I want to say that I’m happy that V is back, yet I would be remiss if I didn’t say that Kenneth Johnson’s V: The Second Generation is somewhat of a disappointment. While I can understand his desire to ignore the second miniseries and the subsequent series that followed -if only because he had left those productions - there is continuity errors from his original miniseries that defy reason.
The only reason I can see for the changes is for titillation and, perhaps, a more striking effects. V, V: The Final Battle and V: The Series are all set in Los Angeles. Now, 20 years later the action has shifted to San Francisco -with no explanation. That’s where, I guess, the great visual would work. Seeing the huge Visitor ship hanging above the now empty Bay, somewhere in the mist suspended above the Golden Gate Bridge.
Then where are all the people from the first mini? While Robert Maxwell is there -and sadly, underused - there is no mention of his two daughters. Why no mention of Donavan’s mother, or Daniel Bernstein -the much troubled teen who joins the Visitor Teammates. Where’s Ben Taylor, Tony and others? If they were killed in the Purge of 99, why not mention it?
And I thought the Leader of the Visitors was male, yet the one presented here is female. Oh, I get it, perhaps to get the viewers and readers with a hint of girl on girl action? Please.
I also don’t understand the whole half-breed issue -along with the Visitors still wearing the human masks and calling themselves by human names - if only because I think a mixed race would be what the Visitors would want -in that unite the two worlds sort of way.
And while the whole Nazi analogy remains, it teeters on becoming so overbearing, I actually said out loud while reading the book “I get it Mr, Johnson.”
I’m hoping that if Mr. Johnson is going to continue the series -and it’s obvious that this is not a one off thing - he’ll need to reign in some of his ideas (like the whole flying motorbikes. Hello Galactica 1980) and put back what made the first V such a success - a character based and driven series about what can happen when we give up our personal freedoms. It’s almost like he’s decided the only way to revive V, was to do it in the way that he left the second miniseries and TV series in the first place; because action and sexual innuendo are the words of the day here.
The only reason I can see for the changes is for titillation and, perhaps, a more striking effects. V, V: The Final Battle and V: The Series are all set in Los Angeles. Now, 20 years later the action has shifted to San Francisco -with no explanation. That’s where, I guess, the great visual would work. Seeing the huge Visitor ship hanging above the now empty Bay, somewhere in the mist suspended above the Golden Gate Bridge.
Then where are all the people from the first mini? While Robert Maxwell is there -and sadly, underused - there is no mention of his two daughters. Why no mention of Donavan’s mother, or Daniel Bernstein -the much troubled teen who joins the Visitor Teammates. Where’s Ben Taylor, Tony and others? If they were killed in the Purge of 99, why not mention it?
And I thought the Leader of the Visitors was male, yet the one presented here is female. Oh, I get it, perhaps to get the viewers and readers with a hint of girl on girl action? Please.
I also don’t understand the whole half-breed issue -along with the Visitors still wearing the human masks and calling themselves by human names - if only because I think a mixed race would be what the Visitors would want -in that unite the two worlds sort of way.
And while the whole Nazi analogy remains, it teeters on becoming so overbearing, I actually said out loud while reading the book “I get it Mr, Johnson.”
I’m hoping that if Mr. Johnson is going to continue the series -and it’s obvious that this is not a one off thing - he’ll need to reign in some of his ideas (like the whole flying motorbikes. Hello Galactica 1980) and put back what made the first V such a success - a character based and driven series about what can happen when we give up our personal freedoms. It’s almost like he’s decided the only way to revive V, was to do it in the way that he left the second miniseries and TV series in the first place; because action and sexual innuendo are the words of the day here.
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