Invasion America

Last updated
Invasion America
Invasion America (Amblin Television animated series) logo.svg
Created by
Starring
ComposerCarl Johnson
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Steven Spielberg
  • Harve Bennett
Running time22 minutes
Production company DreamWorks Television Animation
Original release
Network The WB
ReleaseJune 8 (1998-06-08) 
July 7, 1998 (1998-07-07)

Invasion America is a 1998 American animated science fiction television series that aired in the prime time lineup on The WB. Produced by DreamWorks Television Animation (then part of DreamWorks proper, now owned by Universal Studios), the series was created by Steven Spielberg and Harve Bennett, who also served as executive producers. [1]

Contents

The show involves an attempt by aliens from the planet Tyrus to overthrow the Earth. [2]

Plot

The story of Invasion America begins in the early 1980s, when humanoid aliens from the planet Tyrus begin to initiate their plans for making contact with Earth. Cale-Oosha, the ruler of Tyrus, looks into his uncle's project with Earth. However, his uncle, The Dragit, claims that their dying planet ought to invade Earth and take hold of its resources. Cale refuses, and a civil war breaks out.

Cale and Rafe, his bodyguard, trainer, and trusted friend, escape to Earth, disguising themselves as humans. Cale meets Rita Carter, a human woman; he falls in love with her, and they marry. After a long time of running from the Dragit's forces on Earth, Cale returns to Tyrus to help strengthen his loyalist forces, the Ooshati, leaving Rita and their young son, David, under Rafe's protection.

In the present day, when the Dragit finally finds the family, he is determined to kill them, and David Carter's teenage life is thrown into a devastating adventure of stopping the Dragit, losing and gaining friends, and finding out just who he is. [3]

Characters

Episodes

Invasion America consisted of 13 half-hour episodes, and was shown as five one-hour segments and one hour-and-a-half segment for the final episode.

No.Overall titleEpisode titlesDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The Legend""The Legend"Dan Fausett Harve Bennett
Michael Reaves
June 8, 1998 (1998-06-08)
2"The Son"
3"Assault""Flight"Dan FausettRuel FischmannJune 9, 1998 (1998-06-09)
4"Assault" Wayne Lemon
5"Renewal""Renewal"Dan FausettMichael ReavesJune 16, 1998 (1998-06-16)
6"Home"Ruel Fischmann
7"Capture""Capture"Dan FausettWayne LemonJune 23, 1998 (1998-06-23)
8"The Trip"
9"Friendly Fire""Allies"Dan FausettMichael ReavesJune 30, 1998 (1998-06-30)
10"Charade"Patrick ArchibaldRuel Fischmann
11"Final Mission""Rendezvous"Dan FausettWayne LemonJuly 7, 1998 (1998-07-07)
12"Countdown"Patrick ArchibaldRuel Fischmann
13"Dark Side"Dan FausettMichael Reaves

Reception

The show received a mixed reception from critics. Howard Rosenberg of The Los Angeles Times gave the show a largely negative review, criticizing the writing and "thin plot". [4] Anita Gates of The New York Times noted that the animation was "impressive", but at the same time that "there's no heart in it". [5] The Sun Sentinel wrote that the cartoon leaves viewers bored, [6] while in a mostly positive review Entertainment Weekly stated "Invasion is at least as involving as any of the current variations on Star Trek, and handsomer to look at than all of them. B+". [7]

Versions

DreamWorks released two versions, one being edited for younger audiences. The edited version was aired on Kids' WB, while the uncut version was aired in the prime time lineup on The WB. In addition, the story of Invasion America was never completed, with the series ending with the words "End of Book One."

Novels

Two novels, specifically an adaptation of the series titled Invasion America and an original prequel novel titled Invasion America: On the Run, have been written in the show's setting. Both were written by Christie Golden.

References

  1. "DreamWorks, WB plot TV 'Invasion'". Variety . 1996-12-10. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  2. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 303–304. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  3. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 433–434. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  4. Rosenberg, Howard (1998-06-08). "Invasion America' Boldly Goes Nowhere". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  5. Gates, Anita (8 June 1998). "TELEVISION REVIEW; Father From Another Planet (Really)". The New York Times . Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  6. "Cartoon Leaves Viewers Bored". Sun Sentinel . Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  7. "INVASION AMERICA". Entertainment Weekly . 1998-06-12. Retrieved 2022-05-24.