It seems weird to write this, but 20 plus years after its original incarnation went off the air, the true Final Battle for fans of 80s science-fiction opus "V" is starting to draw lines in the ground. 

Earlier today, Variety announced that ABC had purchased a spec script that re-imagined "V" with 4400 creator Scott Peters writing a modernized version of the classic Kenneth Johnson NBC mini-series.  It was news that was met with mixed response from "V" die-hards, including myself, for a number of reasons.

For those unaware of this classic science fiction piece, the original "V" featured an analogy to the Nazi takeover of Europe as benevolent aliens arrived in a fleet of 50 massive motherships seeking our assistance to save their home world from environmental disaster.  Although the Visitors came claiming to be our friends, in reality, they engineered a massive takeover of every government in the world, placing the Earth under martial law.  In reality, while they appeared to look no more human than you or I, they were actually reptilians (commonly called Lizards as the saga evolved) In an even scarier reality, the disaster they were facing was hunger...and they needed both our water and our race for food.

Jane Badler as the immortal Diana, shedding her skin.

While the fantastic aspect of V made it an immediate hit for younger audiences (I can remain being enthralled in fourth grade by the original mini-series to this day), the true genius of the original "V" was that, at its best, it was a character study of what happens to normal folks like you and I when faced with the lure of power when the status quo changes.  Some will stand up to fight and die for what they believe in while others will gladly trade trust and love for power and lust.  The Nazi allegory was never more evident than the Visitors controlling all communication to breed mistrust among the humans by making them believe the same scientists who were trying to find a way to save the world were actually the true villains, much as the Jews were victimized in WWII Germany. 

Even today, decades later, V's themes of power corrupting and rebels standing against tyrants remain true to this day.

Kenneth Johnson (no relation; I'm not that blessed) was the original creator, writer and director of the first "V" mini-series, casting a tremendous troupe of actors that included Marc Singer, Faye Grant, Jane Badler, Robert Englund (years before Freddy Krueger immortalized him), Michael T. Wright, Michael Durrell, Richard Herd and many other talented performers. The original mini-series is out on DVD and features what I truly believe to be the best director's commentary on any DVD I've ever seen, as Johnson dove back into his original production notes and goes deep into different production techniques they used and lots of stories on the actors and crew that pulled together in 2-3 weeks from casting to production, a short time span that would never happen in today's era of network execs providing note after note of what needs to be changed. 

Robert Englund as the kind-hearted Visitor William (Willie to his friends), years before Freddy Krueger made him a horror icon.

 When a six hour mini-series was ordered as a sequel, Johnson ended up walking off the project after handing in the first draft, feeling the network wanted him to make it something with less soul and more of a focus on a slicker, cheaper version.  NBC wanted it to be less about the themes of human struggle and more about aliens and lasers.  Johnson balked.  The sequel focused more on action-adventure and on a human-alien hybrid baby (who doesn't remember Robin's twins?) and was another hit. 

NBC immediately ordered a series that, to put it kindly, fell apart after the first few episodes.  The network was under pressure to tone down violence, so for a series featuring a war between humanity and alien invaders, that was pretty much the death knell.  The cost of special effects in the era before CGI was another stake in the heart of the series, as was the sizeable cast that started being killed and written off without respect to their stories, much less their creator. 

Marc Singer and Faye Grant, who played Resistance heroes Mike Donovan and Dr. Juliet Parrish

In the end, we were down to about 5 regular heroes, who were aided greatly by a hell of a lot of stock footage from the original mini-series.  By the time the series limped to its cliffhanger ending, the ratings, the writing, everything was a mess.  In a way, it was a blessing they never continued as the original script for the never filmed second season premiere would have seen Faye Grant's Juliet Parrish, the original lead hero of the film (sort of a modern day Joan of Arc archetype) who was delegated to pretty much nothing as the series evolved and writers attempted to make Marc Singer's Donovan the super action hero of the series.  Given the skill of Grant's acting, it was a gross error by the writers at the time.  Even more sacrilegious were the plans to have Parrish murdered early on in the first segments of the second series, with no rhyme or reason.

So, V died.  There were a few novel tie-in and comic books, but as of 1985 "V" lay dormant.  While Sci-Fi fans of everything from Stargate to Star Trek got their conventions and revivals and were able to bask in their nostalgia, V became something of a forgotten entity among Warner Bros. and NBC.  The only glimpse of the series on the actual Warner Bros. tour in Los Angeles on the very grounds the series was filmed is a miniature Skyfighter and a reptilian mask in their prop museum.  For something that was considered to have saved NBC and helped turn its fortunes around at the time it aired, it's a gross crime for the property to be basically raped, discarded and tossed away.

Kenneth Johnson, the creator and Patron Saint of all things "V" instructing actors Marc Singer and Jenny Sullivan on the set of the original.  Photo courtesy www.kennethjohnson.us.

Re-enter Kenneth Johnson.  After balking at the idea of returning and rescuing the weekly series as it limped to its death (in Johnson's defense for those who wonder why he wouldn't jump on the idea of returning if they wanted to do things his way, by this point in the "V" series, NBC had basically shot the concept through the brain and then asked him to resuscitate it.  There was nothing Johnson could have done), Johnson revisited the original mini-series via the aforementioned director's commentary and the idea came to him.  If one ignored the other V sequels, what would the world be like after 20 plus years of Visitor rule? 

You'd have hybrid alien/humans running around, as well as an entire generation who wouldn't even know what life prior to the aliens' arrival would be like, so where would that leave humanity as a whole?  Where would the oceans be at this point?  Our ecosystem?  Our communications?  What would life on Earth be like after decades of tyrannical rule?

