visitors by the Red Dust, the Resistance cannot use any more of it due to the toxic long-term effects it will have on the environment. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, who has transformed yet again and now looks like a young adult, becomes increasingly important in the cause for Earth's freedom, eventually controlling the destiny of both races and deciding the outcome of the conflict.
Cast and characters
Many of the cast and characters reprised their roles from the original miniseries and V: The Final Battle. The only character to be played by different actor was Sean Donovan (Nicky Katt replaced Eric Johnston in the role).
Main cast
Jane Badler as Diana – Supreme Commander of the Visitors
Marc Singer as Mike Donovan – Co-Leader of the Resistance (former TV cameraman)
Faye Grant as Juliet Parrish – Founder of the Resistance (former medical student)
Robert Englund as Willie – Visitor Resistance member
June Chadwick as Lydia (episodes 2–8; 10-19) – Fleet security officer sent by the Leader to Earth to commence the second invasion, she resents Diana's disobedience of command.
Michael Wright as Elias Taylor (episodes 1–11) – A now semi-retired Resistance member, Elias runs the Club Creole restaurant, which becomes the informal headquarters of the Resistance. Continuing to sympathize with the Resistance, Elias provides employment and safe refuge to Willie and Elizabeth. Club Creole is destroyed by a Visitor raid and Elias is later killed attempting to rescue Robin Maxwell.
Lane Smith as Nathan Bates (episodes 1–13) – CEO of biotech company Science Frontiers, which mass-produced the Red Dust toxin. Bates' thirst for power sees him consistently blackmail Diana to gain control of the Los Angeles area, which becomes an "open city." He is killed by his henchman, Mr. Chiang.
Jeff Yagher as Kyle Bates (episodes 3–19) – The disowned rebel son of Nathan Bates, Kyle joins the Resistance, eventually becoming one of its leaders. He falls in love with Elizabeth, and then apparently stows away on The Leader's spacecraft to follow her when she goes into space.
Michael Ironside as Ham Tyler (episodes 1–12) – A former CIA agent and Resistance hitman, he is actually in the employ of Nathan Bates as a hitman when the series begins. He soon defects back to the Resistance, but is captured and undergoes conversion by Charles to assassinate Mike. The assassination attempt is unsuccessful, and Ham later departs for Chicago with Chris and Robin. The Ham Tyler character was to have returned in the unfilmed final episode of the first season, although there is no information on whether Ironside would have reprised the role
Jennifer Cooke as the post-metamorphosis Elizabeth (episode 2–19) – She searches for her mother, Robin. She falls in love with Kyle, which is complicated by Robin's own attraction to him. Elizabeth possesses supernatural powers, which she uses to assist the Resistance. She communicates and meets with the Leader to negotiate peace.
Blair Tefkin as Robin Maxwell (episodes 1–12) – Elizabeth's mother. At the start of the series, Robin has gone missing. She reunites with Elizabeth after the latter's metamorphosis, but tension soon runs high between mother and daughter after Robin learns that Kyle, to whom she is attracted, has eyes for Elizabeth. Robin and Elizabeth eventually reconcile. After another Visitor tries to impregnate her, Robin leaves Los Angeles for Chicago in the company of Chris Farber and Ham Tyler.
Supporting cast
The following cast appear in multiple episodes:
Frank Ashmore as Martin and twin brother Philip (episodes 1; 14–19) – A Fifth Column leader and friend of Mike, Martin attempts to assassinate a captured Diana, but she manages to kill him and escape from the Resistance. Martin's identical twin, Philip, is an Inspector General who comes to Earth to investigate the murder of Supreme Commander Charles. Philip himself eventually joins the Fifth Column.
Aki Aleong as Mr. Chiang (episodes 1–14) – A henchman of Nathan Bates, Chiang is tasked mainly with tracking Kyle. While Bates is in a coma from being shot accidentally during a plot to assassinate Mike, Chiang betrays Bates and makes a deal with the Visitors. The deal sees Chiang murder Bates in order to gain control of Los Angeles. Kyle later kills Chiang as revenge for his father's death.
