Alien Nation

Plot synopsis:
The year is 1991; one year since an unidentified flying object bearing 300,000 enslaved aliens, the Newcomers, landed in the Mojave Desert on planet Earth. Los Angeles later becomes their new home.
Matthew Sykes (Caan), a police detective, loses his partner Bill Tuggle (Brown) in a shootout; the detectives had been trying to stop two Newcomer criminals murdering another Newcomer named Porter at a grocery, in what appeared to be a robbery. The next day, Sykes' superior Captain Warner (McCarthy), informs his squad that they will have to work with the newly promoted Newcomer detective Sam Francisco (Patinkin). Although biased, Sykes enlists to work with Francisco to investigate a similar homicide with a Newcomer named Warren Hubely, feeling that if he investigates that crime, he will also find opportunities to investigate his partner's death (which he is officially forbidden to do).
While at a crime lab, trying unobtrusively to establish a connection between the two cases, Francisco detects an abnormality on the body of one of the Newcomer criminals who was killed in the robbery. Later, Sykes and Francisco are led to a nightclub to investigate a link in the killings with a Newcomer named Joshua Strader (Kober). However, they end up interviewing his girlfriend instead, after Strader is murdered by a criminal ring led by Newcomer businessman William Harcourt (Stamp) and his henchman Rudyard Kipling (Howard).
Harcourt is in the latter stages of launching advanced plans to exploit the alien race by attempting to mass-produce and sell a drug called Jabroka. The drug was used in the past to pacify the Newcomers when they were slaves, but has no effect on humans. The abnormality noticed by Francisco on the body of the Newcomer criminal earlier turns out to have been a visual sign of the drug's influence. In addition, the Newcomers Hubley, Porter and Strader were involved in the planning phases of the operation, but were later murdered due to Harcourt's desire to exclude them from any future financial rewards. Ultimately, Sykes and Francisco track down Harcourt, where he is secretly negotiating a timetable for a release of the potent narcotic. The detectives attempt to foil his plans, as they are later led on a car chase with Harcourt and his cohort Kipling through the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Following a head-on collision where both parties are injured, Harcourt attempts an escape on foot. Sykes pursues and corners Harcourt onto a desolate drawbridge. Harcourt then purposely overdoses on a sample of the stimulant.
As Sykes mistakenly believes Harcourt has died, Harcourt is taken away by an ambulance, but later mutates into a significantly larger and more muscular Newcomer intent on causing violence. The duo pursue Harcourt, catching up with him near a fishing pier. Sykes later ends up in a physical confrontation with Harcourt in the open sea. Harcourt dies, as his body disintegrates due to the effects of direct contact with salt water, which is hazardous to Newcomer physiology. Francisco commandeers a police helicopter, and rescues Sykes from the water. With the Tuggle and Newcomer murder cases solved, the authorities dismantle Harcourt's illicit scheme.

Tags: murder

Review:
Why did this Series only last One Season???.
This series is fantastic!
I do not understand why it only lasted one season.
It gave us so many insights into the relationships between people of all "races".
It allowed us to see the pain of "inter-species" relationships and the acceptance of beings "different" from us.
As the series unfolded, it was uplifting to see how people can overcome their differences to get along and thrive on earth.
There are so many lessons that we can ALL learn from this series.
We can get along in peace and harmony..
A great show, pure and simple.
One of the best sci-fi and/or buddy cop shows I've ever seen.
Like all really good science fiction, it comes up with an utterly improbable premise (namely that an alien slave ship lands on Earth and the humanoid ex-slaves must integrate into human society) and proceeds to be completely real within that premise.
Without fail, every single episode of this tragically short-lived series was, in turns, touching, humorous and compelling.If you can find this show on the air, watch it, its well worth it..
The Best Sci Fi Show I've Ever Seen.
Normally I'm not a fan of sci fi but something about this series changed my opinion Alien Nation is probably one of the best cop shows that was on TV.
A slave ship carrying an alien race known as the Tenctonese crashed in the Mojave Desert near the city of Los Angeles five years ago.
They have been bred to have great strength and quick intelligence, hard edged Officer Matt Sikes, played by Gary Graham is teamed up with a newcomer officer George Francisco (Pierpoint).
Although the two mismatched cops have many differences and issues they have to work together thrown into the mix is George's family wife Susan (Scarabelli), young daughter Emily (Woodland) and teen aged son Buck (Six).
Meanwhile Sikes must also deal with his budding romantic feelings for his neighbor and scientist Cathy Frankel (Treas) a gorgeous newcomer.What I like most about the show is the humorous and difficult moments that are displayed when prejudice is shown towards the newcomers, also it's interesting to see a romantic relationship developing between a human male and a tenctonese female but what's a love story without the hurdles of interspecies romance.For fans of sci fi classics Alien Nation is the number #1 show to watch..
