THE INVADERS REVIEWS

Lindsay Swiatkowski (Cleveland, OHIO, USA) made an excellent work with these reviews of "The Invaders" (1967-1968 ) in the Craig Pierce site.
Lindsay, my great friend, is a true expert in "The Invaders" .
Note, Lindsay and his friend Tom, organized, (June 2, 2007) the FIRST MARATHON OF “THE INVADERS” IN CLEVELAND OHIO --

Enjoy! :


Beachhead :I loved 'BEACHHEAD' in a special way, in that it shows David Vincent coming to realize the alien threat to the world. We see him learning, and learning rather quickly!! The music is excellant, and very different from the other episodes, much more dramatic!! The other episodes have dramatic music too, but this was unique, and rightly styled for the very beginning of David Vincent's experiences. Not everything is showed, yet. It is a gradual learning process--a learning growing out of fear and suspense!! Lindsay.

The experiment :I have to say, this is an episode that is rather hard-boiled!! The action is pretty good, especially at the end. But the one thing that puzzles me is why the alien "minister" acts more like a panic-stricken human being, instead of the cold, emotionless alien that he was supposed to be, like Tom Jessup in 'THE SPORES'(GENE HACKMAN) who perished in the flames without a single whimper! If the aliens do not have human emotions, this one is a betrayal of that fact!! 'THE EXPERIMENT' had a great story line, I think. But the flaws of it were apparent in the end of the episode. Yet, inspite of that, it was still a good episode overall. I would give this episode a three-star rating. Lindsay

The Mutation: 'THE MUTATION' is a beautiful, romantic, and tragic episode in the life of David Vincent, in relation to the alien Invaders. This is a romantic episode, in that something new is introduced to the equation that would be the forrunner of other episodes revealing a few aliens who are sympathetic towards the human race and the planet Earth, aliens who would be considered "rebels", or "disidents" to their own kind. These would be the alien mavericks of their planet, and our's. The music was special as well, and the end-credits music was different almost entirely, from the other end-credit closing theme music of the other episodes. This was also the first episode which revealed the alien ray guns, and the only one to have a more powerful tri-pod mounted "anti-tank" sort of ray gun type weapon. This was also the first to reveal what happens at the death of an alien here on Earth. There is also revealed the fact that an alien can recieve love and affection from human beings, as was the case when Vikki was the guest at the desert farm house, and was cared for by the Mexican couple living there.Little did they realize who and what this special guest was!! I would give this episode a five-star rating. Lindsay.

The Leeches : I remember 'THE LEECHES' as the very first episode of the series that I ever saw. This was the first time that it was televised, in early 1967, when I was almost 11 years old. For a long time, I erroniously thought that 'THE LEECHES' was the very first episode of the series, until I was able to watch the other three previous episodes, and understand the order that they were in. But at the time, as soon as I began watching the episode on a television at the home of some new friends in Anaheim, California, I was instantly hooked!!
I don't know what happened to me, but from then on, "THE INVADERS" became THE most favorite TV show of mine!! This was at a time that I would be watching anything and everything, but nothing affected me as intellectually, emotionally, interestingly, or logically as this show!! It wasn\'t until 1987 that I finally got to watch all 43 episodes, as 'THE INNOCENT' was always elusive, and I kept missing it, but I was determined to some day find out how the rest of it went after only seeing the beginning part of it in the late 1960's sometime.

To me, this show cannot be replaced or substituted.(Meaning the Quinn-Martin Productions of "THE INVADERS"(1967-68) The 1995 mini-series movie was just the opposite!! I'm sorry that they even made it, as it was so far from being like the original Q.M.Production from the 1960's. I still get excited over the original 43-episode show. But I get disappointed and turned off when I consider the 1995 two(or three?)-part movie. The two are like the difference between day and night!! I fully recommend the original major series of the 1960's!! Anyway, 'THE LEECHES' is a great episode, and I think it diserves a five-star rating!! Lindsay.

Genesis : This was a unique episode, as it darkly and briefly revealed the alien form in its entirety, or near-entirty. The only other episode to come even close to doing this would be 'THE SPORES', since in that episode, you see the aliens growing in a very non-human form right from seed pods!! The 'GENESIS' episode, in conjunction with 'THE SPORES', leaves much to the imagination!! I would give this episode a rating of four stars. Lindsay.