Mickey Jones as Chris Farber (episodes 9-11) – Best friend of Ham Tyler, he continues to aid the Resistance. He eventually leaves for Chicago with Ham and Robin.
Jenny Beck as young Elizabeth, the Starchild (episode 1) – She retreats into a cocoon by the end of the first episode to undergo metamorphosis. Beck makes another brief appearance as the young version of a clone of Elizabeth that Diana produces to serve her own ends.
Michael Durrell as Robert Maxwell (episodes 1–2) – The scientist father of Robin and grandfather of Elizabeth, Robert is mortally wounded and sacrifices himself to stop the Triax superweapon, saving Los Angeles from destruction.
Duncan Regehr as Charles (episodes 10–13) – Personal envoy of the Leader and a member of the Royal House of Raman, he is sent by the Leader to take over military operations from Diana. He schemes to wipe out the Resistance and kill Mike Donovan. Suave and charismatic, Charles is known as a ladies' man. Annoyed at Diana's defiance of him, he uses his power of betrothal to order her to marry him within 12 hours, so that she will be forced to return to the Homeworld to bear his offspring. After seeing her naked in a ceremonial bath prior to the wedding, however, he changes his mind and arranges for her to stay. Charles dies after Diana, who correctly suspected that Lydia would try to assassinate her by poisoning the wine in her ceremonial chalice, switches her cup with his; Charles drinks the wine and realizes too late that it has been poisoned.
Peter Elbling as Oswald (episodes 15; 17–18) – Visitor underling of Diana, he is a mortician and an interior decorator. Diana had him "procure" several sexual partners for her pleasure, a job he enjoyed immensely. He displays traits of a very flamboyant and openly homosexual man, but had enough modesty and morals to eschew what he considered stereotypical gay behavior, such as "bathhousing and barbarism." Nevertheless, he did enjoy indulging in sexual pleasures on occasion.
Judson Scott as Lieutenant James (episodes 11–19) – Lieutenant Visitor with ambitious goals who beds Diana to climb to the top.
Nicky Katt as Sean Donovan (episodes 5–6) – The son of Mike Donovan, previously converted by Diana and released as a spy in the Resistance. He was later re-captured by the Visitors from a boarding school at Ojai at the start of the series (not seen on screen but discussed). He resists his father's attempts to rescue him.
Howard K. Smith as himself (episodes 3–13) – Smith appeared briefly at beginning of several episodes playing a newscaster (his former real-life profession) describing recent (off-camera) actions by the Visitors and the Fifth Column, sometimes providing expositional background for events in that night's episode. He did not interact with any of the other characters.
Intro
The title sequence for Episodes 1–13 featured theme music derived from incidental music previously used in The Final Battle over the main cast credits.
With Episode 14, a new intro was introduced with Michael Ironside, Lane Smith, Blair Tefkin and Michael Wright removed from the credits along with different theme music and a new monologue describing the premise of the show:
They arrived in 50 motherships offering their friendship and advanced technology to Earth. Skeptical of the Visitors, Mike Donovan and Juliet Parrish infiltrated their ranks and soon discovered some startling secrets.
Juliet Parrish: They're shipping food!
The Resistance is all that stands between us and the Visitors.[1]
Episodes
No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1 "Liberation Day" Paul Krasny Paul Monash October 26, 1984
The first anniversary of the day the aliens were defeated could lead to Earth's last day: alien commander Diana escapes and reunites with her fleet. Diana kills Martin in order to get his supply of the red dust antidote. The Starchild undergoes a strange metamorphosis.
2 "Dreadnought" Paul Krasny Steven E. de Souza November 2, 1984
Diana talks peace while readying the fearsome Triax superweapon that could reduce Los Angeles to rubble. Meanwhile, Resistance fighters activate a new weapon of their own: a captured mothership. Robert Maxwell is killed when he collides the mothership into the Triax in order to destroy it.
3 "Breakout" Ray Austin David Braff May 24, 1985
Combatants held in a Visitor work camp face the flesh-consuming alien monster that guards the camp. Hunters of the 5-year old Starchild are unaware she has morphed into a fully grown woman.
