The Invaders - Page 27

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Don't get me wrong--I love the Intros. I just watch them afterwards.

Too bad he didn't pick his favorite episode to do a commentary on, but I am very pleased with my two sets.

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Quick question:

The Invaders was on for two seasons and both have been released to DVD so the series is completed from that perspective. However, as someone that has never seen an episode or even heard about it until recently, does the story line provide a satisfying ending. In other words, did they plan for it to end at the time it did, or did they at least have enough notice of the cancellation to put together a last episode to attempt to wrap things up (at least to some degree)?

As good as the series might be, I'm not sure I want to get involved in a running story line if there is absolutely no conclusion.

Also, I saw mention of speed up most likely due to a PAL version source used to make an NTSC version. If this is the case would it be better to buy the region 2 version (obviously based on being able to play PAL with out conversion using a region free player)?

Thanks for any input. I tried to scan the thread but at the same time tried to avoid any spoiler information.

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TV shows back in the '60s typically did not have endings. They ran within their format until they were cancelled. THE FUGITIVE was a rare exception to that rule, and was the only series to actually have an ending for quite a while.

As series wrapped up fro the '70s forward, many began to attempt some sort of ending - Mary Tyler Moore and her crew being let go from WJM; M*A*S*H in the '80s doing a final episode; etc.

THE INVADERS continued its hour-long segmented stories to the final episode. There is no conclusion to an overall story, just David Vincent finding more allies in his quest to alert humanity.

Harry

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Brad,

I think you may have seen a mention about the pilot "Beachhead" which is the time-compressed version of the transfer on the S1 set. Someone here will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the rest of the episodes in S1 are not time-sped. As far as I know, CBS/P used the U.S. NTSC prints for the R1 release.

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And being a "time-compressed-for-syndication" version, that would be NTSC anyway, not PAL.

Time-compressed does not necessarily equal PAL, and it appears not to be the case here, either. For those who don't know, many old shows were time-compressed back in the '90s to allow the shows to run shorter (for more commercials) while eliminating (or limiting) any editing. The A&E episodes of The Fugitive were done this way, I think, and I also believe Combat! was another compressed show.

Definitely not a reason to buy the PAL set in this case.

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Thanks for the good feedback.

I did not initially catch that any speed up was due to time compressing episodes for fitting in more commercials then the standard PAL speed up due to a conversion. So NTSC it is if I purchase.

As for the question about a conclusion, I guess it depends on how important it is at the point of watching the last episode. For example, The old "Incredible Hulk" show has a singular story arc (cure the transformation) that does not need to be solved to enjoy the show since each episode is for the most part complete and you know the ultimate goal.

However, in shows like "Profiler", "4400", "and FireFly" there is an underlining mystery to what is going on and it is less satisfying if one does not discover the overall intent of the story.

So if this makes sense, which category would the Invaders fit in (known but unachieved conclusion or unknown/unachieved conclusion)?

Thanks again for your input.

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THE INVADERS are still here and still planning to take over. Just look around you...



Harry

THE LIFE SEEKERS!!!!!!

"For David Vincent and his new ally sadness for what they have lost and hope for what they may have gained. Already tens of thousands of miles away an alien saucer speeds through the void on a mission not of death...but of life!"--The closing epilogue narrative from THE INVADERS (ABC 1967-68) episode entitled "The Life Seekers" (05/03/1968) written by Laurence Heath and directed by Paul Wendkos.

"We were going to go on. We were on hiatus but there were writers hired; there were eight scripts in the works and then one day I read in VARIETY that the show and several other things Quinn Martin had on the air were cancelled. I think something political happened."--Roy Thinnes.

"I have read with interest that ABC has cancelled THE INVADERS an outstanding informative program. Has anyone checked the ABC program directors for a pulse or heartbeat?"--Emory D. Guay, Concord, California (from TV GUIDE magazine dated April 06th-12th, 1968).

If you want an "ending" to THE INVADERS then I suggest that you watch THE INVADERS second season (1967-68) episode "The Life Seekers" last in the (now) just-released DVD set.

That will satisfactorily suffice as such. Try it and you should see just what I mean!

So far I have seen the first four second season presentations "Condition: Red!" (05/09/1967), "The Saucer" (12/09/1967), "The Watchers" (19/09/1967) and "Valley of the Shadow" (26/09/1967) and they all (generally) look and sound very well indeed.