Vikor : One thing about the series is, that it was about deadly seriousness. And even though some of the episodes seemed to not be too harsh, there are some that are quite disturbing, and sobering, more so than others!! The episode 'VIKOR' is one of those hard-boiled, more dark, disturbing, and serious ones where you feel personally threatened by the events that take place. You start to think: "What if that was me in that scene?" "What if that was my family being threatened with death and destruction like that?!?" "Oh, WHAT would I DO if I was in that sort of predicement, or situation?!?! I personally do not care for violent shows too much. And people may have complained that there was too much violence on TV back in the 1960's. But its even worse today, while at the same time, the quality of the plots has seemed to diminish, and become too common. "THE INVADERS"(1967-68) is a great show, in that it was excellant in plot, character, and theme, as well as special effects, and that it had just enough violence in it to keep it serious enough, but without the excessive violence that is seen today that makes a show turn too gross. I think the acting and characterizations in 'VIKOR' was great, and I would give the episode at least a four-star rating, if not five!! Great heroics and action by Roy Thinnes in that one, as well! Lindsay.

Nightmare : I cannot say that there is any episode that would be considered "cute" by any standards, given that our planet was being invaded by hostile and malevelent alien beings. But 'NIGHTMARE' at times seemed a little corny. It isn't my most favorite episode, but it does have its value, as any episode. I would cringe a bit whenever the character of Ellen Woods was being doted upon, and treated like a child, or worse!! Otherwise, the actors were good, and the episode has some real potential for relivence!! I would give 'NIGHTMARE' a strong three stars for plot quality. Lindsay.

Doomsday Minus One : Ooof!! This episode is a real action thriller!! Very relevent!! Great gripping music, and fantastic acting. Also, even though I may have mentioned that I don\'t care too much for violence, the gun battle in the desert, at Graylock Crator between the Invaders, and David Vincent and his soldier-allies at the anti-matter bomb detination site was superb!! A swift-action intervention by our heroes against what would have been a plot to create massive death and havoc all around the world--something that would have caused the great earthquake and sunami disaster of the Indian Ocean Rim to pale into insignificance!! It also had a great personal affect dealing with both human-to- human, and human-to-alien interaction! I would give this episode a five-star rating, both for good ACTING, and sheer exciting ACTION!!!!! Lindsay.

Quantity: Unknown : I second what Chris Curtin had mentioned about the episode 'QUANTITY UNKNOWN'. I am also delighted to have an episode that makes mention of my own home town: CLEVELAND, OHIO U.S.A. This is one episode that really comes "CLOSE TO HOME"!!! It is a small world after all, and what the Invaders do in some part of the U.S. really does affect all of us!! Lindsay.

The Innocent : This episode is a real kick in the gut!! In this one, you witness David Vincent being shamefully and soundly defeated by The Invaders. A total loss to his cause--one that would really reveal just how few David Vincent's victories are in his fight against a deadly, relentless, and dark foe!! But more than just the external enemy is the enemy within man--his flaws, his weaknesses. We are only frail dust, and live in houses of clay. This too, is one of those few, very disturbing episodes that provokes one to think what one would do if he or she were caught in this situation. Remember: Wine(booze)is a traitor. Who is a tough guy? Who can survive through that, unscathed? Five stars. Lindsay.

The Ivy Curtain: Here is an example an ironic mixture of victory amid defeat, and defeat amid victory--Victory for David Vincent, but at the expense of a costly and tragic price!! And counter to the weaknesses of humans is the heroic strength that humans can also display. I\'ll give 'THE IVY CURTAIN' a four-star rating. Lindsay.

The Betrayed : This is a rather blunt and rough episode, with a mixture of some good special effects and plot sequences. The real tragity is how Neal Taft's innocent younger brother Joey, is brutally and fatally injured by the aliens while doing the simple and seemingly non-heroic task of meeting up with David Vincent for an errand that should not have taken place. The heartbreak of the slaughter of a harmless and gentle sheep. Also, the relevence of the modern and common concern about our energy and petroleum supplies being interrupted, a real threat to the world today. This, along with a few other episodes, illustrates how affectivly the aliens are capable of infiltrating our society, even to the point of becoming members of our own households sometimes!! Give this episode a five-star rating. Lindsay.

