I think the producers are trying to re-invent the show through this remake. Instead of making it a mystery about the aliens' true motivations, they've decided to set up the conflict as being a small resistance building up to fight aliens everyone else is coming to trust. In that respect, I think it's a clever idea. Trying to remake the original series would've been a mistake because everyone who'd seen it or heard about it would've known the ending already and there'd be no suspense in dragging out the reptiles reveal. The point of this show seems to be not what are the aliens trying to do, but how will the characters who know the truth fight them?
I didn't feel like this pilot kicked into high gear till the last 15 minutes when the two twists of who are really V's all along were explained - I must admit I never saw either of those coming. I didn't love or hate the pilot either but I think this is a good way for them to set up the story. It wasn't very well edited and it did feel rushed but it did leave off in a place where I want to tune in to see what happens next, so I consider that a successful sign of any pilot.
Dan
· 2 months ago
I agree that ANY story of this nature has certain expectations built in, and the setup stands no chance of surprising anyone. Every time giant spaceships descend from the skies, it's rarely GOOD news in TV/film fiction, is it? So yes, I can understand their thinking in just getting on with things -- but I still think they missed a trick in not slowing things down (why the "three weeks later"? jump so early.)
It was good enough for me to tune in for the next four episodes, sure. But, by the end, I didn't feel psyched about nu-V... I just felt that we'd reached a certain point TOO quickly, and all that lay ahead was seeing a group of humans try in vain to convince everyone that the aliens are malevolent. It suddenly hit me that we've seen this a million times before (not just in the '80s original) and there was no FRESHNESS to anything here. No new angle on things.
Mind you, I'm intrigued about how the V's wil stop the truth getting out in this day and age. If Erica had a cameraphone on her, she could have uploaded everything to YouTube within 30 minutes and started the ball rolling. People may not believe the footage is real, but people are naturally skeptical and I'm sure an internet-driven anti-V campaign would be up and running in no time. How the Visitors will tremble at our online petitions and Twitter outrage... mwahahaha.
shelly
· 2 months ago
The thought of Erica tweeting her outrage just made me LMAO...I loathe Twitter so much, I think I'd rather take my chance with the Vs! ;)
I agree that there's no way they could've made this original, not when it's a premise that has been hashed to death already. The best they can hope for is something entertaining and maybe a bit compelling and whatever the pilot's flaws, it was both of those things in my opinion. I'm certainly far more interested in this than I ever was in the snoozefest known as Flashforward. The biggest problems I see with this are more that it may not last long - ABC will either jerk it around or it'll have a big ratings dropoff next week and be cancelled.
I was thinking about how in this day of age and technology the truth could be suppressed, too, but then if the closet V dude (can't remember his name) could've kept his secret under wraps for so long (I'm presuming he's been on earth for years?) they must have their ways somehow?
Dan
· 2 months ago
Well, Flashback's premise was at least something that felt fresh and got you thinking. All I'm thinking about V right now is: how can they stop it becoming a rehash of Earth Final Conflict, The Invaders, and... er, ITSELF. I didn't get a sense it has anything NEW to offer us (especially people who remember '80s V), beyond better special effects.
And, oh yes, glad you mentioned the Visitors who are sympathetic to humans and want to help us. Okay, nice enough idea, until you think about it deeper. I mean, surely one could just go online or on live television, rip off their flesh, reveal their lizard selves and tell everyone what's really going on. How will the writers get out of that tight spot? They'll probably claim it would just cause mass panic, or something, I guess.
shelly
· 2 months ago
I guess I'm at an advantage there since I've never seen Earth: Final Conflict or The Invaders. Though I did see the To Serve Man episode of The Twilight Zone so the hostile aliens premise isn't completely unfamiliar. :)
ABC will definitely air all 4 episodes before the hiatus so we should get an idea of where the show is going by then. Which reminds me, I need to find the season-long promo that aired after the episode, my stupid dvr cut off in the middle of it.
Dan
· 2 months ago
I guess I'm at an advantage there since I've never seen Earth: Final Conflict or The Invaders.
E:FC came after '80s V, although Gene Roddenberry had the idea sometime in the '60s or '70s, IIRC. It has a lot of similarities with V, although the aliens weren't hiding their true forms and looked appropriately "alien" (and fortunately not scary). I can well imagine V treading a similar path.
ABC will definitely air all 4 episodes before the hiatus so we should get an idea of where the show is going by then.
Yeah. I'm guessing we'll begin to see why they're refusing to show the rest until next March -- particularly given the huge ratings, which you'd think would mean ABC would be keen to show more now while the show is hot. Everything post-ep4 must be pretty shaky if even ABC daren't risk showing them.
