V
My love for the original mini-series is pretty well-documented on this blog and elsewhere. I’m going to give the new series a few more weeks, mostly out of nostalgia (and because I like some of the actors).
But, honestly, the first misstep to me was using the ‘V’ as a symbol for the aliens and calling them Vs. Anyone remember that moment in the original mini-series when that ‘V’ was spray-painted across the poster? It was meaningful and inspiring (to me, anyway). Heavy-handed, yes. But more than humans vs. aliens.
ETA2: Aha! Found it (the 2nd video is actually the first appearance of the symbol, but the speech toward the end of the first is what gave *that character* doing it so much weight):
I really hope this series is more than just humans vs. aliens :-/ Because if you’re going to do it … do it right.
ETA: Also, I really hope there is a WTF moment as awesome as this:
Holy cow. I recognise that birthing scene! All these years I thought it was from a horror film and spent some time tracking it down. So, it was V? Am going to check if it’s available on DVD.
Once again, Meljean, we discover how much we have in common.
The original V mini series is something I could talk about for hours… HOURS!! Heh. I loved it so much. I bought the books and was such a fan. *happy sigh*
When we finally get the new version over here, I doubt I’ll be watching it, but we’ll see…
WTF moment indeed.
I didn’t realize it was a remake.
We watched it last night. It was okay. Will tune in for more and see how it plays out.
I LOVED the original mini-series! They’ve been re-showing it on Syfy, but I haven’t caught it:( The re-make is interesting, I like the heavy metaphors.
I totallly agree with everything you’ve said.
I thought the V symbol as a symbol of the resistance in the original was brilliant and for it to go to the aliens promoting themselves instead was really disappointing.
I watched the pilot and I thought it was very slick and smart but totally lacking in subtlety. Okay, the almost-swastika Visitor symbol and overbearing Nazi overtones of the original weren’t exactly subtle, but they became a strength of the show as we learned just how much we haven’t learned. The new one feels a lot more like standard-fare so far. It shoved the whole premise into 45 minutes as if afraid that if they went more slowly the audience would either get bored or not be smart enough to wait for the full story.
And I’m so disappointed too that the whole “scientists are the enemy” thing seems to have vanished and we have a typically “well-rounded” and politically correct main cast instead. I just loved having scientists being the heroes for a change instead of either weird side-kicks or mad villains as usual. Oh yeah, and an already kick-ass female lead. Part of the power of Julie in the original was that she wasn’t any of those things and had to become them.
At the moment I’m willing to keep watching and give it a bit more of a chance. Now they’ve info-dumped the entire premise on us, maybe we’ll get some more thoughtful episodes. I’m certainly not counting on it, but I’m still willing to give them that chance.
But I suspect I may just going and have a viewing marathon with my DVDs of the original.
Oh, and can you tell me – are New Yorkers that unfamiliar with the concept of earthquakes that they’d stand around looking curious while everything shakes? And wonder what it is, because it must be something new and strange.
I live in an earthquake prone country. If things shake like that you get under the nearest door frame and THEN you can find out from safety that actually this time it’s aliens.
Hmmmm, that got a bit long. Maybe I feel a bit more strongly about this than I thought I did.
@Kerry D.: I don’t know about New Yorkers and earthquakes, but New Yorkers clapping after her original message?
Hahahahahah! Yeah, right.