So, Johnson returned to his old baby and wrote a script that would pick up decades later with some of the original characters (every cast member contacted immediately expressed interest in returning) and many new ones.  Sadly, the era of the mini-series had passed on broadcast TV, so NBC wasn't interested.  Neither were many of the other networks.  Warner Bros., which owns the production rights to "V" has had a long impasse with the Sci-Fi Network, so that obvious relationship went nowhere as well.  An NBC Exec decided the new script was too similar to the original and instead opted to ask for a re-write of the original "V".  Johnson worked on that and it went nowhere in terms of a TV project.

"V" fans had their hopes up, since the original creator was back on board and could finally give them some closure on characters that truly resonated with them, but there was apparently no outlet for "V" to be made.  In a world where everything from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure to Bull Durham was being remade or sequelized, Johnson was hitting the same walls that made him walk away from the "Final Battle" decades ago - no one wanted a V saga with heart and soul.  They wanted something on the cheap.

Thankfully for "V" fans, Johnson turned his sequel script into a novel "V - The Second Generation", which was released earlier this year to high marks from original fans of the property.  For those of you who are interested in reading it, I won't spoil any plot points, but will say that the most beloved characters of the original do indeed return as the story unfolds.  With plans for a remake in hand, Johnson acquired the rights to do a feature film remake of the original V mini-series (no word on if or how the original cast would play into that) and has been working diligently but quietly on making that fly.

Fans have been hopeful, but realistic, acknowledging that while it's been forever and a day for anything new in terms of of "V", the chances of getting what they truly hope for becomes less of a reality, at least in terms of Johnson's vision, as the days turn into months and the clichés roll on in.

Then, Variety hit the newsstands today and it was announced that ABC has purchased a spec script for a "V" remake that not only Johnson had nothing to do with, but it was a completely different version of the property fans have been hoping to see return.  Headed by 4400 co-creator Scott Peters, this new version of "V" would follow the bare-bones idea of the original.  Visitors arrive on Motherships.  Friends they claim to be, but tyrants they are.  The rest, based on the Variety report, would be discarded.

Variety wrote, "The new "V" will center on Erica Evans, a Homeland Security agent with an aimless son who’s got problems. When the aliens arrive, her son gloms on to them — causing tension within the family. As in the original "V," several storylines will unfold simultaneously"

While the storyline sounds remarkably similar to the arc that character Daniel Bernstein followed in the original mini-series, fans immediately began to question this news - where did this leave Johnson's planned remake?  Why was Johnson not involved?  What would a potentially homogenized "V" without the heart and soul of the project - Johnson - entail?  Would after all this time not one, but two "V" projects actually be in the offing?  Could we FINALLY see the property treated the way fans have hoped - with attention to it, licensing for it, action figures, novels, conventions, etc.?  Would fans have to give up their love of the adventures of Donvan, Martin, Julie, Diana, etc. to see it happen?  Is it even V without the concepts that they grew to love or could it, like Battlestar Galactica, grow into something as good or better?  Would the original cast be forgotten for their work?

Finally, the most important question reared it's potentially ugly head: had Warner Bros. sold out Kenneth Johnson, just as they did decades earlier when he wasn't interested in making a "bastardized" version of his original ideas?  Had they turned their backs on his new project just as he was starting to make headway in getting it to fruition?  Were they fast tracking another "V" concept for the quick dollar and had they not learned the folly of their ways when they did the same thing with the NBC weekly series that left the property in shambles for decades?

Johnson posted the following on his official website www.kennethjohnson.us  in response to fan inquiries:

You may hear reports that Warner Bros TV is attempting to  “reimagine” V as a television series. This is relatively old news. Last fall their new concept, which Kenny in not involved with, was passed on by all four networks.

Though ABC is again considering the possibility of developing a TV pilot project, this does not in any way affect Kenny’s ongoing efforts to remake his original classic as a major motion picture.

Kenny’s prime desire is to bring big-screen production values to the new movie while protecting the quality, integrity and substance that made his original V such a critically acclaimed, international landmark.

More soon. Ignore all other rumors -- the real deal will always be announced here as soon as possible.

As insane as it may be, after all these years, the lines of fandom when it comes to "V" may be drawn for a new Final Battle, pitting the vision of the original creator, updated for today against a re-imagined version of his concepts, created for the masses.  While both sides will claim that, like the Visitors, they are our friends, where do you stand?  For the creator who preached quality over excess and has been proven with history that his version would have had a far better chance at continued success or with a newer, slicker version Johnson has nothing to do with?

Perhaps history can already provide us with a clue.  Kenneth Johnson created the original Bionic Woman.  When NBC re-launched it last year without his input, they put all the marketing might they had behind it.  It failed, was canceled and was sent to the junk heap.  ABC might be smart indeed to learn from their adversary's mistake as they develop this new rendition of "V" sans Johnson.

Until more news breaks, "V" fans will return to the role they've perfected for years - fans waiting patiently.  As they've learned, all the speculation in the world doesn't mean a thing.  As of this writing, the only concrete evidence of anything officially forthcoming is another novelization - this time a re-release of the phenomenal A.C. Crispin (perhaps the only other writer beyond Johnson to truly capture the characters correctly) adaptation of the first 1980s mini-series, with new written prose by Johnson to tie it into the "Second Generation"  novel.

Meanwhile, science-fiction's most unrecognized fan base continue to debate, wait, and hope for Lizards in their future.

Mike Johnson personally hopes for, in a perfect world, Johnson's modernized version to hit the silver screen with an entirely new cast, followed by a sequel using the original cast returning as the older versions "20 years later."  To him, that would be the proper way to put the "V" saga to bed with respect and love.