This is one of the better shows out there.
It deals with racism in a really positive way and isn't "preachy" or "cuddly".
There are a few problems (Why would people who dissolve in salt water choose to live in a coastal city like Los Angeles?) but those are easily overlooked.
The show is really well done and makes some great references to todays society.
The new race has drug and alcohol addictions, faces discrimination both inside and outside their communities, and struggles to integrate itself into the human world.
One of the ongoing jokes in the series is the newcomer names.
They never had names on the ship so they are assigned names by a human agency.
A lot of them are comical, like "San Francisco" but some of them are politically incorrect, like calling a mentally challenged newcomer "Albert F---ing Einstein".
The middle name was dropped for the series but the character remains.
I recommend it, it is a great show..
Good show, golden oldie, glad my parents made me (AKA forced me to) watch it..
This deserves 15 out of 10.
Man oh man....watching this show with my parents is so fun!
Shame on the negative people!
GREAT SHOW.
GREAT SHOW.
GREAT SHOW.
May it have a great remake like V's or BattleStars!
Fun to watch, good characters, believable plots...maybe 'new' Hollywood should take notes.
Seriously.
The action is fun, it has good 'morals' for a show like this.
It's what shows are supposed to be.
It takes you out of reality and puts you in a world with a (fairly) deep plot, fun characters, good lessons, and cool fights!
It's sort of like Miami Vice with aliens!
The parts with the bad guys always baffles me.
The bad guys that kept the people on the ship always tend to be smart and vicious yet human bad guys spout of pitiful remarks that tend to get them killed.
Seems like they'd learn.
lol, any way....if you haven't seen the show...Do!
It's well worth your time and money!.
A really wonder science fiction show..
"Alien Nation"is a science fiction show that is well done,well acted and well created by Kenneth Johnson(The Incredible Hulk, and V).
The series dealt with a lot of issues, especially racial issues,and cultural issues too.The Tenctonese are a race that were slaves who came to earth cause of their ship crashing in the Mohave Desert in 1991.
The Tenctonese are from the planet Tencton, they have the ability to adapt in any environment, they learn fast and live a little longer than Humans,they are known to us Humans also as Newcomers.There are Humans who don't like the Newcomers, they are called Purists, the Newcomers are called Slags, the word "slag" is a racist term by the Purists.The Newcomers that don't like Humans much call us Humans, "Terts".Human cop Matthew Sikes, played superbly by Gary Graham(All The Right Moves, Robot Jox, and The Last Warrior), is a cop who lost his former partner to a Newcomer in a robbery.
Sikes's new parter, a Newcomer cop, Det. George Francisco, played awesome by Eric Pierpoint(Invaders From Mars, Forever Young, and Liar Liar), work together to fight crime.
The two Detectives have their disagreements on certain issues,but work great together.
Cathy Frankel, played awesome by Terri Treas(Seven Brides For Seven Brothere, The Nest, and House IV)is Matthew Sikes's Newcomer neighbor who he develops a relationship with her later on, Capt Bryan Grazer, played by Ron Fassler(Camp Nowhere, Child's Play 3 and Gremlins 2), Det. Dobbs, played by Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs(Welcome Back Kotter), Albert Einstein, a Newcomer janitor, played by Jeff Marcus, are some of the members of the precinct.George Francisco's family consists of Susan Francisco, played by Michele Scarabelli(Air Wolf),Buck Francisco, played by Sean Six, is a teenage Newcomer who has got into some trouble, but has got better, though he has resentment towards Humans.
Emily Francisco, played by Lauren Woodland(The Young And The Restless), is a young Newcomer girl who is a nice girl who is smart.I was very upset that Fox canceled "Alien Nation"in 1990, but they did redeemed themselves by making 5 "Alien Nation" TV movies, "Alien Nation:Dark Horizon", "Alien Nation:Body And Soul", "Alien Nation:Millinium", "Alien Nation:The Enemy Within", "Alien Nation:The Udara Legacy".I give this show 10/10 stars and 2 thumbs up.The "Alien Nation" TV series was based on the "Alien Nation" movie that came out in 1988..
OK, I don't do scifi, but....
Having grown up in a household where Science Fiction was Dad's staple, I never really picked up on it, preferring more real-life drama.
Having said that, this show is about the top of the line for TV scifi.
The characters are believable, fully developed and imperfect.The acting is top-flight, and the stories, mostly carrying a message, are not overly burdened or preachy.
The culture, habits, language, slang of the Aliens is presented in a matter-of-fact manner.
Other than Heinlen or Finney, this is about the best scifi I've come across.
