Tuesday, February 14, 2006

TV REVIEW: Invasion: "All God's Creatures"

I'll never forget seeing the Donald Sutherland version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers back in 1978. My parents took me to see it in the theater, and the film terrified me. I didn't want to sleep for days, because I was afraid I'd be extinguished by a slimy, extra-terrestrial pod.

But anyway, one scene in that movie (one of the best horrors of the late 1970s, by the way) that really, really got under my skin involved a Pod Person who had come out...wrong. He was a homeless guy living in the park in San Francisco, and he had a little pet dog. Well, something went catastrophically wrong in the assimilation process, and the dog and man were combined to form a hideous, man-dog thing, or more accurately, a dog with a human face. It was really disgusting. I've watched the film recently and the effects don't really hold up, and besides, now I'm prepared for the moment. But at the age of 9, seeing it for the first time, unprepared, my young mind recoiled.

I was struck by memories of that scene (and my own childhood terror) on this week's episode of Invasion, "All God's Creatures," written by Michael Foley and directed by Harry Winer. The episode began creepily with a shadowy figure stealing into Russell's house while pregnant Larkin was taking a shower (oooh, Larkin, shower, ooh...).

Dave attempted to track the interloper down, only to discover that the thing entering the house and leaving behind wet footprints was a misshapen, half-formed version of himself...and one that apparently boasted his very memories (down to his love of his sister, Larkin, preference of beers, and enjoyment of Buddy Holly albums.)

Remember back in that early episode where Dave got pulled down into the water by one of the orange creatures, but got rescued in the nick of time? Well, now it turns out that the thing hooked on to his legs long enough to get a sample of his DNA. But it was just enough genetic material to create a twisted, deformed hybrid.

Gross!

I found this episode of Invasion both creepy and touching, the latter because it was obvious that the hybrid, twisted Dave believed he was the real one. And he still felt love for Larkin and his family. Even though he was a mutant. Sad, really. After the Dave knock-off died peacefully, I was reminded of a line of dialogue from another favorite movie from the 1970s, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. After a transporter accident mangled two crewpeople, Starfleet Command told Kirk that "what we got back, didn't live long. Fortunately." I'll never forget that line. It still gives me shivers (which is odd, since the movie was rated G, for all audiences.) I think the same can be said for the Dave hybrid...it's a blessing he didn't live long. But now we the viewers know that the assimilation process can go horribly wrong.

"All God's Creatures" also led into dangerous territory for Tom's daughter, Kira. She's having a teenage rebellion, and wants to go through the assimilation process. She feels left out, I guess, since the deputy (a prospective boyfriend...), her adopted Mom and her Dad all went into the water and were changed. It looks like she's going to go through the hybridization process, and I worry for her safety and future. We'll know more on that front next week.

Lately, Invasion has been far better and far more enjoyable than its popular lead-in, Lost, and this week continued the trend. The story of "Homestead" and this alien colonization is really getting under my skin. Literally.

Oh, I also got a kick out of the Church's billboard motto. Remember, this is the place where the hybrids (the storm survivors...) meet for "group", and so it's appropriate that the motto of the House of God is "We Are Not Alone." Where have I heard that slogan before?

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