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David Chase Speaks With The Mighty Kenneth Johnson About V: THE SECOND GENERATION!! (Part 1 of 3)

FIRST!?!?!?! by Darkjedi523	Feb 13th, 2008 09:25:27 PM

My girlfriend was really a lizard too by commiepinko	Feb 13th, 2008 09:25:32 PM

(hand stays down) by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 09:32:36 PM

Raises hand by moondoggy2u	Feb 13th, 2008 09:33:17 PM
And although the first mini-series was far, far better then that V: The Resistance, the latter sure had a great theme song.
Also, I love how the guy try to spins the first V by moondoggy2u	Feb 13th, 2008 09:36:35 PM
as some sort of commentary on the cold war when in reality it was clearly a nazi fascism piece. Now, of course, he has to make it a "Beware of the US" story. How unoriginal and bland.
David Chase? by Steve Trevor	Feb 13th, 2008 09:39:39 PM
Is it just me or are the AICN nicknames cutting it too close.
Not ashamed to say;I Dropped Loads to Jane Badler. by conspiracy	Feb 13th, 2008 09:40:37 PM
Parents out for the night, V on TV...Lock and Load!
Never saw the tv series by red_weed	Feb 13th, 2008 10:02:52 PM
but i loved the original mini series. not so much the horrible ending of that 2nd part though. That freaky hybrid little girl going on about "peace" and a whole bunch of hot air balloons. Myeah.
V could have been an amazing sci-fi franchise by KnightShift	Feb 13th, 2008 10:04:47 PM
But the corporate suits at NBC completely screwed that pooch. IIRC, after the first miniseries Johnson wanted there to be a series of V 2-hour TV movies that would be released every few months, that would have covered the Visitor invasion from multiple angles across the globe. Instead the NBC execs wanted a second miniseries and a regular series after that (all based in Los Angeles to cut costs, or so I've heard). If they had let Johnson handle it his way, V could have become something very special and no doubt one of the dominant sci-fi sagas of the past quarter century. Glad to see that he's getting to go back and show us HIS vision of V.
oh wait is the 2nd part the series? by red_weed	Feb 13th, 2008 10:05:30 PM
Maybe i did see it all... If that's the case then yeah the series lost the plot a bit. Damn now i have that theme song stuck in my head. GAH!
FIRST by Droogie Alex	Feb 13th, 2008 10:06:06 PM
yesssss
My hand is up. And I'm down for some interbreeding by kabong	Feb 13th, 2008 10:06:56 PM
with June Chadwick and Jane Badler. I'm looking forward to reading the book. I'd like to be looking forward to that interbreeding . . .
WHERE'S USS CYGNUS WHEN YA NEED HIM? by Deus Vult	Feb 13th, 2008 10:08:09 PM
I was SO interested in this until I read his line about trusting our hyper-power fearless leaders or if we ask any questions we get sent to guantanamo. oh for fuck's sake when will this madness ends? when obama is prez and he shuts down our cuban prison so all the bad guys cross the border and come to houston to blow up the galleria? although I loved V as a kid when it was a nazi allegory I cant buy into this. hopefully there's NO chance of this coming to television because it'll brainwash even more of our idiotic citizens into thinking we live in a fascist society. when was the last time you got carded by the gestapo to prove you were a jew? fuck off ken johnson you tool.
Raises Hand by Ted Brautigan	Feb 13th, 2008 10:13:16 PM
I still remember Robert Englund's character getting shot. Willy I think. And the alien baby. Scary stuff when you're 7 or 8. Not sure how well it holds up, but it was awesome at the time.
Jeez by darthvedder81	Feb 13th, 2008 10:18:55 PM
This guy acts like the original "V" was "Citizen Kane" or something. The TV series was mostly lame but "V-The Final Battle" was equally as corny as the first series. They are both kind of fun to watch but are hardly this epic allegorical juggernaut he makes them out to be.
