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CS
Weekly Archive > DVD
of the Day > 03/17/06
All in the Family, Alien-style
by jason davis
Alien Nation: The Complete Series
Kenneth Johnson, Diane Frolov, Steven Long Mitchell, Craig Van Sickle, Tom Chehak, Andrew Schneider, Joe Menosky, Charles S. Kaufman, Larry B. Williams, David Garber, and Bruce Kalish
Developed for television by Kenneth Johnson
Based on characters created by Rockne S. O'Bannon
 
 
Following from the theatrical film of the same name, the TV incarnation of Alien Nation develops the movie's Miami Vice-with-aliens motif into a social commentary more in keeping with All in the Family. Partnered with an alien "Newcomer" named Sam "George" Francisco (Eric Pierpoint), LAPD Detective Matthew Sikes (Gary Graham) must overcome his distaste for the alien's culture to do his job. Exploring the possibilities of being the new minority in the melting pot, the series takes on every conceivable social problem from slavery (for which the Newcomers were originally bred) to prostitution and, like the best science fiction, puts it into a perspective that allows its message to penetrate even the most biased of minds. By focusing on the Francisco family and their relationship to the world, the show's unique viewpoint is that of the "everyminority," allowing every group to see itself in the alien faces onscreen. Executive producer Kenneth Johnson's engaging commentary on the two-hour pilot details the challenges in redefining the series for TV and offers astute commentary on creating compelling television.
Alien Nation: The Complete Series
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Not rated; 989 min.
$49.98
Buy it now
At the age of 21, Jason Davis was hit in the face with a car. He has since devoted his life to writing. His words have appeared on TBS, MSN.com, and CS Weekly, where he serves as DVD manager. He lives in Burbank.
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