Episode 1 starts off in much the same way the aliens in Independence Day appeared, although I was secretly hoping Will Smith would have come and kicked some ass.
We find out that a total of 29 mother ships are hovering over the major cities of the world. As each ship settles over the city, the bottom panels turn and project an image of a human-looking alien named Anna. Anna stresses that they are a peaceful group and reiterates the phrase, “We are of peace. Always.” Anna describes that they need water and minerals to stay alive which they can get on Earth. In return, the Visitors, as they are called, will provide significant advances in technology. Anna descends from the mother ship to meet with the leaders and meets reporter Chad Decker. Anna then states, “I want him,” referring to Chad.
FBI Special Agent Erica Evans is investigating potential terrorist activity that has spiked since the arrival of the Visitors. She determines that a large amount of C4 explosives are at a cargo facility on Long Island. Upon investigating, Erica realizes the dumpster has a hidden compartment which takes her down underground. (Watching this scene, I couldn’t help but think of the parallels between “V” and “Lost” with “The Others” and the tunnel under the dumpster looking eerily similar to the Hatch.) Erica and her partner, Dale, find a dead hostage and the C4 they were searching for.
Ryan, one of the main characters so far, receives a call from an unknown number and ambiguously tells the caller that’s not part of his life anymore. Tyler, Erica’s son, and Brandon get tickets to see inside the mother ship. While inside the mother ship, they are introduced to Lisa, who tells Tyler about the Peace Ambassador Program and wants Tyler to join.
Dale and Erica discover fraudulent passports, which appear to be very real, but are in fact, counterfeit. The Visitors continue to spread hope throughout the world, and even heal a homeless man named Roy, who is confined to a wheelchair. Anna informs Chad that she would like a 1 on 1 interview to promote their mantra of peace. Flashing back to Dale and Erica, they determine the hostage victim in the dumpster is a man named Owen Chapman. They search his house and find it to be ransacked. Dale and Erica discover a text message on his phone which reads “4400 Pier Ave Brooklyn. Be ready for the test.”
We find out that the man who continually calls Ryan is a man named Georgie. Georgie meets Ryan and work and tells him that there are 25 of them ready and lives are at stake. Back in the church, Father Jack encounters a man who is bleeding from the stomach. He tells Jack that the visitors did this to him and hands him a package with an address that Jack must go to. Chad prepares for an interview with Anna on the mother ship, something that Anna wanted to set up when she said, “I want him.” Prior to the interview, Anna tells Chad he cannot ask questions that portray the Visitors in a negative light. Chad is dismayed by this comment and explains to Anna that he has to ask the tough questions, since that’s part of Journalism. Anna immediately cancels the interview, but only until Chad agrees to not ask any tough questions. Once the interview begins, Anna tells Chad that she is willing to answer any question without reservation, a clear contradiction to her earlier statement.
Jack and Erica both go to the meeting at 4400 Pier Ave, where we find out from Georgie, the Visitors have been on Earth for years. They learned how to clone skin to cover their reptilian bodies, which is why the people at this meeting are tested to ensure they aren’t Visitors. We learn that the Visitors are in the final stages of the annihilation of Earth by causing worldwide unstability. Jack shows the pictures to Georgie and we see the creepy guy whose picture was on the fraudulent passport is actually a member of a sleeper cell of Visitors. The group in this meeting is then attacked by visitors, and we learn that Erica’s partner, Dale, is actually a Visitor and tries to kill Erica. Erica realizes that Dale is a Visitor when a cut on his head revealed his reptilian skin. Erica then kills Dale by shoving a metal post into his chest. Ryan, who originally did not want to get involved, shows up and kills one of the Visitors. We learn that Ryan is also a Visitor, but a deserter from the original sleeper cell and considered a “good” Visitor. The episode ends with Tyler becoming an Ambassador of Peace and Erica and Jack discussing how they must now build a resistance to fight the Visitors. Erica says the visitors already have the upper hand by arming themselves with the greatest weapon: devotion.
All in all, I thought it was a pretty good pilot. It will be interesting to see how the plot develops with the clear divide between Erica and Tyler now that he has joined the Visitors. I’m beginning to think because of how successful “Lost!” is, ABC and the studios are going to mirror some aspects of that show to “V.” We shall see! Don’t forget to take the poll at the bottom!
Until next week friends,
Kyle
What did you think of the premiere of “V”
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