# Invasion - 9/21 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762 "2005-09-21T19:49:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/1 "2005-09-21T19:49:17Z")
Thought i would start a thread on this new show that I think looks very promising. Of the three “X-Files/Lost” clones - _Surface_, _Threshhold_, and this - _Invasion_ looks to be the most promising, IMO. I didn’t get to see _Surface_, but _Threshold_ just isn’t making it for me so far. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/2 "2005-09-21T19:54:15Z")
I guess since Surface is NBC, and Threshold is CBS, that Invasion in ABC? Or is it on a cable channel? Or maybe Fox? I’ll watch it (the 21ds is today, right? I didn’t miss it?) I will watch a few eps of all three and see which of them I like. So far Surface was good, and have yet to see Threshold, but will catch it at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/3 "2005-09-21T20:22:26Z")
Oh yeh, I’m checkin it out. I missed the premieres of \*Surface \*and \*Threshold, \*respectively. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/4 "2005-09-22T06:18:53Z")
I liked the premiere of **Invasion**. I found it sufficiently creepy without revealing too much; it established the main characters reasonably well; it makes me want to watch again next week. Did anyone think it was odd that they put a special warning on the screen before the show started? They did it because the premiere featured a hurricane and they wanted to caution the sensitive viewers in light of recent events. I’ve never seen anything specific like that before, just the usual “viewer discretion is advised” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/5 "2005-09-22T07:08:16Z")
I found elements in both Threshold and Surface interesting and intriguing. But Surface opens with a hurricane in which no one seems to prepare for until the last minute. :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/6 "2005-09-22T07:57:40Z")
Of course the title actually is: \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Invasion of the Body Snatchers\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/7 "2005-09-22T09:21:42Z")
I thought it was lame. I couldn’t even watch the whole thing, and cut out 15 minutes before the ending. Too bad, too, cuz I enjoy looking at Eddie Cibrian. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/8 "2005-09-22T11:02:02Z")
I liked how all the characters were in a big, extended family. But, that said, nothing really grabbed me. Ranger guy just seemed like a dick when he told his ex to get lost when her daughter was missing in a hurricane. That goes double for her son. Conspiracy buff uncle was mildly annoying. The real problem is that they’ve given everything away without doing anything interesting yet. We know that under the cover of a hurricane aliens are posessing/replacing people, but I don’t know why we should care. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/9 "2005-09-22T11:29:32Z")
Slow-moving, although well done. It certainly doesn’t grab me. I’ve tried watching Threshold and this, and I’m not terrifically impressed (I’ve missed Surface). I dislike the X-filification of TV science fiction, and I fear this will be just another example of it. It’s starting to feel like Stephen King’s Tommyknockers – people get changed by exposure to alien stuff and begin to change in ooky ways. What I disliked in King and fear for this will be that it’s all about the weirdness and awfulness f the changing, and that there will be no coherent direction or resolution. I hate the X-files “journey without a destination” style. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/10 "2005-09-22T11:50:25Z")
Anyone else get a “creepy” vibe from the Sheriff _before_ the hurricane? Advanced scout, perhaps? Brian ---
**Author:** ![Innuendo\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Innuendo\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Innuendo_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/11 "2005-09-22T13:12:55Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Anyone else get a “creepy” vibe from the Sheriff _before_ the hurricane? > Advanced scout, perhaps? > > Brian Yep I liked it. Not great, but not bad either. I’m going to give it a couple more viewings before I make my final decision. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/12 "2005-09-22T13:21:36Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Slow-moving, although well done. It certainly doesn’t grab me. Did you think? I thought it moved like a motherf\*cker. This kind of material could have gone seriously hokey, seriously quick. Wouldn’t call the writing stellar, but it felt more than servicable. Let’s say it held me enough to stick around for a few more. You go, Joe Hardy! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/13 "2005-09-22T13:49:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by CalMeacham > Slow-moving, although well done. It certainly doesn’t grab me. > > Did you think? I thought it moved like a motherf\*cker. > > This kind of material could have gone seriously hokey, seriously quick. Wouldn’t call the writing stellar, but it felt more than servicable. Let’s say it held me enough to stick around for a few more. You go, Joe Hardy! Yep. Wouldna said it if I didn’t think it was true. Not a helluva lot happened in this first episode – it was mostly setup and introducing the characters. Tell the truth – if you hadn’t been bombarded with ads for it and scenes from the next show, how interested would _you_ be in sticking around? Me, I’m seriously questioning why I’m missing Law and Order for this. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/14 "2005-09-22T14:02:15Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Anyone else get a “creepy” vibe from the Sheriff _before_ the hurricane? > Advanced scout, perhaps? > > Brian That or the leader. I don’t know if you watched the whole thing, but the last couple scenes with him made it pretty frickin’ clear that he’s one or the other. The leader would be my guess. I just didn’t like it. Like everyone else (it seems) in this thread I saw this one and Threshold…and I really wasn’t too fond of either one. I’ll probably call them both a “swing and a miss” and be done with them. I almost died with laughter in Threshold, however, when Ethan of Lost shows superhuman strength and gets four bullets in the chest. Talk about being typecast! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/15 "2005-09-22T14:10:23Z")
I wasn’t impressed. None of the characters are sympathetic. The dad was a jerk for sending mom out in a hurricane, especially when her daughter is missing. The mother is not a character I care about at all, and the daughter is annoying and overdone. I get annoyed by little kids being used as emotional manipulating devices and the ‘child knows all and sees all’ thing has been done too much. I understand the aliens are taking over bodies or whatever but I don’t care. Go aliens! The only character I found interesting at all was the older girl (the sheriff’s daughter?) The one who want to be on tv ‘because it distracts people from the truth.’ The first thing I thought when stereotype uncle ‘I’m crazy but I know the real truth, man!’ brought back the skeleton was, why would you assume a skeleton found in the water was the result of last night’s events? I am sure bodies get dumped in there from crimes and such and if I found a skeleton obviously decomposed as much as that one I would never think it had only been there one night! Meh. If this is the best show of the season that’s not saying much for any other shows. It’s back to Law and Order for me. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/16 "2005-09-22T14:18:36Z")
Out of Threshold, Surface, and Invasion, I’m liking SUrface the best, and Invasion the least. It’ didn’t pull me in. Threshold was kinda cheesy, and full of fake science-babble, but was more compelling. Surface seemed to combine the best of both. Pulled me in, but no bad science (yet.) ---
**Author:** ![annieclaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/17 "2005-09-22T14:30:13Z")
I saw all three (THRESHOLD, SURFACE and INVASION) and I sort of liked all three. But I remember that pilots are usually very different in tone from the remaining episodes of television series, so I’m not ready to make judgments on any of them yet. I think INVASION has the advantage over the other two simply based on its position following LOST and in the 9/10pm timeslot. THRESHOLD suffers from a Friday slot. (Way low available audiences on Fridays.) And SURFACE is on NBC on Mondays. This week it was opposite the trumped up NFL Doubleheader that drew the audience away.) Anyway, I like William Fichtner. He’s creepy in a kind of normal way. I think Conspiracy Buff Brother was supposed to mirror the character of the Fat Guy in LOST. And Handsome Park Ranger Dad is the equivalent of Matthew Fox in LOST. The kids are expendable unless they do something with the girl’s acting ability before the actual non-pilot episodes ait. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/18 "2005-09-22T14:40:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Not a helluva lot happened in this first episode – it was mostly setup and introducing the characters. Tell the truth – if you hadn’t been bombarded with ads for it and scenes from the next show, how interested would _you_ be in sticking around? Based on the merits of the program itself, you mean? Of ocurse, why not? Like I said, I thought it really moved. Especially for a pilot, which \*has \*to take time with some amount of set-up. Handsome Park Ranger Dad would be the weak spot for me. Not exactly an emotive powerhouse. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/19 "2005-09-22T15:12:49Z")
I didn’t think it was great, but I did like it, much more than _Threshold_ which is really cheesy. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762/20 "2005-09-22T18:30:43Z")
I got a phone call in the last 10 minutes–anyone want to fill me in on what happened? Not that it really matters, I suppose. Everything was too predictable, too formula for me. I also saw **Threshold** , and though not perfect, it had better suspense, creepier moments, more likable characters, and a more promising plot trajectory. But I agree–the _Lost_ lead-in is going to make this one the most high-profile. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invasion-9-21/322762.md?page=2)