Storm : Another thought-provoker!! The Invaders(1967-68) was indeed a show that was ahead of the times. We now have a problem with global warming causing more, and stronger hurricanes. There are the theorists who say that there is a plot by certain enemy nations to deliberately cause hurricanes to form and wreak havoc on the United States and other parts of the world. Here is where some relevence comes in. Again, the name of the game in 'STORM' is the infiltration of The Invaders into close-knit societies and households(Father Joe's place) I would rate this episode four stars. Lindsay

Panic : In this episode, we have an example of there being sometimes no honor even among the aliens!! What we're dealing with here is an alien who is causing trouble for both worlds--human and Invader. And that this particular alien(Nick Baxter) is not a friendly dissident out to help the human race, or to save it from the Invader's destructive intentions, but to cause problems to both sides--a renegade bushwacker-type. A counterpart of the human renegade: General Concannon, of the episode:'THE PEACEMAKERS', only much more reckless!! Three stars. Lindsay

Moonshot : The Invaders on the moon!! Since we know that they need to stay away from oxygen gas, as it is poisonous to them, we wonder if the aliens, while up there on the moon, did or did not wear any kind of "space suits", as we know them!! It isn't revealed how they conducted any kind of activity up there. But down here, we are familiarized of yet another infiltration plot by the extraterrestrial foes of our space moonshot program, and their plot to eliminate any astronauts from discovering the truth about the Invaders' presence on the moon, as well as on the earth. Not one of my most favorite episodes, but still valuable, nontheless!! Great car incineration scene in the parking lot!! Three stars. Lindsay.

Wall of Crystal : Mr. Fitzgerald ( A fan ) said : A novel episode which raises David Vincent's struggle up a peg and moves it into high gear, with desperate aliens, a sensationalist newsman, and an innocent family David must now protect. Unfortunately, everything that happens in the series from now on will be shadowed by the precedent set by this episode. Why don't the aliens just come back and kidnap David's brother again whenever David gets too close? Whatever happens with Bob's newborn child? Why are the aliens so quick to kill the newsman Booth, when his absence would most certainly make front-page news? (This was exactly the reason they didn't kill Vincent a dozen times over.) And on a scientific note, how can a person suffocate out in the open air from a crystal only as big as one's fist? Wouldn't the lost air be immediately displaced by tons more air? By itself, "Wall Of Crystal" is tense, suspenseful television with seamless special effects. But in the context of the series, the episode is a bit of an aberration, raising questions that the rest of the series is uncomfortable in answering.
Lindsay : I loved the climax at the end with the abandoned winery building incinerating and vanishing!! I'll ditto this also with a five-star rating! Lindsay.

The Condemned : Fitzgerald :A slightly above-average episode notable mainly for the performance of Ralph Bellamy as Tate, an over-the-hill communications magnate whose factory has been taken over by aliens. The aliens, as powerful and as sinister as they are, ultimately are not very smart. After Tate steals a vitally-important alien file, they pull out their big guns to go after him, chase him down and try very hard to blast him into cinders, not caring that a little girl is a witness, and apparently not caring whether he has their precious file or not. Big mistake. Veteran character actor Ralph Bellamy is a joy to watch as Tate. He could read the phone book and make it sound endearing. Here, he elicits your sympathy for a man who has made more than a few mistakes in his life and tries to atone for them, hopefully not too late. The visual effects go off without a hitch -- people and vehicles being destroyed by death rays. The aliens' technology and their abuse of it are horrifying to behold, and after seeing this episode as a child, I had nightmares for days
Lindsay : couldn't help but feel sorry for Mr. Morgan Tate(portrayed by Ralph Bellamy). His acting was great, and I felt his "fatherliness" come through! Again, another tragic loss paid the terrible price for the victory won in this episode!! Four stars. Lindsay.

Condition Red : I found only one map--in a road atlas, that even lists Cheyenne Mountain. At least this Invaders episode reveals it to the public, and it is not a fictitious place, but is for real!! And if the episode lacked any cerebral hemorrhage death discs in it, it certainly had its share of ray guns!! However, unlike in the Gold Key comic books on "THE INVADERS", not all of the aliens had ray guns: some had regular man-made bullet-firing revolvers. And the mind info-extracting devices were very unique, and shown only in that episode. A disappointing end, as we don't get to do battle in the skies with the incoming saucers!! But I would give this episode four stars, anyway. Lindsay.

