The Invaders

Show Reviews (7)

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  • 9.0

    An Inspirational Series

    By Ministry_Fox, Dec 29, 2011

    The Invaders left such a deep impression on me that my first novel mirrored many of its key features. Although more of a homily to the genre than genuine fan fiction, the protagonist is called David Vincent and the plot revolves around his fight against what he believes to be an alien takeover of his office and his city, but the story differs from the TV series in that reader cannot help but question Vincent's sanity in the novel, something which the viewer was never really called upon to do in the TV Series, which is the only reason I haven't given it a ten.

    In a dreadful act of self-promotion, I will now link to the novel:

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  • 9.0

    A weekly never miss from my childhood!

    By jawsthecabbie, Mar 26, 2011

    David Vincent, looking for that turn on a lonely country road that he never found...and drove straight into a nightmare! Oh my God did I love this show back in the day...a paranoid masterpeice! Never mind that the aliens all looked, acted and dressed like government agents (it was after all a Quinn-Martin Production, and their other big T.V. hit back then was The F.B.I.) and that the aliens were so wimpy that all David Vincent had to do was give them one or two good head knocks and they'd fall over, die and burn up,I just couldn't get enough of the Invaders. I spent a lot of time as a kid wondering what I'd do if I were in David Vincent's shoes, and I always wondered where I could get one of those light-up discs that the aliens had in the palm of their hands that caused cerebreal hemmorage in human victims, I can think of a few teachers I had back in jr. high school that I would have liked to use it on...ha!moreless

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  • 5.0

    Credit it for inspiring other, better shows, but not all that impressive by itself.

    By jamoon2006, Sep 15, 2008

    Despite a good pedigree, Quinn Martin's "The Invaders" ranks as one of the producer's lesser efforts. In the end, this series may be better remembered for what it inspired instead of what it provided in terms of entertainment. Its strong paranoia vibe certainly helped to influence 90s shows like "The X-Files," and its out-there aliens among us plot definitely inspired sci-fi over the next decades.

    Roy Thinnes does a good job as ARCHITECT David Vincent (the way they emphasize his profession in the credits, you'd think it would come into play in the series). He's a nice contrast to other TV heroes of the era. Vincent is a hard-ass. He kills aliens without hesitation and isn't above slapping around humans who get in his way. The problem is that the character is largely a cypher. He's a plot device rather than a person. We never connect with Thinnes the way we do with other TV protagonists like David Janssen's Richard Kimble, or even the mostly anonymous players on "Mission: Impossible." The Kimble comparison is appropriate. Frequently on "The Invaders", a plot involves Vincent arriving in a new town, stumbling on to an alien plot and helping someone out along the way. It makes the series a hodgepodge, a little too much like QM's "The Fugitive." Maybe with more sci-fi writers, the series could have churned out better plots, but producer Alan Armer and his writers were dramatic TV writers thrown into a strange new genre. Often, their efforts weren't that impressive. Because of this sidetrack into domestic drama, the sci-fi/alien invasion trappings never really take off. Poor production values don't help other shows and movies, you can look past the goofy sets and special effects if the story is solid. Unfortunately, we don't have that with "The Invaders."

    So Vincent roams, seemingly without direction (how DOES he find out about these alien plots?) and his extra-terrestrial foes are just as misguided. It's as if the Invaders have no concrete plan - they send small parties out to pull off small sabotage jobs here and there. It's not all bad - like other Quinn Martin shows, the guest actors are terrific. It's just too bad they weren't given better scripts to work with.moreless

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  • 10

    The aliens are among us...

    By DojinFan_2K, Apr 05, 2008

    The Invaders was a well-crafted Sci-Fi/Adventure series created by Quinn Martin that sadly only lasted 2 seasons on ABC.

    Roy Thinnes plays the role of David Vincent, an architect who witnessed the landing of a spaceship in a remote desert in the Southwestern U.S. & finds out that the aliens who arrived have plans to take over the Earth. Throughout the series Vincent tries to convince anyone & everyone about the evil humanoid aliens, but with little success. However, the aliens' human guise is far from perfect since they have an extra finger, no pulse or heartbeat & most of all, when an alien is weakening or dying, they give off a reddish glow. They even dissolve into vapor when they die. Later in the 1st season, Vincent finds an ally in Edgar Scoville, the head of an electronics company along with 7 others who also discovered the evil aliens' plot as well.

    I was very fortunate to have seen a couple of episodes on Chicago TV many years ago. I just hope that if i can't see this lost classic on TV, then maybe i can find it on DVD.moreless

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  • 8.5

    Invasion of the Body Snathers for television. The Invaders was from the creator of the Fugitive. In many ways it was a science fiction Fugitve as architect David Vincent tries to warn the people that those living amongst them are not really humans!

    By Sotaria, May 03, 2007

    This was a marvelously paranoid TV show reminscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers or Invaders from Mars. Roy Thinnes helps make the role of David Vincent believable, which in itself is an admirable task given that each week he must set out to prove that humans living amongst us are really alien invaders! One unique aspect of the show was its evolution. David Vincent slowly wins a few converts along the way. By the end of the series there was a small group of "believers" who struggled to expose the invaders. Certainly one of the best sci-fi shows ever made, but underappreciated. Perhaps someday this gem will be on DVD.moreless

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  • 10

    The best show--to me---that TV ever offered. It's sad that it lasted just 2 seasons. Excitement for the full hour. Many noteable guests stars on the show. I only wish that Paramount would release it onto DVD!

    By wolfman2222, Jul 21, 2005

    The Invaders was followed by such SciFi hits as The X-Files among others. The concept of alien beings looking just like you and me was fascinating. Each week, you would have to figure out who were the aliens, and who were the real people. Non-stop action--never a dull moment. Paramount has not released it onto DVD yet---but there are a couple of sites that have it from VHS onto DVD, and not too bad. If you get a chance to see it---you'll love it!!moreless

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