Dave, with his thousands of ideas as to the invasion’s causes and effects, first entertains the idea of an alien invasion. Could the invasion be a military conspiracy? Could Homestead be the starting battlefield? What if Homestead wasn’t the first town to be invaded? Is all mankind doomed?
Invasion is also reminiscent to the science fiction film Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. But the dangers aren’t as real or immediate. As a television series, Invasion must pace itself in order to achieve a greater payoff for the devoted audience. Slowly (and I mean slowly) but surely the show reveals many tidbits of information through the investigation by Dave and Russell as to the origins of the “hybrids.” But I think this pace is a little too slow. Looking at the DVD box set, it is titled “The Complete Series.” No doubt the show reached a premature end, but given a whole 22-episode season the stories could have gone somewhere. Throughout most of the episodes, Russell is out looking for clues, and grumbling about trying to protect his family, while his wife is constantly worried sick and his children become to feel thoroughly neglected.
The emphasis on the family and how family bonds give strength is a nice foundation to work the series around. But science fiction needs more story and more suspense. The shift between the investigation and the troubles at home are too abrupt and don’t connect as smoothly as I think series creator Shaun Cassidy intended. Although, the town itself and the invasion’s ramifications on it are touched upon in the latter episodes through instances like the high school’s segregation between the hybrids and the humans. This catches Jesse and Kira into an extremely complicated situation.
The biggest problem I have with the show is that I’ve never been able to grasp its believability. The idea of ordinary folks like Russell and Dave trying to rise up to do extraordinary things like stop an alien invasion and save the planet seems sort of preposterous and pretentious to me. Maybe I’m reminded too much of the Donald Sutherland version of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (which everyone should, it’s a great movie), and it depressed the hell out of me. The odds seem so stacked against the Underlays and the Varons. You want to root for them, but it all seems so hopeless. But that’s my problem.
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