WTF Happened to Alien Nation? (1989)

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Published 2022-04-19

1988’s Alien Nation was a sci-fi twist on the classic buddy cop formula. While only a modest hit, it did have some devoted fans (we covered it in a Best Movie You Never Saw), and the premise was gold. In fact, it was so good that the fledgling Fox Network decided to spin it off into a TV series the following year. The show, which starred sci-fi vet Gary Graham as Sikes, the human cop, and Eric Pierpoint as George, the alien (or rather newcomer), was well-reviewed. Many thought the show, which V’s Kenneth Johnson ran, improved on the film significantly. Yet Fox, in their lack of foresight, opted to cancel the show after one season, only to bring it back for a series of TV movies a few years later when the show spawned a series of successful comics and novels.

Now mostly forgotten, Alien Nation is nonetheless an interesting, socially conscious addition to the eighties sci-fi cannon, and it’s this week’s Gone But Not Forgotten. In this episode, we look at the show’s origins, its cancellation and eventual return, and whether or not it could ever be rebooted. This episode is written, edited and produced by Dave Arroyo. Jesse Shade narrates. Tell us in the comments if you think Alien Nation is due for a comeback.

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All Comments (21)

@JoBloOriginals 2 years ago

Hey guys! This episode of GBNF was made from suggestions from fans who emailed us demanding this show be covered on this series. If you want to make suggestions for future episodes of GBNF then e-mail GBNFSeries@gmail.com/ and maybe we’ll cover your show!
@thecunninlynguist 2 years ago

I loved this show. I always laughed how spoiled milk was their alcohol
@melmacd878 6 months ago

I used to love this show. Reading that Gary Graham passed away triggered the memory of the show so I started watching it again. So good, love it! RIP Gary
@michaellangwaller 2 years ago

I love this show. I remember watching it when it aired on Fox and how disappointed everyone was when it was cancelled. There was so much left unanswered even after the movies that I would love to see a revisit to that universe.
@chermebrownsauce8049 2 years ago

Alien Nation and Forever Knight were among my favorites in the 80s and 90s. I miss those days! I just love the vibe of the movies and series of that era. Nothing will ever top that!
@carter358 2 years ago

There was a rumor a few years ago of a revival with a grown up Emily joining the police force and Sykes being her supervisor. It would've been interesting. The original series is just so brilliant.
@TodaysDante 2 years ago

I loved it when the uncle walked into the ocean and wasn't hurt (ocean water is like acid to them). It showed his faith wasn't just a fantasy.
@AZRockslide42 2 years ago

The list of fantastic shows Fox canceled through the years is ridiculous.
@davidpumpkinsjr.5108 2 years ago

People hold up District 9 as a great example of using sci-fi to make social commentary (I personally think it was very heavy-handed), but Alien Nation handled it with much more subtlety.
@ozthekeymaster 2 years ago

100% totally adored this series. Bought the set of DVDs and watched them loads. Pity it got cancelled; it had such potential!
@JR-gh8lp 2 years ago

I remember this show but was too young to appreciate it
@V01t2 2 years ago

Must NEVER forget Alien Nation. Perhaps one of the first series I actively followed. I was pissed how it ended
@kalphil4385 2 years ago

Alien Nation and Quantum Leap are some my favorite Sci fi shows .
@LOAblue 2 years ago

I watched this show as a teen. It deserved a lot more than the 1 or 2 seasons it got.
@johnbirkenmaier6641 2 years ago

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this series. I wasn’t really a fan of the original movie, but this series was fantastic. I loved the interplay between Eric Pierpoint and Gary Graham. Their portrayals of Sikes and Francisco definitely gave this series its legs. The humor, and camaraderie made this one worth watching over and over. I do wish the standalone films were as good as the show. But this show definitely should have run longer.
@mansakali7276 2 years ago

I loved this show growing up and its a real loss that they cancelled it.
@internziko 2 years ago

I'm so happy you guys talked about this show. I remember it when i was a kid and it's very underrated
@baronvg 2 years ago

Okay, 3 points: 1, hell yeah I loved this show and hated the fact it got cancelled but loved the fact there were 5 TV movies and you bet I watched them all. 2, I didn’t think I’d tear up a little at the review of this but all the talk about how the show handled racism and tolerance got me. 3, I’m about the same age as Lauren Woodland and I had a HUGE crush on her, and especially as she got older lol
@angelafinley2662 2 years ago

I was a teenager when I had the privilege to see this show. Loved it! We need a remake! 💯👊❤️
@singletona082 1 year ago

I grew up watching Alien Nation. I loved it and credit its writing for giving me a look at the way things Should be rather than how they are at a point in my life when I was young enough to lap it up alongside Star Trek. We need shows like this more than ever.