Mini Splendored Things

V

(1983)

''V'' is one of 10 best miniseries on DVD

CAST OF THOUSANDS Frank Ashmore (pictured, left, with Marc Singer), Faye Grant, Jane Badler, Richard Herd, Michael Durrell, Blair Tefkin, David Packer, Michael Wright, Leonardo Cimino

BREAKOUT STAR Robert Englund, though his childlike Willie is light-years away from his Freddy Krueger

MINI-SUMMARY A seemingly benevolent race of alien visitors wins over the people of Earth by using Nazi-like techniques of propaganda and scapegoating. Having learned the horror of the aliens' true appearance and their nefarious plans for humanity, a few Earthlings launch a guerrilla resistance movement.

HIGHLIGHTS Not realizing she's being watched, beautiful alien leader Diana (Badler) opens her reptilian maw and swallows a live rodent! Foolish teen Robin (Tefkin) realizes she's carrying an alien baby!

IMPACT As a parable about it-can-happen-here fascism, V was far from subtle, but it carved a place for lavish and intelligent sci-fi on TV. Its impact can still be felt in projects like Taken and The 4400.

FOLLOW-UP A sequel, V: The Final Battle landed in 1984, followed by a weekly series that lasted one season. In 2003, V writer-director Kenneth Johnson announced he was developing another sequel, V: The Second Generation.

EW GRADE B+