Human Mary Albright and the Solomons, Sally, Dick, Tommy, and Harry - Third Rock from the Sun
OBSERVERS
These are the aliens that tend to be the most fun. They don't necessarily want anything. They just think we Earthlings are kind of cute.
These extra-terrestrials often have to report back to a Supreme Commander, a giant head, or fellow scientists who are orbiting the planet and are watching their view screens with a mixture of amazement at confusion.
It's not ever Tom, Dick, and Harry who can set up a complete household on Earth and blend in as well as the Solomons did. Okay, honestly, Harry didn't blend that well but the rest of them did okay. Despite what they consider to be their advanced intelligence, observers tend to be confused by our lexicons and low-tech gadgetry. (At least TV aliens are not complete morons who are stumped by something like, oh, doors.)
Mork from Ork - Mork and Mindy
They may not all be able to hold down jobs as college professors but some of them are able to find love. All one goofy, manic, improvisational extra-terrestrial needs to find to achieve happiness is a good human woman. (A job of some sort would be helpful though because I don't know how many sofas that poor Mindy went through with all the bouncing.)
Alien/human friendships are not at all uncommon. Sometimes we become such good companions that we are invited back to the ship. Or Police Box. Or whatever. Having a human sidekick when roaming the galaxy can be very convenient. Sometime an earthling will even join the crew. We can offer a lot. Humans have innovative ideas when it comes to problem solving. We can confuse the enemy with verbiage that is incomprehensible to any being that has not watched cable television over the past three decades. Or, in a pinch, we can be used as a scapegoat and sacrificed while the rest of the team makes their getaway. Relax, they'll come back and save us before we get killed. Mostly.
Human Homer Simpson and an alien from Rigel 4 - The Simpsons
All extra-terrestrial observers are not sweet and funny though. Some just like to mess with us. They abduct us but cause us no real harm, leave plot circles to give farmers grief, and treat us like coo-coo birds by letting an alien baby grow up in a human household to see what happens. They aren't completely heartless though. They will take care of our politicians as a thank you for the trouble they've caused. And we appreciate that.
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Whoever they are, whatever they look like, and no matter their intentions, aliens are here to stay. Check out Earth's newest Visitors when "V" premieres on Tuesday, November 3rd on ABC.
Hee! Marvin the Martina- awesome!! I had totally forgotten about him :)
The Taelons freak me out as well- I think it is something about the way the move.
Great article, Featherlite!
He should have had a girlfriend named Martina – then perhaps he would have been less obsessed with planetary domination :)
It turns out that I now have proof that I watch MUCH too much sci-fi. I think there are maybe four cited shows that I didn't watch regularly.
Bloody Taelons. They were too damn creepy for me.
Hee! Marvin the Martina- awesome!! I had totally forgotten about him :)
The Taelons freak me out as well- I think it is something about the way the move.
Great article, Featherlite!
He should have had a girlfriend named Martina – then perhaps he would have been less obsessed with planetary domination :)
It turns out that I now have proof that I watch MUCH too much sci-fi. I think there are maybe four cited shows that I didn’t watch regularly.
Bloody Taelons. They were too damn creepy for me.
*facepalm* MARTIAN, not Martina.
*facepalm* MARTIAN, not Martina.
TV versions of the alien encounter are pretty lame compared to great movies like Alien, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Them. But you can't make a series out of things that simply eat people quickly, I guess, they have to be friendly enough for social interation and situational comedy or slow enough that it takes them a long time to take over the world, or there's no viewer base. Alien the TV series would be one episode long, Aliens win, story over.Favorite TV aliens: The Borg. We should know more about the Borg, there were probably a lot of perks to being hooked up to the Hive Mind.
unfortunately i didn't get to see the "ALIENS" series for tv, i just learned about it recently.How can I view it now????The most profound book I ever read that was so intelligent & believable when it comes to the true nature of ET"S is "THE COMING OF TAN" That's the kind of movie series I'd like to see. There's a whole lot of real and I mean real makes sense as to WHO they really are.