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Hi, Chance!! Thanks for the ratings report! I'm wondering if there is any way that we could e-mail Sy-Fy and ask, plead, demand, cry for, cadjole, push, prod, etc. them to continue these "Invaders" marathons with the next 11 episodes, then the next 11, and then the next and last 10 for the whole series. If the ratings went up by 800% on IMDB over just the week before, it sure would not make any sense for Sy-Fy to stop now!!! Lindsay.
I was surprised and knocked-out by the show's popularity in the UK in the mid-1980s.
I hesitate to suggest that it may have been "ahead of its time" in the 1960s, but it's a possibility. I was totally smitten with it as an 11-year-old when it was first aired, but I clearly recall that very few of my school pals were impressed - OK, the show may not have been aimed at that age group but I also recall it didn't get anything like the ratings that were anticipated over in the UK, which will almost certainly have accounted for it being dropped when my own ITV regional station Rediffusion was taken over by Thames TV (to the best of my memory, the last episode aired was The Captive - thankfully, other ITV regions didn't suffer the same fate and went on to broadcast the whole of Season 2).
Consequentially, the first time myself and the viewing population in that part of the country (London and much of south-east England) got the chance to see Seasons 1 and 2 in their entirety was in the mid-1980s on BBC2... though as I also recall, The Captive and Summit Meeting were omitted for some reason!
In any event, the U.S. viewing figures and ratings were inevitably the ones that mattered most, and the show’s popularity certainly fell quite sharply during Season 2 – hence the decision to scrap it altogether. Some scripts were allegedly drafted for half-a-dozen or so episodes of a third season, sadly in vain.
I've been trying to find any proof that I hadn't hallucinated on Mon Jan 18th when I had the great good fortune to run across the SyFy mini marathon of one of my all time favorite 60's series The Invaders.
The SyFy webpage has no trace of it that I could find - and i'm now looking for any way to help get this fun,sexy series rerun as a marathon or in weekly installments.
As a somewhat uncofortable Gay scifi horror geek, i must admit being affected by the show as a bossoming horror scifi fan but also as a blossoming gay male.
Now that I know where to find it - I hope to soon be able to afford to add both seasons of the show to my private stash!
daniel
As a long time classic tv fan, I have only recently stumbled onto "THE INVADERS" during a practically day-long marathon on the SCI-FI channel, and I found the show most amazing. My reason for the fanfiction inquiry is that I like writing stories about classic tv characters as well as classic movies characters to say the least. To me, "THE INVADERS" hangs the moon.
Hi Daniel, also John Cooper II
The DVD set is well worth investing in, believe me!
Just bought the whole 43 episodes on Ebay today. As my original copy keeps freezing during play - why do DVD's do that over time!! I have given them some abuse though ;o)
There is an enjoyable book on The Invaders recently released by The Autumn Road Company.
It contains commentary from Roy Thinnes, the producer Alan Armer and others intertwined
with a history of the show; plus lots of neat photos, a well-written episode guide and a
bio section of many of the guest stars than appeared on the series. You can find it online
at amazon, oldies.com and classictvseriesbooks.com
Yes! The series was finally shown in its enteirity in the UK by BBC2 in the mid 1980s to great ratings for that channel! ITV who first held the rights in the 1960s only presented to The Captive episode! Sadly, the show flopped in the UK in 1967-68.
I'll hopefully be buying this book in the next few days on www.classictvseriesbooks.com
I couldn't find it on the other two websites.
I did not know that this show was popular in UK ... That I can tell you is that in FRANCE,
the "invaders" are more than popular ... everybody (more that thirty) knows this shows, the mucis, the actors (Roy Thinnes is in France, DAVID VINCENT and nothing else) ...
in my opinion, the invaders are the best sf show ever made (with the prionners, and the outers limits) ... because the game of actor is psychologic, and the because the story is dark (so, not so typical american, Americans are optimistics, european, specialy French, pessimistic) one thing that I like in the invaders are the commentaries ... and one of them is very important, at the end of the 2th epizodes (the experiment) when the son of Lundstrom dies ...
