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V (1983)

(Rated TV-14, Science fiction , Starring Marc Singer, Jane Badler, Faye Grant, Where to watch: NBC, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    '80s alien invasion yarn is still worth watching for teens+.

Themes in this show include:   family relationships, revenge

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    It's very clear who the "good guys" and "bad guys" are, and the former are definitely fighting for what's right. Despite the fighting and violence, the clear message is that a brave and united humanity can stand up against a much more powerful foe.

  • Role models:

    The plucky members of the resistance might be outgunned by the aliens, but their courage, loyalty, and indomitable human spirit ultimately prove more than a match for the visitors’ advanced technology. Not everyone is pure of heart, though -- some humans collaborate with the aliens to avoid persecution and/or earn rewards. On the flipi side, some of the aliens are less clearly evil than others, with more complex motives.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Plenty of fight sequences, though the aliens’ blasters don’t appear to do much visible damage, and the action isn't especially intense. The aliens' malevolence comes more through intimidation and manipulation, though the threat of force is always there. Some scary scenes involving the aliens' revelation of their true lizard-like selves. An intense childbirth sequence is one of the miniseries' most memorable scenes.

  • Sex:

    Mostly just kissing shown. The aliens' arrival prompts widespread panic, leading one teenage girl to worry that she might die a virgin. She later falls hard for a handsome alien who has an ulterior motive -- human/alien sex between them is clearly implied, though not shown.

  • Language:

    Relatively infrequent use of words like "hell" and "damn."

  • Consumerism:

    A few '80s products are visible in the background.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some social drinking at parties. One character gets drunk by himself and then picks a nasty fight with his family.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About V (1983)

Parents need to know that this cult favorite 1983 TV miniseries (which later spawned a regular series) includes several battle scenes (with guns and other weapons), but the action isn't very intense, especially by today's standards. There's also some social drinking and a creepy alien/human relationship that clearly suggests -- but doesn't show -- inter-species sex. The aliens' rapid, insidious takeover of the planet’s government is clearly meant to suggest parallels to the rise of the Nazis in pre-war Germany.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the different ways that aliens are portrayed in sci-fi movies and TV shows. What hopes and/or fears to the various depictions reflect? Do any seem more or less realistic to you?
  • How has TV violence changed in the years since this miniseries originally aired? How do you think it would be different if it was made today?
  • How do you think you'd react in a situation like this? Would you side with the resistance? Can you see why some people choose to collaborate with the aliens in exchange for personal gain?
  • Why do you think the series tries to explicitly compare the aliens' agenda with the Holocaust?
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