The return of V

Judging just from the pilot, it doesn’t appear the new V is an improvement in any way, except perhaps the visual effects. It isn’t particularly intelligent or exciting either.

The story covered a lot of ground in 42 minutes, making the exercise feel rushed, and much of it is too difficult to swallow. Believing that New Yorkers would applaud a giant spaceship two minutes after it appeared over the city is a lot tougher to buy than the existence of extraterrestrials themselves. Scott Wolf (PARTY OF FIVE) is miscast as a television journalist, though Elizabeth Mitchell (LOST) as a strong FBI agent and particularly Morena Baccarin (FIREFLY) as Anna, the leader of the aliens, are perfectly suited to their roles. Did anyone else wish guest star Alan Tudyk had played the Wolf role?

As for the big reveal of the aliens, I actually didn't mind that it occurred so quickly, since it wasn’t a mystery to most of the audience anyway, so why treat it as one. Still, V has some problems. Scott Peters, who developed the remake, was just today fired as V’s showrunner and replaced by Scott Rosenbaum, a former executive producer of CHUCK and THE SHIELD, so it appears that ABC recognizes the flaws in the show’s early episodes and are trying to correct them. But will it be in time?

Tune in next week!

Did you recognize LAND OF THE GIANTS kiddo / FEAR NO EVIL star Stefan Arngrim as the wheelchair-bound Roy?

I didn't recognize Stefan Arngrim, though I tuned in just in time to see him rising out of his wheelchair; I was too fixated on and pleased with seeing Scott Hylands as the older priest. Hylands was very visible on TV in the early 70s (THE GLASS HOUSE, EARTH II, TERROR ON THE BEACH) although his big screen roles (FOOLS, EARTHQUAKE, BITTERSWEET LOVE) did little to advance his career.

V actually beat the mighty NCIS monster in the all-important adult demo, which might have been a bigger miracle than aliens curing a guy in a wheelchair

So the Tall Man is a V??