Invasion: they've landed!

October 5, 2005

Remember when aliens were cute and wrinkly with big eyes and a passion for Reese’s Pieces?

Forget that image. Fast-forward to 2005 and the new ABC show Invasion. It’s safe to say that these extraterrestrials don’t ride bicycles.

Aliens now apparently fall from the sky as bright yellow lights. And of all the places in the world to inhabit, they choose the Florida Everglades. No, it’s not the retirement destination for most Americans, but at least these scary aliens will be at home among the crocodiles and alligators.

I’m OK with the premise that these modern-day extraterrestrials are disguised as bright flashes of light, living in swamp water. It may seem a little preposterous, but I’m an open-minded equal-opportunity alien watcher. It would be unfair to stereotype all invaders as little green men, with black beady eyes and antennas or as adorable, bicycle-riding aliens with glowing fingers.

These new aliens are scary. They apparently have tentacles, used to burrow into unsuspecting humans. Not that I can say for sure, since I’ve never actually seen one of the body-snatching invaders in full form yet.

Invasion presents the theory that natural disasters are somehow diversions, so that aliens can land undetected. That would mean, of course, other forms of intelligent life are already living among us.

Hmmm…That would explain a lot.

I’m betting that creepy Sheriff Tom has already been invaded. And it’s a safe bet to say that his new wife, Dr. Mariel, is no longer in control of her own destiny. After all, she was found naked in the swamp after the hurricane, without a scratch on her and no memory of the storm. And she’s acting peculiar. Her adorable daughter, Rose, even mentioned that she smelled odd.

Did the aliens kill some of the locals and invade the bodies of others? Is it a government conspiracy? Has half the town been taken over by the body-snatching extraterrestrials?

It’s a mystery to be solved. And who better to do it than the show’s main character, Russ, played by the always-wonderful Eddie Cibrian, formerly of Third Watch. Russ is a park ranger, father of two and ex-husband to Dr. Mariel. Don’t be distracted by Cibrian’s dimples and pinup-boy good looks. He is a great actor and entirely believable in the role.

Adding some humor to the show, is Russ’ sidekick, and current brother-in-law, Dave. He’s a beer-loving conspiracy theorist who chatters incessantly about government cover-ups and EBEs (extraterrestrial biological entities.) He gets points for humor, as he refers to Russ’ uptight ex-wife Mariel as “Dr. Frosty.”

Invasion is eerily hypnotic. It’s a character-driven thriller of a show, bubbling with mystery and suspense. It’s the best drama of the new season. Period. I give it three stars out of four.

The show was created and written by Shaun Cassidy. Yes, that Shaun Cassidy. Hey, he grew up solving mysteries as one of the Hardy Boys, so I’m betting Invasion continues to enthrall for the duration of the season.

In the last episode, Dave humorously warned his pals to “fight the power.” He may be on to something. There are aliens among us, at least on Invasion. So, beware of falling lights. And be alert if your co-workers start acting more bizarre than usual. If they’ve been invaded, you probably won’t notice right away. After all, there is a good chance they won’t be eating Reese’s Pieces to tip you off.

Catch Invasion at 10 p.m. on Wednesdays on ABC. You can also catch up at http://www.didyouseethelights.com/, by reading Dave’s hilarious blog of what transpired in the Everglades so far.

Originally published 10/5/05 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.

Subscribe by RSS