"The human race will never enslaving".
I have tried Amazon and E.Bay with no luck on thois Book! Can anyone help how I can get a copy as i'm in the UK.
It's on here: http://www.classictvseriesbooks.com/invaders.html
I'm going to buy it in a few days.
I emailed them about carriage to the uk, and they told me it was $13.
Gentilmente vorrei sapere quanto costa e come acquistare tutta la serie in ITALIANO di "The Invaders". In attesa Vs. SI. Notizie porgo distinti saluti.
Come posso comprare e dove tutta la serie di DVD in Italiano?
Good day Umberto
I'm sorry that Italian is not one of my languages, however from my knowledge of Spanish I believe you're asking about the cost of The Invaders complete series in Italian, and how you acquire it.
I was never aware that an Italian language version was ever made. I've just done a Google search which would appear to confirm this. If I am indeed correct, I just hope the situation changes very soon.
Hoping you are able to understand this message (or get it translated), best regards.
Apologies if this has been covered here previously, but might anyone know the production dates for each episode? The US transmission dates are commen knowledge-but I have yet to track down the production dates.
Hi Phil,
thank you for your reply, but I'm sure that a version of the serie in the italian language has been made because I've watched it on tv here as a child. I've tried to find it through internet but with no success.. I hope though you can try again and help me to find it. Thank you again for your kink help.
Umberto
Hi Umberto
I'm glad to hear that The Invaders was shown in Italy - can you recall if it was dubbed, or if it had subtitles?
Your chances of getting hold of a recording of the series will depend on two things:
1. If it is released 'officially' in Italy on DVD, as it has been in principal English-speaking countries plus France, Spain and I believe Latin America - though not, I think, Brazil (or Portugal, of course). If it had been, you would not be asking this question so the answer must be 'no'.
2. If any videorecordings were made from repeat broadcasts on Italian TV since the videorecorder became a household consumer item (i.e. @1978-79 - though of course, someone may have recorded it earlier on professional equipment). Many such 'bootleg' VHS recordings were in circulation for a long time, mainly in English, and became increasingly converted to DVD format (up until recently when it was finally released officially). You will be in a better position than I am to look for any Italian 'bootlegs' - your best bet will almost certainly be e-Bay, or else try searching the web via Google (or whatever search engine best serves Italy).
I wish you the very best of luck, as I can imagine how frustrated I would feel if I knew that many other countries had official releases, but not mine.
Hello Phil,
thank you so much for your advice and for your interest. I will try on e-bay, Google, and also to ask some of my friends to try a few research programs fare type E-mule, with the hope of being able to find the episodes in Italian. Hello and thank you again for your advice.
Phil! I lived (and still do) in the Midlands in 1967-68 and ATV only screened the series to "The Captive" As far as I know ITV only bought season 2 eps to that point! The first season took quite a dive on ITV in early 1967 via ratings and viewer feedback!
Back in 67 it was the 30plus audience who made up the bulk of prime-time audience to a far higher % than today! As in the states, UK older viewers took a dislike to the shows realistically-downbeat tone of many of the first season eps! It was something that started to undermine the ratings in the US to -if Marc Phillips is accurate!
Sadly, the series never truly shone in its original transmission in the UK. In the early 1980s though ITV commissioned a viwer survey of most demanded repeat! According to ITV's results the Invaders came second to "Seventy seven Sunset Strip" in the list! A month or so later ATV (midlands) screened "Beachhead" again!
Of course, in 1986 the BBC2 screenings did very well, helped no doubt by following "Thunderbirds" on many occassions!
Though some on the Production team (according to Mark Phillips interviews for Statlog 206 & 207) hoped for a third series, I just can't see how it could have gone ahead!
Why? well, you just cannot have a stalemate for so long! Either the Aliens achieve their purpose or they retreat! You just cannot have episode after episode where the timetable never gets any nearer-so to speak! I think this was the main weakness of Quinm Martins influence! He was regarding the series (in my view) same as his many Police shows and having treadmill approach.
