Is anyone a fan of "V"--old or new series?

[SilentMute]

I am talking about the series that started out as a TV movie in the early eighties. It was by Kenneth Johnson. It was about aliens who come to earth that look like us, asking for our help to save their dying planet. Then a camera man named Mike Donovan finds out that they are really lizards and that they are here to steal the water and eat humanity. There were two miniseries movies--"V" and "V: the final battle", and a weekly TV series that followed (which kind of sucked).

The series has been revived on ABC--though it has been remade with a new plot, new characters, and new actors. I prefer the old series, mainly because I love Diana (obvious--as she is my avatar and profile picture).

The new series makes a little more sense with its plot. The human characters are not as annoying. I love the old "V", but I was rooting for the resistance to get eaten. The only resistance fighter I liked was Ruby--the others were annoying and self-righteous. I really detested the Maxwells. However, the V's are a little flat in the new series.

Both old and new "V" have their merits. I really do miss Diana, though.

[BienvenuJDC]

I was a big fan of "V". I haven't been able to get into much with this new series since I've got really young kids who get really bored with stuff like that quickly, But I wish I could get back to it.

[janesmith]

I do remember the original series. I haven't seen much of the new one yet but I will try to take a look.

[Maximilianus]

I watched the old series back then when I was a kid and I liked it very much. I can't recall having watched the movies that Silent mentions. I haven't watched the remake yet, but comments are awakening my curiosity, as I am a big TV series ... hmmm... I would say... addict :D

[SilentMute]

ABC has their own web site, and I believe you can watch the episodes free. Another friend of mine watches them when they come to Hulu.

[I]V the original miniseries[I] first introduced the Visitors--detailing when they came to earth and the formation of the resistance. [I]V the final battle[I] was a sequel to the first miniseries. It detailed the birth of the star children--one which gave the Resistance the red dust that they used to get rid of the Visitors. The weekly TV series took place a year later when Diana escapes her captors and calls back the fleet--and the Visitors take over the hotter parts of the planet (since the red dust keeps them out of the colder parts). The miniseries movies were great. The TV series was rather anemic, though it showed some promise when Charles appeared. However, by the third or fourth episode, he was dead.

The new series was a little slow to develop. The original, you cared about the characters right away. The new series, the plot was strong but the characters didn't interest you right away. It is starting to get good now.

[Maximilianus]

ABC has their own web site, and I believe you can watch the episodes free. Another friend of mine watches them when they come to Hulu.
Only available within the US. Broadcasting laws and all. Always happens http://smiles.kolobok.us/standart/nea.gif


[/I]V the original miniseries first introduced the Visitors--detailing when they came to earth and the formation of the resistance. V the final battle[I] was a sequel to the first miniseries. It detailed the birth of the star children--one which gave the Resistance the red dust that they used to get rid of the Visitors. The weekly TV series took place a year later when Diana escapes her captors and calls back the fleet--and the Visitors take over the hotter parts of the planet (since the red dust keeps them out of the colder parts). The miniseries movies were great. The TV series was rather anemic, though it showed some promise when Charles appeared. However, by the third or fourth episode, he was dead.
Only the weekly series was broadcast here, only once or twice per episode. I have forgotten a good part of the plot. I used to watch it with my dad and I should try to trace all this, for the good old times :)


The new series was a little slow to develop. The original, you cared about the characters right away. The new series, the plot was strong but the characters didn't interest you right away. It is starting to get good now.
I have to get to watch it somehow http://smiles.kolobok.us/artists/just_cuz/JC_thinking.gif

[SilentMute]

I thought I had written this, but maybe I forgot to to submit.

If you have better luck getting books--and you don't mind reading--the original minseries (combined with its sequeal [I]The Final Battle[I]) was republished recently. The new series has also came out in book form. I can always provide you with the information if you would like.

[Maximilianus]

I thought I had written this, but maybe I forgot to to submit.

If you have better luck getting books--and you don't mind reading--the original miniseries (combined with its sequel The Final Battle) was republished recently. The new series has also came out in book form. I can always provide you with the information if you would like.
I would like, definitely :nod:

[SilentMute]

I know both are definitely availabe at Barnes and Noble, though I don't know if they ship out of the country.