Albeit I haven't really noticed that the end title THE INVADERS themes varys in these four selfsame segments as has been previously addressed...but it is all the original music to be certain!

Jeff T.

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I will be starting on disc three this evening. It was very enjoyable to see Russell Johnson, Dawn Wells(guess they a way off the island after all), Gene Hackman, Wayne Rogers, Lynda Day (George), Whit Bissell, etc just on that second disc. Great 60's flashbacks. I am really enjoying re-living this set.

Doug

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I just finished The Prophet. Like the series a lot.

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Thanks...I'll give it a shot then.

I was renting "4400" at one point but then it got cancelled, I never did end up seeing the last season. What's the point if you never really find out where things were going.

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Do INDEED give it a shot.

The strength of many of the Quinn Martin shows, and THE INVADERS in particular, is not necessarily the dénoument of any large overall plot arc, but rather the excellent one-hour self-contained dramas with outstanding writing, acting, and guest stars.

I'll have to consider checking out "The Life Seekers" as a final episode. Thanks, Jeffrey!

Harry

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The final episode of 4400 pretty much gives a finale feel to the series. You should have finished watching it.

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Just finished Summit Meeting Part 1. Wow. Can't wait to finish, trying to watch one episode at a time is very difficult.

Doug

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OK...as I've been working my way through Season 2, I now have a new all-time favorite INVADERS episode (after watching tonight): "The Spores". This one is a true classic: excellent guest cast (Gene Hackman, Wayne Rogers, John Randolph), a very suspenseful and creepy storyline (the invaders are trying to harvest new soldiers via alien seedlings, which are stolen), spooky special effects, characters you care about, a smiling David Vincent at the end, and a great introduction to the episode by Roy Thinnes, who tells the story of how he came to guest star on "The X-Files" in an episode involving...spores!

This episode is a prime example of what makes this series so special, and this show doing what it does best. I've really been enjoying Season 2, but it's going to be hard to top this one. I'm anxious to hear what others think about it.

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The Spores was first class. My favorite so far and I just finished The Prophet.

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I remember "The Spores" very well from my youth and it's only one of three episodes in S2 thus far that I recall seeing before. Though lean on plot and basically just an elaborate chase, Gene Hackman is great. The creepy sound made by the growing spores in the greenhouse reminds me of the "Lost in Space" episode where Judy gets duplicated by a giant plant.

Just finished "Summit Meeting Part II" and will probably put on "The Prophet" tonight.

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For anyone who's a little late to the party, but still wants to get in, Amazon is currently offering season 2 for just $20.99.

Amazon.com: The Invaders - The Second Season: Roy Thinnes, Anne Francis, Charles Drake, Dabney Coleman, Sandy Kenyon, Kelly Thordsen, Robert Knapp, John Ward, Glenn Bradley, Tina Menard, Christopher Shea, Robert Dulaine, Don Medford, George McCowan,

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So I'm watching an episode of the original "Outer Limits" and notice that almost all the cue music is from "The Invaders." I thought "The Invaders" was first, just because of the music...but I was wrong!

"Outer Limits" episode "The Forms of Things Unknown," air date 5/4/64 and of course "The Invaders" was 1967.

Never encountered that before...have you???

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Dominic Frontiere wrote the "INVADERS" theme first as a score for a pilot film that aired as the last episode of the first season of THE OUTER LIMITS ("The Forms Of Things Unknown"). He later re-used that music in doing the score for THE INVADERS.

The score for the pilot to THE UNKNOWN (as it was going to be called if it became a series) is available on CD at La La Land Records:

LA LA LAND RECORDS, A Name For Evil, The Unknown

Harry

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Are there any differences with extras between R1 and R2 releases, does anyone know if none I will get the R2 release as won't have to pay shipping charges to UK

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Thanks Harry!

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Chalk up another sale for Harry (they should send you royalties!).

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Or at least a commission!

Harry

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I just finished my set earlier today. I didn't notice any issues towards picture quality or sound. The episodes looked really good. I liked the intros though I wished Thinnes had told more stories than just the basic premise and guest stars. The interview on disc 7 was excellent, Thinnes is an engaging speaker. Too bad it wasn't longer.

