The Aliens Have Arrived in ABC's New Show "V"

ABC's new show "V" wastes no time getting to the core of its plot. Mere minutes into the pilot episode of "V" the audience is treated to an alien invasion, as alien motherships show up and suddenly hover over nearly every major city worldwide, not unlike the movie Independence Day.

Unlike Independence Day, though, these "visitors", led by the attractive human-like Anna, claim they come in peace, and attempt to set up diplomatic relations with the worlds' countries.

The first episode is filled with mystery, scenes of awe, and plenty of intrigue, and sets up what looks to be, at the very least, an incredibly interesting show.

For what it's worth, this review will be discussing important plot points of the show, and the best way to enjoy the show is to go in knowing as little as possible. You have been warned.

From the start, the alien visitors in "V" are nice, but extremely unsettling. These visitors seem just about perfect, and while they seem to have good intentions, there's something inherently untrustworthy about them.

Citizens notice this too, and there are a good number who claim that this particular interaction with the visitors is part of a bigger scheme to destroy all human life.

Others side with the visitors, impressed by their apparent peacefulness and amazed by their healing powers and advanced technology.

Throughout most of the first episode, there is an undeniable tension as you truly don't know who to trust.

Then the last scene occurs.

The last scene of the first episode shows beyond the shadow of a doubt that the visitors are, indeed, plotting something that humanity won't like.

A fight occurs during which one of the main characters, FBI agent Erica Evans, discovers that her partner of seven years was a visitor all along, as part of the first wave that happened years ago to infiltrate the humans.

By the end of the first episode, all intensity surrounding the aliens' true intentions is gone. Instead, the show takes on a vibe not unlike Invasion of the Body Snatchers, where you don't know who you can trust, as anyone could be a visitor.

This is much less interesting than the mystery surrounding whether the true intentions of the visitors.

The second episode is a definite decrease in quality compared to the first, as close to nothing actually happens. In only a day after watching it, the episode has already faded from memory.

The second episode lacks much of the excitement and intrigue the first had, while trying to build on the plot, but only adds tidbits of information.

Putting both of the episodes together creates an uneven experience, one that begins with excitement and mystery but ends with disappointment.

Not all critics agree. IGN, a well-known website covering entertainment, liked the first two episodes, saying of the second, "Overall though, this was a good follow-up episode to the pilot." They called the show promising, and look forward to its future.

The Miami Herald said the show had anti-Obama messages, but even so said, "With or without the political sheen, V is sweeping television storytelling at its best."

The New York Times wasn't as kind, saying, "The ideas in “V,” about alien encounters and mass delusion and media manipulation, are enticing. It’s too bad that they’re floating around in a show that at this early stage, is so slapdash and formulaic in its storytelling."

Currently, "V" seems to be at a crossroads. It could get better, or it could definitely get worse. To this reviewer, it seemed to be an unwise decision to reveal the true intentions of the visitors' plot so early. This element could have been sustained for longer episodes, making for a more intriguing show.

To be fair, only two episodes of "V" have aired so far. It has a strong-enough premise that the series could probably go either way.

Although "V" is off to an uneven start, it has the potential to be incredibly interesting, and is, at least, worth checking out.

"V" airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. Previous episodes are available to watch at hulu.com or abc.com. Only two more episodes will air before the show goes on a break until the spring.