ALIEN NATION

This was one of many US tv spin-offs from an averagely successful movie. Set five years after the Newcomers first arrived, and one month after the movie, it concerned a human cop, Sikes, and his growing relationships with the aliens, whilst solving crime in downtown Los Angeles. The aliens, known as Newcomers, or by the derogatory term Slags, were slaves, bred to adapt and work in almost any environment, so they integrated well into human culture, and quickly formed their own ghettos in US cities. Their ship was destroyed so they had no way of returning home - their only option being to make the best of what they now had. A running gag was that, due to the Newcomers' different biochemistry, they could not eat quite the same foods as humans, and could get roaringly drunk on sour milk.

James Caan's film role as the down-at-heel detective whose partner and brother had both been killed by Newcomer criminals was taken by Gary Graham. He was still breaking in his new partner, Newcomer George Francisco, and not liking the task at all. Francisco started the series by moving house with his family, arriving in a typically human suburban neighbourhood. Francisco's wife was played by Michele Scarabelli, seen in the Star Trek: TNG episode In Theory, as Data's experimental love interest.

By the end of the single series, Sikes and Francisco had achieved a stable working relationship. Sikes' own will-they-won't-they relationship with Cathy Frankel reached a peak, and he found himself making important decisions in his life. The final episode ended with multiple cliffhanger storylines, all of which were wrapped up in the first of the revival movies, made five years later. The series was average but amusing fare, and it suffered a checkered career on the US networks, with the movies featuring the same cast as the series. It gained a faithful following during its few years of existence. First screened in the UK on the satellite channel Sky One, the series never received a UK network showing, and was slotted into ITV's late night schedules, appearing in bits and pieces around the country. It kicked off with a two-part pilot story with a format slightly different to the main series. Story titles were not given on screen.

REGULAR CAST

Detective Matthew Sikes Gary Graham
Detective George Francisco Eric Pierpoint
Susan Francisco Michele Scarabelli
Emily Francisco Lauren Woodland
Buck Francisco Sean Six
Cathy Frankel Terri Treas
Leonard the Janitor Jeff Marcus
Sergeant Dobbs Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Captain Grayser Ron Fassler
Detective Beatrice Zapata Jenny Gago

Developed for Television by: Kenneth
  Johnson, based on characters
  created by Rockne S O'Bannon
Executive Producer: Kenneth Johnson
Producers: Arthur Seidel and Tom Chehak
Co-Producer: Diane Frolov
Associate Producer: Mary Dick (Not Pilot)
Supervising Producer: Andrew Schneider
Consultant: Gale Anne Hurd
Music by: Joe Harnell (Pilot Only), David
  Kurtz and Kenneth Johnson

US Production/UK Screening:
Season One: 22 Episodes
1989-90/23rd March - 30th August 1995 Note 1
TV Movies: 5 Episodes (double length)
1994-96/27th June 1996 Onwards Note 2

A Kenneth Johnson Production in association with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
22 colour episodes, pilot 90-minutes, rest x 44-minutes
5 colour 90-minute tv movies
(Meridian ITV/BSkyB Movie Channel)

Note 1: Although this listing gives screening dates for the Meridian broadcast of the first season, Carlton had beaten them to it by half a dozen episodes in the London area. The series had also been shown complete on satellite station Sky One in 1993-94. Meridian screened the pilot episode in two parts, although it was clearly not designed for this, the second part being introduced with an announcer's recap, and missing any credits or titles. 

Note 2: To date, only the first three of the movies has been screened by Sky Television.

Season One

Pilot

While breaking in his new partner, Sikes has to deal with racist demonstrations in George Francisco's new neighbourhood, and attempt to solve mysterious deaths in Los Angeles' slums. Whilst discovering links to the death of his previous partner, Sergeant Tuggles (as seen in the feature film), Sikes also comes to a Newcomer's aid when she is attacked in the street. Cathy introduces herself to him and a potential romance begins. Out on the streets, the appearance of an acid-spitting creature is the next stage in a campaign of hate organised by the Purist movement.

Officer Lyddie L Scott Caldwell
Jill's Mother Diane Civita
Purist Leader William Frankfather
Ketnes Tim Russ
Doctor Lee Evan Kim
Miranda Lisa Donaldson Bowman
Cathy Frankel/Jelanna (intro) Terri Treas
Burns Jeff Doucette
Lyddie L Scott Caldwell
Jill Molly Morgan
Teacher Ketty Lester
Officer Puente Loyda Ramos
Priest Brian Smiar
Doctor Lee Evan Kim
Miranda Lisa Donaldson Bowman
Amos N Handy Aaron Lustig
Black Kid Tiere Turner

A Newcomer dies during a routine operation at the Trenner Clinic, but the circumstances begin to look increasingly suspicious. Francisco discovers a Fountain Of Youth has been discovered for privileged humans.

