"V" (1984) TV series 1984-1985

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creator:

Kenneth Johnson
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

26 October 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A year after Liberation Day, courtesy of the red-dust bacteria, the humanoid, lizard-like aliens develop a resistance to the micro-organism and try to regain control of the Earth--only now some humans are knowingly working with them.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Teen | Disguise | Flying | Telekinesis

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

June Chadwick	...	Lydia (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jennifer Cooke	...	Elizabeth / ... (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Robert Englund	...	Willie (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Faye Grant	...	Dr. Julie Parrish (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Singer	...	Mike Donovan (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jeff Yagher	...	Kyle Bates (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jane Badler	...	Diana (18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Blair Tefkin	...	Robin Maxwell (14 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Ironside	...	Ham Tyler (13 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lane Smith	...	Nathan Bates (13 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Wright	...	Elias / ... (13 episodes, 1984-1985)
Howard K. Smith	...	Himself (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Aki Aleong	...	Mr. Chiang (8 episodes, 1984-1985)

(more)

Series Directed by
Kevin Hooks		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gilbert M. Shilton		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Cliff Bole		(3 episodes, 1985)
Bruce Seth Green		(2 episodes, 1984)
Paul Krasny		(2 episodes, 1984)
John Florea		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Writing credits
Kenneth Johnson		(19 episodes, 1984-1985)
David Braff		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
David Abramowitz		(4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Paul F. Edwards		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Garner Simmons		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Brian Taggert		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Colley Cibber		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Produced by
Daniel H. Blatt	....	executive producer (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Eliot	....	associate producer (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Robert Singer	....	executive producer (19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Garner Simmons	....	supervising producer / producer (14 episodes, 1984-1985)
Steven E. de Souza	....	supervising producer (13 episodes, 1984-1985)
Dean O'Brien	....	producer (6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Skip Ward	....	producer (6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Don Boyle	....	supervising producer / producer (5 episodes, 1985)
David J. Latt	....	producer (3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Donald R. Boyle	....	supervising producer (2 episodes, 1985)
Ralph Riskin	....	producer (2 episodes, 1985)
Chuck Bowman	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Dennis McCarthy		(19 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Cinematography by
Dennis Dalzell		(2 episodes, 1984)
Richard C. Glouner		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Scott C. Eyler		(1 episode, 1984)
Dick Wormell		(1 episode, 1984)

Series Casting by
Jennifer Jackson Part		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Art Direction by
Patricia Van Ryker		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Set Decoration by
James Ira Colburn		(2 episodes, 1984)
Sam Colburn		(unknown episodes)
Rochelle Moser		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Donna Roberts		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Alan Fama	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1984)
Sharleen Rassi	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1984)
Marvin G. Westmore	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1984)

Series Production Management
Stephen J. Fisher	....	unit production manager (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tina Baker	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1984)
William W. Baker	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1984)
Jodi Ehrlich	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Sam Loreno Sr.	....	property / property master (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Sam Moore	....	property (2 episodes, 1984)
John Sweeney	....	assistant propmaster (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Gene Eliot	....	sound editor (1 episode, 1984)
Richard Raguse	....	sound (1 episode, 1984)

Series Special Effects by
Melbourne A. Arnold	....	special effects (1 episode, 1984)
Gene Grigg	....	special effects (unknown episodes)
King Hernandez	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Richard L. Bennett	....	optical effects consultant (1 episode, 1984)
Jim Aupperle	....	visual effects matte camera (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Eddie Braun	....	stunts (9 episodes, 1984-1985)
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Lance Turner	....	assistant stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dennis Dalzell	....	additional cinematographer (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
William Jay Gahret	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Susan C. Ingram	....	second assistant camera (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jeffrey Norvet	....	first assistant camera (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Doug J. Campbell	....	dolly grip (unknown episodes)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Michael Douglas Middleton	....	still photographer: props (unknown episodes)
John Murray	....	key grip (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jan Kemp	....	costume supervisor: men's costumes (1 episode, 1984)
Donna Roberts	....	costume supervisor: women's costumes (1 episode, 1984)

Series Editorial Department
Richard L. McCullough	....	optical editor (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Music Department
Bruce Babcock	....	composer: additional music (8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Transportation Department
Vic Akopian	....	transportation coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
David Abramowitz	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1984)
David Braff	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1984)
Paul F. Edwards	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1984)
Paul Monash	....	creative consultant (2 episodes, 1984)
Brian Taggert	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1984)
Rick Whitfield	....	video coordinator (2 episodes, 1984)
Nancy E. Barr	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Richard L. Bennett	....	consultant: optical effects (unknown episodes)
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (unknown episodes)
Art Scholl	....	pilot (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Television

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1984-1985) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Cuatro (2005) (Spain) (TV)
• Kanal 2 (1997-1998) (Estonia) (TV)

Other Companies

• Burbank Studios, The  production services
• David Stipes Productions  optical effects
• Pacific Title  optical effects

Also Known As:

"V: The Series"

Runtime:

60 min (19 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Sable Ranch - 25933 Sand Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

In the first two mini-series, the Visitors spoke with an electronically modulated voice. The sound processing, however, was dropped for the ongoing series. This created a continuity problem with the two mini-series as the Visitors were able to infiltrate human strongholds and vice-versa without their different voices giving them away.

Quotes:

[Kyle has hidden a special courier message, the Resistance wants it]
Ham Tyler: I'll stand on your neck if don't.
[give the message]
Mike Donovan: And you don't want that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)

Continuing the great sci-fi tradition.

V:The Series was not a disappointment, just don't compare it to the first two mini-series. V and V:The Final Battle were landmarks in television history, V:The Series was a great science fiction series. Yes, it could have been better, but it was still great all the same. Most of the cast from the originals turned up for the series and some great new ones as well, and V:The Series was sweet while it lasted.

It began really well, on Liberation Day, a year after the Visitors had been defeated. Yet Diana came back and we were in for it. New arrivals such as Nathan Bates and his so cool son Kyle, the evil Visitor Lydia and the beautiful 'Star Child' Elizabeth all contributed to V growing with time. Yet it all went a bit wrong a bit too soon.

Ham Tyler and Robin Maxwell (two classic V characters) disappeared mid-season, new opening titles graced our screens and V:The Series departed our screens on the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers, with Elizabeth leaving with the Leader and Kyle stowing away, never knowing what was to become of them.

The actors in V, as always, was great. Jeff Yagher and Jennifer Cooke were the most attractive couple on TV as Kyle and Elizabeth, and June Chadwick was very bitchy as the glorious Lydia. The usual players (Jane Badler, Marc Singer, Faye Grant, Blair Tefkin, Michael Ironside, etc.) were fabulous as always, and the episodes were outrageously fun.

The only problem was that V:The Series was simply not as good as V and V:The Final Battle. A shame really, because on it's own, V:The Series was really good. It will just never be remembered as a great show.