Deus Vult... by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 10:19:14 PM
it is obvious you have never been to DailyKos or the Huffington Post. We do live in a fascist society, because... because... Bush is Hitler! And what's worse is, conservatives don't like him because he isn't Fascist enough. He isn't like the WWII Fascist dictators who wanted a socialist, highly centralized government. Oh... my mistake, I meant liberals.
Ha I thought it was the dude from The Shield by messi	Feb 13th, 2008 10:23:12 PM
Who rules by the way.
The US is the only superpower???? by kingink123	Feb 13th, 2008 10:41:21 PM
How about China? Russia? I saw all the V series when they were on NBC, and loved them...hopefully I can get into this new version.
lol this sounds like the moonbats' dream come true by Sir Loin	Feb 13th, 2008 10:41:35 PM
I LOVED the original series, it was freaking awesome. But this update...egads. Johnson calls the US a "hyperpower"--hilarious. Guess China & Russia aren't any big deal, but hey...I blame Halliburton!
I dont think anchorite needs to show by moondoggy2u	Feb 13th, 2008 10:43:18 PM
I personally would find it odd to label those who arent excited by yet another bush=hitler show premise as "wingnuts," but hey, maybe thats just me.
Sir Loin, by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 10:44:21 PM
part of the 20% of the annual Federal budget that goes to the US military accounts for about 80% of the Planet Earth's military research and development spending.
Stevie Grant by Sir Loin	Feb 13th, 2008 10:49:11 PM
I don't think China and Russia are exactly defenseless, do you? He just comes off as a Berkeley-style loon but I'll withhold judgment until I read the thing. Think they're still eating rats whole?
V is for Giney... by Read and Shut Up	Feb 13th, 2008 10:49:28 PM
V - lizard folk in rubber suits takin' over the world. Run!
I think its telling, stevie by moondoggy2u	Feb 13th, 2008 10:50:58 PM
that when you are stating your case for the US's power, rightfully so, I might add, you concentrate on its military aspects and fail to mention economic, agricultural, and foreign aid influences, ie "power."
The Originals Were Metaphors for The rise of Nazi Germany by uss cygnus	Feb 13th, 2008 10:54:19 PM
Most effectively, the original Mini-Series helped illumninate the often asked question of "How could the German people just sit by and let the Nazis take over Germany?" The Scientists stood in for the Jews. The Final Battle got increasingly ridiculous as it went...but Ham Tyler and some amazingly fun battle scenes carried the day. To even INFER in 2008 that the United States are now "The Visitors" is, in effect, calling this country the Fourth Reich. That is outrageous, idiotic, irresponsible, and just plain wrong. Kenneth Johnson seems to me to be just another member of the Stalinist "Blame America First" left. It's sickening to read this garbage from Hollywood lunatic after Hollywood lunatic. It really is.
United Skynet is not run by Hitler. by kabong	Feb 13th, 2008 10:58:38 PM
Cylons, maybe.
moondoggy2u, by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:02:48 PM
agriculture doesn't matter... the US subsidizes agriculture way to much given comparative advantage and all. But, military spending is pertinent since I was responding someone questioning the US being the "hyperpower". And, alot, alot, of nations have gotten pissed off at the US in the last decade or so for cutting back on our unilateral current transfers (i.e. no more Soviet Union, not so much need to buy allies). Finally, the increasingly globalized economy makes the US economy even more pertinent. But, I'll spare the TB'ers who aren't economic geeks James Stock's and Martin Feldstein's current views and the counterpoints to them...
Loin... by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:05:42 PM
I don't take kindly to having Berkeley used in the same sentence as my moniker.
