The Invaders (1960's)

[Mon0Zer0]

Anyone remember The Invaders? I remember watching this as a kid in the 80's - think it used to be on BBC2 around 6pm. I loved it at the time - very much a product of its time, but with an intriguing premise that still holds up I think.

The complete series is on youtube:

 

[BAYLOR]

Yes , produced by Quinn Martin , ran for about 2 season . Roy Thinnes. as architect David Vincent who witness the landing of a UFO and found out their plans for e\Earth and tried to warn people about the Invaders and almost no one believed him . The original intent of the series was he would fail, but in season 2 they altered the premise of the show . In that season powerful Industrial with connections believed Vincent and he and some of his friends started helping him out. In the 1990 Invaders miniseries continuation with Scott Bakula which character David Vincet had a cameo.

This show is something of a precursor to X Files.

 

[Vladd67]

I used to watch this as a kid. As the first series ended with Vincent convincing the military I thought that was the end, it's only recently I discovered a second series with Vincent leading a team

 

[BAYLOR]

I used to watch this as a kid. As the first series ended with Vincent convincing the military I thought that was the end, it's only recently I discovered a second series with Vincent leading a team

I rather liked the team concept in season 2 . It would have been interesting to have seen how that would have played out.

 

[Astro Pen]

I loved it as a teenager. There was a kind of direct lineage from The Invaders to the X files.
I remember one episode quite vividly for some reason, Not exceptional but a good example, Beachhead, I'll find it and post it later.

 

[Pyan]

I remember one episode quite vividly for some reason...

Possibly because it was the opener and scene-setter? I often find that the first episode leaves a deeper impression than the rest of the series. Happens with book series, too.

 

[Dave]

Yes, I also watched it as a child. It probably gave me bad dreams, along with the 1953 film, Invaders from Mars, but is definitely among the TV shows responsible for my love of science fiction today.

the first series ended... it's only recently I discovered a second series with Vincent leading a team

I rather liked the team concept in season 2

I'm not sure I ever saw this second season. It doesn't ring any bells with me at all. I certainly never saw the 1995 series.

I remember the narration at the start though:

The Invaders: alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination: the Earth. Their purpose: to make it *their* world. David Vincent has seen them. For him, it began one lost night on a lonely country road, looking for a shortcut that he never found. It began with a closed deserted diner, and a man too long without sleep to continue his journey. It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy. Now, David Vincent knows that the Invaders are here, that they have taken human form. Somehow, he must convince a disbelieving world, that the nightmare has already begun...

Also interesting, that series creator Larry Cohen said that his inspiration for this series was Invaders from Mars (1953) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), his two favourite films when he was a kid. I could already see the Invaders from Mars connections, but I see the Invasion of the Body Snatchers too now.

I don't remember much of the plot. I remember some invaders didn't quite get human characteristics right, that they captured him and held him in some kind of transparent tube, and that there was an episode where Gene Hackman was bringing baby alien spores in a suitcase.

 

[BAYLOR]

Yes, I also watched it as a child. It probably gave me bad dreams, along with the 1953 film, Invaders from Mars, but is definitely among the TV shows responsible for my love of science fiction today.


I'm not sure I ever saw this second season. It doesn't ring any bells with me at all. I certainly never saw the 1995 series.

I remember the narration at the start though:

Also interesting, that series creator Larry Cohen said that his inspiration for this series was Invaders from Mars (1953) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), his two favourite films when he was a kid. I could already see the Invaders from Mars connections, but I see the Invasion of the Body Snatchers too now.

I don't remember much of the plot. I remember some invaders didn't quite get human characteristics right, that they captured him and held him in some kind of transparent tube, and that there was an episode where Gene Hackman was bringing baby alien spores in a suitcase.

One could argue that Heinlein's The Puppet Masters could also have been a possible influence here as well.


In many ways The Invader also ahead of its time . Had this series come on tv 20 years later , it would have become a huge hit.

 

[BAYLOR]

Interestingly. Richard Anderson and Jack Lord goes stared in episode od this show.

 

[Dave]

Had this series come on tv 20 years later , it would have become a hit.

I thought it was popular? In the UK the first series must have been shown at a reasonable (pre-watershed 9pm) time for me to have been allowed to watch it. (I did get to see The Avengers sometimes though.)

in the 80's - think it used to be on BBC2 around 6pm

Back in the 1960's I'm not sure if we even had BBC2 yet. We didn't have colour TV. Both were probably available when this was first shown, but you needed a new TV and a different aerial.

All of those "A Quinn Martin Production" shows were popular in the UK, but now I'm thinking that the reason that I cannot remember the second series was that it was shown much later in the evening. That would suggest that the first season was not so popular and it got moved to a later slot.

 

[BAYLOR]

I thought it was popular? In the UK the first series must have been shown at a reasonable (pre-watershed 9pm) time for me to have been allowed to watch it. (I did get to see The Avengers sometimes though.)

Back in the 1960's I'm not sure if we even had BBC2 yet. We didn't have colour TV. Both were probably available when this was first shown, but you needed a new TV and a different aerial.

All of those "A Quinn Martin Production" shows were popular in the UK, but now I'm thinking that the reason that I cannot remember the second series was that it was shown much later in the evening. That would suggest that the first season was not so popular and it got moved to a later slot.

ive seen both season and thought both to be equally good.


Of topic, I wonder if they seres at all influenced The 1970 tv film The Love War with Lloyd Bridges and Angie Dickinson

 

[Dave]

The Love War

I just searched for that. Never seen it before. In the UK it would have been straight to VHS or else shown at 2am in the morning!

 

[BAYLOR]

I just searched for that. Never seen it before. In the UK it would have been straight to VHS or else shown at 2am in the morning!

It was produced by Arron Spelling. At the time I saw it which, was decades ago , I remember liking it.

 

[Astro Pen]

One could argue that Heinekens The Puppet Masters could also have been a possible influence here as well.


In many ways The Invader also ahead of its time . Had this series come on tv 20 years later , it would have become a huge hit.

And how many Heinekens have you had today?

 

[BAYLOR]

And how many Heinekens have you had today?

The spell checker strikes again.

Fixed.

 

[Rodders]

As with many of you, I used to love this show as a kid and would enjoy watching it with my dad.

It's one of the shows that would do well with a modern remake. Perhaps a mini-series.

 

[BAYLOR]

As with many of you, I used to love this show as a kid and would enjoy watching it with my dad.

It's one of the shows that would do well with a modern remake. Perhaps a mini-series.

They did that with Scot Bacula in the 1990's

 

[Mon0Zer0]

They did that with Scot Bacula in the 1990's

I always thought Invasion (2005) was a reboot of The Invaders, but apparently not.

I loved it as a teenager. There was a kind of direct lineage from The Invaders to the X files.

Can see that now you've mentioned it. Has Chris Carter ever mentioned it? I know he talked about Kolchak The Night Stalker being a direct influence.

The Music for The Invaders was by the same guy who did The Outer limits, and I believe was actually pilfered from an episode.

 

[Danny McG]

As a schoolboy watching this series I got very cautious if ever I neared a derelict warehouse or factory

 

[Droflet]

Yeah, this was fun back in the day. It's a pity that the aliens disintegrated when they died, but it worked for the show.