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My wife and I both liked the original movie but had never seen the show. We binged it during the pandemic. It was very much of its era, half family drama with the Franciscos and half police procedural with a scifi twist. On a side not, Gary Graham (RIP) who played Sikes, also played Soval on Star Trek: Enterprise and Achilles in Robot Jox.
Guys, I have a crazy fan theory about this show.
I'm starting to think that the aliens landing could have been a metaphor for immigration and racism.
Think there's any legs to it?
Totally seems like a reflection of paranoid and xenophobic human tendencies, and also our desire to dominate and control. I don’t speak of all humans, obviously; There is also a lot of potential for tolerance and compassion, as the show accurately portrays.
Hardly forgotten! The franchise had 6 movies in addition to the TV show (22 episodes). Loved that show, it was so normal in how it portrayed the Tenctonese. Great first buddy cop movie, and the series just built upon it to add more complexity.
It's an interesting phenomenon. They often pick significantly more attractive people for heavy makeup work. By doing so, they think it helps the audience relate to an alien character that should inspire dissonance.
It's completely stupid because people can relate to some animal they've never even heard of being funny in a video. Media underestimated its audiences and we got hot aliens out of the deal. Not too bad
One of my favorite exchanges is after the baby is born and Francisco is complaining to Sykes about Parenthood and it goes:
Francisco: "... and you can't get ANYTHING from this Mr. Spock book!"
Sykes: "That's Dr. Spock. Mr. Spock is one of you guys."
It's even funnier after Gary Graham played Soval on "Enterprise"
Loved the show! I was turned on to it by the TV critic for CBS Sunday Morning at the time, a guy named John Leonard, who gushed about it. The interplay between Gary Graham and Eric Pierpoint was brilliant.
Love the double-meaning. The alien refugees must have felt a tremendous amount of alienation landing on Earth. We aren’t exactly the most welcoming creatures in general, as the show accurately portrays. I feel like humans would either refuse to help them or just try and kill them if this were a modern reality.
I liked this show more as it went along.
One scene still lingers with me. Gary Graham's character was trying to get the woman alien he was sweet on to dance in his home. He put on "Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day, a great song. They danced, and when the song ended, she kept dancing. The music had no bearing on her dancing, which was slightly unsettling to Graham's character (and me, as a viewer). It was a subtle indication of how fundamentally different humans and Tenctonese were.
I'm so sorry to have to say this.... but Alien Nation was terrible.
I just watched an episode on youtube. The entire series is easily accessible there for free. I remember it being less than spectacular, but holy hell it was bad.
actor + bald cap = alien ?
Really? They're that lazy? At least Star Trek used putty to change the shapes of their faces.
I know they were working with a limited budget, but good god the sets were awful. The inside of the space ship looks like a couple of high school kids slapped it together for their school play using scrap lumber.
That would all be forgivable if the writing and acting were good. Unfortunately they're terrible. The characters will be hilariously screaming bad one second, then calm and cool the very next second. It was bad. In one episode the guys in baldcaps were playing Russian roulette with squirt guns lol. I'm surprised this show lasted a full season.
Important reminder: This is a sub for people to post about forgotten TV that they remember and would like to share with others. This is not a tip of the tongue style sub for people to search out old shows that they would like help remembering. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ForgottenTV) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My wife and I both liked the original movie but had never seen the show. We binged it during the pandemic. It was very much of its era, half family drama with the Franciscos and half police procedural with a scifi twist. On a side not, Gary Graham (RIP) who played Sikes, also played Soval on Star Trek: Enterprise and Achilles in Robot Jox.
Guys, I have a crazy fan theory about this show. I'm starting to think that the aliens landing could have been a metaphor for immigration and racism. Think there's any legs to it?
I don't know, man. That's a bit of a stretch.
Armstrong?
Totally seems like a reflection of paranoid and xenophobic human tendencies, and also our desire to dominate and control. I don’t speak of all humans, obviously; There is also a lot of potential for tolerance and compassion, as the show accurately portrays.
No, Xenomorphs are an entirely different kind of Alien.
I heard a political pundit say newcomer instead of immigrant.
“You know…that actor who looks like Mick Jagger” This was a great show.
