# Invasion (2005 TV series)

Invasion is an American science fiction television series created by Shaun Cassidy. It originally aired on ABC from September 21, 2005 through May 17, 2006. Somewhat similar to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the show told the story of the aftermath of a hurricane in which water-based creatures infiltrate a small Florida town and begin to take over the bodies of the town's inhabitants through a cloning process (by first merging with, then replacing them). It stars an ensemble cast featuring William Fichtner, Eddie Cibrian, Kari Matchett, Lisa Sheridan, Tyler Labine, Alexis Dziena, Evan Peters and Ariel Gade. The show was produced by Shaun Cassidy Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the aftermath in the southern United States, early on-air promotions were quickly pulled by ABC. The advertising then switched emphasis completely to the alien invasion aspect of the series, while the hurricane received no mention. The premiere was also preceded with a warning that the show featured images of a fictional hurricane, to which viewers could be sensitive.
Invasion received critical acclaim, with praise for its acting, writing, direction, and the musical score. Originally conceived for 5 seasons, the series was canceled on May 17, 2006. Since then, the show has appeared in numerous lists of shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon", including lists by Entertainment Weekly and The Huffington Post.

## Plot

The series took place in Southern Florida and involved a string of mysterious occurrences that take place in a small town in the aftermath of a violent hurricane. Invoking thematic elements from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the series centered on park ranger Russell Varon (Eddie Cibrian) and his family and his efforts to uncover the truth about a conspiracy involving water-breathing extraterrestrials creating human clones from the bodies of the dead.

## Cast and characters

* William Fichtner as Sheriff Tom Underlay
* Eddie Cibrian as Russell Varon
* Kari Matchett as Dr. Mariel Underlay
* Lisa Sheridan as Larkin Groves
* Tyler Labine as Dave Groves
* Alexis Dziena as Kira Underlay
* Evan Peters as Jesse Varon
* Nathan Baesel as Lewis Sirk (recurring guest star)
* David Huynh as Sun Kim (recurring guest star)
* Ariel Gade as Rose Varon
* Aisha Hinds as Mona Gomez
* Edwin Hodge as Brett
* James Frain as Eli Szura (recurring guest star)
* Elisabeth Moss as Christina (recurring guest star)

