V (franchise)

V
Created byKenneth Johnson
Original workV
OwnerWarner Bros. Entertainment
Print publications
Book(s)Fiction books
Novel(s)Original series (1984–88)
V The Second Generation (2008)
ComicsSee below
Films and television
Television seriesV (original miniseries) (1983)
V The Final Battle (1984)
V (weekly series) (1984–85)
V (remake) (2009-11)
Games
Video game(s)V
Audio
Soundtrack(s)V: The Series (Original Soundtrack Recordings) (1998)
V (2009)

V is an American science fiction franchise created by American writer, producer and director Kenneth Johnson about a genocidal invading alien race known as the "Visitors"—reptilian humanoids disguised as human beings—trying to take over Earth, and the human reaction to this, including the Resistance group attempting to stop them, while others collaborate with the aliens for power and personal wealth.

The two-part television miniseries V aired in 1983, written and directed by Johnson. It had cost US$13 million to produce.[1] It was followed in 1984 by a three-part miniseries, V: The Final Battle, and a nineteen-episode weekly television series, V (sometimes referred to as V: The Series) during the 1984–85 television season. ABC ran a remake series, produced by Warner Bros. Television, which ran for two seasons totalling 22 episodes from November 3, 2009, to March 15, 2011.

In the original series, the title refers to the "V for Victory" sign. In the 1983 V miniseries, a group of children are shown spray painting generic graffiti over the Visitors' propaganda posters, but are then shown how to spray the V over the posters by Abraham Bernstein, a Holocaust survivor, who explains the meaning of the sign to them as he defaces the first poster. In the 2009 reboot of the series, however, V is used within the show as an abbreviation for the Visitors.[2][3][4]

A number of novels, comic books, video games and other media have been spun off from the franchise. Johnson's novel V: The Second Generation, an alternative sequel to the first miniseries which disregards V: The Final Battle and V: The Series because of his non-involvement with them, was released on February 5, 2008.[5] Johnson stated he was in negotiations for a TV adaptation of his sequel novel, but Warner Bros. opted to do the 2009 remake series instead.

  1. ^ Bedell, Sally (4 May 1983). ""V" series an NBC hit". New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  2. ^ ""V" IS FOR VICTORY, NOT FOR VISITORS!". visitorsamongus.com. Archived from the original on 2011-01-05. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  3. ^ "V is for Visitors — and Victory". Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  4. ^ "Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell Fights Aliens in V Reboot". Wired.com. 2009-08-11. Retrieved 2011-01-22. 'Propaganda has just become advertising' in modern society, [2009 series producer Jeffrey] Bell said. 'Everything is branded, everything is turned into a product, so the Visitors are going to do that. The Vs [The Visitors] are going to brand themselves.' (Emphasis added)
  5. ^ "V History". Kennethjohnson.us. Retrieved 2009-11-05.