Remembering ‘The Invaders,’ TV’s All-Time Best Sci-fi Series

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The Invaders

In the years before cable came on the scene, broadcast television spawned a number of memorable dramatic adventure series. Black-and-white vehicles such as “Dragnet,” “Gunsmoke,” “Naked City,” “The Fugitive,” “Have Gun, Will Travel,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and color entries “Crime Story,” “The FBI,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Kojak” and “Mission Impossible,” come readily to mind.

Among the different TV series genres, science fiction was one of the most popular. And with apologies to “The Twilight Zone,” “One Step Beyond” and “The Outer Limits,” the very best was “The Invaders.” It was touted: “What if you were the only human being who could stop an alien invasion?”  

During the 43 episodes of its two highly rated seasons (1967-68), producer Quinn Martin’s innovative show captured the fancy of American audiences and catapulted its young lead actor, Roy Thinnes, to worldwide stardom. In 2004, TV Guide placed Thinnes at number six on its list of “25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends.” And as recently as 2008, “The Invaders” was being continually shown on TV in Europe—most notably, France—where Thinnes was feted on several occasions.  

Following his success in “The Invaders,” Thinnes appeared in such big-screen movies as 1975’s The Hindenburg and Airport 1975, as well as countless TV movies and series such as “From Here to Eternity,” “Falcon Crest” and “The X-Files.” Yet, to me, nothing he ever did equaled his portrayal of the driven, alien-fighting young architect, David Vincent, on “The Invaders.”

Crooked Little Finger

During its popular run, Thinnes appeared as a guest on several TV talk shows, including with Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” When he flashed a crooked little finger—the telltale sign of his alien foes—Carson couldn’t stop laughing. But “The Invaders” was truly scary and far from a laughing matter.

At the start of each episode, the somber voice of narrator William Woodson intoned: “The Invaders. Alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination, the Earth. Their purpose, to make it their world. David Vincent has seen them. For him, it began one night on a lost country road. It began with a closed, deserted diner and a man too long without sleep looking for a shortcut he never found. It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy. David Vincent has seen them. He knows they have taken human form. Somehow, he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun.”

Enhancing “The Invaders” was an incredible impressive list of well-known guest stars – some of whom, but not all, portrayed aliens who appear human.

Among them were Gene Hackman, Burgess Meredith, Suzanne Pleshette, Ed Begley, Jack Lord, Diane Baker, Peter Graves, Louis Gossett Jr., Peggy Lipton, Andrew Duggan, Edward Asner, Roddy McDowell, Kevin McCarthy, Ralph Bellamy, Susan Strasberg, Jack Warden, Richard Anderson, Linden Chiles, Shirley Knight, Joel Fluellen, Barry Morse,  Michael Rennie, Kent Smith, James Callahan, Peter Mark Richman, Will Geer, D’urville Martin, Roscoe Lee Browne, Barbara Hershey, James Daly, Pat Hingle, Wayne Rogers, Raymond St. Jacques, Charles Drake, Ted Knight, Anne Francis, Diana Hyland, Andrew Prine, Arthur Franz and Eduard Franz. 

But it was Thinnes’ riveting, realistic portrayal of an Everyman who stumbles onto something he can’t explain—and tries to unravel its mystery—that made “The Invaders” weekly must-watch TV for millions in the late-1960s. And aside from “Roots” and “Homeland,” no other TV series ever generated so much morning-after talk in business offices from coast-to-coast.

Relentless Quest

In its first season—as was David Janssen as Dr. Richard Kimball in “The Fugitive”—Roy Thinnes as David Vincent is alone in his relentless quest for the truth. From his first encounter with an alien (Skip Ward), he learns that except for a mutated fourth finger some have, they look like us. Males, females, young and old. To survive in the earth’s atmosphere, they must regenerate on a regular basis in strange tubes in facilities in many secret locations. His architect partner (James Daly) doesn’t believe him but is captured by the aliens and killed.

Vincent discovers that the aliens are without a heartbeat or pulse, don’t bleed when injured and begin to glow before incinerating and disappearing when they die, leaving only a trace of ashes. Their deaths startle and amaze observers who initially don’t believe him, including his own brother (Linden Chiles). 

Beginning with its pilot episode “Beachhead,” Vincent encounters human-looking aliens who have infiltrated American life in high-profile positions, such as police chiefs, military officers, politicians, business executives and everyday citizens. In his increasing effort to expose them, he becomes familiar to alien leaders and finds himself in constant danger, often attacked, wounded and even kidnapped, taken aboard a spaceship and subjected to mind-control.

Armed with strange handguns that incinerate targets—including human beings—a hypnotizing crystal and a small, circular device that induces a cerebral hemorrhage, the aliens seem almost unstoppable as their spaceships continue to arrive. Yet, Vincent finds he can shoot them to death, and convinces many people of their existence. 

In one first season episode, a power-hungry war hero-turned business tycoon (Jack Lord) is fooled by the aliens into assisting them and pays for it with his life. The season ends when Vincent is accused of killing the head of a telecommunications company who has stolen a file the aliens need. Although he proves his innocence, he can’t convince police of their existence. 

The Believers

In its second season, Vincent learns there are six others—known as The Believers—who share his knowledge, have united to fight and expose the aliens, and save the world. Led by billionaire business tycoon Edgar Scoville (Kent Smith), they recruit a skeptical Vincent. After first failing to trust them, he relents and joins them.

Financed by Scoville, the group builds a complex system in an old FM radio station to track alien landings and is able to thwart some of their plots to disrupt the American economy and military. In one of the best episodes—the two-part “Summit Meeting”—Vincent, Scoville and a female alien (Diana Hyland) who decided to rebel, disrupt an invader plan to kill many world leaders at a conference called to solve the problem of the Earth’s increased radiation.   

As a smitten viewer, I hoped, in vain, “The Invaders” would continue for a third season. But it did not, disappointing me and its millions of worldwide fans. But I do have a wonderful DVD of the entire series, and can’t get enough of watching this, the best TV sci-fi series of all time.