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Pilot" | Thomas Schlamme | Shaun Cassidy | September 21, 2005 (2005-9-21) | 475281 | 16.43 |
| Hurricane Eve strikes the town of Homestead. Lights are seen in the water and while Dave and Russell investigate, one attacks Dave. Sheriff Underlay orders the area quarantined and the town attempts to rebuild itself. |||||||
| 2 | "Lights Out" | Lawrence Trilling | Shaun Cassidy | September 28, 2005 (2005-9-28) | 2T6951 | 12.29 |
| Russell finds the body of an Air Force officer who has similar wounds as Dave. Mariel finds something in Paxton, which arouses suspicion. Sheriff Underlay continues to cordon off the town. |||||||
| 3 | "Watershed" | Michael Dinner | Becky Hartman Edwards & Shaun Cassidy | October 5, 2005 (2005-10-5) | 2T6952 | 11.38 |
| Kira and Jesse investigate a motor home with terrible consequences. Russell worries about Mariel's strange behavior and Larkin suspects that Tom is involved in, or knows something about, a military cover-up. |||||||
| 4 | "Alpha Male" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Juan Carlos Coto | October 12, 2005 (2005-10-12) | 2T6953 | 11.58 |
| Animals affected with a deadly flu virus escape from a sanctuary; Russell and Tom try to track them down. Jesse gets jealous as Kira flirts with a boy at a party. A woman attacks Larkin, doubting her identity. Mariel shows more strange behavior. |||||||
| 5 | "Unnatural Selection" | Thomas Schlamme | Michael Berns, Shaun Cassidy | October 19, 2005 (2005-10-19) | 2T6954 | 11.24 |
| One of Russell's colleagues is involved in a shootout with Tom, leading to dire consequences. Larkin seizes a chance to snoop around for answers when an old boyfriend invites her to visit his military base. Mariel is invited to a survivors group. |||||||
| 6 | "The Hunt" | Lawrence Trilling | Shaun Cassidy, Becky Hartman Edwards | October 26, 2005 (2005-10-26) | 2T6955 | 8.69 |
| After finding an old Cuban refugee who lost his family to "the lights," Russell goes fishing to catch one of the luminescent beings. Transformed, Derek switches his interest to Mariel, incurring the wrath of Underlay. |||||||
| 7 | "Fish Story" | Rod Holcomb | Michael Alaimo, Juan Carlos Coto | November 9, 2005 (2005-11-9) | 2T6956 | 9.76 |
| After surviving a car crash, Larkin is picked up by a strange man who she becomes suspicious of, especially when she believes that he might have a link to the events that are occurring. Meanwhile, Mariel desperately tries to emotionally reconnect with her son, Jesse. |||||||
| 8 | "The Cradle" | Ernest Dickerson | Julie Siege | November 16, 2005 (2005-11-16) | 2T6957 | 10.32 |
| A baby is abandoned at Russell's ranger station. The mother, Christina, who was 'changed' after the hurricane, claims it is not hers. Dave learns the identity of the owner of the wedding ring, and Mariel makes a discovery in the water. |||||||
| 9 | "The Dredge" | Michael Nankin | Jill E. Blotevogel, Reed Steiner | November 23, 2005 (2005-11-23) | 2T6958 | 9.49 |
| Russell's dark past is brought to the surface to the shock of Larkin. Dave investigates Mariel and her disappearance the night of the hurricane, and Mariel pleads with Tom to dredge the bay to find out the identity of the body. |||||||
| 10 | "Origin of Species" | Steve Shill | Shaun Cassidy, Juan Carlos Coto | November 30, 2005 (2005-11-30) | 2T6959 | 10.10 |
| Dave is abducted by his blog-readers wanting to know what he knows. Meanwhile, Tom Underlay and his deputy, Sirk, learn the identity of the dead woman found in the bay, and Sirk has an encounter with the lights. |||||||
| 11 | "Us or Them" | J. Miller Tobin | Shaun Cassidy | January 11, 2006 (2006-1-11) | 2T6960 | 9.65 |
| Russell finally confronts Mariel about the changes she's undergone since the hurricane. Underlay invites Sirk into his home to recuperate, and Jesse meets a beautiful, but strange, girl while on vacation with Larkin and Rose. |||||||
