Dark Skies Reviews - Total Sci-Fi

DVD review (region 2)
Starring Eric Close, Megan Ward, JT Walsh, Tim Kelleher
Release date Out now

USA, 1960s. Young idealists John Loengard (Close) and Kim Sayers (Ward) discover that aliens have been infiltrating us for years. As well as combating the alien menace, they attempt to stay one step ahead of Majestic 12, a shady organisation led by the devious Frank Bach (Walsh)…

Though obviously indebted to The X-Files, Bryce Zabel and Brent V. Friedman’s ‘90s SF series was far from a feeble imitator. The 1960s setting gave it a pleasingly retro vibe long before Mad Men, and the show effectively mixed in real world events (everything from JFK’s assassination to the Beatles coming to the US) to tell an alternate story about America’s loss of idealism.

The languid pace of the first half of the season put some viewers off at the time. Yet its unhurried nature actually proves to be one of Dark Skies’ strengths. It makes a good counter to the rapid-fire nature of modern shows such as 24 or The Event, especially as it places such an emphasis on character. John and Kim are hugely likeable protagonists, a sweet young unmarried couple trying to figure out their place in a changing world, and Eric Close and Megan Ward have a believable chemistry. They’re complimented by J.T. Walsh in one of his most memorable roles – the baleful Bach is an intriguing mix of hero and villain – as well as Tim Kelleher as the evil alien Jim Steele.

However, things get pretty crazy in the second half of the season. The makers knew by this stage that they weren’t getting a second series (they had hoped to bring the characters up to modern times over the course of four seasons), and decided to accelerate the narrative. The conspiracy involving Majestic, the government and The Hive takes unexpected,Cold Case, fascinating new tangents. Yet this sadly comes at the expense of John and Kim’s relationship, as a very different Kim takes a backseat role and the less appealing action heroine Juliet (Jeri Ryan) is wheeled on instead. It all ends on an awesome cliffhanger; in a way it’s frustrating everything isn’t resolved, though the lack of a tidy ending does seem to suit the show.

It’s nice to see the series finally out on DVD after 13 years (music rights issues apparently held it up), though the only extras are stills and an A to Z of Dark Skies facts. For some reason the pilot is also on the extras disc – you need to watch this first or elements of the subsequent episodes won’t make much sense! Matt McAllister

VERDICT: 7/10
For all its flaws, Dark Skies was an ambitious and hugely entertaining show, and it’s great to see it finally out on DVD.

CLICK HERE TO READ AN INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN WARD!