Invasion 1.14: "All God's Creatures"

Written by Michael Foley
Directed by Harry Winer

In which Larkin, Dave, and the kids encounter a strange creature, while Underlay investigates his recent shooting and discovers some disturbing issues with Kira and the local pastor…


Apparently things have gone sour for this series in a very short period of time. That’s unfortunate, but not too surprising. The major networks have had a terrible track record with genre shows, and even in the post-“Lost” world where dramas with touches of SF are more acceptable, it still comes down to the numbers.

“Invasion” gets good ratings when taken in isolation, but the real kicker is the ratings drop between “Lost” and “Invasion”, which is significant. ABC is looking for a series that will retain more of the “Lost” audience, and right now, “Invasion” isn’t doing that. Then again, I’m of the opinion that any series is going to lose a huge chunk of the “Lost” audience. “Lost” is a massive hit with a huge following, but that wasn’t a given when the series started. It’s going to be equally rare to find another series, so soon after the fact, with the same level of support on the same night.

It’s the same kind of idiot logic that FOX has maintained regarding Friday nights. They constantly point to “X-Files” as the standard bearer for successful shows on Friday nights, but they also forget two very important factors: “X-Files” wasn’t a major ratings hit until it moved to Sunday nights, and “X-Files” was also a unique situation like “Lost”, a show with a relatively large initial fan base.

As far as I’m concerned, the series was in trouble from the moment that the network pushed the producers to ramp up the pacing. I’m not one to bash on network suits for offering suggestions, since they can be useful in some circumstances, but it’s typically not a good sign if the network is asking for changes to the fundamental nature of the show.

All that said, I thought this was a great episode that carries forward tons of plot and character threads. I think it’s about time that Little Minx Kira finally started wondering what’s in the water and why she’s not good enough for the changes. Talk about taking the “effects of divorce on the extended family” metaphor to new levels. Kira is playing up the “I’m the neglected old family” thing to the hilt.

I was also completely shocked to discover that Underlay was pulling together his little army with the ex-CIA guy who Russell was warned about, which just screams “trouble” in the worst way. So the two people who managed to survive the “replacement” process intact are working together, and Underlay may or may not know what his ally’s ultimate goals are. Yeah, that’s not a recipe for disaster!

I also found the Dave-creature to be incredibly creepy. I’m not one for being freaked out by conventional horror elements, but this was well done! For all that the pacing has been increased, the writers are taking the time to explore some of the less obvious aspects of the premise. With the possible exception of the scenes between Russell and Larkin, which just aren’t as interesting, this was a solid episode that points to some massive plot twists as the season shifts into the “resolution” phase…if the network doesn’t pull the series in a fit of stupidity.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10