Invasion

Review

Common Sense Media says

Alien-invasion drama is best for teens and up.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this sometimes-creepy sci-fi drama includes explicit violence, and the entire concept -- aliens are taking over human bodies -- can be somewhat unnerving. Once they've been changed by the invaders, some characters have uncontrollable murderous urges and no sense of right and wrong.

  • Positive messages0
    Authority figures are in clear, constant conflict. The local sheriff takes advantage of his position to manipulate townspeople and facilitate an alien infiltration. Among the people who have "changed," wildly antisocial behavior (murder, theft, deceit) is common.
  • Violence4
    Fairly frequent realistic violence (including several murders), but the graphic nature of some scenes demonstrates that real violence has painful consequences. Also, some scenes show alien creatures attacking people abruptly. The violence has increased as the season has progressed.
  • Sex3
    Some making out, and plenty of skimpy outfits. No explicit sexual content, but some episodes make it clear what the characters are doing off-camera.
  • Language3
    Mild ("damn," "hell," "ass," etc.). Some of the characters have occasional heated arguments.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Several adult characters drink beer, though not to excess, and some episodes include scenes featuring teenagers drinking at parties.
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What's the story?

When a hurricane devastates South Florida, several of the residents of Homestead, a sleepy town on the edge of the Everglades, survive the storm but are inexplicably changed -- they look the same as before, but something is clearly off, and few can explain why. The apparent head of the conspiracy, Sheriff Tom Underlay (William Fichtner), doesn't seem to know too much about the plan. Park Ranger Russell Varon (Eddie Cibrian) is also trying to uncover the mystery, with help from his pregnant wife Larkin (Lisa Sheridan), an investigative reporter, and her brother Dave (Tyler Labine), a conspiracy nut who finally seems to have gotten one right and is freaked out by his discovery. He was eager to make sure that his wife Mariel (Kari Matchett) was transformed, yet just as careful to protect his teenage daughter Kira (Alexis Dziena) from going through the same experience. Underlay and Varon are closely linked -- Mariel is Russell's ex-wife and mother to their two children, teenage Jesse (Evan Peters) and the much-younger Rose (Ariel Gade).

Is it any good?

 

Though the main characters are all adults, several important plot threads focus on how their transformation has affected the three children. Younger fans will be able to relate to the idea of seeing dramatic changes in their world, filtered through the lens of their family. The show also shows Jesse and Kira making important, and very adult, decisions on their own, with both positive and negative consequences -- just as most teens do.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about what it means to be human, and where our identity as individuals lies. Are you really different if you have all your memories and all your emotions in a new body that looks just like the old one?

This review was written by Will Wade
Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
 
One of the Best Shows on Tv
Invasion is sometimes creepy and disturbing but anyone 13 or older can probably handle it. It is a really good, must-watch show.
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This review was written by Will Wade
TV rating:TV-14
Network:ABC
Cast:Eddie Cibrian, Kari Matchett
Genre:Science Fiction
This review was written by Will Wade
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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