| 12 | "Power" | Lawrence Trilling | Becky Hartman Edwards, Reed Steiner | January 18, 2006 (2006-1-18) | 2T6961 | 9.00 |
| Tom disappears while taking the kids for a 'little adventure' at a cabin and brings along a mysterious bag. Meanwhile Russell and Mariel try to locate the children, and Larkin gets suspicious about Russell getting close to Mariel. |||||||
| 13 | "Redemption" | Bill Eagles | Michael Alaimo, Shaun Cassidy | January 25, 2006 (2006-1-25) | 2T6962 | 9.33 |
| After Tom's shooting, he hovers between life and death as he relives his 1996 plane crash that led to his rebirth. Meanwhile, Russell tries to prevent Larkin from telling the truth about what happens in the water. |||||||
| 14 | "All God's Creatures" | Harry Winer | Michael Foley | February 8, 2006 (2006-2-8) | 2T6963 | 9.09 |
| Russell, Larkin and Dave discover the creature that has been stalking their home. Tom goes on a mission to find out who shot him, while Kira questions what happened to her father and Mariel the night of the hurricane. |||||||
| 15 | "The Nest" | Lawrence Trilling | Shaun Cassidy, Julie Siege | February 15, 2006 (2006-2-15) | 2T6964 | 9.01 |
| Kira continues her search for answers but falls into the wrong crowd and into trouble. Russell helps Mariel test her blood for abnormalities, with shocking results. Derek and Christina make their return to Homestead. |||||||
| 16 | "The Fittest" | Frederick E. O. Toye | Juan Carlos Coto | March 8, 2006 (2006-3-8) | 2T6965 | 6.74 |
| Tom and Russell team up to pursue Derek and Christina, stumbling upon a mysterious group of migrant workers. Mariel comes clean to the kids. Kira's life is in the balance after her encounter, and Larkin still looks for answers. |||||||
| 17 | "The Key" | Bryan Spicer | Michael Alaimo, Michael Foley | March 15, 2006 (2006-3-15) | 2T6966 | 7.22 |
| Christina uses a gun to get Mariel to perform an ultrasound. Russell and Dave set out to discover what the CIA knows about the hybrids, and Jesse and Rose return to school to witness some strange behaviour. |||||||
| 18 | "Re-Evolution" | Eric Laneuville | Charles Grant Craig, Julie Siege | April 19, 2006 (2006-4-19) | 2T6967 | 7.11 |
| Russell and Dave investigate what's been happening on Szura's island. Tensions rise at school between those who have changed and those who haven't, and Tom looks into the military's involvement in the post-hurricane changes. |||||||
| 19 | "The Son Also Rises" | Lawrence Trilling | Michael Alaimo, Shaun Cassidy | April 26, 2006 (2006-4-26) | 2T6968 | 7.37 |
| Russell finally blows the whistle on Szura's island, leading to Russell being out of a job. Jesse and Rose deal with more bizarre changes at school, and the hybrids prepare as a new hurricane is brewing in the Caribbean. |||||||
| 20 | "Run and Gun" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Juan Carlos Coto, Michael Foley | May 3, 2006 (2006-5-3) | 2T6969 | 7.27 |
| With Szura at large in Homestead, unlikely partners Russell and Sheriff Tom team up in the hope of tracking down Szura. Meanwhile, the hurricane gets increasingly closer to Homestead as the hybrids plan to make their move. |||||||
| 21 | "Round Up" | Steve Shill | Shaun Cassidy | May 10, 2006 (2006-5-10) | 2T6970 | 7.68 |
| As the hurricane hits, Tom and Russell try to stop Szura. Mariel, Larkin, and the kids are rounded up by what looks to be the National Guard, but they have suspicions. Mariel discovers that Szura has a horrifying job for her as she experiences the true terror of the situation. |||||||
| 22 | "The Last Wave Goodbye" | Lawrence Trilling | Shaun Cassidy, Charles Grant Craig | May 17, 2006 (2006-5-17) | 2T6971 | 7.58 |
| In the middle of the hurricane chaos, Russell and Tom make a brave rescue bid. Brett and friends take Larkin, Dave, Jesse, and Rose hostage, which leads to a terrible accident for Larkin. Tom must make an important decision that could risk everything. |||||||