On a Sci-Fi show with the premise The Invaders had-the show was self-limited to a resolvment either way! Otherwise ratings totally collapse! My opinion is ABC should have alloctated four or six extra shows to wind it up. My suggestion is have the ending based on the revelations in "The Life Seekers" that the aliens back home find out the expeditionary forces missled them about Earth & Humanity. Plus! The Aliens have discovered a planet like theirs was in its early days before sophisticated life-forms elvolved. making it easier for them to colonise!
I was watching 'The Ivy Curtain' and noticed that on David Vincent's Californian drivers license, it shows his hair color as "Brn" and his eye color also as "Brn" when they are clearly blue...
Another 'goof' to add to the list! lol.
Hi Alan
Hi, sorry for the delay in replying to you. I suppose it's some comfort to learn that we Rediffusion / Thames TV / London Weekend Television viewers weren't alone in being deprived of seeing Season 2 to its conclusion first time around. Though I won't swear to it, I'm pretty sure I vaguely recall a posting here a few years back from someone in a more northerly ITV region (Tyne-Tees?) claiming to have indeed seen all episodes... but if I'm wrong I'll gladly stand corrected.
Good observation about the target audience age-range then and now. Saturday sometime between 6 & 8 p.m. (as I recall) was certainly not a good time to try to reach anyone in the late teens to mid-thirties age range either preparing for, or already on their way to, going out for the evening!
The first BBC2 broadcast (actually Autumn 1984 to Summer 1985) was a much more realistic schedule which, combined with the absence of commercial breaks, made me a very happy bunny indeed! }:o) As I also recall, the Beeb were inspired to screen it due to the initial enthusiastic ratings for the then-new sci-series 'V' (which ultimately deteriorated far more dramatically than did The Invaders).
Phil! As far I as know ITV only purchased the first 13 eps of series two. The ratings in the first ITV season in 1967 slumped badly! When I was researching a UK TV show called "Mystery and Imagination" I perused the trade paper "The Stage". "The Stage" ran weeklyT.A.M ratings from January 1966.
As well as "M&I" ratings; I looked up "The Invaders" from late Jan 1967 (Midlands region) for any Top 20 appearances! Only "Beachhead" as I recall appeared in that chart. The series just did not take off big time and in my region (Midlands) series 2 in Sept 67 was put out at a much later slot!
I recall the V mini-series! Not too bad, but the following hour long shows were a disaster! One of the areas I feel where V let itself down was by giving too much information, too soon, about the aliens. "The Invaders! was very sparing on details about its aliens-giving a sense of mystery to the series!
You only find out in "The Life Seekers" that they had been infiltrating Earth society well before Vincent stumbled on to them (The Gas Regenerators) and that there are many who not only can feel emotions-but if facts were known about humanity- would most likely be willing to terminate the invasion! Viewers also learned in that Ep! that they have other worlds to choose from!
I just got season 2 on DVD region 2. Great to see a top copy of "Inquisition" at last!
Hi Alan
I must say, I'm very impressed with your research! Yes, the show was definitely NOT a hit in the UK when first aired. I believe it was better-received in the U.S., but the ratings dipped significantly towards the end of Season 2 at least.
I also remember the last Season 2 episodes up to THE CAPTIVE being moved to a much later slot on Saturday night in 1968, early-to-mid summer as I recall (in my region I'm pretty sure it wasn't as early as September 1967, and I'm not sure if that applied to all of the Season 2 episodes).
All fascinating stuff. 'The Life Seekers' was a revelation, one of my favourite epsiodes and one which would have made a fitting end to the series (as would have 'The Peacemaker'). And yes, the version of 'Inqusition' broadcast on BBC2 in 1992 was definitely omitted from the cleaning-up process that the rest of the broadcast videotape copies had been subjected to (though I never saw its last UK screening on Channel 5 in 2005). Thank God for the DVD release! }:o)
Name: Phil Forster
E-mail: philsgameon@ntlworld.com
Thursday 28th January 2010 10:07 pm U.K. Time
Subject: 'The Invaders' Popularity
Name: Daniel
E-mail: directordan@acer-access.com
Friday 29th January 2010 6:50 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: The Invaders series
Name: JOHN COOPER, II.