Message to David Chase by Supermans	Feb 13th, 2008 11:07:47 PM
David Chase, If you read these talkbacks, I just want to let you know that the visitors are not an allegory for a hyper-powered US as you see it, even if you did write the story. Other countries or groups are far more similar to the visitors as you describe them in your book. For example, the brainwashing that is occurring is happening today by the likes of al qaeda, and China along with other countries and terrorist groups that really do brainwash all of the children to believe terrible things about other groups of people, especially American's. Remember, that America is the only country in the world that has never taken any land after defeating its enemies. In fact, the only land we ever took after a war was a small plot to bury our dead that we fought to liberate. We teach our children and our soldiers to respect other cultures and religions and the environment, along with teaching them who real heroes are. The Resistance very much holds America's ideal's and in your Miniseries (part 1) you wrote, the price of freedom was clearly spelled out. In your new Second Generation book, by ignoring the Final Battle and TV series, you left not only Mike dead but the resistance ready to give up. One of the reasons I like the TV shows was that American's did prevail in the end or were very close to driving the Visitors out. The direction I would have taken V was have your new alien race show up right when the visitors have been defeated by the resistance (after the TV show)and "The Fifth Column" took control of the entire fleet with the help of Mike and the Resistance. This would be more realistic since America does make friends with conquered foes and helped them rebuild as we did with Japan after WWII, so we help re-build the Visitor's military and even their planet in the same way America has dealt with our enemies who are now our greatest allies... You see where I am going with this David.. Then with the newly empowered Visitors who are now our allies, we help defeat this new alien race that answered our distress signal... a new TV series could have come out that is much more interesting than the new universe you created with this premise above.. I did like your book, but I would have taken things in a whole new direction based on my core values and beliefs..
wait... by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:10:05 PM
i meant posting. But, in other, way cooler news, ESPN online has made Hunter S. Thompson's columns available for free again. I already know this is going to be a huge drain on my very limited free time.
OT... Kenneth's version of The Incredible Hulk is the only... by Pizza The Hut	Feb 13th, 2008 11:10:44 PM
...version I ever gave a crap about, mainly because it tried to stay true to the real world. I hate it when they inject too much comic bookishness into things.
Agriculture doesnt matter? by moondoggy2u	Feb 13th, 2008 11:12:36 PM
That's a first I've ever heard. True, we're importing wheat now, in the light of ethonol production (or lack thereof), but there are still a good chunk of exports. I'm glad to see you acknowledged that the US economy is pertinent, especially in the light of a globalized economy, because this only reinforces the "pertinence" of other massive economies, such as China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the EU. In other words, China's status of as a super power is applicable, especially when you understand that a nation's power is not restricted to its military. Don't misunderstand me, the US is far and away the leading superpower of the world, but it is not the ONLY superpower. Your reference to the globalized economy makes my point, and ultimately, sir Loin's point. This is, of course, why I pointed out that you omitted the other obvious facets of power.
But mask-a-tron by moondoggy2u	Feb 13th, 2008 11:14:52 PM
Those were just a bunch of minorites; they don't count, remember?
Supermans, by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:15:49 PM
while you're not correct about the whole "never taken any land after defeating its enemies" thing, that shit was two centuries ago. I got your back, though.
moondoggy2u, by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:21:55 PM
back a few years ago, when the US economy was booming, we added the equivalent of the entirety of China's economy onto ours in three quarters. I don't want to look up the specifics, because I'm way too tired, and have already spent 4 hours today reading economic papers. But, yeah, no other economy is close to ours. If the US, Britain, and Japan withdrew from the UN, formed our own UN, paid the same amount, the new UN would have a larger budget than the old one.
Mask-a-tron by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:27:17 PM
not really, the majority of Native Americans died from disease. And, the tribes that remained independent were constantly in friction with everyone, including other Native American peoples. I know there are a lot of exceptions, but it still holds overall.
I'm not saying by Stevie Grant	Feb 13th, 2008 11:28:40 PM
the entire affair wasn't evil. Just that it doesn't correlate to the Holocaust.
I meant Kenneth Johnson not David Chase by Supermans	Feb 13th, 2008 11:39:06 PM
I meant Kenneth Johnson not David Chase.. Don't know, was typing too fast and had Chase's name in my head.. My post above was meant for the writer who also now believes the US is the Hyper economy and is now in the same league as the Visitor's. Bush is like Diana I guess to Kenneth...lol.. She's definitely better looking and I'm sure he believe she is much smarter than GW... In either case, If you haven't read my first post, please do as it is from the heart and coming from a true fan..
