"V" -- New Series -- "Pilot" -- Premieres 11/03/09

[Snowmaker]

Originally Posted by rfduncan

Was I the only one amused that Joel Grestch steps out of the front door of the church in the beginning to find Leo in his wheelchair on the middle landing of two flights of stairs? How the HELL did he get there in a wheelchair? If someone helped him, why did they just leave him halfway up the steps?

I noticed that too and wondered how the hell he got up there.

[CPA-ESQ.]

Originally Posted by Snowmaker

I noticed that too and wondered how the hell he got up there.

me too

[CPA-ESQ.]

I guess I'm in the minority and liked the 1hr premiere.

Here's why. We all know they are aliens so let's get to the point quickly. We don't need a remake of the original miniseries, what I want to know is if this show is going to do something different and if it is worth watching.

I have been burnt numerous times with shows that take too long to get to the point / move the plot along - Jericho, 3rd season of Lost, Flash Fwd.

I guess I don't get that much time to watch tv - so I want to invest that time wisely.

[critterdvd]

According to Ausiello's twitter "V" premiered very strongly at # 2 for the night (behind NCIS). "more details to comes later"...

Looks like all the publicity paid off!

[Snowmaker]

So have any religious nuts come forward yet complaining about the Jesus crucifix in the church crashing to the floor and shattering into a million pieces? I figure the same people that got offended by the Curb episode last week would bitch about this just as much.

[Deep_lurk]

Originally Posted by Giantrobo

To each their own.

"much more shallow than the original series"

You can post all the mocking rolling laughs that you want, that does not change that 1.) I specified "the original miniseries" not the corny full series and 2.) the first miniseries was a dark, opressive allegory for Nazis and fascism in WWII. In fact, the producers of the original had wanted to do a miniseries explicitly about WWII, but the TV execs convinced them to Sci-Fi it up.

I'm sorry that you aren't bright enough to notice the symbolism of the original that is removed in the new one, making it much more banal. But have fun with your little icons.

Edit to add this-- the original version of that info is something that I remember reading in a TV guide article contemporary to the 2nd mini or the series, but I found a version on the web.

http://scifitv.suite101.com/article....lassic_revised

"After a run of successes in science fiction, Johnson wanted to take a different direction with a political drama inspired by the 1935 novel It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, about the rise of fascism in America. His idea was tell a story of the rise to power of a fascist group and the consequences of what followed. Johnson proposed the concept to Warner Brothers Studios who liked it but felt it was too subtle for American audiences and that the threat should come from an outside tyrannical force.

Although Johnson resisted the idea of returning to sci-fi he saw an opportunity to tell his story but as an allegory of Nazi – occupation. The fascists became aliens and Johnson fuelled the Nazi symbolism even further with the Visitor’s uniforms similar to that of the Third Reich with an emblem resembling the Swastika. There is even a reference to the Youth Program of Nazi Germany, which the aliens called the Visitor Friends Program. It too provided a haven for disaffected youth while indoctrinating them to the Visitors’ cause. There were also collaborators who turned a blind eye to the Visitors nefarious plans and of course resistance cells determined to expel their invaders."

[riley_dude]

Originally Posted by critterdvd

According to Ausiello's twitter "V" premiered very strongly at # 2 for the night (behind NCIS). "more details to comes later"...

Looks like all the publicity paid off!

But will the ratings start declining after people sample it much the same was as Flashforward?

[pinata242]

Originally Posted by Deep_lurk

I'm sorry that you aren't bright enough to notice the symbolism of the original that is removed in the new one, making it much more banal. But have fun with your little icons.

This looks to be more entertaining that V!

[Michael Corvin]

Originally Posted by Red Dog

Scott Wolf was the weakest part of this IMO. He just doesn't look or sound like a newsman. Is he that bad an actor in other things? I did like the question about why they are all good-looking though.

100%

He's there supposed to be dealing with this morality choice of whether to be popular or have some integrity and his 18 year old baby face just looks constipated. He was terrible.

Originally Posted by pinata242

Joel Gretsch (the priest - Taken, 4400) and Scott Wolf appear to be the strong points of the show besides the eye candy (and they're not bad themselves ).

Gretsch was great, and I agree, he seems like he will continue to be one of the strongest points of the show. See above for Wolf.

[milo bloom]

Well, I didn't hate it, but I didn't fall absolutely in love with it either. Is the next ep next Tuesday?

While it did seem to pack in a lot of info into one hour, as others have noted it was nice to just get to the damn point. I wouldn't mind seeing an occasional flashback to those first three weeks down the road, or at least extended eps on the DVD.

I barely remember watching the original series, just a few image/memories, I'll have to keep my eye out for a cheap copy of the original.


And the point about Morena's character always looking like she's holding back the pure evil was spot-on.

[Holysmoker]

Originally Posted by pinata242

I liked the first 8 or 9 minutes, but the 20-30 that followed that was about the most asinine TV I've seen in some time. The acting is horrendous, the FBI is made to look like a couple of renegade Private Dicks, and common sense and logic are thrown out the window.

This. Except I didn't like the first 8 or 9 minutes either. I've liked just about everything Elizabeth Mitchell has done. But this show was weak. Not just the FBI stuff either. ("He was tortured before he was killed."...Duh!?) The goo-goo eyes between her son and the blonde had me cringing. All the "dude" talk between him and his friend as well. I don't think I even made it halfway through. I'm out.

[Red Dog]

Originally Posted by milo bloom

While it did seem to pack in a lot of info into one hour, as others have noted it was nice to just get to the damn point. I wouldn't mind seeing an occasional flashback to those first three weeks down the road, or at least extended eps on the DVD.

