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After finding out that Netflix doesn't have the first 2 discs of 'The Time Tunnel', I've decided to skip that entire series. After some searching, I decided to rent 'The Invaders' at Netflix. The idea was nice while it lasted, Netflix has ONLY the second season of the show (it ran for two seasons), and the entire first season is absent. Now, without asking anyone, I KNOW the first episode and the first season is important, too important to just 'skip it', as Netflix has. I have to wonder if all the countless discs of that first season were appropriated by fans or if there were problems with the discs? I think Netflix just doesn't want to spend $$ on old t.v. shows on disc. Amazon, however has a new complete set of the series, which includes both seasons one and two at a great price. (I'm selecting the cover that's in Black & White as it's the most recent of the sets issued.) As a child, I remember that first episode, VIVIDLY, and was only lucky enought to catch the infrequent episode from time to time after that as I had a parent who didn't want to view the show. Looking forward to this, for the 1960's, I think the show was WAY ahead of it's time, and probably should have run longer than two seasons.
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It was ahead of its time in that the concept would have worked much better in an era where story arcs were the norm. For episodic television, the Invaders was a dead end concept. David Vincent couldn't make any great strides and every week, the aliens had a new, different gimmick they'd try in order to conquer Earth. Finally, the final episode of the first season, Vincent had a decent victory.
Taken on an episode by episode basis, it was a great show. The first season was much more chilling and paranoid than the action adventure second. Vincent could have used more personality and backstory, but he was a typical, stone faced 60's lead.
It wasn't allowed to be its own thing. It followed the template created by The Fugitive too closely. Unfortunately, Roy Thinnes, as good an actor as he was, didn't have the same sympathetic vibe as David Janssen. He was just grim.
Amazing, guest stars, though (however, Carol Rossen wore out her welcome for me on The Fugitive) and, of course, fine music. A great show individually, but as a series. I can see why it petered out so quickly.
1966, man. What a great time to be watching TV.
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Just recently watche both seasons on dvd.
The formula seems especially stale if you watch them today - as opposed to every week.
It doesn't even approach the artistry of THE FUGITIVE.
As sci- fi it is decent enough. But the dependence on, poorly staged, fight scenes detracted from that positive element
Check it out but don't expect it to be as good as you remember ( somehow childhood memories of watching it in b & w are better)
Brm
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It was ahead of its time in that the concept would have worked much better in an era where story arcs were the norm. For episodic television, the Invaders was a dead end concept. David Vincent couldn't make any great strides and every week, the aliens had a new, different gimmick they'd try in order to conquer Earth. Finally, the final episode of the first season, Vincent had a decent victory.
Taken on an episode by episode basis, it was a great show. The first season was much more chilling and paranoid than the action adventure second. Vincent could have used more personality and backstory, but he was a typical, stone faced 60's lead.
It wasn't allowed to be its own thing. It followed the template created by The Fugitive too closely. Unfortunately, Roy Thinnes, as good an actor as he was, didn't have the same sympathetic vibe as David Janssen. He was just grim.
Amazing, guest stars, though (however, Carol Rossen wore out her welcome for me on The Fugitive) and, of course, fine music. A great show individually, but as a series. I can see why it petered out so quickly.
1966, man. What a great time to be watching TV.
You're right about that being a great time to watch television Oldsmith. I only wish I was able to watch more episodes of 'The Invaders' then I was able to, only because my Dad loved Wild,Wild,West , Combat! and The Rat Patrol. Which I'm not saying are bad shows because I realize they have lots of fans on this board. I do wonder though WHY Netflix only offers season two; but no matter, I'm getting both seasons from Amazon! Oh, are you saying there's 'fine music' on The Fugitive or on The Invaders? Who did music for 'The Invaders'?
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Well, Dominic Frontiere is most widely attached to the series. Cues from The Outer Limits were used all over the ploit (Stony Burke, too, I understand) and the theme was a reworking of his theme for The Unknown, which was re-edited and aired as the final first season episode of The Outer Limits.
From IMDB:
Dominic Frontiere... (15 episodes, 1967)
Duane Tatro ... (6 episodes, 1967-1968)
Sidney Cutner ... (3 episodes, 1967)
Irving Gertz ... (1 episode, 1967)
Richard Markowitz... (1 episode, 1967)
A great write up of the series...
http://www.classictvhistory.com/EpisodeGuides/invaders.html
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Posted: |
Dec 11, 2018 - 5:05 PM
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By: |
Jehannum
(Member)
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As a child, I remember that first episode, VIVIDLY, and was only lucky enought to catch the infrequent episode from time to time after that as I had a parent who didn't want to view the show. Looking forward to this, for the 1960's, I think the show was WAY ahead of it's time, and probably should have run longer than two seasons.
