Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
Stars Eric Close, Megan Ward, J.T. Walsh, Conor O'Farrell, Tim Kelleher,
Charley Lang, Jeri Ryan, Mike Kennedy, James F. Kelly, Grant Mathis, Jack Lindine, Arell Blanton | Written by Various
Certification 12 | RRP £39.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 900 minutes | Created by Brent V. Friedman & Bryce Zabel
Dark Skies is a perfect example of a show that was way before its time. Not in the least bit deserving of its cancellation after just one season, the 1996-97 series is one that would fit right in with the current crop of primetime US television, and captivate audiences in 2010 the same as it did me with its intriguing story and compelling plot devices.
Set in the '60s following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the series manipulates history as it tells of an alien invasion that has gripped Earth since the '40s, but has been kept a secret by the government. As slimy, worm-like parasites, the alien species, known as the Hive, crawl into the mouths of human beings and make them their host, taking full control and using them to 'recruit' others and build an army of things from another world to take over ours. But on a mission to stop them are John Loengard (Close) and Kim Sayers (Ward), an unmarried couple who travel the length and breadth of the United States in order to discover more about the alien evil and send them back to wherever they came from. Meanwhile, Majestic 12, a stealthy government agency with shady motives headed by the antagonistic Frank Bach (Walsh), are on the tails of both the young couple and the hideous interlopers.
The season gets off to a flying start and it's incredibly engaging, but what follows is a sudden slowing in pace and so the first ten episodes aren't for those who like their TV drama in the fast lane. But that's not to say the change is a negative. The show instead takes the time to build the characters the right way, laying the foundations for what was blueprinted as a five-season series that followed the two leads from the '60s to 2001 as the Hive expanded. The aforementioned slow in pacing in the first half of the series does however pick up and suddenly the show becomes absolutely riveting as it continues and nears a fitting conclusion. With such deep and intimate character development, you soon care about Loengard and Sayers' relationship and genuinely dislike Majestic 12's antagonistic Bach, portrayed consistently brilliantly by the late, great Walsh. You love to hate him because he's just so good. The excellent performances from the stellar cast really put this show over.
I am sorely disappointed that the show was cancelled amidst its first season as I think it would be very interesting indeed to see the progressive decades unfold. So many characters from the period are involved some way in the storylines, from political figures to Marilyn Monroe and even The Beatles, so I'd love to know what other celebrities of the past would crop up in latter seasons. Terrific telly.
EXTRAS ?? The 90-minute prequel directed by the legendary Tobe Hooper which, although lumbered on the fifth and final disc, I recommend you watch first - you know, like how pilots are meant to be watched; a stills gallery; and the self-explanatory A-Z of Dark Skies.