The 1953 "War of the Worlds" is one of my all time favorite movies, and the TV series that's inspired from it is one of my favorite shows of all times, too bad it was cut short for it had great potential. In my comment I will cover Season 1 & 2 separately and the DVD set.
Season 1: The series begins about 35 years after the movie where the aliens are resurrected by nuclear waste and set out to conquer the world. Only the Blackwood team, consisting of the free-thinking genius Harrison, the mother/scientist Susan, the tough soldier Ironhorse, and the sometimes funny wheelchair-bound Norton, must stop this from happening. While some of the acting is less than stellar(some of the acting from Harrison is over-dramatized, Drake's could have been better too along with several secondary persons, but Susan and Ironhorse acting was good) and some cheesy 80's culture make an unwanted appearance (some of the bad clothing and irritating music), the series was solid and exciting. By adding the viewpoint of the aliens it made for a more unique and interesting storytelling (some episodes are influenced by other movies like "Alien" "The Thing", and "It's Alive!") that were also well-written, though at times it did lag. All the characters are likable, even, ironically, the aliens themselves. I must note that the some violence is gory, almost R-rated, including melting bodies, eye-gorging, and limb-ripping, though I am hardly complaining on that issue. Like many fans I wished the 2nd Season continued on this pace, however...
Season 2: ***Spoiler begins*** Killing off Drake and Ironhorse was a huge mistake ***Spoiler ends*** Season 1 is practically discarded, with character's personalities altered, a new apocalyptic-"Blade Runner" setting, and even a drastically different alien invaders. The mythology and character set-up from Season 1 no longer exist in Season 2, leading to major conflicting storyline. This was a major complaint from fans, however, if you view it as a separate series, it's still very good. The aliens are giving more familiarity, the new dark world setting is interesting, and the story lines deal with some touchy issues like religion, ecological & urban decay, and the influence of music and movies on the brain. While Season 2 had some fresh ideas, it did bring the whole series on a radical altered path that turn many fans away.
On the DVD set: Season 1 has been released on DVD, which is great, though it could have been a better set. There are no extras and the picture quality is below DVD standards, though it is still very watchable and not as bad quality as some may have you believe. The missing arm animation, which irked many people, is easily forgotten. It's just great to see it out on DVD.
"War of the Worlds" the series was a fantastic short-lived show that may have helped paved way for others like "X-files". It's entertaining delight, so buy Season 1 on DVD as soon as you can!
Season 1: The series begins about 35 years after the movie where the aliens are resurrected by nuclear waste and set out to conquer the world. Only the Blackwood team, consisting of the free-thinking genius Harrison, the mother/scientist Susan, the tough soldier Ironhorse, and the sometimes funny wheelchair-bound Norton, must stop this from happening. While some of the acting is less than stellar(some of the acting from Harrison is over-dramatized, Drake's could have been better too along with several secondary persons, but Susan and Ironhorse acting was good) and some cheesy 80's culture make an unwanted appearance (some of the bad clothing and irritating music), the series was solid and exciting. By adding the viewpoint of the aliens it made for a more unique and interesting storytelling (some episodes are influenced by other movies like "Alien" "The Thing", and "It's Alive!") that were also well-written, though at times it did lag. All the characters are likable, even, ironically, the aliens themselves. I must note that the some violence is gory, almost R-rated, including melting bodies, eye-gorging, and limb-ripping, though I am hardly complaining on that issue. Like many fans I wished the 2nd Season continued on this pace, however...
Season 2: ***Spoiler begins*** Killing off Drake and Ironhorse was a huge mistake ***Spoiler ends*** Season 1 is practically discarded, with character's personalities altered, a new apocalyptic-"Blade Runner" setting, and even a drastically different alien invaders. The mythology and character set-up from Season 1 no longer exist in Season 2, leading to major conflicting storyline. This was a major complaint from fans, however, if you view it as a separate series, it's still very good. The aliens are giving more familiarity, the new dark world setting is interesting, and the story lines deal with some touchy issues like religion, ecological & urban decay, and the influence of music and movies on the brain. While Season 2 had some fresh ideas, it did bring the whole series on a radical altered path that turn many fans away.
On the DVD set: Season 1 has been released on DVD, which is great, though it could have been a better set. There are no extras and the picture quality is below DVD standards, though it is still very watchable and not as bad quality as some may have you believe. The missing arm animation, which irked many people, is easily forgotten. It's just great to see it out on DVD.
"War of the Worlds" the series was a fantastic short-lived show that may have helped paved way for others like "X-files". It's entertaining delight, so buy Season 1 on DVD as soon as you can!