About the book by Supermans	Feb 14th, 2008 12:00:29 AM
The book starts off with two typcast hicks in a truck that get killed off by two aliens (not visitors). They are naked at first and the book starts off pretty well.. The Nathan character is the star of the new book, however I would have much rather had Mike Donovan as the star of this book, 20 years later he would have been close to 50 and still in pretty good shape. He could have easily been leader of the Resistance and so forth.. There was no reason to kill him off... Just like in the first miniseries, there was no need to kill off Mike's partner and friend either... He would have been great comic relief in later episodes...
shoulda been in the book.. by Supermans	Feb 14th, 2008 12:04:13 AM
Mike Donovan and Ham Tyler were simply cool and collected characters that should have both been the star's or at least behind the scene's leaders in the book.. 20 years later they both would have still been effective against the evil Diana..
Last thing before, by Stevie Grant	Feb 14th, 2008 12:07:41 AM
bedy-by-time: yeah, agriculture doesn't matter. The vast majority of US agriculture is based on subsidies that are a giant ripoff to the rest of the nation. I was born and raised in a rural area... and, it's a total ripoff to the nation in general. Most agricultural crops that were un-subsidized didn't disappear, their still around. Yet, the farmers magically make a profit minus everyone else's tax dollars. The difference is the nation paying additionally for the food, on top of subsidies paid in taxes Congress (State and Federal) uses to buy votes. And, I am from an almost entirely rancher/farmer part of the country. The "agents" who determine farming subsidies are up for sell in entirely too many cases. Unless you grew up in a agricultural/ranching area... you wouldn't know.
Creepy ain't lying by Stevie Grant	Feb 14th, 2008 12:29:05 AM

bacci by Stevie Grant	Feb 14th, 2008 12:41:40 AM
"the holocaust" not a holocaust. and i'm going to sleep now. i'll try to check this tb tomorrow in case of anymore posts directed to me; but don't hold it against me if i don't get the chance.
This guy must hate his own creations by Sick Fixx	Feb 14th, 2008 12:55:13 AM
to not include Donovan and Tyler.
Awesome! Thanks For Posting This Interview!!! by ElectricDreams	Feb 14th, 2008 01:13:36 AM
This was a real treat to read. As a fan of the V universe, (even the parts Johnson didnt like), to actually hear his own words about his vision, the under-lining themes and struggles in trying to re-ignite the franchise was great. He seems like such a grounded and down to Earth guy, cant wait for the rest of the interview. Thanks AICN for always providing fun Ques/Ans with celebs like Bruce Willis, Frank Darabont and Sylvester Stallone! You guys rock!
Sick Fixx by INWOsuxRED	Feb 14th, 2008 01:24:03 AM
so you've read the book? This interview suggestions Donovan does play a part in the book, is that not correct?
hands up here! saw em all! by Maniaq	Feb 14th, 2008 01:58:21 AM
Wow look at all the political morons come out of the woodwork! do you guys even know how to READ?? OK for starters don't bother crying about how lame The Final Battle or the series was coz Johnson REPEATEDLY washes his hands of those efforts... ...and don't get all defensive about your hero Bush - HE DOESN'T GET A MENTION! sheesh! let me try to SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU: it's not about an American president being like Hitler - it's about PEOPLE being DUMB enough, or at least complacent enough, to continue going about their business and PRETENDING that fucked up shit is not going on all around them... Actually, the irony is there are people RIGHT HERE on this very talkback who are proving his point - YOU are who this story is about! Don't get me wrong - NOBODY is trying to say America is some evil empire but to borrow a phrase, great power comes with great responsibility so TAKE some fucking responsibility and GROW THE FUCK UP - let me put it another way- THEY LIVE! WE SLEEP!