I remember watching the first episode as a child too (1976, aged 4-5). In particular the scene with Ellen Corby in the burning apartment made a strong memory. The show quickly became a favourite.
I've regularly rewatched both series since then and find them as good as ever, unlike some other childhood must-sees. I find Roy Thinnes' curt manner oddly refreshing: atypical of its time (at least in the stuff I watched). Dominic Frontiere provides some of my favourite music cues for any TV programme. The first series I would crudely summarise as "paranoid horror", the second as "horrific paranoia".
Like a lot of things, how much you'll like it is completely subjective, complex and personal. For me The Invaders is a definite all-time top five show.
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I really enjoy TheInvaders I think all season one is on YouTube. It's jnteresting seeing guest stars. I like Bodysnatchers type shows and this fits the bill. I'd have preferred more recurring characters but you can dip into random episodes and enjoy it.
Vincent probably got karate chopped unconscious a few too many times.
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Well, Dominic Frontiere is most widely attached to the series. Cues from The Outer Limits were used all over the ploit (Stony Burke, too, I understand) and the theme was a reworking of his theme for The Unknown, which was re-edited and aired as the final first season episode of The Outer Limits.
From IMDB:
Dominic Frontiere... (15 episodes, 1967)
Duane Tatro ... (6 episodes, 1967-1968)
Sidney Cutner ... (3 episodes, 1967)
Irving Gertz ... (1 episode, 1967)
Richard Markowitz... (1 episode, 1967)
A great write up of the series...
http://www.classictvhistory.com/EpisodeGuides/invaders.html
Thank you Scott M (Oldsmith) for the absolutely fascinating and lengthy article, (more like a book), about 'The Invaders'. I was surprised at the paragraph about 'those bent little fingers' of the aliens being interpreted (in a way, and for those times), as being a signal of lives being lived undercover, i.e. the gay life in America back then. It didn't occur to me, but now of course, I can see it. Tons of information about how no one liked actor Roy Thinnes, and that he was almost replaced for the second season. Lots of information about Quinn Martin of whom I knew nothing about, except his initials during the credits of his t.v. shows. And lots of info on the MUSIC written for the series! The ONLY episode I can remember (and I only viewed a few at the time), was the episode co-starring Suzanne Pleshette, as (I think), a sympathetic alien. That episode is the 2nd to the last on the second season so I'll have a long way to go to get to it. I won't be ordering this for another week or so. THANKS OLDSMITH for this info!
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The ONLY episode I can remember (and I only viewed a few at the time), was the episode co-starring Suzanne Pleshette, as (I think), a sympathetic alien. That episode is the 2nd to the last on the second season so I'll have a long way to go to get to it. I won't be ordering this for another week or so. THANKS OLDSMITH for this info!
My pleasure, I'm glad you liked it. It's a really great piece.
Pleshette played a sympathetic alien in an early season 1 episode "The Mutation." She played a similar role at the end of the series, so I don't know which one you remember.
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The ONLY episode I can remember (and I only viewed a few at the time), was the episode co-starring Suzanne Pleshette, as (I think), a sympathetic alien. That episode is the 2nd to the last on the second season so I'll have a long way to go to get to it. I won't be ordering this for another week or so. THANKS OLDSMITH for this info!
My pleasure, I'm glad you liked it. It's a really great piece.
Pleshette played a sympathetic alien in an early season 1 episode "The Mutation." She played a similar role at the end of the series, so I don't know which one you remember.
WHAT? She played a variation of 'a sympathetic alien' in TWO different episodes in two different seasons? Now this is interesting! All I can recall is a line of dialogue from the episode. Please tell me which season the episode is from, if you can, Oldsmith. Why I remember this line of dialogue is beyond me, but I do. Pleshette is with Thinnes out in the desert somewhere, and she's examining a gem, probably a diamond of some sort. She regards the diamond and says to Thinnes: 'It has a flaw; but then, haven't we all'. (Of course, the aliens kill her and she burns up; can't have a traitor amongst them.) Thanks Oldsmith!
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I'd buy a decent Invaders collection on Blu-ray, and a well done soundtrack cd in a heartbeat.
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