X-Entertainment | V – The Original Mini-Series Review.

V – The Original Mini-Series Review.

In one of those "should have been reviewed a long time ago" kinda reviews, here's a really long, really really long look back at V: The Original Mini-Series. Airing on NBC in 1983 across two nights, it was a record-breaker seen by millions and loved by at least half of them. I'm with them, this was amazing stuff and still holds up fantastically over 20 years later. Followed up by V: The Final Battle, which I'll review at some point in the next five years. Two-page review features a bunch of video clips and at least one crayon drawing of evil aliens.

I missed Six Feet Under for this. Did Arthur come back yet????~!

Posted by Matt on 08/15/2004. E-mail me!

Discussion Thread: 143 comments

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anyone else notice the not-so-subtle swastikas all over all the aliens stuff? sort of heavy-handed if you ask me. i guess that the lizard men from space were actually nazis after all (who woulda thunk it). but hey, say what you want about the tenets of nationial socialism, at least its an ethos

Chestnuts roasted by dave @ 08/21/2004 1:55 AM

wow matt! thanks for the memories!!i was nine when the v came out but here in iowa it was treated with huge mass histeria "DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN WATCH THIS"THEY WILL BE SCARED FOR LIFE!HAVE NIGHT MARES INTO THIER 20S!!! i couldnt even leave the hall way while my mom watched but i caught glimpse of diana eating the what resembled a chickadee ass end up and ofcourse the infamous skin pealing! the next day walking to school in the mid jauary below zero temps my friends where talking about the nightmares they already where having!!!
but id swear it ran in 85 not 83?

Chestnuts roasted by JAY @ 08/21/2004 6:58 AM

Baby….Forked Tongue…Should have received much therapy…

80′s Menu:
Saved by the Stuffed Bell Pepper

Chestnuts roasted by whitemale_98/competent soldier @ 08/21/2004 12:16 PM

My first remembered nightmare is of the V alien baby… On another note, the scientist "Abraham" was also in 1987′s "Monster Squad" and if i remember correctly he was a holocaust survivor in that too. Weird. He was also in Dune, and had one of the more memorable roles as Baron Harkonnen’s doctor. Monster Squad was sooo corny, i loved it as a kid and watched in less than 50,000 times…a day.

Chestnuts roasted by Stumanchu @ 08/21/2004 3:45 PM

Actaully I believe I was about 10 or 11 when V came on television. I didnt miss one minute, I would almost piss myself holding out to the commercials sometimes. Damn! You really brought it home, too. Now that I think I think about it, though it didn’t have much of the high tech gadgets or special effects we have nowadays, it has to be one of the most engaging television series I have ever seen on television. One of the better reviews I’ve read, and the memories. Thanks

Chestnuts roasted by Travis @ 08/24/2004 9:47 PM

i loved V! watched it with my dad and enjoyed every moment of it. i cought it when it was on the sci-fi channel, brought back great memories. i used to run around the house making the laser sounds of the lizards guns!

Chestnuts roasted by crzyfligrl @ 09/03/2004 12:30 PM

You are quite incorrect in your review of "V". You write that Abraham’s "wife" walks around placing bombs inside shuttle crafts. "Ruby" was not Abraham’s wife (we are left to assume that his wife died in the Holocaust)…we know that Ruby is not Abraham’s wife for the following reason.

1) Abraham’s grandson (the smarmy guy who lusted after Robin Maxwell, joined the "Visitors Youth Friends Group", captured Dr. Julie, and ended up on the serving tray by orders of Steven) confronted Ruby before he killed her, saying "I thought I recognized you" and her reaction, was basically, "How can you kill me, I’ve lived on the same block as you."
2) Also in all the meals at Abrahams house, there is only the traitor grandson and the grandson’s parents.

Ruby was a friend of Abrahams and lived in the neighborhood.

Chestnuts roasted by vfanatic @ 09/03/2004 6:23 AM

i was little when V came on but I remember I was so into the whole rat eating scene that I would eat a big gulp of mash potatoes when my mom made them to try to get my throat to get all large like it did when they ate the rats and scare my younger brothers.