Note: This episode was rejected by NBC in the series' first run because of its violence. It was however shown during the reruns and was included in VHS and DVD releases. However, because of the switch in original order, this episode has continuity errors when watched in the original intended order. For example, while Ham meets Kyle for the first time in this episode, he then meets him again for the first time in the next episode. Robin meets up with the group during this episode, but is once again alone searching for help at the beginning of the next episode. There are also several other minor plot inconsistencies.
4 "The Deception" Victor Lobl Garner Simmons November 9, 1984
Mike awakens to an ideal family life in a world where the Earth has triumphed; however, this life is part of an alien holographic ruse aimed at gathering information about the Starchild Elizabeth.
5 "The Sanction" Bruce Seth Green Brian Taggert November 16, 1984
The top pupil at the visitor Youth Corps is Mike's missing son Sean. Standing in the way of his rescue are a fearsome alien and the boy's conflicted allegiance. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, who is now an adult woman after days previously resembling a ten-year-old, reunites with her mother Robin, who has not seen her since her metamorphosis.
6 "Visitor's Choice" Gilbert M. Shilton David Braff November 23, 1984
Bates imposes a curfew in the open city of Los Angeles in an attempt to curb resistance activity; Donovan and Ham make plans to hit a Visitors' conference.
7 "The Overlord" Bruce Seth Green David Abramowitz November 30, 1984
A citizen who rallies the Resistance to aid a downtrodden mining community has a dangerous secret agenda. Julie faces allegations of treason.
8 "The Dissident" Walter Grauman Paul F. Edwards December 7, 1984
When the Visitors place a force field around Los Angeles, the Resistance captures its creator as part of a plan to shut it down.
9 "Reflections in Terror" Kevin Hooks Chris Manheim December 21, 1984
Bates's trickery signals destruction for the Resistance headquarters. Diana uses a blood sample to generate a deadly clone of Elizabeth, which escapes.
10 "The Conversion" Gilbert M. Shilton Brian Taggert January 4, 1985
After Ham and Kyle are captured, the Leader's envoy Charles programs Ham with a new conversion technique to kill Donovan during a prisoner exchange.
11 "The Hero" Kevin Hooks Carleton Eastlake January 11, 1985
Bates's police arrest Resistance sympathizers, including Robin, and threaten to execute a prisoner a day until Rebel leaders surrender. Elias is killed by a death ray trying to rescue Robin.
12 "The Betrayal" Gilbert M. Shilton Mark Rosner January 18, 1985
Rebels abduct an alien medical student to treat a gravely wounded Willie; Charles plots to overthrow the comatose Nathan Bates.
13 "The Rescue" Kevin Hooks Garner Simmons February 1, 1985
Charles forces Diana to marry him, knowing that alien law requires her to return home to bear his offspring. She is visibly unhappy with the arrangement, but follows through under duress. Lydia is divided in her opinion, while she is happy Diana will be leaving, because of her feelings for Charles, she is also disappointed that he has chosen Diana over her. The Resistance crumbles under heavy fire in Los Angeles, headed by Diana's favoured Lieutenant, James. Julie risks her life to assist with the delivery of a baby to an old friend of hers and his heavily pregnant wife. The birth is a success. Unable to prevent the wedding, Diana is officially wedded to Charles. Lydia in a final desperate attempt to be with Charles, poison's Diana's chalice. In their private quarters Charles and Diana drink together in celebration, with Diana suggesting that Charles "takes her cup" just as he "takes her". They each drink from the other's cup and Charles is poisoned and dies. Lydia enters and is horrified to discover what has happened and Diana orders Lydia's immediate arrest for wanton murder.