That V-Baby scene by smackfu	Feb 14th, 2008 02:12:26 AM
is burned into my brain forever. That was a pretty fucked up scene to watch when you were 7 years old.
the alien baby by GavinVanDraven	Feb 14th, 2008 03:39:08 AM
was a crappy muppet. very crappy. i hope i got this right.... so, the original miniseries is the only part that is canon, and the sequel will pick up from where that storyline left off? johnson should re-release the first series with updated special effects first, because 90% of people today have no clue what V is and without updating it... nobody will tune in.... the cardboard cutout looking spaceships dont cut it anymore. oh, and "raises hand".
the original miniseries traumatised me by Lost Jarv	Feb 14th, 2008 04:13:13 AM
I was about 6-ish when I saw it. When that woman ate the hedgehog, well that gave me nightmares.
Guinea pig by pearlanddean	Feb 14th, 2008 05:19:59 AM
..not a hedgehog. I wanted Jane Badler to eat something of mine alright heh heh m heh.
Conspiracy by Itchy	Feb 14th, 2008 06:04:39 AM
you're not alone. I think Jane Badler was the first chick I whacked it to. I remember stealing a sci-fi fanzine from my grandma's house because she was on the cover. Even when I was a kid, I knew that titties ruled.
The original V mini-series by kwisatzhaderach	Feb 14th, 2008 06:20:53 AM
was amazing. I was 9 when it was on and it totally freaked me and my schoolmates out. I liked Final Battle but the weekly series SUCKED.
Great by Dazzler69	Feb 14th, 2008 07:00:14 AM
I am glad they are bringing it back. But it's just too lazy to ignore Final Battle and series. They should just relaunch it and start from scratch.
Both V series were great, but it Jumped the by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Feb 14th, 2008 07:01:21 AM
Lizard when it became a tv show.
On the other hand the Alien Nation tv show by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Feb 14th, 2008 07:02:03 AM
was great,and I was disappointed when it got cancelled.
Maybe if the new project was reworked into a reality show... by Kid Z	Feb 14th, 2008 07:42:17 AM
...called "Guess Who's A Reptile?" it'd have a ghost of a chance of being picked up by NBC, "the all reality-show network"!
Okay, after reading the whole interview by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Feb 14th, 2008 08:02:56 AM
I NEED to read this book. I'm glad Johnson dismissed the series, and I can live with him dismissing The Final Battle as someone took his concepts, and screwed with it. This sounds cool. The only downside is I guess we won't read about Michael Ironside's character.
I worship at the altar of V and Bionic Man and all... by xannibal	Feb 14th, 2008 08:13:27 AM
...but the Alien Nation stuff was boring soap opera crap.
Loved the V miniseries, hated the Hulk series. by Stalkeye	Feb 14th, 2008 08:14:39 AM
I didn't care for The Incredible Hulk as a series mainly because,it was the same redundant shit over and over. David (Banner) stumbles into a town,always lands a job, run into people who is involved in a situation, gets the shit kicked out of him, turns into the Hulk (during and after the first 25 minutes.) and throws the bad guys around then walks down a lonely highway while hitchhiking.( sad piano music in tow.)Thank gawd they killed him off in the final made for tv movies. Sorry but Ang Lee's Hulk closer to the Comic canon than this campy series in which Hulk's portrayal was waayy too sensitive thanks to writer karen Harris. shudders Oh was'nt Eliyas killed off in the V series?A friend of mine (at the time) ran into the actor (Micheal Wright)who played him in the miniseries who mentioned that he quit the series because of racism on the set. Anyway would a V remake be considered? If they can bring back the lame Bionic Woman, why not V?
Jane Adler... feeling warm all over again.... by clan_rewired	Feb 14th, 2008 08:41:29 AM
http://www.goceleb.biz/nues/J/ JaneBadler/JaneBadler_20070929 2236Jane_Badler_EasyKill4.jpg Still got a thing for that 80's hair....
Oh and interbreeding... by clan_rewired	Feb 14th, 2008 08:52:06 AM
...well, it's just very funny how he get's all upset about how they gave Elisabeth superpowers even though there was no 'natural' reason for it... No really, the fact that an alien could even copulate and create offspring with a human is a ludicrous proposition to begin with, different species from our own planet can't even do that. Maybe he's taking his whole creation a teeny weeny bit too seriously? I agree it went downhill after the first series, but hey, it was no epic masterpiece to begin with, just very amusing and with some incredibly hot chicks with an extremely bad fashion sense.