The original miniseries and its sequel--if they have followed the original format it was published in originally--is titled V: The Original Miniseries by A.C. Crispin and Kenneth Johnson. The Final Battle, as I've said, should be a part of that. I don't know what the differences is between ISBN and ISBN-13 numbers, but here it is.

ISBN: 0765361329

ISBN-13 9780765361325

The Publisher is Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC.

I was wrong about the second book. This is an alternate ending, apparently--or a sequel to The Final Battle. It has nothing to do with the current TV series. ABC rejected this and wanted to start from scratch...but maybe the new series will come out on book since the old one did. Anyway, you may want to read this.

It is called V: The Second Generation by Kenneth Johnson. Same publisher.

ISBN: 0765359324

ISBN-13: 9780765359322

Hope you have better luck with these!

[Maximilianus]

Thanks so much for the info, Silent. I shall keep it all in mind :nod: :thumbsup:

[SilentMute]

I just checked out V:The Second Generation, and realized I was wrong yet again. This isn't the sequel to the Final Battle. It is a sequel to the first miniseries movie. The events in The Final Battle don't happen at all. This book takes place twenty years later. From what I can see, many of the characters aren't in it. They have a lot of new characters.

Diana is in it, but it seems to be a very bit part. I don't know if I'm going to like it as well.

[Maximilianus]

Very interesting material to revive the good old times http://smiles.kolobok.us/standart/scratch_one-s_head.gif

[Basil]

Well, the series has been picked up for another season which is good news. I guess.

I think the show has improved immensely since its hiatus, but I still find it frustrating. I thought it was interesting the way they contrasted humans' capacity for empathy versus Anna's "bliss." And the way the V's were able to conduct "empathy tests" to discover potential traitors. But this show really hasn't given the audience any of the larger-than-life moments that the original show (corny as it may have been) had in spades: the conversion chamber sequence, the birthing scene, Diana casually munching on a live guinea pig. The current show actually seems determined to withhold such scenes; lots of plot points occur off-screen. It's annoying.

I just want to see people eating live hamsters. I don't think that is too much to ask.

[SilentMute]

My favorite scene in the old V TV series--Diana has two guinea pigs going through a maze. She eats the winner.

Oh, and her birds! "Cages are very unpleasant, aren't they!" CHIRP! CRUNCH! And then that perfect "cat-just-ate-the-canary" smile of hers in The Final Battle.

Me, I really miss the sexual innuendo. (Yes, I'm a perv).

[Basil]

I don't remember much sexual innuendo, but I do remember finding the conversion sequence rather enticing: the beautiful yet evil villainess presenting herself to her victim as a kind and gentle friend who could make all of the pain and torment go away, almost like she was Julie's savior.

[SilentMute]

Oh, there was a lot of sexual innuendo.

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2GQMHMSrvU&playnext_from=TL&videos=2z82N8RY5PE

I can't seem to get the link to work when I click, but that is the address on youtube. Or you can search "V-the original miniseries-chapter 46". Or look for xdomin0, who has pretty much the entire miniseries movie (except for two chapters) on youtube. V the Final Battle is also available on Youtube.

[SilentMute]

I read V:The Second Generation and was pleasantly surprised. It actually was very good, despite the fact that most of the characters we know were not in it. However, there were new characters that were just as charismatic. And the ending was way better than The Final Battle. The Visitor Leader comes to earth--and he is now a she.

Julie, Martin, Willie, Harmony, Robert Maxwell, Diana, and Donovan are return characters. Donovan was believed to be dead for years, and he is rescued. However, then the Resistance learns the horrible truth that he was the one that betrayed them--which resulted in the Resistance getting pulverized by the Visitors.

Having half-breed children is not unusual, and there are many of them. They are outcasts. Willie and Harmony are married and have a son that turns on them and joins the Visitors. Meanwhile, another half-breed is a genius and is recruited by the fifth column. Juliet has adopted a spunky half-breed daughter.

The ending, though, is killer! The Visitors are planning to make war with an insectoid race, so the insects plan to attack the Visitors on Earth--thinking to surprise them. They recruit the help of the Resistance, but they neglect to tell them that they plan to destroy the earth and everybody on it--humans and Visitors. So at the very end, the Resistance learns the truth and tries to stop the attack. They launch a take-over of all the Visitor ships by releasing the humans that have been cocooned.

I don't want to spoil it, but it is really neat! I didn't mourn the characters that didn't make a comeback or the story lines that hadn't been concluded.