Invasion: Earth

Science fiction has been a mainstay of British television since even before the earliest seasons of Dr. Who, and the six-part 1998 miniseries Invasion: Earth, a joint production with the Sci-Fi Channel, represents one of the more ambitious and intelligent examples. The series begins with a brash RAF fighter pilot named Drake (Vincent Regan) shooting down a UFO, leading to the discovery of two alien races at war with each other: the "Echos," who are peaceful and mean no harm against humans, and the "nD's," a violent race capable of interdimensional travel, now bent on conquering humanity to harvest neuro-chemicals necessary for a power-mad scheme. The pilot forms an alliance with a scientist (Maggie O'Neill) and an American NATO commander (Fred Ward) to determine a means of defense, and as the X-Files-like plot unfolds, Invasion: Earth often rises above TV sci-fi convention (action, mayhem, and special effects), as some interesting secrets are revealed (turns out the invasion scheme actually stretches back to the London blitz of World War II). Unfortunately, Invasion: Earth is working within the confines of a low budget, and the dialogue (particularly that given to Ward's barking military man) ranges from reasonably intelligent to belligerently stupid. SFX-sensitive viewers may be disappointed, but overall Invasion: Earth is a notch above many end-of-the-world scenarios trotted out for TV miniseries. DVD extras include text production notes, cast bios, and a history of alien invasion films. Recommended. (J. Shannon)