There was a brief time in my youth when I was very into the V universe. I wore out my VHS tapes of both the original miniseries and The Final Battle, and would have traded all my Transformers for a Hasbro-made shuttlecraft. Let's face it—Mike Donovan was pretty much the coolest guy on the planet. Except for maybe Ham Tyler. As the low-rent, one-season weekly series was stinking up the airwaves—it did quite poorly, of course, but the SyFy marathon is showing me that it was much better than I remembered—a set of V novels was filling up bookstores shelves, as well as my own.

Since the upcoming reboot does not look too promising to me (Seriously, the bottom of the ship is an HDTV? You're gonna stick with that?) I had to go into my old boxes of books and dig out the remaining copies that I could find from my V library. I never did get a complete set—there were 16 in all, many released after the show was canceled and the world had lost interest — but looking over the ones that survived my many moving vans was a fun trip down memory lane.

V: The first book based on the show was a straight novelization of both the Original Series and the Final Battle combined into one hefty tome. At the time it was maybe the longest book I'd ever read and actually did add a lot of color to the story, filling in gaps that were left open in the 10-hour TV-movie. (Basically more gruesome deaths and real sex scenes! Juicy stuff for impressionable minds.)

EAST COAST CRISIS: This was the first V book to break outside the TV world to introduce new characters and plot lines to the mythology. It takes place concurrently with both halves of the mini-series, but the setting is New York and Washington. You get to read about the adventures of the "other" resistance, led by an aging New York Yankee (boo), and learn how the U.S. president becomes a brain-washed pawn of the Visitors.

THE PURSUIT OF DIANA: Written as a prologue to the then-upcoming television series, this book brought the old gang back together—Donovan, Julie, Ham, Elias, the fifth columnist, Martin, and of course, lizard queen Diana—although none of the action from this episode actually made it into the scripts of the TV show. The plot details the immediate aftermath of the Visitors departure from Earth, as those aboard the L.A. mothership figure out how to return to the planet without freaking everyone out; rescue the frozen human dinners on board; and keep Diana from rallying her brainwashed human conspirators in order to escape back to her home world.

THE CHICAGO CONVERSION: Remember the creepy shot from the pilot episode, where the entire Vistor fleet is just chilling out behind Earth's moon? That's the setup for this novel, which also picks up after the events of "Final Battle" as a group of shock troops, immunized against the red dust, try to destroy the Chicago-based Resistance from the inside. It also establishes my favorite trope of the books—titles constructed with formula: "The [Name of U.S. Region] [Sinister Noun]". (See "The Florida Project" or "The Oregon Invasion.") I was always hoping for "The Michigan Rag" or "The Indianapolis 500," but it was not to be.

PRISONERS AND PAWNS: The next book in my collection, though not the next in the series, takes us back to L.A. for more Donovan/Julie/Ham/Diana goodness. It's also our first introduction to some of the characters that were later revealed during the show, like Diana's catfighting partner, Lydia. Although it takes place during the time frame of the first TV show, and claims to follow the continuity, it bears little resemblance to anything that aired.

THE NEW ENGLAND RESISTANCE: In this episode, V meets Stephen King as we travel to Maine to meet a lonely scientist, a town full of mysterious shotgun wielding rubes—who hide a secret!—and a sadistic Visitor captain who loves to torture humans (and his own kind) even more than he loves to eat them. The doctor has developed a new anti-Visitor toxin that he has to test (on Very Special Guest Star Willie!) while avoiding the human traitors among the simple town folk. Also, Willie can talk to bears somehow.

A note at the start of "Prisoners and Pawns," from its author, Howard Weinstein, explains that the first batch of books (starting with "Pursuit") were commissioned as a series of novels that would be released in concert with the new weekly series debuting in the fall of 1984. The books were extremely rushed and written without the benefit of knowing what the television writers were planning to put on the air. It was basically sanctioned fan fiction and in most cases the quality of writing rises only slightly above the average fanfic. The books are short, simple reads, but loyal enough to the themes and characters of the show that it's easy for a real fan to get sucked in. Mostly because they turned out to be way better than the show the show that inspired them.

As Weinstein wrote:

"I can only hope that the TV series has been good enough—and popular enough—that it's still on the air as you pick up this novel. As many of you know, it's not uncommon for a new television series to have a life expectancy similar to that of a person floating in the void of space—without benefit of a spacesuit.

What's will V's fate be? Who knows?

If the writers, producers, actors and all the other talented people who work on a TV series have the time to craft this show the right way, it could have a long run. Decent action-adventure, with a little thoughtful substance mixed in, could make for pretty good television."

Yes, it could, Howard. Yes, it could ... but don't hold your breath.

