V (80's V and newer V)

So I got the VDVD which has V on DVD, and I'm watching it on my TV that has a VD. I got the original 1983 miniseries for 5 bucks. Had never seen it. I'm paused about 30 minutes into Part I, and I'm finding it to be a fun 80's TV sci-fi thing. It's about as good (so far) as you can hope for when it comes to American 80's television.

As far as the new V goes, I watched the pilot when it came on, and I thought it was "meh". It was very rushed, trying to cram too much into 45 minutes or however long it was. But it's modern network TV, and I think most modern network TV is crap. I think dramatic television itself has never been better, but that's cable. But you can't make a good science-fiction TV show for the networks.

What's sad is, after enjoying the original 2-part miniseries in '83, and the second 3-part miniseries in '84, I had to watch the regular series that followed diminish in quality episode by episode. The best characters began disappearing, all the SFX were noticably re-used shots from the miniseries, and the plots were hokey reworkings of elements from the prime time soaps and every old movie and TV show I'd ever seen before.

I wanted V to be better. I wanted it to run another season I even bought Wisk detergent because they sponsored the show (and had Michael Ironside in their adverts), but to no avail. Obviously the budget was vanishing as the season progressed and they couldn't afford to keep the best players or writers. What a pity they never got to resolve their cliffhanger season finale!

I was excited when V returned in 2009, but after watching the first couple of grim, colourless, soap-opera episodes I quickly lost interest in it. I'm surprised it managed to get a second season (which I never watched at all).

Sorry, Kenneth Johnson. I know you put a lot of effort into realizing your vision, and your contribution to the original miniseries is appreciated. The bean counters at NBC can be blamed for killing off the first series in 1985, and the writers' grim, 'realistic' approach to the second series brought about its demise. V was a series that wasn't so much ahead of its time as one that seem to have missed its time altogether.

The pilot for nuV I thought was simply dumbed down and sped up for viewers with zero attention span. It's a cool idea that can be great if done right.

I've watched Part I of the original miniseries. I thought it was a "pretty decent", certainly for 80's TV. Suffers from budget, though. This is the kind of story that needs a bit more scale. This show also wins no awards for subtlety.

Loved the original seires and the follow up mini series, they have their issues but once you offer the sacrifice to 80's fashion and cliches there's a great adventure unfolding with some nicely diverse characters. Jane Badler too yummy!

The actual TV series that followed was sadly an exercise in how to undermine everything you achieved layered with soap inspired gloss, not a happy mix.

As to the new V, I just never got into it the pacing was sedatory at best and the soapy elements that marred the original series seem to be the strongest carry over...but I concede I didn't stick with it till the end so don't know if it improved.

The new "V" series was probably the biggest trainwreck that actually made it onto the screen of the past decade. Some episodes were comically bad, especially towards the end of its run.

the two 80s miniseries are still the best

I didn't much care for the 80s TV series

they should had just left it at that, two miniseries and that's it

I do want me some Cold Blooded Lizard Women