## Reception

Invasion received mostly positive critical reception. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an 80% approval rating with an average rating of 8.8/10 based on 10 reviews. Metacritic gave the season a score of 72, making it generally favorable. The show was nominated on the 32nd Saturn Awards for Best Network TV Series and Best Television Actor for William Fichtner. Stephen King also praised the series.

### Legacy

   “One of the challenges when I was starting to write TV series, like American Gothic and Invasion, they did not want anything serialized on network. They wanted closed-ended [episodes], because they couldn't sell [serialized shows] internationally, or they had some argument why they didn't repeat well or something. It was so frustrating, because I liked shows that felt like novels, and I still do. And now that is au courant, which is great.“ - Shaun Cassidy
After the series' cancellation and over the years, Invasion has gained growing appreciation, with its complex themes and deep characters now considered major strengths. Initially criticized for its bad timing, airing right after Lost, it struggled to capture and retain an audience. As noted by Entertainment Weekly, “Invasion was rather high-concept” and “lost in the buzz surrounding the second season of the equally high-concept Lost,” which overshadowed it. Jason Hughes from HuffPost TV explains that, despite its impressive 17 million viewer debut, Invasion couldn’t recover when ratings slipped, partly due to its hurricane-themed premise, which felt too soon after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Screen Rant further emphasized that the real-life aftermath of Katrina forced ABC to halt promotion for the show, despite its critical acclaim and loyal fanbase. However, the show’s unique premise—a small Florida town overtaken by alien creatures following a storm—captured the imagination of critics. MovieWeb praised the series as a "wonderful homage" to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, noting the mindbending alien takeover plot and William Fichtner’s standout performance. The show's cinematography, which beautifully captured Florida's destruction, was also widely praised. Nevertheless, the show’s unique premise—a small Florida town overtaken by alien creatures following a storm—captured the imagination of critics. David Churchill, in Critic At Large, calls Invasion a "completely brilliant show," pointing out its rich exploration of societal fears, such as “the dangerous post-9/11 world where terror can come from abroad, above or your next-door neighbor.” The show’s deep connection to family was also noted in the 2009 article TV of the 2000s: 15 Sci-Fi Series That Deserved A Longer Run, which praised Invasion for being “at its heart, a show about family” and lamented the mysteries Cassidy had planned to expand on in future seasons, which were left unresolved due to its untimely cancellation. Over time, the series' ability to combine family drama with science fiction has become more apparent, with WhatCulture observing that it created a "mystery" that kept viewers engaged, peeling back layers of complexity episode by episode. The show’s cinematography, praised by Collider for capturing both the "beauty and destruction" of Florida, added to its atmospheric depth. Critics also highlighted the psychological tension, with A.V. Club noting how Invasion gradually shifted from a simple alien-invasion story to a "slow burn" that asked, “Who’s real and who isn’t?”
Additionally, D.S. Watson’s article, “Does Anyone Remember…Invasion (2005)? The Best Sci-Fi Show No One Watched,” underscores the show’s lasting impact. Watson argues that Invasion is a "hidden gem" and praises it for its unique combination of psychological horror and sci-fi, with a gripping narrative, strong performances (especially from William Fichtner), and stunning production values. He notes that it was ahead of its time, and despite being unfairly canceled, it remains a standout in the sci-fi genre, deserving more recognition for its cinematic quality and depth.
For Shaun Cassidy, Invasion was a chance to explore themes that were deeply personal. In a 2024 interview, he explained, "It's always about family, usually some hidden version of my own or my own experiences." He went on to describe how Invasion was marketed as an alien invasion story, but for him, it was about "the invasion of a new father in my children's house" and the challenges of co-parenting after divorce. Cassidy noted that, much like in his earlier series American Gothic, he was exploring dysfunctional family dynamics and the emotional complexities of blended families in the midst of extraordinary circumstances.
Many actors including William Fichtner, Eddie Cibrian, Kari Matchett, Evan Peters, Lisa Sheridan, Nathan Baesal and Tyler Labine singled out Invasion as one of their favorite shows they worked on. Fichtner noted the show’s low ratings but still gets asked about it. Cibrian enjoyed the camaraderie with co-stars, especially Tyler Labine and Evan Peters. Peters, reflecting on his early career, appreciated working with Fichtner but admitted he was still learning. Matchett loved playing Mariel and praised the creative team.
Tyler Labine expressed his disappointment and confusion over the cancellation of Invasion, repeatedly stating that despite strong ratings, critical acclaim, and a dedicated fanbase, the show was axed due to "purely politics." He emphasized, "I still to this day don’t know why that show got canceled," adding that it had the potential to be a major hit like Lost, with "crazy plot and twists." Labine also shared that he was bummed about not seeing the story's twists unfold, calling it "a big hit that got cancelled for some reason that nobody understands." He reflected on the positive aspects of the experience, mentioning, "It was a really fun show" and noting that Invasion provided him with a chance to explore a dramatic role. He also praised Shaun Cassidy, the creator, saying, "He’s a mad genius" and recalling that if circumstances were different, he'd have loved to collaborate with him again. Labine concluded by pointing out the "full circle" moment with Cassidy's later work on New Amsterdam.
Shaun Cassidy made a similar statement about the show's cancellation: "I think there were unrealistic expectations that any show following Lost should do better. But no show after ours ever DID do better, so I suspect some of the execs may have regretted taking our show off the air." To the question "Of all the shows you’ve created that were canceled far too soon, which hurt the most ... and why?", Cassidy personally picked Invasion because "it was the most surprising".
In 2020, writer Carlos Coto, blamed the time slot for the show's cancellation: "They put us on after Lost. It made sense on paper, but audiences weren't up for two mythology-rich shows at once. Lost was awesome, but exhausting -- in a good way (and so were we)".