While Johnson isn't involved in the new television series, he still holds the movie rights to V, and he's convinced that whether the new show is a success or a flop, it can only mean good things for him:

If the show succeeds, it gives us an opportunity to go out with a one sheet that says, 'You like the show, now see the original classic reborn,' [and] if the show doesn't do well, we can always say, 'Here is the "V" you've been waiting for.'

If you've been waiting for a relatively-low budget independent movie, that is:

When I discovered that I controlled the motion picture rights to 'V,' I suddenly had a lot of new best friends. All the major studios, Fox, Paramount, MGM, Warners, wanted to buy the rights with a whole lot of money. They see it as a $200 million tentpole picture, and want to bring someone else to direct. I took a deep breath and said no... I got into the business to direct and do what I do. So what we've been endeavoring to do is to set up an independent production and produce this movie for $50 million. So I can hang on to the director reins and make sure it gets done.

Why are we worried that a Johnson-directed movie may end up like Richard Hatch's Battlestar Galactica sequel? Because Johnson says things like this:

There's a sense that not only do I know the themes, but it's also because I've had that one on one connection with the audience over the years... I really listened to them and have got a pretty good sense of how to make 'V' work.

Fanservice, here we come...?

The television reboot of V premieres on ABC on November 3rd.

'V' voice revisits familiar turf [Variety]

Talking to the Unlikely Words blog, Johnson clarified his (lack of) involvement with the new television version of the '80s show, and what he'd rather see done with the property:

You are correct that I am not involved with the new ABC/Warners TV pilot based on my original premise of V. I understand that their "reimagined" take is quite different. The guys involved are gentlemen and I wish them well.

I own the motion picture rights to V and have turned down offers from several major studios whose vision of V as a movie doesn't correspond to my own. We are currently working to set up V as an independent feature.

My prime desire is to bring big-screen production values to the new V movie while carefully protecting the timeless story, the characters, quality, integrity and substance that make my original V such a favorite of worldwide audiences and a critically acclaimed, international landmark.

On the one hand, you have to admire him for sticking to his guns and his vision. But on the other, I'm really not sure that I'd particularly want to see a movie that doesn't seem to be that concerned with making its story a little more contemporary, either. We'll see what the final version looks like... if it ever gets made.

‘V' Creator Kenny Johnson On ‘V' Remake [Unlikely Words]

On Johnson's site he writes:

When projects that bore Kenny’s original creative stamp and control have been taken on by other people, audiences have seen the results: earlier attempts at reviving V, as well as The Incredible Hulk movies and the recently reimagined Bionic Woman all proved to be serious misfires which unfortunately failed with the critics and with the public. Though ABC is again considering the possibility of developing a TV pilot project, it is a script development deal only and does not in any way affect Kenny’s ongoing efforts to remake his original classic as a major motion picture.

Sounds like sour grapes, but why the strange use of the third person to talk about himself?

What I read from this is he's pissed because his script, V: The Second Generation didn't fit the bill for Hollywood or they decided to go "another direction" entirely. I understand his pain because he probably spent some amount of time writing it. But let's call a spade a spade — V was a ridiculous melodrama (which I loved). We're not rewriting Shakespeare here, people. I say do them all: The more face-ripping lizard aliens having sex and enslaving our race the better.

[Kenneth Johnson]

Aliens have landed, Independence Day style. Giant space ships hover over the Earth's big cities, major capitols and the United Nations. Out pop red-jumpsuited aliens who look just like us, except for their terrible fashion sense. But no worries, they mean us no harm. We know this because they say so, and then they invite the humans on board for a get-together.

As opposed to following a bevy of characters, V (the movie) trails main character Mike Donovan, a cameraman (and a few other friendly V characters from the past). Mike is an experienced photojournalist, and has been in the field photographing wars and what not. Because of his photojournalist skills, Mike is selected to board one of the major ships and bring back pictures for the citizens of the world.

Meanwhile, Julie Parish and her scientist friends watch the aliens land, while she cures cancer or something (good for her).

The world decides to call our new red-suited friends "The Visitors" and go ahead and give them joint law enforcement. The Visitors are a huge success with the Earthlings and their PR blitz soon has the world eating out of the palm of their hand. Which they use to systematically weed out all scientist in the world (Uh-oh, Julie). Scientists start to disappear, and smarty pants Mike figures out they're actually being tortured and eaten by the Visitors, which are actually giant reptiles in people suits.

But Mike is alone in his rebellion because now that the Visitors have our love, they've convinced most of the population that the scientists are evil and must be stopped, and thus the new overlords enact their systematic weed-out system of all those against their rule, with the consent of many Earthlings.

Julie forms a rebellion, called the Resistance (catchy). She slowly builds her troops to avenge her fallen comrades and rid the world of their evil overlords.

Mike gets busted by the Visitors and is hauled off to the mothership, but lucky him he finds a human-sympathizer among the reptilian species, who helps him escape via Visitor space pod. The Resistance coordinates with Mike and together they fight to free some of their amigos. But the Visitors still control much of the planet and intend to do so until they've used all of the resources available on Earth (they're going to steal Earth's water).

