THE ENEMY WITHIN! THE RETURN OF "WAR OF THE WORLDS"

The Earth in their vice: the alien invaders of WAR OF THE WORLDS. Images: CBS PARAMOUNT.

"To life immortal!"

Having fascinated and terrified readers worldwide since its original publication in 1898, scientist, futurist and novelist H.G. Wells seminal classic tale-WAR OF THE WORLDS-the grand daddy of all alien invasion of Earth stories- would make a terrific transition to the world of cinematic reality, under the skillful hands of pioneering director George Pal and his team of brilliant technical effects wizards, in an updated story set during 1953 and released to quickly packed cinemas house and strong box office takings for PARAMOUNT PICTURES. Still possessing the rights to the book going into the eighties, and with this period seeing in the return of popular television science fiction with series like V and THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE, plus the return of the companies own legendary STAR TREK to the small screen, with an all new cast, after huge cinematic box office success for its original Enterprise crew, the time was ripe for the studio to plough its archives to see which other franchise properties of science fiction and fantasy they could commercially exploit for both American television and in lucrative syndication sales and VHS rentals worldwide. It would seem that an easier to budget and produce continuation of the Wells story, rather than an altogether too expensive and effects heavy re-make of WAR OF THE WORLDS (which was eventually on the cards for the studio anyway with Steven Spielberg's modern 2005 movie adaptation and runaway hit) was the best bet for the studio, which quickly initiated the new series into format conceptualization, behind the scenes team assembling (including STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION writer Herbert Wright) and cast filming in Toronto (an altogether cheaper place to film a series than in Los Angeles-a fact that remains to this day for much US TV series filming). The feature length pilot episode would be directed by British effects veteran Colin Chilvers-the man who helped bring us the illusion that a man- Christopher Reeve- could fly in the early classic SUPERMAN films of the late seventies and early eighties.

Not a good day for planet Earth! The aliens are accidentally awakened from suspended animation in the series pilot.

Created by Greg Strangis (son of trusted long time PARAMOUNT behind the scenes veteran Sam Strangis (also co-producer on WAR, as well as recognised for his noted work on the original BATMAN series as a production executive/director, being involved in the early development of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, and as one of the first producer/show runners of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION), this new series took place in 1987, where the Martian invaders bodies from 1953, believed dead from the Earth's only natural defence: living bacteria, have been stored away in containers within locked down, high security facilities across the US. Unfortunately, a group of terrorists believing  there to be nuclear weaponry they can acquire for their own uses, break into one such facility and unwittingly reactivate the aliens from their life cycle's suspended animation- now awakened with the gross on-screen realised ability to possess their human hosts. Now possessing the captured Human anarchists, these aliens, cut off from their home world and re-enforcements for the time being, now begin their work anew, operating under the radar, with a silent, but no less bloodthirsty war of terrorism against humanity, determined to possess their enemy and simultaneously weaken the planets government and military defences, making the Human Race ripe for final subjugation and control when their colonisation forces eventually arrive...

Trying to stop the new menace are left to right: Lt. Colonel Ironhorse (Richard Chaves), Harrison Blackwood (Jared Martin), Norton Drake (Philip Akin) and Dr. Suzanne McCullough (Lynda Mason Green)

With the re-emergence of the aliens know only to a scant few, and the creatures original invasion now strangely forgotten by the inhabitants of earth (a cover initiated by the worlds governments), its up to a small group of scientists and a covert military force to stop the Martians by any means necessary.  Activating this group, known as the Blackwood Project, is the eccentric but highly trained and logical scientist leader, Dr. Harrison Blackwood (played by popular TV series actor Jared Martin, most well known to viewers from cult hits like THE FANTASTIC JOURNEY), who, along with his microbiologist colleague, best friend and single parent (to a daughter played by rising star teen Rachel Blanchard), Dr. Suzanne McCullough (played by Lynda Mason Green), are amongst the first to discover and get caught up in the new threat, teaming up with paraplegic computer genius Norton Drake (Philip Akin, who starts the series pilot with the most awful caricature Jamaican accent, which then thankfully disappears with the series proper!) to try and determine the aliens locations, plans and infiltration methods. Adding much needed physical might against the gruesome aliens is Lt. Colonel Paul Ironhorse, of American Cherokee Indian descent, played with stern but highly likable coolness by Richard Chaves (one of the action stars of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi hit PREDATOR), whose character, much like Ham Tyler in V, is the shades of grey conservative army leader, the focal point that gives the series much dramatic weight, acting as a vital counter balance to the clean and perfect, still too pacifistic scientists. Ironhorse wants payback against the invaders after his original first Delta Squad of military men is efficiently wiped out by the aliens, and he's more more than happy to destroy the creatures with all the weaponry and hand to hand combat techniques at his disposal!  Caught in the crossfire of this new war are a fine selection of film and TV guest stars, including John Vernon as our heroes occasionally seen military liaison, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's John Colicos (playing a rogue alien later in the season), John Ireland, Alex Cord, Michele Scarabelli, Michael Parks, Greg Morris and Patrick Macnee.

As action hero Ironhorse, actor Richard Chaves soon became the series most popular character in Season One.

Beyond the an enjoyable pilot episode (which has lots of fun links and references to the original George Pal movie, including the return of its lead actress Ann Robinson as an older Sylvia van Buren), and a finale scene nostalgic activation of three of the films original classic alien ships with their brilliant design and creepy heartbeat sounds (War of the Worlds (1988) - Aliens Attack - YouTube), I recall that the series, which went on to greatly expand the aliens and outline their culture, took a few episodes to get going story-wise, but when it did it certainly had some memorable adventures (and even had time to include a fun tale regarding the original events surrounding Orson Welles 1930's radio drama of WAR-known in US history as "The Night that Panicked America"!) and scenarios (of which, quite often, the humans didn't always win the fight or merely stalled the aliens invasion plans for a certain period). I also remember that the aliens infiltration of the Earth, and their killing or possession of humans, was often pretty gross out: making it perfect viewing for audiences of the UK's HORROR CHANNEL, whom, in a wise purchasing move, are showing the series after such a long absence from our screens (at least fifteen years) starting weekday mid-evenings from today.

Season One title sequence: War of the worlds season 1 opening - YouTube

The series first 1988 season in the US would also go on to garner very good ratings (and led to a second heavily revamped season-but let's not talk about that one: it was a disaster of epic proportions and quickly sealed the shows cancellation fate!) and, years later, would also air for a popular period on the SCI-FI CHANNEL. Sadly, WAR OF THE WORLDS never quite caught the imaginations and popularity of audiences outside of America. In the UK, following a selection of episodes being made available for rental through PARAMOUNT's CIC video label, the first series was often relegated to late night TV viewing slots on ITV, and shown late night across the various networks, with some episodes not aired in story order or cut because of the aforementioned violence and scary moments.

Three of the gruesome looking alien possessed human terrorists from the series pilot. 

Now, finally, the aliens return and the battle for control of our sacred Earth begins anew. Kudos to THE HORROR CHANNEL for their buying in of the series (it isn't available on DVD as far as I'm aware), which, with its consistent time and day viewing slots across the UK, will hopefully win success for the channel and see the lively adventure series garner some well deserved new audience awareness and enjoyment.