Yeah. I think the way they approached this from the start makes it easy to do flashbacks of how they infiltrated various societies.

[Red Dog]

Originally Posted by Deep_lurk

You can post all the mocking rolling laughs that you want, that does not change that 1.) I specified "the original miniseries" not the corny full series and 2.) the first miniseries was a dark, opressive allegory for Nazis and fascism in WWII. In fact, the producers of the original had wanted to do a miniseries explicitly about WWII, but the TV execs convinced them to Sci-Fi it up.

I'm sorry that you aren't bright enough to notice the symbolism of the original that is removed in the new one, making it much more banal. But have fun with your little icons.

Edit to add this-- the original version of that info is something that I remember reading in a TV guide article contemporary to the 2nd mini or the series, but I found a version on the web.

http://scifitv.suite101.com/article....lassic_revised

"After a run of successes in science fiction, Johnson wanted to take a different direction with a political drama inspired by the 1935 novel It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, about the rise of fascism in America. His idea was tell a story of the rise to power of a fascist group and the consequences of what followed. Johnson proposed the concept to Warner Brothers Studios who liked it but felt it was too subtle for American audiences and that the threat should come from an outside tyrannical force.

Although Johnson resisted the idea of returning to sci-fi he saw an opportunity to tell his story but as an allegory of Nazi – occupation. The fascists became aliens and Johnson fuelled the Nazi symbolism even further with the Visitor’s uniforms similar to that of the Third Reich with an emblem resembling the Swastika. There is even a reference to the Youth Program of Nazi Germany, which the aliens called the Visitor Friends Program. It too provided a haven for disaffected youth while indoctrinating them to the Visitors’ cause. There were also collaborators who turned a blind eye to the Visitors nefarious plans and of course resistance cells determined to expel their invaders."

I loved the original, and I am sucker for those kind of stories on creeping fascism (such as Babylon 5) but why would you want the same approach taken with this one? It was already done in V and done well.

[rfduncan]

Originally Posted by Red Dog

I loved the original, and I am sucker for those kind of stories on creeping fascism (such as Babylon 5) but why would you want the same approach taken with this one? It was already done in V and done well.

I agree. All they'd be doing is updating the (horrible) special effects. Taking this new direction is what drew me into considering watching this series (as with the new Battlestar Galactica. Otherwise, there's plenty of NEW stuff on that is genuinely new and not a rehash (e.g. Bionic Woman and Knight Rider) in which I'd rather invest my time.

[GizmoDVD]

Did big ratings...

[OldDude]

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin

100%

He's there supposed to be dealing with this morality choice of whether to be popular or have some integrity and his 18 year old baby face just looks constipated. He was terrible..

Many relatively recent events confirm that jounalist integrity has suffered greatly. I think he acted it as most journalists would -- a minor struggle where success quickly trumps integrity. A minor constipated look and the battle is over. (sorry, fodder for the Political forum)

[critterdvd]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

Did big ratings...

I'm hearing just south of 14 million. Not bad for a sci-fi show. Let's just hope it can keep it above 10 for the rest of the year/season (I have a hard problem considering episodes airing six months apart as part of the same season).

[DJariya]

Huge ratings last night.

13.9M viewers and 5.0 in the 18-49 demographic.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/11/04...s-follow/32541

[Michael Corvin]

Originally Posted by OldDude

Many relatively recent events confirm that jounalist integrity has suffered greatly. I think he acted it as most journalists would -- a minor struggle where success quickly trumps integrity. A minor constipated look and the battle is over. (sorry, fodder for the Political forum)

I don't have a problem with a character grappling with that decision, I have a problem with the fact Wolf doesn't have the chops to pull it off successfully. I had zero doubt that he was going for the popular vote. He just wasn't convincing as a newscaster in the least.

[Red Dog]

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin

I don't have a problem with a character grappling with that decision, I have a problem with the fact Wolf doesn't have the chops to pull it off successfully.

I agree 100%. It's basically the same story as the female newscaster in the original and I find the story (career ambition/fame vs. ethics) believeable.

[Draven]

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin

I don't have a problem with a character grappling with that decision, I have a problem with the fact Wolf doesn't have the chops to pull it off successfully. I had zero doubt that he was going for the popular vote. He just wasn't convincing as a newscaster in the least.

But isn't that the point? The specifically said he was just there to read the news. I thought he came across as a young anchor that doesn't really have any credibility to his name.

[DJariya]

It was nice to see Kenneth Johnson get a "Story By" credit and a "Created By" credit. I'm sure he will be happy to see the checks come in the mail.

[riley_dude]

Originally Posted by DJariya

It was nice to see Kenneth Johnson get a "Story By" credit and a "Created By" credit. I'm sure he will be happy to see the checks come in the mail.

I remember reading about a month ago that they were in court because the Producers didnt want his name on it.

A consensus of reviews...http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/v2009

[Deep_lurk]

Originally Posted by pinata242

This looks to be more entertaining that V!

It is a pet peeve about those "rolling on the floor laughing" icons. This is supposed to be a forum with civil discourse between members. I know plenty of forums allow personal attacks without restrictions, but DVD Talk tries to be above that. The "rolling on the floor laughing" icon is the virtual stand-in for laughing in someone's face at their idea-- not laughing with them-- laughing at them. If you would not do something so rude as to laugh in the face of someone you are having a civil conversation with in the real world, then you shouldn't do it on the internet. It is flame bait.

[Tommy Ceez]

Anna is hot but her characters complete resemblance to Sheldon Cooper is creeping me out!