4LeafClover
· 1 month ago
there's nothing post-ep4 (other than scripts, i guess), because they start filming ep5 in january. I got the feeling from the pilot that, just like Dollhouse, the network interfered and asked for a different rhythm or something. Maybe they killed 8 episodes, mixed them around and produced 4 instead. I know the premiere was pushed back, because of reshooting, so maybe that's the problem.
And I'm from Romania, so I didn't see the original V, so I have nothing to compare it with. But I liked it, even if it was rushed, and I can't wait to see what they do with the next episodes...
Dan
· 1 month ago
I think the reshooting was possibly to blame for the rushed feel. Maybe they had originally done a better job at drip-feeding the information, but the network got itchy feet about withholding so much and wanted them to up the pace? I don't know. It's all idle speculation. I just hope ep2-4 are good. I'll hopefully have my review of 1.2 up tomorrow.
bob
· 1 month ago
Late to the party but I just saw this and am so unimpressed. At this pace it should all be wrapped up in the next episode.
Apart from the severe pacing problem making the series of revelations instant duds, I also found the Republican message quite distasteful. The "oh no! Nationalised healthcare!" moment was particularly poor taste, I thought.
All Comments
I didn't feel like this pilot kicked into high gear till the last 15 minutes when the two twists of who are really V's all along were explained - I must admit I never saw either of those coming. I didn't love or hate the pilot either but I think this is a good way for them to set up the story. It wasn't very well edited and it did feel rushed but it did leave off in a place where I want to tune in to see what happens next, so I consider that a successful sign of any pilot.
It was good enough for me to tune in for the next four episodes, sure. But, by the end, I didn't feel psyched about nu-V... I just felt that we'd reached a certain point TOO quickly, and all that lay ahead was seeing a group of humans try in vain to convince everyone that the aliens are malevolent. It suddenly hit me that we've seen this a million times before (not just in the '80s original) and there was no FRESHNESS to anything here. No new angle on things.
Mind you, I'm intrigued about how the V's wil stop the truth getting out in this day and age. If Erica had a cameraphone on her, she could have uploaded everything to YouTube within 30 minutes and started the ball rolling. People may not believe the footage is real, but people are naturally skeptical and I'm sure an internet-driven anti-V campaign would be up and running in no time. How the Visitors will tremble at our online petitions and Twitter outrage... mwahahaha.
I agree that there's no way they could've made this original, not when it's a premise that has been hashed to death already. The best they can hope for is something entertaining and maybe a bit compelling and whatever the pilot's flaws, it was both of those things in my opinion. I'm certainly far more interested in this than I ever was in the snoozefest known as Flashforward. The biggest problems I see with this are more that it may not last long - ABC will either jerk it around or it'll have a big ratings dropoff next week and be cancelled.
I was thinking about how in this day of age and technology the truth could be suppressed, too, but then if the closet V dude (can't remember his name) could've kept his secret under wraps for so long (I'm presuming he's been on earth for years?) they must have their ways somehow?
And, oh yes, glad you mentioned the Visitors who are sympathetic to humans and want to help us. Okay, nice enough idea, until you think about it deeper. I mean, surely one could just go online or on live television, rip off their flesh, reveal their lizard selves and tell everyone what's really going on. How will the writers get out of that tight spot? They'll probably claim it would just cause mass panic, or something, I guess.
ABC will definitely air all 4 episodes before the hiatus so we should get an idea of where the show is going by then. Which reminds me, I need to find the season-long promo that aired after the episode, my stupid dvr cut off in the middle of it.
E:FC came after '80s V, although Gene Roddenberry had the idea sometime in the '60s or '70s, IIRC. It has a lot of similarities with V, although the aliens weren't hiding their true forms and looked appropriately "alien" (and fortunately not scary). I can well imagine V treading a similar path.
ABC will definitely air all 4 episodes before the hiatus so we should get an idea of where the show is going by then.
Yeah. I'm guessing we'll begin to see why they're refusing to show the rest until next March -- particularly given the huge ratings, which you'd think would mean ABC would be keen to show more now while the show is hot. Everything post-ep4 must be pretty shaky if even ABC daren't risk showing them.
And I'm from Romania, so I didn't see the original V, so I have nothing to compare it with. But I liked it, even if it was rushed, and I can't wait to see what they do with the next episodes...
Apart from the severe pacing problem making the series of revelations instant duds, I also found the Republican message quite distasteful. The "oh no! Nationalised healthcare!" moment was particularly poor taste, I thought.