“V” started out as two mini series, which here in the UK were shown over one week on the ITV network as a single series, opposite the BBC’s coverage of the Olympics in 1984. The first two episodes consisting the first mini series “V”, with the final thee forming the second series “V: The Final Battle”. These American produced mini series had cost around £25 million to produce, which proved to be money well spent given the phenomenal success of the two series. In the UK alone it received over 10 million viewers beating the BBC’s Olympic coverage considerably, despite it’s late night time slot. This was adult science fiction, with very strong parallels drawn between the invading  Aliens and Nazi Germany, Subtle this show wasn’t.

Initially the “visitors” as these humanoid appearing aliens are known in the series arrive on Earth claiming to friends, offering all sorts of technologically advances to the human race in return for certain minerals, there space craft having appeared over 31 major cities around the planet. They are welcomed as friends and through the manipulation of the worlds media these “visitors” slowly but surely gain control of the planets governments. In parallels with Nazi German scientist’s begin to disappear, particularly  those connected to any branch of science that could reveal the “visitors” true nature.

One of original Journalists to greet them, TV Cameraman Mike Donovan, played by Marc Singer, becomes suspicious due to the restrictions and way in which the media is being controlled by them. So he sneaks aboard one of the “visitors” spacecraft where he finds out their secret.