So out-gunned, the Resistance sends out a help beacon, why not? The resistance hopes to find OTHER aliens that can fight their battle for them. Happy coincidence for Earth it just so happens that the Visitors enemies are close by.

At it ends on that note, so you know they've got to make more if not a few direct to DVD movies.

But through all of this human torture of the world's scientists, apparently some reptile people take the time to get busy with some of our Earth women. The end result is, one poor woman gets impregnated with a hybrid alien baby that could totally kick any cylon-human hybrid baby's butt. Check out the clip from the series — it's pure scifi glory. This kid is later dubbed The Star child and grows secret powers.

Don't know much about the V movie series you say? Well, io9 has a complete run-down on the series, including information on the Visitor space ship and toys that were seen in the series.

Way more details at the link. [Latino Review]

Johnson told Deadbolt News:

We're in the process to do a remake of the original mini-series first as a theatrical feature, which I'm so jazzed about because it will give me an opportunity to really realize it and execute it in a way that was impossible to do back then. Then that will lead to the obvious sequel, because it is a franchise, and then we'll get into The Second Generation and I'm hoping we'll be able to do two movies, because there's certainly enough material in the novel to warrant two separate sequels. That's my goal at this point and that's what we're in the process of doing. I just literally came from a meeting, 15-20 minutes ago with a fellow in Beverly Hills who really says that we're gonna do it.

V Remake Aiming for Theaters [The Deadbolt via Quiet Earth]

• Kenneth Johnson's name might not be as household as Gene Roddenberry's, but he created The Bionic Woman, V, and the Alien Nation television series.
• Johnson directed The Incredible Hulk television movie back in 1977, and Short Circuit 2 in 1988. Sadly, he also directed the Shaquille O'Neal movie Steel in 1997.
• NBC desperately wanted a science fiction television series due to the success of Star Wars. V was originally meant to be much more political in tone, but the network added more "action and rayguns" to try and make it more exciting.
• Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski was asked to script a new V series in 1989 called V: The Next Chapter, but it was eventually deemed too expensive to produce.
• V was partially inspired by both Nazi facism (which is why the insignia looks a bit like a swastika) and the famous Twilight Episode "To Serve Man", which is all about aliens cultivating humans as cattle.
• When the aliens come to Earth, they appear over many major cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, oddly enough. Much like the scenes in Independence Day, their appearances causes panic amongst civilians, while scientists nod gravely and watch on tv screens.

  

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• They wear elaborate human disguises to hide their reptilian nature. They also wore stylish eyeshades and sunglasses to conceal their peepers. In the first two miniseries, their voices were given a pitch shift treatment, making them speak in funky alien tones. This was dropped in the ongoing television series, however.
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• The Visitors are hailed as its new alien protectors, making them rock stars. At one point, little kids play with action figures based on the visitors and their ships. These were going to be produced as real toys that you could purchase, but they were only released in Spain and Europe.

  

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• However, once things start going badly, scientists find themselves persecuted or abducted, and resistance movements begin popping up all over the place, which continues to echo the Nazi theme.
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• Just like in Word War II, V stood for victory, and red Vs were spray painted everywhere as a sign of defiance.
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• One mothership in each Visitor fleet was equipped with a Doomsday device that was could wipe out an entire planet, and was meant to be used if defeat was imminent. The device was activated once in the series, but later defused.
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• There was a "Star Child" who was produced from the offspring of a human mating with an alien (just how did that work?) and he had magic powers like telekinesis. Would this be what Starman's kid would be like?
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• Johnson left the series during V: The Final Battle, and went to work on other shows. People blame this for the shift in tone during the last miniseries, and the tv show, which only lasted a single season.
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• The cancellation of the series came as a big surprise to the producers, and the series ends with a huge cliffhanger. Whoops.
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• DC Comics produced a V series in 1985 that ran for 18 issues. They tried unsuccessfully to get the rights to continue the storyline when the show was canceled.
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• A two volume Japanese manga version of the series was produced, and faded away quietly. Copies are hard to come by.
• So now that you've been re-educated, what do you think? Can this series be brought back in the 2000s?
  

Famous names: Written and produced by Kenneth Johnson, who would go on to produce the highly badass Alien Nation teevee series.

Crunchy goodness: 3

Spinoffs/Sequels/Copycats: V: The Final Battle, V: The Series, Alien Nation, Independence Day

Stunt casting: Robert Englund of Freddy Krueger fame as a slow but sweet alien; the first Nightmare on Elm Street film was released the following year while V: The Series was on the air.

Sights you'll never unsee: During an industrial accident involving liquid nitrogen, a guy's hand shatters into a bloody stump. Ouch!

The Visitors - Fansite with Episode Guide, Gallery, Technical Guide, Downloads and more.