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Alien Nation (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Alien Nation is a science fiction
television series, loosely based on the movie of the same name
. Gary Graham
starred as Detective Matthew Sikes, a Los Angeles police officer reluctantly working with "Newcomer"
alien George Francisco (from the planet Tencton), played by Eric Pierpoint
. Sykes also has an on again-off again flirtation with a female Newcomer, Cathy Frankel, played by Terri Treas
.
s on the evils of racism
and bigotry
using Newcomers as the discriminated minority. As fictional extra-terrestrial immigrants, the Newcomers could stand in for social issues
about African-Americans or Hispanics, as well as sexual-behavior minorities such as gays, and would invert the usual expectations. For instance, during the run of the series, George became pregnant (the male of his species carrying the fetus for part of its gestation) and during much of the episode dialog included lines like, "If you females had to feel the pain we males feel during pregnancy, there wouldn't be any babies." The series offered social commentary by illustrating what it means to be human and the often bizarre rituals we observe.
(#463), creator Johnson explains: Having been responsible for science-fiction television series such as The Six Million Dollar Man
, V and The Incredible Hulk, was approached for the television adaptation of the 1988 film Alien Nation
. He had no interest in the project and agreed to watch the film which left him unimpressed except for one scene when a Newcomer, George, leaves his suburban wife and child and goes to work.
Johnson returned to the network, which envisioned a weekly science-fiction version of Lethal Weapon
, and sold them on a different concept of social commentary about what happens when a new minority appears overnight. He intended his version to be more akin to the film In The Heat of The Night than a traditional action film.
had at the time. However, the network suffered from financial shortage caused by lower-than-expected advertising income. As a result, Fox executives cancelled all of their dramatic series for the 1990–1991 season. A second season of Alien Nation was clearly expected by the producers, as the season ended with a cliffhanger
. The show built a strong fan base, and popular demand led to "Dark Horizon", the episode that would have begun the second season, being novelized and adapted as a comic book as well as spawning a series of novels
. Four years later, after a change of management at Fox, the story of Alien Nation continued with five television movies (including all the original cast), picking up with the cliffhanger.
Note: These last two were made back-to-back, and because Terri Treas was in a relatively advanced state of pregnancy, her character Cathy Frankel appears only briefly in each.
. The five telefilms that followed after the series was cancelled were released in Region 1 by Best Buy exclusively on September 11, 2007, and worldwide on April 15, 2008
(formerly Sci-Fi Channel) announced that they were developing a new take on the series. Tim Minear
(Angel
, Firefly
) will pen the series.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series, loosely based on the movie of the same name
Alien Nation (film)
Alien Nation is a 1988 American science fiction film directed by Graham Baker and produced by Gale Anne Hurd, Richard Kobritz and Bill Borden. The storyline was based on a screenplay written by Rockne S. O'Bannon. It stars James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, Terence Stamp, and Kevyn Major Howard...
. Gary Graham
Gary Graham
Gary Graham is an American actor. He is probably best known for his starring role as Detective Matthew Sikes in the television series Alien Nation , which was followed by the TV movies Alien Nation: Dark Horizon , Alien Nation: Body and Soul , Alien Nation: Millennium , Alien Nation: The...
starred as Detective Matthew Sikes, a Los Angeles police officer reluctantly working with "Newcomer"
Tenctonese
The Tenctonese, also known as Newcomers, are a humanoid species in the Alien Nation, television series and earlier film, as well as the later Alien Nation telefilm series. They are from the planet Tencton, though references to numerous slave colonies throughout the series and telemovies indicate...
alien George Francisco (from the planet Tencton), played by Eric Pierpoint
Eric Pierpoint
Eric Pierpoint is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as George Francisco on Fox Network's Alien Nation. He has appeared on all of the Star Trek spin-offs. He played five characters in the four series from 1993 to 2005.He is the son of retired CBS news correspondent Robert...
. Sykes also has an on again-off again flirtation with a female Newcomer, Cathy Frankel, played by Terri Treas
Terri Treas
Terri Treas is an American actress, writer and director. She has starred in films and on television. Terri is best known for her role as Newcomer Cathy Frankel on the Fox Network short-lived science fiction series Alien Nation and in the five movies produced subsequent to the TV series which...
