Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict – Season 1

Scifind.co.uk rating - 5 - out of 5.

Reviewed By: John Ainsworth

Starring: Kevin Kilner, Lisa Howard, Von Flores, Leni Parker, Majel Barrett, Richard Chevolleau, Anita La Selva and David Hemblen,

Year 1997/98

Format 6 Discs, 22 Episodes

Release Date Out Now

Distributor Universal

Price £34.99

The Episodes

Although based on an original idea by Gene Roddenberry, Earth: Final Conflict is definitely not just Star Trek in disguise. With a modest budget, the series puts an interestingly subtle spin on the well-trod ‘alien invasion’ concept.

In the near future, the Earth has been visited by the alien Taelons – or, as they prefer to be called, the Companions. These apparently benevolent extraterrestrial visitors have brought great benefits to humanity but there are those on Earth who believe the Taelons have ulterior motives.

Police Captain William Boone, played by the rugged Kevin Kilner, becomes the protector of the Companion, Da’an. At the same time he is recruited by the resistance movement to become their man on the inside. Consequently, much of the drama of this first season centres on Boone’s balancing act of unearthing the truth about the Taelons whilst still maintaining his cover and the trust of Da’an.

This could all have been a re-tread of previous alien invasion scenarios such as V. But what sets this first season of Earth: Final Conflict apart is the subtlety of Boone’s relationship with Da’an. Nothing is black and white here and Boone often finds it difficult to regard the Taelons – and Da’an in particular – as the ultimate evil that some of his fellow resistance fighters do. Needless to say that the Taelons are indeed ‘up to something’ but here it is apparently a more complicated truth than, say, a desire to eat their human ‘victims’.

Special mention should be made of the realisation of the Taelons who must be amongst the most believable of TV aliens. The notion of casting women and disguising their femininity and their voices is simple but highly effective. Although we do meet several other Taelons, Da’an, played by Leni Parker, is the principal representative of the species as far as the show is concerned. Parker is superb as the ethereal (sometimes literally) Companion whose graceful movements and calm, contemplative tone succeeds in casting the viewer’s doubt on the supposed alien threat.

For viewers who still have a bad taste in their mouths after watching the latter seasons of Earth: Final Conflict, the release of the complete first season on DVD may be a timely reminder of how good it used to be (and could have been). These early episodes of the series have a philosophical and even mystical theme running through them that is subtle enough not to detract from the action and drama elements.

Extras

Disappointingly there are no extras at all in this collection. A great shame as an insight into the development and production of this fascinating series would have been most welcome.

John Ainsworth