The Saucer : This was the first episode in which David Vincent ever entered a saucer on a fully volunteering basis. The first ever, which occurred in 'THE INNOCENT', was unplanned by Vincent, and involuntary. It is also questionable whether the spaceship in 'THE INNOCENT' ever actually took off, and flew Vincent from Maine to California, or whether the aliens simply faked it, and remained on the ground in Maine. The third and final time Vincent was on board a saucer, it was in 'DARK OUTPOST', on a semi-volunteering basis, in which he did not know where the aliens were taking the hidden Vincent in the locker, but not only wound up on a saucer, but actually flew in it!! But back to 'THE SAUCER'. Even though Vincent was not able to hold onto the spaceship, it was a rip-roaring episode with a good amount of ray gun activity, and a couple of good cerebral hemorrhage death disc scenes. A good performance on the part of Charles Drake, and Anne Francis in a desert scene made this episode worth while!! Anne Francis(as Annie Rhodes) was the first, and only person, human or alien(in this case human) to be "wounded", or burned, albeit indirectly via the incinerating bush, and not die(incinerate). I would say that this diserves five stars. Lindsay.

The Watchers : Shirley Knight is so beautiful, and cute!! Its impressive how at first, she ridiculed Vincent as a crackpot, but how she came to believe him as the story progressed. Also, how everything fell into place when the alien imposter of Paul Cooke slipped up, and mentioned Simms and Ramsey as having to notify their families, when they had none. I would say the funny, or comical part came when Vincent arrived, and talked to the airport manager at the beginning of ACT 1. The manager was friendly, and helped Vincent with information that he was not supposed to tell him!! That had to have been a Godsend!! Anyway, I would give this episode four stars. Lindsay.

Valley of the Shadow : This episode is remenicent of the 1951 movie: "THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL". Only instead of involving the whole world, it is greatly limited in scope to a small town in southeastern Wyoming. The themes are parallel. In "THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL", a friendly, but serious alien race, along with other space confederations, warns the Earth to stop its "imperialistic" space quests that would eventually adversely affect these other space civilizations, or face destruction if it doesn't cease and desist, and extends the offer invitation to join the confederation. In The Invaders' 'VALLEY OF THE SHADDOW', an already hostile alien race threatens to destroy the town of Carterville, Wyoming, after the townspeople witness the death and destruction of an alien, and their secret cover is blown. David Vincent, with ardent persuasion, convinces the aliens to spare the town and its inhabitants on a basis of temporary grace. This is the only episode to host an alien-induced earthquake, which on a much more massive scale, is threatened in California in 'THE BELIEVERS', along with other disasters of alien inducement. David Vincent acts as an advocate, or go-between, for the townspeople and the aliens. Superb acting, and plot!! I would say, five stars!! Lindsay.

The Enemy : This episode has a great, deep-meaning heart-searching sort of story behind the plot, as well as good dialogue between human and alien, as well as inter-human communication. Also, the reversion, at least in a partial way, is very intriguing!! The story line just might have a "scarlet thread", so to speak, with other deep-meaning episodes, like 'THE MUTATION', and 'PANIC'. This should have at least a four-star rating, if not five!! Lindsay

The Trial : There may have been some things in the story that didn't seem to make much sense, but one outstanding one is when alien defense attorney Burnard tells the defendant to "Say that he was a man, and get off with your life!!" That sounded like it would not have helped matters very much for the defendant! But whether it was a silly episode, or not, it was still quite entertaining,and quite frankly, the only "court show" that I like!! four stars. Lindsay.

The Spores : Just like with Roy Thinnes, I discovered Gene Hackman by watching "THE INVADERS". Otherwise, I probably wouldn't know who these men are, or even care!! Mr. Hackman, starring as the alien Tom Jessup, introduces a tough-guy image to the Invaders makeup in a degree more intimate than in other episodes, but miserably fails in his mission to retrieve the suitcase full of the alien spores, giving an impression of a "wild goose chase" scenerio. Some great cerebral hemmorhage death disc scenes, though. Also, unlike in 'THE EXPERIMENT', Tom Jessup dies in the fire in the green house with some good alien Invader coldness and silent dignity!! I would give this episode four stars. Lindsay.