.
Storylines
The storylines generally revolved around morality playMorality play
The morality play is a genre of Medieval and early Tudor theatrical entertainment. In their own time, these plays were known as "interludes", a broader term given to dramas with or without a moral theme. Morality plays are a type of allegory in which the protagonist is met by personifications of...
s on the evils of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
using Newcomers as the discriminated minority. As fictional extra-terrestrial immigrants, the Newcomers could stand in for social issues
Social commentary
Social commentary is the act of rebelling against an individual, or a group of people by rhetorical means, or commentary on social issues or society...
about African-Americans or Hispanics, as well as sexual-behavior minorities such as gays, and would invert the usual expectations. For instance, during the run of the series, George became pregnant (the male of his species carrying the fetus for part of its gestation) and during much of the episode dialog included lines like, "If you females had to feel the pain we males feel during pregnancy, there wouldn't be any babies." The series offered social commentary by illustrating what it means to be human and the often bizarre rituals we observe.
Development
In an April 2, 2008 episode of Fanboy RadioFanboy Radio
Fanboy Radio is a comic book related radio show and podcast. Hosted by Scott Hinze and Oliver Tull, Fanboy Radio has been broadcasting live comic book creator interviews, commentary with an attempt at humor and live listener callers....
(#463), creator Johnson explains: Having been responsible for science-fiction television series such as The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI...
, V and The Incredible Hulk, was approached for the television adaptation of the 1988 film Alien Nation
Alien Nation (film)
Alien Nation is a 1988 American science fiction film directed by Graham Baker and produced by Gale Anne Hurd, Richard Kobritz and Bill Borden. The storyline was based on a screenplay written by Rockne S. O'Bannon. It stars James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, Terence Stamp, and Kevyn Major Howard...
. He had no interest in the project and agreed to watch the film which left him unimpressed except for one scene when a Newcomer, George, leaves his suburban wife and child and goes to work.
Johnson returned to the network, which envisioned a weekly science-fiction version of Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon is a 1987 American buddy cop action film and the first in a series of films, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives, and Gary Busey as their primary adversary...
, and sold them on a different concept of social commentary about what happens when a new minority appears overnight. He intended his version to be more akin to the film In The Heat of The Night than a traditional action film.
Differences between the movie and the TV series
- In the movie versionAlien Nation (film)Alien Nation is a 1988 American science fiction film directed by Graham Baker and produced by Gale Anne Hurd, Richard Kobritz and Bill Borden. The storyline was based on a screenplay written by Rockne S. O'Bannon. It stars James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, Terence Stamp, and Kevyn Major Howard...
, human detective Matthew Sikes is played by James Caan. In the TV series, actor Gary Graham plays this role. - Detective George Francisco (originally named "Sam Francisco" by the Human Immigration Authorities) the Newcomer detective, is played by Mandy PatinkinMandy PatinkinMandel Bruce "Mandy" Patinkin is an award-winning American actor of stage and screen and a tenor vocalist. He is a noted interpreter of the musical works of Stephen Sondheim, and is best-known for his work in musical theatre, originating iconic roles such as Georges Seurat in Sunday in the Park...
in the movie. Eric Pierpoint plays the character in the TV series. - The TV series has a much lighter tone than the movie, with extensive subtle humor and wordplay. The movie is essentially a noirFilm noirFilm noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
piece, very gritty and hard-bitten. - Many aspects of Newcomer culture are explored in the TV series, including; childbirth, religion, family, history, longing for their home planet, etc. In the movie, Newcomer culture is hinted at, but never explored.
- In the movie, Francisco has a wife named Susan (played by Kendall Conrad) and a son (called "George Jr." in the credits, although Mandy Patinkin states that within the film, he was named "Richard" after Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
) played by Brian Lando. In the TV series, his wife is still named Susan (Michele ScarabelliMichele ScarabelliMichele Scarabelli is a Canadian actress. She is probably best known for her role as Tenctonese Newcomer Susan Francisco on the Fox Network science fiction series Alien Nation and the 5 television movies that followed....
), but his son is named Buck (Sean SixSean SixSean Six is an American actor who started acting at the age of 8. His first role was in the theater, in a production of Fiddler on the Roof at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium...
