Comments on: V Review: Pilot

By: Iain Howe

Iain Howe — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:16:25 +0000

(SPOILER ALERT)

I vaguely remember the original miniseries, so correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the new series kind of blurt out about five episodes of plot development in 45 minutes?

I know it can't be devoid of drama, but wasn't it too much finding out about the Fifth Column, V Sleepers, V's being reptiles under human skin and their nefarious plot to wipe out humanity all in one go?

By: Eydie

Eydie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:15:56 +0000

Totally agree with you. (Though I'm less optimistic than you about a turnaround, despite some interesting characters.) First off, the aliens telling *France* they’re getting universal health care is supposed to make a splash?! Second, the facism allegory should have been revisited since it’s more relevant than ever, instead of resorting to “terrorism”–recall that the two original miniseries could have gone with the too-easy “Commie” bogeyman that haunted the 1980s, but didn’t. See what else I have to say: http://www.imperfectwomen.com/v-for-vacuous/

By: Honestzed

Honestzed — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:09:39 +0000

Although I completely agree that they tried to cover so much in so little time, they did nothing in that little time to make any one scene or any one character, to shine. This to me is the job of the writers. The dialog was lacking and unintelligent. I think the scene that really made the show tank for me is when the reporter chastised the other reporters in front of Anna, and then his first comment to the first alien he has ever met was, “Why are you all so attractive?” Really? The first question that comes to an accomplished journalist is that? And that sad excuse at “charm” is the reason he is invited to be the V “voice”. Perhaps Anna sense that only a total moron would ask such a question, so surely he would be easier to manipulate?

As for the episode itself, it felt like it was written by a bunch of burnt out sit-com writers with nothing new to contribute other than to create the same basic one-dimensional characters they would create for a sit-com. Lacking further creativity, they then loosely base the characters on the original. I'm really not thrilled about the casting for this either. There are really no interesting actors that stand out in this — except for the 2 ex-Firefly actors.

These new Visitors are so advanced in technology, I can't beleive that they can solve their own problems. In the original V, it appeared that they only really mastered the control of gravity which they used for their propulsion systems. Their energy discharge weapons were fairly inferior to a machine gun loaded with armor piercing bullets. In this new V, they do mention that they have mastered control over gravity… but then they show the transport ships being maneuvered with thrusters. (Yes I am being picky now, but its like they never sat down to decide what their technology can and can't do — a fatal flaw for any science fiction show!)

I liked the original, and I was expecting something completely different. The original worked back in it's time, but you can't apply the same formula to a sci-fi drama made today. They didn't really deliver anything different and are trying to use the same formula. The writing/direction/production was poor. (I am tempted to say horrible, but it wasn't that aweful — but close).

By: Honestzed

Honestzed — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:09:39 +0000

By: mychaleg

mychaleg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:08:00 +0000

it was a sleeper cell they were hibernating DUH

By: mychaleg

mychaleg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:05:58 +0000

true dat. they wanted to get straight into it since they couldn't afford to build story on a major network for fear of losing viewers. the Fox character didn't think very quickly on his feet before that interview. when Anna threatened to cancel the interview for fear of being put in a negative light, he should have immediately told her cancelling at the last second WOULD put her in a negative light 10x more! television journalists are pretty dumb in real life, though, so i guess it's well-written.

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:43:00 +0000

“For example the opening arrival scene, which completely rips off Independence Day…”

Uhmm, how is possible for a show to rip off something that was originated in the original series? ID4 ripped off the original V miniseries and was even joked about last night.

But yes, the dialogue was atrocious and they rushed through what should have been done in 3 episodes in 45 min.

By: Shiromi Arserio

Shiromi Arserio — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:34:00 +0000

I tend to agree with this review. I did feel very talked down to… Everything was so rushed. Nothing was allowed to be built up, including, apparently the suspense. I thought that in the first scene when she’s asleep with her badge wide open so they can tell us that she’s FBI… and then later when the guy in the wheelchair, returns in the wheelchair, only to stand up. In real life he would’ve walked in there, not dragged his wheel chair up there just only to stand up. The ending was interesting but still poorly done. Alan Tudyk was wasted. He’s a visitor agent, why would he just run in and blow his cover? For that matter, why wouldn’t the superior alien race just send in some kind of chemical that would kills the humans in the resistance? It just didn’t feel very well thought out.
http://www.igp-scifi.com/V-pilot-review.html

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Independence Day’s multiple giant mothership alien arrival scenes were themselves a blatant rip-off of Arthur C. Clarke’s great novel “Childhood’s End”.

