This past weekend I was sick in bed with the stomach flu.  This may sound dreadful, but there is a silver lining to this tragic tale.  I was flipping through the channels and came across a "V" marathon on SyFy.  For those of you out of the loop, "V" is a classic 1980’s science fiction miniseries about a group of alien visitors who come to Earth with what seem initially as good intentions.  Unfortunately, these anthropomorphic beings from another planet are actually giant bipedal lizards bent on world domination.  The visitors have most of the human race hornswaggled, except a group of freedom fighters led by "The Beastmaster" himself, Marc Singer.  This very long classic "V" science fiction marathon was aired because the remake of the show, which shares the same name, premiered November 3rd on ABC.  The first episode held its ground, but it will have to do better to fill some very big shoes.

The latest "V" begins with FBI agent Erica Evans, played by "Lost" alumni Elizabeth Mitchell, being roused from sleep by a strange, intense shaking.  The reactions to this earthquake caliber tremor are also how we are introduced to the rest of the main cast.  This includes a well meaning Priest, an egomaniacal news anchor, Evan’s reckless teenage son, and a man with a shady past and his would be fiancé. 

The mysterious rumble is not an act of nature as we know it.  Instead it is an alien space craft that is one of many parked above major cities across the globe, including New York, Rio de Janiero, and Los Angeles.  A beautiful alien named Anna broadcasts to the world the visitor’s intentions; which are to replenish their depleted supplies.  In return they offer a glimpse at their superior technological abilities and cures for several diseases that plague our species.  This seems all well and good, but viewers of the original series know the awful truth.

I am giving this retelling a chance because I have such fond memories of the original.  "V" captivated and frightened me when I was a child and I never got over the memory of the reptilian imposters.  This first episode shows promise except for one flaw:  they’re already given away the milk for free.  The last few minutes of the show featured an underground Resistance meeting hosted by a mysterious figure who already knows the truth.  He reveals the alien’s true nature and intention, which is followed by a collective gasp and the inevitable ambush by visitor soldiers. I know it’s not going to come as a surprise to anyone that the visitors are not as humans as they appear, but did they have to make the big reveal so soon.  It’s like a magician pulling a visibly squirming rabbit out of his left jacket pocket.  The mystery is wasted on the unimpressed.  Let’s hope the rest of the series at least attempts to build more suspense.