). He also has a daughter Emily (Lauren WoodlandLauren WoodlandLauren Woodland is an American actress.-Career:Woodland has been acting since childhood. In 1989, she appeared in the Fox Network science fiction series Alien Nation as the child newcomer Emily Francisco...
), and gives birth to an additional daughter, Vessna. - In the movie, Sikes' daughter is married. In the TV series, Sikes' daughter is unmarried and is of college age with a boyfriend.
- Both detectives work for Captain Warner (Francis X. McCarthy) in the movie. In the TV series, it is Captain Bryon Grazer (Ron FasslerRon FasslerRon Fassler is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Bryon Grazer, the LAPD captain in the Fox Network cult science fiction TV series Alien Nation. The series was canceled after a short run, but Fox brought it back in 1994 in a series of five TV movies...
).
Cancellation
The weekly series ran for one season, from 1989 through 1990, and was one of the few successes the fledgling Fox NetworkFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
had at the time. However, the network suffered from financial shortage caused by lower-than-expected advertising income. As a result, Fox executives cancelled all of their dramatic series for the 1990–1991 season. A second season of Alien Nation was clearly expected by the producers, as the season ended with a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
. The show built a strong fan base, and popular demand led to "Dark Horizon", the episode that would have begun the second season, being novelized and adapted as a comic book as well as spawning a series of novels
Alien Nation (book)
Alien Nation was a science fiction novel series, based on the movie and television series of the same name. It began in March 1993 with Pocket Books publishing the series. Various books of the series were written by L. A. Graf, Peter David, K. W. Jeter, Barry B. Longyear, David Spencer, Garfield...
. Four years later, after a change of management at Fox, the story of Alien Nation continued with five television movies (including all the original cast), picking up with the cliffhanger.
Television movies
- Alien Nation: Dark HorizonAlien Nation: Dark HorizonAlien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season, ending in 1990 with a cliffhanger series finale. Dark Horizon was written to be the season opener for the second season, but when the series was unexpectedly canceled and looked like it might never return to...
(19941994 in film1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
) - Alien Nation: Body and SoulAlien Nation: Body and SoulAlien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season. Alien Nation: Body and Soul was the second television movie produced to continue the story after the premature cancellation of the popular series. It follows the television series format of two parallel...
(19951995 in film-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
) - Alien Nation: MillenniumAlien Nation: MillenniumAlien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season. Alien Nation: Millennium was the third television movie produced to continue the story after the premature cancellation of the popular series...
(19961996 in filmMajor releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
) - Alien Nation: The Enemy WithinAlien Nation: The Enemy WithinAlien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season. Alien Nation: The Enemy Within is the fourth television movie produced to continue the story after the premature cancellation of the popular series...
(19961996 in filmMajor releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
) - Alien Nation: The Udara LegacyAlien Nation: The Udara LegacyAlien Nation: The Udara Legacy was the fifth and final television movie produced to continue the story of the prematurely canceled television series Alien Nation. The plot introduces the idea that among the Tenctonese slaves, there was a resistance movement called the Udara who were implanted...
(19971997 in film-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
)
Note: These last two were made back-to-back, and because Terri Treas was in a relatively advanced state of pregnancy, her character Cathy Frankel appears only briefly in each.
Main cast
- Detective Matthew Sikes – Gary GrahamGary GrahamGary Graham is an American actor. He is probably best known for his starring role as Detective Matthew Sikes in the television series Alien Nation , which was followed by the TV movies Alien Nation: Dark Horizon , Alien Nation: Body and Soul , Alien Nation: Millennium , Alien Nation: The...
- Detective George Francisco – Eric PierpointEric PierpointEric Pierpoint is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as George Francisco on Fox Network's Alien Nation. He has appeared on all of the Star Trek spin-offs. He played five characters in the four series from 1993 to 2005.He is the son of retired CBS news correspondent Robert...
- Susan Francisco – Michele ScarabelliMichele ScarabelliMichele Scarabelli is a Canadian actress. She is probably best known for her role as Tenctonese Newcomer Susan Francisco on the Fox Network science fiction series Alien Nation and the 5 television movies that followed....
- Emily Francisco – Lauren WoodlandLauren WoodlandLauren Woodland is an American actress.-Career:Woodland has been acting since childhood. In 1989, she appeared in the Fox Network science fiction series Alien Nation as the child newcomer Emily Francisco...