Dark Outpost : Good episode here!! David Vincent gets to where he needs to be via the aliens' own spaceship!! The group is hypnotized/brainwashed with a small device attached to the ceiling of the barracks, the only one of its kind throught the whole series, shown in only this episode. Still, I wonder why, if they were commanded to see only what they were told that they would see, then how did they manage to find the hypnotic device that was on the ceiling? Also, the aliens looked like a bunch of clumsy buffoons at the end when they were all shot, and David Vincent and the others escaped! Still, a fairly good episode. Nice death disc scenes!! Three stars. Lindsay

Summit Meeting, Part 1 : I love the scenery around Washington D.C., if anything at all. There may have been some inconsistancies in either one or two, but the diplomatic activity, and the threat to the whole world, like in:'DOOMSDAY: MINUS ONE' made for an interesting, and intriguing story line. I would give it a good three stars. Lindsay

Summit Meeting, Part 2 : Definately the better of the two!! The climax at the end with the big missile crash and explosion really topps it all off!! Still, one has to wonder that since the missile's payload was filled with a deadly gas that kills humans(but not the aliens) within a ten-mile radius of the point of liftoff, how could the gas have been "safely" contained even if it was "buried" by the explosion caving the missile silo in? And does the gas harmlessly dissapate, or degrade after a certain amount of time? Let this one have four stars, at least for the great action and suspense. Lindsay.

The Prophet : This episode is probably the most illogical one of all!! The Invaders want to keep their presence here a secret--so why would they want to start a false evangelistic drive, and risk arousing so much suspicion, especially while knowing that it would only attract David Vincent's attention?!? This involves too much risk on the aliens' part. If I was an alien leader, I would never have approved of such an activity!! These "glowing" manifestations are much too risky, as Brother Avery could have died, and disappeared in front of everybody, if things didn't go just right! Even these stupid humans cannot remain THAT stupid forever--or can they!?! Besides, I don\'t think the Invaders should involve themselves with religion at all, anyway. I'll give this one a count of two stars. Lindsay.

Labyrinth: Oh, if only David Vincent would have searched the pockets of that alien he found unconscious on the roadway!! He could have confiscated the cerebral hemorrhage disc as evidence, and also prevented the doctor from being killed!! Still a fairly good episode, although disappointing at the end, with the x-rays being burned by alien imposter "Harry Mills", thanks to the group's rambling!! Four stars for this one. And I would have given five stars, if David Vincent, as a result of his frusteration, would have tried to fly away from the abandoned regeneration station on a broomstick!! (Ha Ha!!) Lindsay.

The Captive : This is one of my most favorite episodes!! Like the two-part Summit Meetings, it takes place in Washington, D.C.(as do several other episodes)and is a "diplomatic" sort of story line. It is one of the very few episodes in which the aliens use ray guns as common conventional weapons, although not in every case. It was the ironic use of a ray gun toward the end that both served as a warning, and also exonerated Vincent as to the truth of the aliens. Once again, David Vincent becomes the go-between for the aliens and the people at the Soviet Embassy. Five stars!! Lindsay

The Believers : This is a real war-like episode, like a criminal gangs-type movie! Action like this has not happened since 'DOOMSDAY: MINUS ONE!! But the action does slow down as time goes on, and David Vincent goes on the offensive. It would have been interesting if the aliens would have managed to pull off at least one or two of those "major" disasters before being stopped. I would say it should get four stars. Lindsay.

The Ransom : It just amazes me how a two-parter can wind up so far across the country from each other: First in Los Angeles, California, then up in some hick county in Vermont! How does David Vincent find out just where any really important alien activity, especially involving a major leader, take place? The best in the episode are those scenes involving Karen Black, and Lawence Naismith, in conjunction with Roy Thinnes. I'll give it four stars, just for the acting, and dialogue. Also the fact that I melt when I see the beautiful Karen Black smiling down on a groggy and recovering David Vincent, after having been revived in the regenerating tube! Lindsay.

Task Force : Task Force". Those words you read about, or hear about somewhat commonly on the news. Its something you hear about concerning the war in Iraq, or other major troubles, like the 9-11-01 Terrorist Attack Disaster. I am proud to say that I have visited New York City, and could feel the presence of that episode when I was there!! Just like in 'THE EXPIREMENT', I apprieciate the fact that the Manhattan Skyline was shown, and that this is a real place, and not some fictitious town. For posterity's sake, and to the pride of New Yorkers who are fans of the series, I would like to give this episode five stars. Lindsay.

