Official Synopsis:
The Invaders: The First Season  -

What If You Were The Only Human Being Who Could Stop An Alien Invasion? Who are they? What do they want? Why are they here? Architect David Vincent (Roy Thinnes) has stumbled upon a terrifying secret... aliens from a doomed planet are infiltrating Earth! After witnessing the landing of a UFO, his thrilling and adrenaline-pumping odyssey to answer these questions and warn the human race has only just begun! An intriguing combination of paranoid science fiction and dramatic thriller, this highly influential series focuses on one man's determined efforts to save the world. Produced by the legendary Quinn Martian (The Fugitive), The Invaders features all 17 Season One episodes on 5 discs, plus exciting and stunning special features on DVD for the first time ever.

The Fugitive: Season Two, Volume One -

The manhunt continues! The Fugitive returns with Season Two - Volume One - 15 episodes on DVD for the first time ever! David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, the doctor falsely convicted of killing his wife and determined to prove his innocence by leading his pursuer, Lt. Gerard (Barry Morse), to the one-armed man who committed the crime. Stark and moody, this highly influential drama was perfectly constructed and maintained constant tension. The series made Janssen one of TV's first superstars, as each week the actor brilliantly portrayed the restless soul who roamed the country in pursuit of the real killer, getting involved with strangers in need. Always new people. Always new places. But at the end, there is only the road for... The Fugitive!

Disc 1:
- Man In A Chariot
- World's End
- Man On A String
- When The Bough Breaks

Disc 2:
- Nemesis
- Tiger Left, Tiger Right
- Tug Of War
- Dark Corner

Disc 3:
- Escape Into Black
- The Cage
- Cry Uncle
- Detour On A Road Going Nowhere

Disc 4:
- The Iron Maiden
- Devil's Carnival
- Ballad For A Ghost

Our Take:
Boy, that Quinn Martin sure knew a thing or two about producing good television. Much like Irwin Allen was responsible for a lot of science fiction programming in the 60’s, Martin was responsible for some of the finest action/adventure television of the time period. Paramount has brought two of those shows to DVD with the newest collection of The Fugitive and the first collection of The Invaders.

Now I’ve watched The Fugitive before, and I enjoy the show. It’s a simple premise, but it clearly was the inspiration for a number of series after it, from The Invaders to shows like The Incredible Hulk and even, in my opinion, 24. The Fugitive: Season Two, Volume One brings us the next 15 chapters in the saga of the wrongly accused Richard Kimble, and the show is as enjoyable as ever. Of course, I wish Paramount hadn’t split the season up again, but it’s par for the course by this point.

But The Invaders really gets me. I’m a pretty big science fiction buff and not just the new stuff, either. I’ve watched The Prisoner and Wild Wild West, I know that Starship Troopers was a book first, and I’ve seen the 1926 classic, Metropolis. So I like to think I’m fairly steeped in historical sci-fi as well as the current shows and movies. But I’ve never even heard of this show. Apparently it ran for two seasons, but The Invaders: The First Season on DVD is the first time I’d ever run across this show.

And for a ‘60s show, it’s really good. Besides being a little ham-fisted from time to time (the music always gets really loud whenever anything “shocking” is about to happen), the show works well. It’s kind of a Fugitive meets pre-X-Files mix, and while the special effects are clearly dated, the show manages to work in some good paranoia and suspense. Color me surprised and impressed.

The Fugitive: Season Two, Volume One comes baring no extras once again, but The Invaders: The First Season actually includes some nice bonus materials. They are:

* Extended 60-minute Version of the Pilot.
* New Interview With and Episode Introductions by Roy Thinnes – Thinnes (coming across a bit like Adam West does nowadays) talks briefly about every single episode.
* Commentary - By series creator Larry Cohen on The Innocent episode.

Both The Fugitive and The Invaders are high-quality shows, and their similarities actually make them a nice complement to each other, as there are enough differences not to feel too repetitive. I especially recommend The Invaders for sci-fi fans and for viewers looking for something classic yet with a twist.

RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:
Shows: B+
DVD:

The Invaders: B+

The Fugitive: C-

- Mike Spring

Editor