## Broadcast history

The series premiered on ABC on September 21, 2005, and aired for one season. The series included twenty-two episodes, which aired Wednesday evening at 10:00pm. After the show's cancellation there were reports of a possible move to The CW, however, a deal never came to fruition. The final episode aired on May 17, 2006. On August 22, 2006, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released the complete first season as a six-disc DVD box set.
In the UK, the show premiered as a double bill on Channel 4, with the third episode shown shortly afterwards on 4's digital sister channel E4. In Bulgaria, Invasion premiered on February 21, 2007, on Nova Television and in Romania it premiered on March 10, 2009, on Pro Cinema movie channel. In Australia, the series premiered on the Nine Network in March 2006.

### Ratings troubles

According to Nielsen ratings, the series premiere garnered 17 million viewers airing after Lost. By the November 30, 2005 episode, the show was only garnering 10 million viewers.
For the episodes shown on January 11, 18, and 25 the Nielsen Ratings only reached 9.7 million, 9 million and 9.3 million, respectively. It had lost nearly half of the first episode's audience, far behind CBS's CSI: NY, which had 13.7 million, 15.5 million and 14.9 million, for the same period. The show was then put on hiatus for the second time, during which time it was replaced with The Evidence.

## Future plotlines

In the "August 14–20, 2006" issue of TV Guide, actor Tyler Labine relayed what creator Shaun Cassidy had planned for the following season, saying that Cassidy had said: "Shaun told me Larkin was going to [be presumed dead]. I was going to get all militant and shave my head, and Russell and I were going to join forces against Tom. Tom was going to find out that his first wife was actually alive, and she was running this whole military operation, and she was Szura’s boss." William Fichtner also relayed that storyline: "There was something in there that I thought that was so good. I discovered who it really was who was orchestrating [everything]. I didn't even see it coming from a million miles away. It was my [first wife, Grace], who got on the plane with me. Two people lived after that [1996] plane crash, not just one. She went in another direction altogether. It's amazing. It was, 'Ah, what you could have done with that.'"
In an 2010 interview, during the promotion of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Tyler Labine revealed that the overall concept of the series was to depict humanity facing an evolutionary change they couldn’t stop. The "invasion" seen in the show wasn’t meant to be a traditional invasion, but rather an evolutionary step marking the end of humanity as we knew it. According to him, Shaun Cassidy had planned for the show to span five seasons, exploring the desperate struggle of humans fighting an irreversible process. It was a battle that humans could never win, ultimately leading to "the end of human nature." He also mentioned that Larkin was supposed to return in a more evolved, antagonist role, stronger than the hybrids, and that he and Russell would have joined a militia in an attempt to kill her. Ultimately, the show would have explored humanity's end through a forced evolutionary step, and the overall theme was that, no matter what, "we're all dead" because humanity was destined to disappear in the face of this new evolutionary phase.

## Soundtrack

Invasion features an orchestral score performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra and composed by Jon Ehrlich and Jason Derlatka, incorporating many recurring themes and dramatic melodies. Their music was well received. The soundtrack of the show became available on October 21, 2008 at moviescoremedia.com. The album features more than 60 minutes of carefully selected tracks from the series.
Invasion is one of Ehrlich and Derlatka's favorite works saying: "Its always a treat working with a great orchestra. We love working with Shaun Cassidy."

## DVD releases

| DVD name | Episodes | DVD release dates | DVD release dates | DVD release dates | Discs |
| DVD name | Episodes | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | Discs |
| The Complete Series | 22 | August 22, 2006 (2006-8-22) | September 4, 2006 (2006-9-4) | September 9, 2008 (2008-9-9) | 6 |