And I don't like scifi..
great names.
How can you not like a show with names like Kenny Bunkport, Norman Conquest, Phil Dirt, Al Fresco, Polly Wanakraker, Marina DelRay, Gail Warning, Rick Shaw, Terry Firma, Carey Onbag, Patty Melt, Len Guini and Paul Bearer.
My children and I watched each week just to see what name they would come up with next.
The fish out of water aspect was the best part of the show.
The deadpan delivery of the newcomers who were oblivious to what was going on around them made it as much of a comedy as it was science fiction.
In order to appreciate science fiction you have to suspend disbelief and if you can't do that then you won't get it at all..
Buddy cop/sci-fi show.
I was hugely disappointed when this was cancelled.Although looking back i cant say i'm particularly surprised given the network it aired on.FOX network has a long history of cancelling cool sci-fi shows without giving them a fair chance.Their biggest blunder of course being Firefly.You know their regretting that one especially.I think i loved the buddy cop aspect of the show more than the sci-fi aspect.And that's coming from somewhat of a sci-fi/horror nerd.This was due to the great chemistry stars Gary Graham and Eric Peirpoint had with each other.Even if your not into sci-fi it works great as a cop show.Just with sci fi elements.Wish it had lasted longer than 1 season but at least we were treated to 4 follow up TV movies.Rarely does a 1 season cancelled show get that.In fact i can't think of any other..
What happened?.
One season and, bam, it's history.....one of the best sci-fi series on TV in years, totally underrated and should make a come back .
Jeeze Louise, they are doing a whole lot of up dates and remakes, most of which they shouldn't and those who deserve a second chance never see the light of a new day..
Memorable nation.
"Alien Nation" is a perfect examples of a well-executed spin off.
The original James Caan movie was a decent buddy cop flick, but the premise really lends itself to long0for television; and there's some great character development here as a result.
It's a good mixture of sci-fi and cop show, and the big themes - racism, slavery, xenophobia - are handled with subtlety.
But the important thing is that you do grow to like these people, and it's a worthwhile investment.I know that there were TV movies produced to settle the dangling plot threads, but part of me is still disappointed it was cancelled on a cliffhanger (Fox was still young; it didn't yet have a reputation for killing off quality shows).A good show, nevertheless.7/10.
"This is really not what real Sci-Fi is all about".
"Alien Nation" the TV series as well as the following TV movies was all together lame, poor-quality science fiction that severely lacked in intelligence and class.
Here you have a cliched flying saucer making an abrupt crash landing on Earth and in five short years these aliens have already been assimilated, widely accepted, and living ONLY in the United States and ONLY in Los Angeles.
Not a bright premise."Alien Nation" was really a cheesy cop show with some stupid-looking ETs thrown in nothing more.
I also believe that the subject matter basically dealing with racial equality was extremely overplayed and overrated.
As a species, we humans have yet to get along with one another let alone welcome with open arms, aliens from outer space if in real life they really exist at all.Bottom line: the show sucked..
pilot problems overcome.
It's 5 years after a disabled alien spaceship land in the Mojave desert.
There are 250k alien slaves on board.
The newcomers or derogatory called slags have settled into their new homes, mostly in southern California.
Slave drivers called Overseers are rumored to have blended into the refugee population.
Detective Matthew Sikes lost his partner to an alien gunman.
He is assigned newcomer Detective George Francisco, the first in the LAPD.
The Franciscos move into the suburbs and face varying discrimination.
Salt water hurts them and sour milk gets them drunk.
Humans calling themselves Purists oppose the newcomers.
The two species try to overcome cultural differences as criminals on both sides take advantage of their new reality.First, the pilot is compelling but overplays the discrimination aspect.
They are literally burning a circle instead of a cross on the family lawn.
The daughter's story works well and incorporates a nice new friend with the bullying story.
The fountain story is too on the nose.
The worst is Sikes firing his gun in the air like Martin Riggs going half-pretend-crazy during the school demonstration.
Somebody really overplays the script.
Then there is the rebel son.
The rebellion is fine but the killing lays a deadly landmine for future episodes.The story promptly steps into it by catching the boy but somehow gets the equivalent of probation.
It's the weirdest of rewrites.
I guess the writers had no way of writing out of that predicament.
It's the last major misstep.
There are little questionable aspects like how the Overseers have a mark on their wrists.
It seems like an easy to identify them.
The show does find its footing.
The relationships are compelling.
I would give more time with the family.
The daughter doesn't have enough screen time.
This is a police drama and the school has no place in the show.
The captain is a weak character but worst, he's played by a weak actor.
Despite any shortcomings, the show worked for the most part and should have been renewed except for troubles at the network.