- Buck Francisco – Sean SixSean SixSean Six is an American actor who started acting at the age of 8. His first role was in the theater, in a production of Fiddler on the Roof at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium...
- Cathy Frankel – Terri TreasTerri TreasTerri Treas is an American actress, writer and director. She has starred in films and on television. Terri is best known for her role as Newcomer Cathy Frankel on the Fox Network short-lived science fiction series Alien Nation and in the five movies produced subsequent to the TV series which...
- Albert Einstein – Jeff MarcusJeff MarcusJeffrey Marcus is an American actor who stars on television, film and theater. Between 1980-1990, Marcus appeared on and off-Broadway in such plays as, The Survivor and Almost an Eagle starring James Whitmore. Jeff is best known for his television role as Albert Einstein, the Tenctonese janitor...
- Cpt. Bryon Grazer – Ron FasslerRon FasslerRon Fassler is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Bryon Grazer, the LAPD captain in the Fox Network cult science fiction TV series Alien Nation. The series was canceled after a short run, but Fox brought it back in 1994 in a series of five TV movies...
- Beatrice Zepeda – Jenny GagoJenny GagoJenny Gago is an American actress.- Career :Gago has appeared in movies and television for 25 years, including recurring roles as Captain Santina on MacGyver, Detective Beatrice Zapeda in Alien Nation, Anaya on The Agency and Grandma on Freddie...
- Burns – Jeff DoucetteJeff DoucetteJeff Doucette is an American television and film actor. Doucette has appeared in over 92 films and television series which include Bedazzled, That '70s Show, Malcolm in the Middle, Murphy Brown, Invasion, "Gilmore Girls", Desperate Housewives, Newhart, Little House on the Prairie, Highway To...
- Sergeant Dobbs – Lawrence Hilton-JacobsLawrence Hilton-JacobsLawrence Hilton-Jacobs is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in a number of films and television programs, including Claudine , Cooley High , Roots , Welcome Back, Kotter , Bangers and Mash , and The Jacksons: An American Dream .Lawrence's name, at least as shown in the credits of Welcome...
- Jill – Molly Morgan
- Uncle Moodri – James Greene
Episode list
| Ep# | Title | |Original airdate | |Production code |
|---|---|---|---|
DVD release
The series was released on DVD January 3, 2006 by 20th Century Fox20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of the 20th Century Fox film studio. It was established in 1976 as Magnetic Video Corporation, and later as 20th Century Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video and FoxVideo, Inc....
. The five telefilms that followed after the series was cancelled were released in Region 1 by Best Buy exclusively on September 11, 2007, and worldwide on April 15, 2008
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alien Nation- The Complete Series | 22 | January 3, 2006 |
|
| Alien Nation- Ultimate Movie Collection | 5 | September 11, 2007 |
Alien Nation: Dark Horizon Alien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season, ending in 1990 with a cliffhanger series finale. Dark Horizon was written to be the season opener for the second season, but when the series was unexpectedly canceled and looked like it might never return to... (original airdate October 25, 1994) Alien Nation: Body and Soul Alien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season. Alien Nation: Body and Soul was the second television movie produced to continue the story after the premature cancellation of the popular series. It follows the television series format of two parallel... (original airdate October 10, 1995) Alien Nation: Millennium Alien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season. Alien Nation: Millennium was the third television movie produced to continue the story after the premature cancellation of the popular series... (original airdate January 2, 1996) Alien Nation: The Enemy Within Alien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season. Alien Nation: The Enemy Within is the fourth television movie produced to continue the story after the premature cancellation of the popular series... (original airdate November 12, 1996) Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy was the fifth and final television movie produced to continue the story of the prematurely canceled television series Alien Nation. The plot introduces the idea that among the Tenctonese slaves, there was a resistance movement called the Udara who were implanted... (original airdate July 29, 1997) |
Revival
In June 2009, SyfySyfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
(formerly Sci-Fi Channel) announced that they were developing a new take on the series. Tim Minear
Tim Minear
Tim Minear is an American screenwriter and director. He was born in New York, grew up in Whittier, California, and studied film at California State University, Long Beach....
(Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
, Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
) will pen the series.