Doctor Jim Trenner Jason Beghe
Beth Meadows Wendy Kaplan
Henry James Steve Rankin
Uncle Moodri James Greene
Nurse Susan Gibney
Lisa Bancroft Liz Torres
With: Joel Polis

Detective Francisco has to deal with Newcomer prostitution by those who have failed to break their slave submissiveness, and a visiting uncle who is slightly unorthodox in his approach to life.

Mary Shelly Heather McAdam
Uncle Moodri James Greene
Eleanor Roosevelt Kimberly Kates
Ms Bronte Shannon Wilcox
Harry Marrus Will Bledsoe

Sikes has to deal with his daughter when she drops out of college, as well as his ex-wife, Victoria, whilst simultaneously minding the Newcomer witness to a murder who just wants to consummate his brand new marriage.

Jet David Bowe
Kirby Sikes Cheryl Pollak
Sal Lori Petty
Wanda Sachi Parker
Buster Keaton John McNurtley
Thor Wagne Pere

During a spell of rioting, the police precinct house comes under attack by a gang intent on raiding their impounded goods warehouse.

Harry Dundee Will Egan
Letitia Rosario Camila Griggs
Female Newcomer Gwynyth Walsh
Black Man Ji-Tu Cumbuka
Lt McKnight Charley Lang
Lead Terrorist Michael Fairman
With: Tracey Walter

George and Sikes are assigned to clear up a drug problem among the Newcomers, but George becomes implicated with the head of the organisation, just as he has to undergo the indignity of a tax audit, and Buck gets a job at a suspiciously profitable estate agents.

Betsy Ross Diana Bellamy
Sam Simian Doug McKeon
Nina Jennifer Benko

A murderer with a vicious trademark leave a trail of corpses, but George begins to suspect the murders might be linked to the Overseers from the slave ships.

Uncle Moodri James Greene
Pathologist Meagan Fay
With: David Opatoshu, Bradford English and Wayne Powers

George and Sikes investigate the murder of an astronomer who was on the verge of a startling discovery. Something in space is making its way through the solar system - and it is not Man-made. Sikes is also finding himself getting closer to Cathy.

Doctor Merissa Meyers Annabelle Gurwitch
Professor Charles Tower Jeffrey Josephson
John Stuart Fratkin
Karl Peterson Joel Polis
Gerry Bialack Johnny Apacella
With: Curt Lowens

George and Sikes hunt a murderer who is killing members of a Newcomer order which is vital to their race's future. Sikes finds his experiences bringing him ever closer to Cathy. At the same time, George and Susan decide to have another child, and ask Albert to be their binnaum.

Binnaum Drevni Alan Scarfe
Sella Dana Anderson
Isaac Newton Patrick Johnson
Female Newcomer Laura M Cunning

Newcomers are being murdered in what seems to be a gruesome game of chance. It is a game Francisco knows well from the ship, where all his friends died one by one, until he was the last contestant.

Koulak Andreas Katsulas
Thomas Edison Teddy Wilson
Deon Flak Billy Ray Sharkey
Joe Comet Joel Swetow
Mrs Comet Maggie Egan
Ruhtra Bill Allen
With: Sam Anderson

A newcomer is savagely murdered after leaving his girlfriend's apartment. He is not the first. Sikes finds that the common link is a Newcomer dating agency, and a scarred, lonely Newcomer woman.

Clara Bow/Jenny Caitlin O'Heaney
Clara Diana Barton
Ted Heath Teddy Wilson
Pathologist Jeff Nordling
Johnny Appleseed Theodore Raimi

A destructive raid is conducted on an animal research lab by a Newcomer called Silas. Links are discovered between this attack and defence research carried out on the Newcomers when they were in quarantine, and an assassination plot is uncovered.

Project Leader John P Connolly
Doctor Marcie Wright Katherine Justice
Silas Marner Tom Dugan
Amanda Russle Patricia Heaton
Doctor Chris Pettit Ray Reinhardt
Doctor Lois Allen Michele Lamar Richards

The Newcomers achieve a national referendum on their right to vote in human elections. But there is opposition, and bomb scares are only the beginning.

Wyatt Mark Thomas Miller
Desk Sergeant Arthur Seidel
With: Mark Joy, Clarence Felder, Harvey Jason and Frances Bay

Mrs Francisco is pregnant, but grief strikes the family when Uncle Moodri dies saving a missing Newcomer artifact, granting Sikes the privilege of viewing the surface of another planet.

Uncle Moodri James Greene
Doctor Lois Allen Michele Lamar Richards
With: Timothy Scott, Scott Jaeck, Francis Guinan and Aubrey Morris

A murder is seen to be committed on a video phone sex line, and Sikes and Francisco, whilst being filmed by a documentary crew, must investigate.