My favourite episodes were The Spores, Valley of the Shadow, The Enemy, The Captive, The Organization and Inquisition. My least favourite was The Labyrinth, not that it was a bad episode, just that Vincent did some things that seemed out of character. Here he had concrete proof of Aliens being on Earth but didn't take any precautions. He takes the X-rays to a group of scientists and hands them over, but he doesn't check their pulses. It seemed like a simple way to see if any of them are Aliens, then later on, instead of retrieving the witness from the airport himself, he let's someone else do it and surprise, she is intimidated into not verifying the X-rays. That stuff just irritated me. By the end of the season, I liked the addition of the Believers, just wish Vincent was shown meeting Scoville, instead of him just being in the group. Otherwise I really enjoyed the series. It's a very solid and well made series.

I really liked some of the things the Invaders did to disguise that they weren't human and how they tried to discredit Vincent and co as the season went on. In hindsight, I like how the Saucer shots were kept to a minimum throughout the series, the series relied more on character and story more than Effects. The Aliens' death are still the highlight of the show, my fav being the one who died while falling into the water. All in all, this is a top notch show and I'm very glad and thankful to be able to see the entire series again after all these year

STILL WATCHING AND LOVING IT!!!!!!

I have now watched the first six episodes of THE INVADERS - THE SECOND SEASON 7-disc set and frankly speaking (much to my own relief) I honestly didn't notice any kind of "jittering" specificially in "The Enemy" (03/10/1967) which is fine with me.

I especially liked the manner in which Blake's (Richard Anderson) final reversion state was kept indistinct making the final result a lot more impressive than it likely was.

It was also very enjoyable to see a post-GILLIGAN'S ISLAND Russell Johnson given a good featured guest role in "The Trial" (10/10/1967).

So far the image and sound quality of the individual episodes has been reasonably good (if not better) and I have no real complaints just gratitude that I finally had the opportunity to see this classic Quinn Martin produced 1960s SF tv series once again after so many years.

Stand outs so far are "The Saucer" (12/09/1967), "Valley of the Shadow" (26/09/1967), "The Enemy" and "The Trial." I am really looking forward to seeing them again once I complete the entire set.

Yes there was a certain amount of contriveness in a couple of episodes ("The Betrayed" comes to mind) in the manner in which David Vincent (Roy Thinnes) would unconvincingly allow his obtained proof to fall back into the hands of the extraterrestrials or just plain lose it...but nothing is perfect in an imperfect world!

However I do feel that the aliens' presence on the Earth should not be made known otherwise there is no story and this is precisely why I am pretty much against the idea of the so-called "Believers" organized support group which spoils the more interesting concept of one single man "trying to convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun" or some such.

Pertaining to the earlier inquiry about any differences in the provided extras for both the Region 1 and Region 2 DVD releases as far as I know the Region 2 set does not have any such included special bonuses just the 26 colour hour long episodes themselves.

Jeff T.

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First, I have to say I love THE INVADERS. But as season two progresses, I find David Vincent's actions more and more implausible. I am certainly willing to suspend disbelief, but when writers set up rules for their world, they need to be consistent within the principle of maximum capacity; that is, a character should act with all means available to solve their delimma. But David Vincent now it seems routinely makes dumb decisions (If he knows aliens have no pulse, he should be checking every person he puts his trust in, etc.) Or he is careless with key evidence. He lets the same gaffs happen to him again and again. I don't mean to dump on this show...I like it alot...it just seems less plausaible the further I go (just finished THE LABYRINTH).

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I'm still uncertain how he can afford going after the Invaders on an architect's salary. They clear this up with Edgar in the second season, but until then Vincent just seems to be a crazy person. Granted, his story is fantastic, but that's a nice little touch I notice whenever I watch a few episodes.

As for a final episode, I think 'The Believers' works on some level. Vincent is now believed and is part of an underground that is helping to stop the Invaders. While it's not perfect by a long shot, at least it's closure in some part. At least he's not insane anymore, and he's still fighting aliens with help. Can't ask for more than that.

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I popped in disc 6 the other night, and noticed a strange shimmering 'fog' behind Thinnes during the intros, anyone else see it? I noticed this, or something similar, in the episodes - just a badly manifactured disc, or the aliens at play...?

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Finally we see a scene of Vincent working as an architect!