The Possessed : This episode was not one of my most favorites, but it has its place. It dealt with a different sort of brain-washing, or hypnotism. This time with a perminant implant device that can control the subject's thoughts and actions from a remote place. Talk about institutional abuse!! Some good disc scenes, though. I'll give this one 3 stars. Lindsay.

Counterattack : An excellant episode, that is, until the aliens are duped by David Vincent into the believers' trap!! Witnessing those two aliens coughing and hacking until unconsciousness by the "knockout" gas was rather comical and silly--an ironic turn from the usual invunerability of the aliens to Earth-made, but toxic non-oxygen, or semi-oxygen gasses. Also, the crash of the saucer into the ocean was a great, but brief scene, but it seemed too easy, and any further episodes beyond the 43rd and last one, should have dealt with full-scale war against incoming space ships. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled before any new ideas for anything could come out concerning the series after episode # 43. Also, another ridiculous thing about this episode is how David Vincent, and the aliens could possibly make a deal with a two-million dollar gratuity fund, to be given to Vincent for a "good life" after The Invaders' supposed take-over of the Earth. Even if the human race is not destroyed altogether, and the Earth's oxygen eliminated out of its atmosphere, as the aliens intended--I don't think that human-printed and minted money, currency, or units of exchange would matter anymore, and would probably be totally worthless, and done away with in a world completely taken over by alien beings who probably couldn't care less about any of our human concepts, which were totally foreign to them before they came to the Earth, and would probably be worthless to them. Economic, commercial, and geo-political concepts that the aliens had to learn about in order to disguise themselves, and fit into our society secretly to blend in and fool us, before finally taking over and winning the conquest of our planet. I'll give Counter-Attack three stars. Lindsay.

The Pit : Some nice scientific researce going on--a significant seeming breakthrough with Human kind's experimentation with electro-magnetic propulsion systems, which The Invaders already have perfected far in advance!! Otherwise, 'THE PIT' was pretty much "the pits"!! I think that its deplorable that some believers are subject to other believers' doubts, suspicions, and scathing remarks and criticisms, as David Vincent was, and as young Frankie was by his own mother, after having witnessed something important concerning alien activity!! But, along with the bad, came the good, and some good comes out from the bad. A good heroic rescue of David Vincent from the "dream machine" plot of the aliens at the end, and a good fight put up by his rescuers!! Probably three stars. Lindsay.

The Organization : Here we have a tale of two enemy camps, one earthly, the other, extraterrestrial. We have a story of canniving and intrigue. The Invaders even succeed in infiltrating this organized crime syndicate with one of their's, acting as a spy and a plant within the organization. But the alien is found out and destroyed, but the canniving continues, with the Organization at times allied to David Vincent and his believers, and at other times, opposed to them. In the end, the truth won out, in perhaps the best gun fight since the desert gun battle involving the Army in the desert in 'DOOMSDAY: MINUS ONE'. Five stars. Lindsay.

The Peacemaker : This story goes to show you that sometimes, a human being acting supposedly in the behalf of the interests of the United States, and of Planet Earth, could get carried away, and become fanatical in an evil way, so that the individual actually becomes worse than the enemy!! This is an event about a very egotistical, possessive person (General Samuel Concannon), and his overbearing, intimidating, and manipulative ways of getting things done HIS way, RIGHT or WRONG, regardless!! The conclusion shows the tragic results of such a wrong course of maniacal action. David Vincent is forced to actually become the "mastermind", so to speak, behing the aliens' course of action to send a saucer to destroy the U.S. AIRFORCE B-52 bomber flown by General Concannon to bomb not only the aliens at the Virginia farmhouse, but David Vincent, Edgar Scoville, and the Pentagon Officials whom General Concannon himself sent to the farmhouse to negotiate with the aliens!! Here is the play, and final results of the battle of wills!! Five stars. Lindsay

The Vise : I think this episode kind of belittled blacks, in the sayings like the one in which Mrs. Baxter says to David Vincent in the epilog: "Jim would make him jump through hoops to prove himself". In other scenes, there are attemps, although erronious, to defend the black race.(again, by Mrs. Baxter) The actor, Roscoe Lee Brown, once had an interview, in which he reportedly stated that the dark palm idea of aliens in black person disguise(through the regeneration process, and molecular re-assembly, to bring them into human form) might have, or was a rather racist idea on the part of the Quinn-Martin Productions. I never thought that it was racist, but a unique idea in identifying an alien, other than the usual stiff mutated fourth finger idea. I also thought that it was good to finally introduce black people in a much greater acting and active role in an Invaders episode.

