Architect David Vincent's nightmare on primetime TV began in 1967, the same year that fugitive Richard Kimble's ended, when Vincent (Roy Thinnes), “looking for a shortcut he never found,” witnessed the landing of an alien spacecraft carrying invaders bent on taking over the Earth. Vincent embarks on an obsessive quest to make someone (anyone) believe that the aliens—who know that Vincent knows--are living amongst us in human form (their true identity is betrayed by an extended pinkie finger). Blending the compelling human drama of The Fugitive (Quinn Martin produced both series') with the palpable paranoia of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Invaders can still creep viewers out, especially in the eerie early episodes when even the most benign characters (Ellen “Grandma Walton” Corby in the pilot) are revealed to be aliens. The special effects are primitive by today's standards (the key effect is to have aliens glow red and disintegrate), and the show only lasted two seasons (and is rarely syndicated), but it's warmly remembered by fans (TV Guide ranked Vincent sixth on its list of sci-fi legends). Featuring all 17 episodes from the 1967 first season, DVD extras include an extended pilot episode, an interview with Thinnes (who also contributes episode introductions), and audio commentary by series creator and B-movie maverick Larry Cohen (It's Alive), who intended the series to echo the McCarthy-era Red Scare. With America once again purportedly at peril from an unseen menace plotting our downfall, The Invaders continues to resonate today. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
The Invaders: The First Season
Paramount, 5 discs, 933 min., not rated, DVD: $36.98 Volume 23, Issue 5
The Invaders: The First Season
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