E-mail: son_of_shalako@yahoo.com
Wednesday 3rd February 2010 9:05 pm U.K. Time
Subject: fanfiction for the invaders
Name: Phil Forster
E-mail: philsgameon@ntlworld.com
Tuesday 9th February 2010 4:37 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: The Invaders series - HI DANIEL
Name: ian
E-mail: rimmer764@btinternet.com
Monday 22nd February 2010 9:15 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: The Invaders series on DVD
Name: jonathan
E-mail: jpcasey26@aol.com
Tuesday 23rd February 2010 5:26 am U.K. Time
Subject: New book on The Invaders TV Series
Name: Alan smith
E-mail: purple70883@yahoo.co.uk
Friday 26th February 2010 3:27 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: Sy-Fy Marathon and the show's IMDB status this week
Name: ian
E-mail: rimmer764@btinternet.com
Sunday 28th February 2010 11:26 am U.K. Time
Subject: Re: New book on The Invaders TV Series
Name: STRANGER
E-mail: BOUCHAK@CEGETEL.NET
Monday 1st March 2010 6:59 am U.K. Time
Subject: Re: 'The Invaders' Popularity
Name: Alan Smith
E-mail: purple70883@yahoo.co.uk
Monday 1st March 2010 3:29 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: New book on The Invaders TV Series
Name: ian
E-mail: rimmer764@btinternet.com
Monday 1st March 2010 7:12 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: New book on The Invaders TV Series
Name: ian
E-mail: rimmer764@btinternet.com
Monday 1st March 2010 7:14 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: New book on The Invaders TV Series
Name: Umberto
E-mail: bressani.umberto@gmail.com
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 11:02 am U.K. Time
Subject: Acqusito serie
Name: Umberto
E-mail: bressani.umberto@gmail.com
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 11:34 am U.K. Time
Subject: Re: The Invaders series on DVD
Name: Phil Forster
E-mail: philsgameon@ntlworld.com
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 11:37 am U.K. Time
Subject: Re: Acqusito Serie - Hi Umberto
Name: Alan Smith
E-mail: purple70883@yahoo.co.uk
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 3:26 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Production Dates
Name: Umberto
E-mail: bressani.umberto@gmail.com
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 7:07 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: Acqusito Serie - Hi Umberto
Name: Phil Forster
E-mail: philsgameon@ntlworld.com
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 9:48 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: Acqusito Serie - The Invaders in Italian - Hi Umberto
Name: Umberto
E-mail: bressani.umberto@gmail.com
Thursday 4th March 2010 1:41 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: Acqusito Serie - The Invaders in Italian - Hi Umberto
Name: alan smith
E-mail: purple70883@yahoo.co.uk
Thursday 4th March 2010 3:36 pm U.K. Time
Subject: UK Screenings 1967-68
Name: alan smith
E-mail: purple70883@yahoo.co.uk
Friday 5th March 2010 3:54 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Self -limitation
Name: Tom
E-mail: sourceencoder@gmail.com
Monday 8th March 2010 1:25 am U.K. Time
Subject: Goof
Name: ian
E-mail: rimmer764@btinternet.com
Monday 8th March 2010 9:01 am U.K. Time
Subject: Re: Goof
Name: Phil Forster
E-mail: philsgameon@ntlworld.com
Monday 8th March 2010 12:57 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: UK Screenings 1967-68 & 1984-85
Name: Alan Smith
E-mail: purple70883@yahoo.co.uk
Tuesday 9th March 2010 2:27 pm U.K. Time
Subject: Re: UK Screenings 1967-68 1984-85
Name: Phil Forster
E-mail: philsgameon@ntleorld.com
Wednesday 10th March 2010 3:31 am U.K. Time
Subject: Re: UK Screenings 1967-68 & 1984-85