There are other episodes where there are some African-Americans seen in the background, passing by, as extras, such as in the episode: 'LABYRINTH', where there are some Blacks seen walking by, as David Vincent is entering an airport lobby to meet Laura. Or the photographer in 'COUNTER-ATTACK', who photographs the body of the slain Dr. Eliot Kraimer. Then, there is the scene in: 'SUMMIT MEETING: PART 2', where there are foreign dignitaries from all over the world passing through the security check points on their way to the Conference rooms. There are seen some blacks from foreign African countries being present.

But 'THE VISE' is the only episode which features the Invaders' attempt to introduce ALIENS that are now regenerated into the human forms of black people, giving blacks the chance not only to appear in the series as black humans taking part in the general public life with David Vincent and company, but as actual INVADERS, as well!! There are also shown the human interactions, problems, confusions, and doubts, between husband and wife, in their association with David Vincent, and the introduction of his warfare against the un-named enemy of mankind, into their personal lives. I also wonder how proud Mickey Mantle and Johnny Unitas, the two famous sportsmen, would have been to have their names mentioned in "THE INVADERS"?? I would give this episode at least four stars, if not five, for family value and inter-action quality, as well as Mrs. Baxter's final decision to believe David Vincent, and her showing up just in time to rescue him out of his plight at "Ollie's Bar"!! Lindsay.

The Miracle : A good story, but an episode which ends in disappointment, in which there is no conclusion to the story of what David Vincent does with the weapon crystal once he is able to get it out of New Mexico. A revealing concept of father-daughter, and other human relationships and the conflicts that go along with them. The aliens seem totally above these human trivias, conflicts, and problems. But beside all of this, I am still curious as to how rattlesnake venom would kill an alien! Give it four stars. Lindsay.

The Life Seekers : This story involves the wonderful prospect of the Human Race having two alien "dissidents" acting as embassadors, or representatives for the Earth to their home planet!!! No human could ever be able to go to the alien planet to act as an embassage for us, even if the aliens welcomed such a prospect, and were willing to provide safe passage between the two worlds. It is impossible, as no human could live in a world without oxygen and possibly many other life support provisions. Therefore, only aliens themselves, who can sympathize with the Human Race can act as our embassadors back home on their own planet, and perhaps in their own native form!! This story is also the last one in which ray guns, cerebral hemorrhage death disc, and a hypnotic prism are ever seen again, before the series comes to an end a few episodes later. An excellant story of escape and collaboration between the dissident alien elements, and human sympathizers in the quest to both save them, and to save the Earth, by getting them through the "enemy lines" here on Earth, both of our side, and theirs, to get them to escape to their own planet. Give this one five stars!! Lindsay.

The Pursued : This was a more shocking story, a divergence from the usual "aliens vs. humans" warfare. This is one of the few rare instances where there is conflict between one alien, and her own people, as well as a renegade danger and risk to the human element. The Invaders, as well as humans, are capable of playing with fire. And this is seen in their experimentation with human emotions on one of their people. When it concerns internal things, humans and the aliens do not mix without dire consequences!! For sheer riviting quality, I'll give it four stars. Lindsay.

Inquisition : To me, this was the saddest episode of all. Sad for two reasons: The plot and tragic story of the episode itself, and: the fact that you know that it was the very last episode to a fantastic television series, the like which was never seen before, and will not be seen again! Other episodes certainly had their share of tragic events, but this one was especially heart-rending. In this story, there is the new alien threat of the wiping out of mankind by the use of energy from a lethal kind of radio transmitter. David Vincent is able to destroy the deadly transmitter after much sacrifice and loss. It also is a good story of heart-felt conviction, as a dying witness tells Lt. Hatcher that what they had seen was real. I really believe that if a new series of "THE INVADERS" is ever to be made, it should continue from this last episode, and possibly include the eight possible episode scrips that were written after 'INQUISITION' was produced and aired. But I think only Quinn Martin and company had the capacity to do that! "YOU KNEW WHEN YOU SAW THE ASHES!!" Lindsay