The Lost phenomena might be one of the best things to happen to television. Cookie cutter cop shows (and I really like Law & Order) have dominated the airwaves for far too long. I think people got sick of stories that wrapped up too neatly at the episode’s end.
The ABC show Lost (along with Desperate Housewives) helped to reinvigorate the season-long plot-lines that made watching television shows week after week interesting and relevant. ABC tried to use the formula again with Invasion, a show about water-based extraterrestrials infiltrating Homestead, a small Florida town, told through the eyes of the one extended family, and had mixed results.
The show starts with the touchdown of Hurricane Eve onto Homestead, with images and dialogue reminiscent of any disaster flick. But there is no climax in the pilot episode because the show needs to build the tension and the most terrifying thing to happen in a thriller is for it to climax too early. So the first few episodes of the show just wade in the water, trying to establish characters, their relationships, the setting, and the context.
Tom Underlay (William Fichtner), the town sheriff, coordinates the hurricane relief efforts. He’s married to the hospital’s chief doctor, Mariel Underlay (Kari Matchett). She used to be married to a park ranger named Russell Varon (Eddie Cibrian), and they share two children Jesse (Evan Peters) and Rose (Ariel Gade). Russell is currently married to Larkin Groves (Lisa Sheridan), a local television reporter. Her brother Dave (Tyler Labine) lives with them. Tom has a daughter from his previous marriage Kira (Alexis Dziena). Doesn’t this seem like one big happy family?
The family’s complicated nature parallels the complicated nature of the town in the aftermath of the hurricane. When strange things start to happen, it’s no wonder that no one tries to look for the answers. If problems exist in the home, the town’s state and well-being become less important. Everyone is preoccupied with the cleanup and relief work that no one sees the significance of the strange occurrences like the lights that accompanied the hurricane and remain near the water, the townsfolk who are found naked in the water seemingly unharmed by mother nature, and the slow town restoration process — including a town quarantine — spearheaded by the town sheriff.
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Article comments
1 - Matt Paprocki
So there's nothing on the discs that would have shown where the series would have ended up? That was one of my biggest hopes for this set.
2 - Tan The Man
Nope. I think they thought that the show might get picked up after being cancelled. The CW thought about picking it up, but stopped. I heard the Sci-Fi channel might also do it. If you go to Wikipedia and search Invasion (TV series), you'll find out some season 2 plotlines from the actor who played Dave Gross. Kind of interesting.
3 - DK Brewer
Like some of the other shows in this quasi-real sci-fi-ish drama, this one tried to dole out the reveals to build toward a big finish. Tan you're right about the pilot: they should have done a two-hour movie to establish more in the beginning, which would have helped pick up the pace. And more action, less talk could have only helped.
I cannot speak for the DVDs, but on TV ABC's scheduling of the show certainly did not win it many fans. By the end of the season, I was hooked. While it wasn't a perfect show, there was something to it and I really wanted something more to happen, if only a Sci-Fi channel movie/mini-series to wrap things up. Bummed it didn't happen, and sad for Cassidy, who also did the good and cancelled American Gothic.
4 - Bonnie
Well, I am disappointed to ...
I liked the program and cann't believe they just left it hanging.
With all the other garbage that they have on TV it is a shame they couldn't keep one on that at least had a story line to it instead of soap opera and sex.
5 - Omy Mora
1 in 30 TV show are worth watching. Invassion like Lost is one of them. Well it was. It seem the networks only like generic cop dramas. Shame
6 - Annie
Tan you state that the show was called "Invasion" for a reason and I know that I'm a tad more obssessed with this show than most, but I listened to all that Cassidy and the actors had to say in relation to what this show was all about...and they continually said it was NOT about aliens. It was about the "invasion" of a new stepmother/father; it was about the "invasion" of the new baby. Most of all, it was about the "invasion" of the hurricane and the aftermath effects on this small town. This show was big on metaphors.
I think this show was done a huge disservice by being called "sci-fi". It was a drama with some sci-fi thrown in, but before the end of the season, they had pretty much explained away the alien angle and had shown it to be a step in evolution. There are quite a few instances of Shaun Cassidy being quoted as saying, to paraphrase, that he wanted the show to be more science fact than fiction.
I also agree though with you that it was too slowly paced in the beginning and also that ABC hampered its chances by not letting it just run!
It's a shame that a show that made you think and reflect wasn't given a decent chance.
7 - Wendy Thompson
I loved the series Invasion. Unfortunetely I missed the last episode on the tv. I was told there would not be anothe series. I'm gutted!!!!
8 - Lisa Romaine
I must say that Im not much of a mini series fan or even sci-fi but,i absolutly loved this show and I cant believe that the sci-fi channel didnt pick it up along with surface!
9 - jerry
how is it that when ever you got a great show it becomes incomplete [end] , The show surface clean exsiting but cut short invasion same ,thing. does it mean the only way a show can stay on the air is the ff is present or nudity