Solar Flare: Science Fiction News

Broadcast in 1967, The Invaders is heavily influenced by 50s science fiction and by the ongoing cold war. This 5 disc set has all 17 episodes from the first season of the series including the extended version of the pilot episode (Beachhead).

For those unfamiliar with the concept, David Vincent (played by Roy Thinnes) witnesses the landing of an alien spacecraft and discovers that earth is being invaded. The aliens look like humans which not only helped with the budget, but also helps to ramp up the paranoia which is a core element of the series. The series also followed the format of The Fugitive (which had the same producer) with David Vincent moving from place to place each week in order to foil the alien’s plots.
Image via Wikipedia

I’m too young to have watch The Invaders when it originally aired, but I remember watching the series 15-20 years ago when it was repeated in the UK and remember it as being a little formulaic but a solid science fiction show. So I was very curious to see how it stacked up after a current viewing.

Certainly the show does feel a little dated at times (it’s 40 years old after all) and you won’t see too much in the way of special effects (the spaceship shot is heavily re-used). But at it’s heart this is a well constructed show.

Thinnes acts his part with plenty of conviction and effectively fills the role of old-school hero. The show works best when the paranoia levels are at their highest and the pilot episode Beachhead is a good example of that with Vincent convinced he has encountered aliens and desperately trying to convince people who think he is crazy. Meanwhile the aliens don’t want any witnesses.

For all that it suffers from a stagey style (common for shows of that time), The Invaders could teach modern dramas a thing or two about plot construction and how to build tension. Even though the aliens are largely faceless and with their motivations unclear there is a definite feeling of impending disaster from the opening moments of the first episode.

On the subject of the DVD itself, the transfer is good, considering the age of the material. There aren’t a huge number of extras in this set but there are some. Roy Thinnes provides an introduction to the extended pilot and there is also an interview with the actor. Episode 10, The Innocent has a commentary track from series creator Larry Cohen.

The Invaders: The First Season is available in stores now.