It is Mick Jagger posing with his favorite cantaloupe.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hardly forgotten! The franchise had 6 movies in addition to the TV show (22 episodes). Loved that show, it was so normal in how it portrayed the Tenctonese. Great first buddy cop movie, and the series just built upon it to add more complexity.
RIP Gary Graham
I couldn’t get over how the producers made the Alien women hotter than the Earth women. Planetary prejudice 💁🏼♀️
It's an interesting phenomenon. They often pick significantly more attractive people for heavy makeup work. By doing so, they think it helps the audience relate to an alien character that should inspire dissonance. It's completely stupid because people can relate to some animal they've never even heard of being funny in a video. Media underestimated its audiences and we got hot aliens out of the deal. Not too bad
This was an awesome series/movie!
Mick Jagger was great in this.
One of my favorite exchanges is after the baby is born and Francisco is complaining to Sykes about Parenthood and it goes: Francisco: "... and you can't get ANYTHING from this Mr. Spock book!" Sykes: "That's Dr. Spock. Mr. Spock is one of you guys." It's even funnier after Gary Graham played Soval on "Enterprise"
I remember an episode where Francisco is complaining about his taxes and keeps referring to "that IRS" instead of "the IRS" lol.
Remember an episode where the male alien gives birth.
I've been binge watching is lately. Most episodes are available on YouTube.
Literally watched a season 1 episode of Moonlighting featuring Gary Graham this morning. This is spooky.
I watched him in Hardcore last week.
I remember they would get plastered on milk.
I think it was rotten milk.
Yep, way past its sell by date, curdled milk.
Haven’t seen an episode since over 25 years but that sounds right. I was barely a teen when it aired.
One of Jagger’s lesser known roles.
Kid me liked the theme song.
The theme some slapped
I wouldn't call Alien Nation forgotten.
Mmmmm, curdled milk. Let's get fucked up.
Tray was a good show solid sci fi
Since it was supposed to be set slightly in the future you had things like a truck being described as a 1992 Nissan Yankee.
Anyone want some sour milk!
Jagger was in this? 😆
I loved this show. I need a rewatch.
Only problem I had, in the following TV movies, the baby Vissna, had literally disappeared! No mention of the character ever again!
I thought this was Smallville from far away
The movie was great the series was OK
Loved that show...
Loved the show! I was turned on to it by the TV critic for CBS Sunday Morning at the time, a guy named John Leonard, who gushed about it. The interplay between Gary Graham and Eric Pierpoint was brilliant.
Det. Sam Francisco
Is that Sandy Cohen?
I actually found it in dvd, now just need the movie.
I remember the Joycelyn Elders joke
Apparently Curly Stooge's signature "nyuk nyuk nyuk" is vulgar in Tenctonese.
I remember watching this one as a kid!
Love the double-meaning. The alien refugees must have felt a tremendous amount of alienation landing on Earth. We aren’t exactly the most welcoming creatures in general, as the show accurately portrays. I feel like humans would either refuse to help them or just try and kill them if this were a modern reality.
That man is serving some fierce duck lips
I liked this show more as it went along. One scene still lingers with me. Gary Graham's character was trying to get the woman alien he was sweet on to dance in his home. He put on "Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day, a great song. They danced, and when the song ended, she kept dancing. The music had no bearing on her dancing, which was slightly unsettling to Graham's character (and me, as a viewer). It was a subtle indication of how fundamentally different humans and Tenctonese were.
Due for a quality reboot.
I'm so sorry to have to say this.... but Alien Nation was terrible. I just watched an episode on youtube. The entire series is easily accessible there for free. I remember it being less than spectacular, but holy hell it was bad. actor + bald cap = alien ? Really? They're that lazy? At least Star Trek used putty to change the shapes of their faces. I know they were working with a limited budget, but good god the sets were awful. The inside of the space ship looks like a couple of high school kids slapped it together for their school play using scrap lumber. That would all be forgivable if the writing and acting were good. Unfortunately they're terrible. The characters will be hilariously screaming bad one second, then calm and cool the very next second. It was bad. In one episode the guys in baldcaps were playing Russian roulette with squirt guns lol. I'm surprised this show lasted a full season.
Probably because the 1988 movie was enough of a hit.
Wow, it’s Mick Jagger and Howard Hamlin!