Chestnuts roasted by shootdashit @ 09/10/2004 4:56 AM

I’m anthor person that begging you to do a Beastmaster review.It is one of my favorite movies of all time.This is one of the few movies that I can watch over and over again.

Chestnuts roasted by Liz @ 09/30/2004 1:12 PM

all this about diana and the guinea pig….maybe it was from the second series, but i have a much more vivid memory of her looking all hot in her red v-suit eating a cute white mouse. i was only 6 or 7, so maybe it means that it is ingrained in our genetic code to enjoy watching chicks put white flesh (pardon the racial selectivity here) in their mouths.

Chestnuts roasted by bfingur @ 10/03/2004 4:28 AM

Hey dude!! What about Julie in the conversion chamber? i think I speak for many young men today when I say that that was a highlight of my childhood years. You should really show some pics and a clip!

Chestnuts roasted by Grateful Ed @ 10/15/2004 10:16 PM

Hey dude, just wanted to put something out there to say what a big fan of v my best friend was. he has just died so wont get to see the new one theyre making, his name was pete and his fave charachter was diana. he had all the episodes and loved her ruthlessness i even got him a very funky canvas of her painted, he loved her put downs of others and sharp wit. i guess i just wanted to share this with some other people who shared his fascination with the visitors as not many people remember v. if you have any really good pic or stills of her could you post or mail them.

Chestnuts roasted by Neil @ 09/13/2006 8:47 AM

I’m 30 and can clearly remember when this mini-series was on, as well as the Final Battle. This mini-series was a huge deal. There was “V” merchandise everywhere. My friends and I used to play “V” as an alternate form of tag. Nothing like it today at all. Clearly transcends. I make it a point to revisit it every couple of years. Highly recommended!!!!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Frank @ 10/03/2006 1:34 PM

I was a big fan of the V series, which ran in the mid-80s’ over here in Sweden. Today I am 33, but still think back with nostalgia on this awesome show. Things that have stuck in my mind since: The coolness of our hero Mike Donovan, the evilness of Diana and the cuteness of Julie Parrish (think I had a slight crush on her back then ).
Great if a sequel is really made, though I am somewhat sceptic to the outcome.

I am considering buying the original show on DVD, but I am afraid I am going to get disappointed. What if it all looks oldfashioned and cheesy compared to the movies we can watch today. Might do it anyway though. It was truly an amazaing show back then!!

Chestnuts roasted by Crusader @ 10/25/2006 10:42 AM

What a hoot! Your review is excellently written: top marks! I loved ‘V’ and I can’t wait until you find time to review the ‘Final Battle.’ Perhaps before they film a remake? Hope so.
Cheers for keeping me amused and for allowing me to reminisce about a superb show.
Bea

Chestnuts roasted by Bea @ 11/25/2006 1:08 PM

V… I love that mini series I wish they would make it into a movie! I still find my self looking for the DVD but they always have it in VHS…darn it. If they ever decide to turn it into a movie I hope that Steven Spilburge would do..put that magic touch he got on it…..

Chestnuts roasted by Vilady04 @ 03/29/2007 4:48 PM

My mother hated V & put a 1-year moratorium on it for my younger brother & I. In other words, we were only allowed to watch it once a year when we were growing up. Of course, we found many clever, creative ways to get around it. We’d always watch V: The Miniseries and immediately follow it w/ V: The Final Battle (the serviceable, though decidedly less relevant sequel). Now I have the original on DVD, though I haven’t quite shelled out the money for the Final Battle & Series DVDs yet (though I probably will).

Word is, original creator Kenneth Johnson is working on a modern-day retelling of the original miniseries, w/ as much of the original cast as possible, though I’m not sure it could re-create the magic of the original. Still, any new V would be welcome!

Chestnuts roasted by MetalFRO @ 07/19/2007 1:13 PM

i wunt to know wut thay made the lizared skin out of

Chestnuts roasted by michael @ 03/06/2011 8:46 PM

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This entry was posted on Sunday, August 15th, 2004 at 9:54 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.