“It’s Only The Beginning” hardly feels like an event, or like a series that is about to take a four-month break. The episode itself is fairly mundane in its approach, with only a few really memorable or important moments. More to the point, this is a series that is fairly limps into its hiatus without creating very much by way of intrigue, character or plot. I can hardly imagine a more pedestrian episode. The show isn’t atrocious, but it sure isn’t anything close to exceptional. It is, at best, average entertainment. And this episode is no different.

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For nearly forty minutes, “A Bright New Day” continues the fitful slumber of the new V series, offering very little interest from its characters, plot or themes. At best it merely tosses and turns the inane paranoia from the previous installment. And yet, the episode manages to crack an eyelid just past the two-thirds mark of the installment. And while the final result isn’t quite eye-opening enough, it does, at the very least provide the first stirrings of entertainment.

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Ah yes. Xenophobia. After watching “There Is No Normal Anymore” I’ll say this: I’d have more respect for the series if it took a more balanced and objective approach to the notion of whether or not to let “aliens” into our country. But the sheer paranoia that infects this episode (and the series thus far) is categorically juvenile. Add in a decidedly pedestrian mystery/conspiracy plot (really, the TV world is replete with these kinds of tales) and there’s very little to distinguish V as anything more than, simply, average.

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Full disclosure: I am a big fan of the original V Miniseries. In fact, I consider it to be one of the best, most underrated shows in television history. It was science fiction … but more than that, it was a story about something important. And while the show had some hokey visual effects and campy moments, it was undoubtedly an example of legitimate drama. A remake would, without question, improve on the visuals. But would it contain (or even approach) the same level of storytelling as the original incarnation? I mean, it’s easy enough to update the visuals. But could it update the story as well? Could it create a tale that was just as fresh and shiny as the look of the show? If the first episode is an indication, the answer is … not quite. But, to be fair, there’s some promise in this new version of V. It took about forty minutes but, finally, the pilot got around to being about something. And that’s when it, at least for a few minutes, became a story worth paying attention to.

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Well, folks … it’s official.  “V” is making a comeback on ABC. According to Variety,  pilot episode has just been greenlit.

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There’s a clutch of news updates today, including which new series are getting a longer shelf life as well as the revival of a sci-fi classic.

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V: The Weakly Television Series

After having watched the Original and Final Battle Miniseries events, and after reading V: The Second Generation, it was time to finally confront V: The Weekly Series – a wretched hive of bad writing, worse acting, and even worse studio support. It all adds up to a trainwreck of series that only the most fervent of V fans can enjoy – and even then, only with many a cringe and groan. It’s so bad, in fact, that it simply isn’t worth going into an episode-by-episode review. I honestly don’t want to waste my time. Or yours. Instead, I’ll offer some commentary a few of the most notable lowlights and provide an episode-by-episode overview.

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In February 2008, Kenneth Johnson released V: The Second Generation, a book that was written in his own vision as a sequel to the Original Miniseries. He ostensibly ignores everything that happened after Elias and Julie sent a message to the stars at the end of The Original Miniseries. Gone is Ham Tyler. Gone are the histories of Mike and Julie and Diana. In their place, Johnson has rewritten twenty years of V history. Twenty years of Visitor occupation have taken place. The world has changed. And the winds of change are once again beginning to swirl.

This then is Kenneth Johnson’s vision, his definitive rebuttal to The Final Battle and the Weekly Series. This is his version of his story. Did he fare better than the project he disliked so much that he walked out on?

No, he did not.

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» V: The Final Battle – Main Title: Main Title

With V: The Miniseries achieving bona fide success, and with it ending on a relatively unresolved note, it was all but assured that there would be a sequel — one that would, with a boldly proclaimed title of The Final Battle, end on a higher note. The key would be whether or not the sequel could avoid the usual trappings of a sequel. Would it maintain the same strict adherence to character that drove the vast majority of The Miniseries? Or would it fall into the formulaic presentation of The Miniseries‘ final act?

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V the Miniseries is a natural progression from Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica. With BR and BSG, it was clear that sci-fi could create a fervently loyal following. The key question, however, was: Could it become a bona fide success? The answer is yes.
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