…
Alien Nation was originally a 1988 film starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin as the detective duo of human Matthew Sykes and alien George Francisco. Kenneth Johnson then adapted the film’s premise into a television series that was picked up by Fox and ran during the 1989-1990 television season. Like the film, the TV series follows the adventures of Detectives Matthew Sikes (yes, the spelling of his last name was changed for the series) and George Francisco as they hunt down criminals and save the day.
The series, however, expands the story’s function, frequently emphasizing the relational aspects of characters’ interactions and contributing a unique form of social commentary in addition to presenting a science fiction action/drama. Despite its popularity, the series was cancelled by Fox after just one season as the fledgling network struggled to find a formula for overall success, deciding to emphasize comedies and to cut back on dramas.
However, because of the series’ popularity, Fox later revived the show for five made-for-TV movies that aired over the course of four years during the mid-‘90s, beginning with Dark Horizon in 1994 and ending with The Udara Legacy in 1997. These movies were all developed by Johnson, and the characters and cast remained the same for the movies as they had been for the series. Dark Horizon even picks up from the cliffhanger ending of the series’ first and only season. (Expecting to be renewed for a second season, the creative staff ended the first season with a cliffhanger.) Essentially, these made-for-TV movies are a continuation of the TV series, and they deliver the same science fiction action and drama, revolve around the same characters and character interactions, and balance action with the same relevant social commentary.
The first and only season of the television series has been available on DVD since 2006, and Fox has now made the five made-for-TV movies available as a DVD box set, perhaps in preparation for a remake or original movie continuing the story. While some aspects of the movies are noticeably dated (i.e., the special effects and computer animation) and the stories and their characters are a bit simplistic and archetypal, the movies, even a decade after their original airings, remain relevant and notable, particularly for their social commentary.