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:37:19 +0000

Well you should tune in for Game 6 of the World Series tonight – as long as you root for Philadelphia!

As for the show, I thought most people were familiar with V from the mini-series, but I guess it is a bit aged.

By: Kangaroo Be Stoned

Kangaroo Be Stoned — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:48:53 +0000

I had read nothing specific about this show before watching it. I was only told that it was about aliens visiting Earth. I thought “This could be interesting,” so I decided to tune in. And I do not keep up with baseball so I have no idea what you are talking about. :)

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:16 +0000

Did you watch the original mini-series? V is about propaganda. The dangers of it. The original channeled a lot of Nazi imagery – which is now out dated. So the relaunch has 2 groups it could villanize here – terrorists, which would make no sense, or the government. Obama is President now, so he gets the target.

Plus, Universal Health Care, from a plot point, would make sense for aliens to want to do. It gives them carte blanch to just pick people and do all sorts of experiments.

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:36:11 +0000

Of course Reptilian conspiracy theorists will love it – that's what the movie is about. It's like saying New York Yankees fans will enjoy seeing 61*

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:46:39 +0000

V was not a fantastic show, but this review is basically just fanboy whining without any listing of the films merits nor its true flaws, instead opting to just go on and on and on about American television and how terrible it is. Please, actually review things in the future and don't come out acting like some whiny little troll on IMDb.

In response to another poster:

"and so is the parallel to Obama's administration"

Totally agreed. This might as well air on Faux News Network considering the propaganda like nature of it. Whereas the original was about giving hope to people who were fighting a villain everyone *knew* to hate, this seems to be about painting a Hitler mustache on Obama and giving the lunatic right-wing something to laugh about while they polish their guns in preparation for assassination in the name of "resistance". I laughed out loud when Universal Health Care was revealed to be the big evil "it sounds good but it's really evil" plot. Just idiotic.

By: Aleric

Aleric — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:34:52 +0000

They are an advanced race that has the ability to travel across the universe and you think they couldn't monitor and track if one of their numbers is ever killed? Men in Black come to mind?

By: Smarter Than The Average Bear

Smarter Than The Average Bear — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:22:21 +0000

How does this show think we're dumb? How about when the news reporter states that “three weeks have passed”, followed, not five seconds later, by the on-screen title “Three Weeks Later”. Just in case we didn't get it.

By: Aleric

Aleric — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:21:56 +0000

Seems it hits a little too close to some nerves there Kanga.

Universal Truths weigh out. Oppresion with a smile is still oppresion.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:14:52 +0000

I know it's science fiction and we should suspend logic at some point but we are supposed to accept that the V's have been here for many years AND exist with a reptilian body under human skin. I suppose we should accept that autopsy's do not exist.

By: Barfbag

Barfbag — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:43:54 +0000

Where are all the scientists?

Go watch the original miniseries, and count how many times that word was used. Count it now. The disparity is chilling.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:31:41 +0000

Whilst I will agree generally with brians review, I think that some of the things he is annoyed about with this pilot really arent a problem of writing, but more a lack of quality Direction
for instance the screenshot of the “significant increase.” its not like the script writers generally have any control over the visual aspects of the show.

The most annoying thing about this pilot is the ridiculous pace with which it moves.
the amount of themes and story arc's that were quickly hashed over in the pilot makes me wonder who the hell is at the wheel of this thing. It should have been spread across 2-3 episodes.
in the space of 45 minutes, They try to:
1: cover the invasion
2: introduce all the characters, human and visitor, set some backstory and bring them together from their seperate worlds.
3: cover the themes and social issues raised by the arrival of the visitors,
4: explain their motives and set up a storyline for the ongoing underground resistance.
5: build suspense for the mini cliffhang.

45 minutes! thats just ridiculous.
no wonder you dont care about the charachters each one has only had roughly 5 minutes of time on screen!
I think that their desire to pack too much into a short amount of time has ruined the whole thing.