Renee Longstreet Angela Bassett
Virginia Ham Deborah Goodrich
Roger Rose Gene Butler
Arvin Kaufman Hugh Maguire
Male Executive Terry Nunn
Tilly Jennifer Roach

Whilst George is the key witness in a prosecution case, he and Susan prepare to give birth, and Sikes, nominated as the child's godfather, is expected to be present on the big occasion.

Allison Wolfe Maria Rangel
Rankin Arthur Seidel
With: Gilbert Lewis, Tom Byrd, Robert Romanus and Tony Rizzoli

While investigating bodybuilders who are using Newcomer steroids, George goes through the final stages of 'birthing' his pod offspring, Vestna. Sikes is an impromptu midwife.

Nurse Patty Toy
Audrey Neil Nash
Rankin Arthur Seidel
With: William Shockley, Robert Neary, Debby Barker and Hank Garrett

Sikes thinks he is off on holiday, but a murder which repeats his past as a uniform cop casts all thoughts of relaxation aside. George is also preoccupied as his family prepare for a Newcomer Christening.

Burns Jeff Doucette
Doctor Lois Allen Michelle Lamar Richards
Cyndy Heather McComb
Groves Tobin Bell
With: Robert Allan Browne

Sikes undergoes a divine experience after a routine call leaves him apparently dead. Was it linked to the funeral ritual of a Newcomer religious sect?

Peter Rabbit Brian Thompson
Priestess Ellen Wheeler
Sikes' Father John Sudd
Young Sikes Ryan Cash
Nurse Terri Semper

The Franciscos buy shares in a company called Nu-Knit, which is producing indestructible clothing, but is also facing accusations of hiring cheap labour.

Edgar Allan Poe Alan Fudge
Cyril Roman Armin Shimerman
Mr Elias David Selburg
Marilyn Huston Kim Braden
Mrs Allan Poe Beverly Leech
Doctor Lois Allen Michele Lamar Richards

George has to baby-sit Vestna at work while Cathy goes to extraordinary steps to protect a young Newcomer whom she suspects is a victim of Overseer abuse.

Lori Clark Barbara Bush
Overseer Rigak Mike Preston
Mrs Day Dorothy Fielding
With: Jonathan Brandis and Doug Ballard

The Purists are back and executing prominent Newcomers, with George a target now he has been promoted. Sikes has other problems to contend with when the two women in his life, Cathy and Lori, begin to take on increasing importance. All this pales into insignificance when a Purist-engineered bacteria threatens all Newcomer life on the planet.

Marilyn Huston Kim Braden
Lori Clark Barbara Bush
Paris John Calvin
Mark Lee Bryant
Doctor Lois Allen Michele Lamar Richards
Martha Edith Fields
With: Geoffrey Bryant and David Purdham

TV Movies

Dark Horizon

In a continuation of the plot thread left hanging at the end of the regular series, Sikes and Francisco discover that the bigoted Purists are trying to infect all the Newcomers with a deadly virus. One of the first to be infected is Emily Francisco. The Overseer masters of the lost slave ship locate a beacon on Earth. This leads a single Overseer to investigate with a view to recapturing the Tectonese slaves, and imprisoning the human race.

Priestess Susan Appling
Cashier Patience Cleveland
Aphossno Scott Patterson
Doctor Lois Allen Michele Lamar Richards
Mrs Bryant Dana Anderson
Burak Nina Foch 

(22nd June 1996)

Cathy and Sykes decide to go to classes to teach the cop about Newcomer lovemaking safety. A brush with George's past, and the discovery that the Government deliberately rescued the Overseers when they arrived, leads him to begin a dangerous pursuit of the man behind the deal.

(Cast details unknown)

(5th July 1998)

The Newcomer portal box (Generation to Generation) is stolen from the elders. The portal, which appears to transport the user to exotic alien environments, is being used as an hallucinogen by an unscrupulous cult leader. When Buck is drawn into the cult and joins an increasing number of missing people, Sikes and George's search for him becomes more desperate. At the same time Matt thinks he has finally secured a road to promotion, and Emily gets a human boyfriend.

(Cast details unknown )

Eenos, lowest of the Newcomer low, are being used in an experiment to propagate a mutant species which thrives on toxic waste. Amid relationship problems, Francisco and Sykes have to search an abandoned rail system before the mutants can mature and attempt a takeover.

Terry Wayne Pere
Carrie Onbag Dana Anderson
May Kerrie Keane
Rick Shaw Joe Lando

(11th November 1998)

Previously law-abiding Newcomers are committing bizarre crimes. Originally brainwashed to be used against the Overseers, someone is now using these people for their own ends. Then it is discovered that Emily is one of those who was brainwashed. At the same time Buck makes a decision about the future and joins the police, while a deadly secret from Susan's past is revealed.

(Cast details unknown)

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