14 "The Champion" Cliff Bole Paul F. Edwards February 8, 1985
In the aftermath of a wedding night that left the alien commander dead, Lydia is sentenced to death in a rapid trial headed by Diana. At the last minute, Inspector General Philip (who happens to be Martin's twin brother) arrives, and commutes Lydia's sentence due to lack of evidence that she had intended to kill Charles, especially with the possibility that it may have been Diana who was responsible for the commander's death (she had handed him the poisoned cup after all). Since Lydia's intended target was actually Diana, making Diana the only accuser of the crime, Diana and Lydia put on body armor and pick up laser weapons in preparation for a ritual battle to the death. Lydia is victorious in the battle, but before she can perform the death blow, Philip abruptly halts the proceedings. Mike and Kyle befriend a local resistance force headed by Kathy Courtney. Mike promises Kathy's daughter, Jesse, that he will return to visit them when the war is over. Meanwhile, Philip mentions that another set of fingerprints was found on the bottle of poison and so until the case is fully investigated, Lydia and Diana must look after one another. Should any grievous harm occur to one of them, the other will be automatically accused of the murder of Charles.
Note: New opening credits were introduced in this episode.
15 "The Wildcats" John Florea David Braff February 15, 1985
Rivals become scheming allies when Diana and Lydia learn that if the commander's murderer isn't found, Visitor law requires that all suspects be buried with him. A street gang assists the Resistance.
16 "The Littlest Dragon" Cliff Bole David Abramowitz February 22, 1985
Mike and Kyle come to the rescue of two Fifth Column fugitives, Robert, and his pregnant wife, Glenda (Wendy Fulton), who have survived Diana's purge of the Fifth Column's agents, and escaped from the mothership after Robert sabotaged the proposed mission to kill several Resistance operatives with a hidden explosive device and stole the borellium crystals that powered the LA Mothership's laser cannons. Diana sends out a cadet, Angela, to capture Mike and kill the renegade couple, while Philip follows her. Meanwhile, when the fugitive couple take shelter at a warehouse, Glenda gives birth to an egg hatched into her new baby son, whom Mike and Kyle manage to safely deliver for her. Donovan and Bates succeed in repelling Visitor attackers and Philip, who is revealed to be a leader within the Fifth Column. Angela attempts to kill him but is finally shot down by Glenda.
17 "War of Illusions" Earl Bellamy John Simmons March 8, 1985
A teenaged computer whiz hacks into and disrupts the Visitors' sophisticated new Battlesphere system, but he insists that the Resistance first rescue his father from alien captivity.
18 "The Secret Underground" Cliff Bole David Abramowitz & Donald R. Boyle March 15, 1985
A computerized list of Fifth Columnists has been taken by James, prompting one of them to steal the disk and escape. He is shot and stumbles his way into a hall where the Visitors are preparing for their celebration of Ramalon. This prompts Donovan and Julie to pose as collaborators, go aboard the Mothership, and retrieve the disk.
19 "The Return" John Florea David Braff & Colley Cibber March 22, 1985
Just as James and his shock troops corner the Resistance, Phillip orders the Visitors to cease to all hostilities and return to the Mothership. The Resistance discovers that the Visitors have made a worldwide ceasefire and that a majority are retreating from Earth. Via Elizabeth, it is discovered the Leader is coming to Earth to negotiate peace, and he has asked Elizabeth and the Resistance to come to the Mothership.
Diana and James decide to extend the war by arming the energy swords of Phillip and Donovan during a supposedly non-lethal duel. When this attempt fails, Diana blackmails James into attempting to assassinate the Leader by having his troops blowing up the Leader's shuttle. When the destroyed shuttle is revealed as a decoy, Diana stages a coup and attempts to self-destruct the fusion reactors of the Mothership in order to kill everyone aboard and destroying Earth. It is only the Leader, working through Elizabeth telepathically, who is able to stop the self-destruct.
The Leader arrives, Diana and James are captured, and Elizabeth boards the Leader's shuttle to return to the Visitor home world to guarantee peace. The episode and the series ends on a cliffhanger with Kyle stowing away on the shuttle Elizabeth is traveling in, which also has a "going-away present" from Diana aboard.