Stop putting interviews nom de plume's in the titles!!! by Darth Bauer	Feb 14th, 2008 08:55:29 AM
I come here thinking something was going on with the REAL David Chase and find out it's some nobody.
^interviewers by Darth Bauer	Feb 14th, 2008 08:55:56 AM
oops
Donovan is only mentioned in the book according to him by Sick Fixx	Feb 14th, 2008 11:49:17 AM
And I'm not sure Ham Tyler is even in it. I'll still read the book, because I love V, even the much maligned regular series.
Without Ham Tyler... by Sledge Hammer	Feb 14th, 2008 12:13:00 PM
...I just don't care.
I like the way he elevates himself to the level of Philip K Dick by Manos	Feb 14th, 2008 12:46:06 PM
What color is the sky in his world, I wonder?
True story... by BigTexas42	Feb 14th, 2008 12:58:12 PM
When I was little and the V series was just airing, it was a little over my head ( I was like 6 or 8 or something), but man, did I love my Dukes of Hazard. ANyway, there I am watching Bo and Luke jump the General for like the 800th time when something shiny caught my attention and I was distracted for a minute. When I returned my gaze to what I thought was the Dukes, there are all these crazy lizard people running around! unbeknownst to me at the time but knownst to me now, my babysitter had changed the channel to V. "oh no!" he says "Bo and Luke ripped off their skin and turned into lizard people!". Well, I just freaked out and ran and hid and never watched the Dukes again. I oughtta sue for emotional distress. anyway, what? No star trek till 2009? whatever.
Sledge Hammer, it's Johnson's creation by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Feb 14th, 2008 01:14:08 PM
and he can do what he wants, but man I will miss Ham if he ain't there. The resistance is in deep crap, he throws them some clips of the special ammo, the Visitor troops come in and get wasted. Gotta love that.
Nastiest part of V was not the rubber face ripoff by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Feb 14th, 2008 01:17:48 PM
moment. We think the Visitors are still our friends. There's some accident at whatever plant it was involving some coolant, maybe liquid nitrogen, I dunno. Some guy stumbles out grasping his arm in pain, slams it against a rail or wall and it shatters. Pretty nasty for a young tv audience. Willie saves the day. The thing is, since the visitors are reptiles you'd think they would be more suseptible to the cold. I guess they evolved into warm-blooded reptillians.
Speaking of V and Trek, what if by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Feb 14th, 2008 01:21:18 PM
The Visitors are really the Gorn who travelled back in time to stop the Federation from existing?
Bionic Woman Cancelled by Stalkeye	Feb 14th, 2008 02:06:23 PM
Ah, there is a god after all. XD
Reptiles suseptible to cold..... by clan_rewired	Feb 14th, 2008 02:32:05 PM
well, depends on the tempreature they are used to, cold blooded creatures have trouble maintaining their temperature on their own, so variances in temperature can cause trouble for them. What is more is that cold blooded animals can not succesfully sustain high energy organs like brains etc, so highly intelligent cold blooded reptile alians are bollocks anyway. Just saying... in case anybody is taking this series serious anyway... you know, like with the interbreeding thing?
I'm sort of confused by Angelus_420	Feb 14th, 2008 02:36:13 PM
My V books which I've had since the first miniseries came out says that the author is A.C. Cripsin so why is Johnson taking all the credit for the series' vision?
Grammaton, course he can do what he wants... by Sledge Hammer	Feb 14th, 2008 06:00:48 PM
...but even so, without Ham I'm just not interested. That character, as played by Michael Ironside, is one of the memories of 80's tv for me. Don't know why it had so much of an impact on me, but it did. Maybe because I hadn't seen a character quite like that on tv before.

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David Chase Speaks With The Mighty Kenneth Johnson About V: THE SECOND GENERATION!! (Part 1 of 3)

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