Aftermath
Although the show had been cancelled in March 1985, the sets from the production remained in storage for some time as discussions transpired over rendering a conclusion to the V saga. Among the options explored were a stand-alone TV movie or a final miniseries. Several scenarios were discussed:
The Resistance goes to the Visitor homeworld and attempt to stop Diana from assassinating the Leader
An exploration of the aftermath of the peace treaty in "The Return". A hardline US government would impose harsh conditions on the Visitors who choose to remain behind after their race departed, leaving the Resistance to ally with them [2]
In 1989 there was a proposed sequel series by J. Michael Straczynski entitled "V: The Next Chapter" that would have followed up five years after the conclusion of the original show. Ham Tyler would have been the only character to have returned and would have taken place in Chicago. The rest of the remaining cast had been temporarily or permanently written off, with Mike Donovan captured, Willie executed, Lydia assassinated, Julie living in exile in Australia, Diana reassigned, and Elizabeth having died.[3]
Warner Brothers ultimately passed on the project, and Straczynski instead turned to Alien Nation.
Reception
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote: "... a TV series with so much promise – based on two successful, highly rated science fiction miniseries on NBC in the early 1980s – produced such a silly, loathsome mess ... NBC tried to make a weekly series out of [the mini-series that unraveled] the show so terribly it must surely rank as one of the worst TV sci-fi experiments ever. The cast becomes dangerously unstable. Ironside quits in the middle of the show's run with no apparent reason. Others are killed without meaning. The special effects are cheapened and the use of stock footage – previously filmed scenes used again and again – is maddening. (At one point, they actually used stock footage from the previous week's episode.) ... What was once a pretty decent science fiction saga with good drama, humor and suspense ends up becoming "Dynasty" with lizard makeup and laser guns. There's even an episode in which Diana marries her alien boss named (what else?) Charles."[4]
In Nielsen ratings, V finished the season ranked 57th with a 12.5 rating/18 share.[5][6]
Production notes
Despite the high budget, producers had only half the resources given to the production of V: The Final Battle. Executive Story Consultant David Ambromowitz stated, “The budget for the mini-series was about double what we had per hour, so that's what was really difficult. It's impossible to retain the quality of the show with half the money, half the time to shoot things, half the special effects, half the sets, half the characters and half of everything.” [7]
Liberation Day's shot of the alien fleet hiding behind the moon was achieved using models (the 30-inch Saucer in the foreground, newly built smaller ships behind and a 36-inch model of the moon's surface) as the budget was insufficient for optical compositing.[7]
The TV series' single season was released on LaserDisc in Japan in April 1989 (bilingual English/Japanese with subtitles) as a massive 10-disc box set, which included a "Diana Special" (in Japanese only) on side 20. It was later issued on Region 1 DVD in 2004, and Region 2 in 2008.
The weekly series reused a lot of action footage from the mini-series. This was especially evident in the Visitor skyfighter chase scene in the pilot episode, where nearly all external shots were lifted from the climax scene of the original mini-series.
In the original mini-series and The Final Battle, the Visitors' voices were given, among other post-processing, a pitch shift effect. This was dropped from the weekly series.
Comic book
DC Comics published 18 issues of a "V" comic book concurrently with the TV series.[8]
Toys and Collectibles
A 1985 LJN toy line dedicated to the V series was to have been produced, however a March 24, 1985 UPI article on the risks of toy franchising cited that the V line was “not presently in production”.[9]
Awards and nominations
Year Association Category Result
1985 37th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Nominated
References
"The Classic TV Archive "V"". CTVA. Archived from the original on 2017-12-27. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
Finney, Daniel P. (July 27, 2004). ""V" is no victory for fans of '80s sci-fi shows". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"V The Series Review - EP1: Liberation Day Beware the Visitors!". Starlogged. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
Jay, Robert (2010-04-01). "Bookshelf: V Novels and Comic Books". Television Obscurities. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: V (1984 TV series)
V: The Series at IMDb
V: The Series at TV.com
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The V franchise
Series
V: The Original MiniseriesV: The Final BattleV: The SeriesV (2009) episodes "Pilot"
Characters
Los Angeles Resistance CellVisitorsFifth ColumnAuthorities
Spin-off media
V: The Second GenerationVideo game
Categories: 1984 American television series debuts1985 American television series endingsV (franchise)NBC original programmingTelevision series by Warner Bros. Television Studios1980s American science fiction television seriesTelevision shows set in Los Angeles
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