The Big Picture
- ABC’s Invasion was a highly acclaimed sci-fi series that aired in 2005 but was canceled before the final episode even aired due to low viewership and being overshadowed by Lost.
- The show followed the aftermath of a hurricane in a small town in Florida, where alien creatures hidden within the water were slowly taking over the bodies of locals.
- Despite its critical success, the timing of the show’s premiere, lack of promotion, and the real-life tragedy of Hurricane Katrina hindered its viewership, ultimately leading to its cancellation.
Since 2021, Invasion has been one of Apple TV’s most compelling science-fiction dramas. Created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil, the show, now in its second season, tells the story of an alien invasion through the eyes of people all across the world. But this isn’t the only television production about a group of survivors who are forced to deal with the complications that arise from an unforeseen alien invasion. Back in 2005, another series, also titled Invasion, premiered on ABC, and it had all the markings of being a massive hit.
Created by Shaun Cassidy (yes, the musician), ABC’s Invasion lasted 23 episodes and aired during the 2005-06 television season, with just as much intrigue and mystery every week as Lost, which premiered a year earlier. The show starred an ensemble cast that included the likes of William Fichtner, Eddie Cibrian, Kari Matchett, Lisa Sheridan, and Evan Peters, before he was an X-Man, and took place in the small town of Homestead, Florida in the aftermath of an intense hurricane. So what could’ve torn this series apart?
What Is ‘Invasion’ About?
To better understand why Invasion was canceled, it’s important to note what the show was actually about. After Hurricane Eve struck southern Florida, some of the townsfolk of Homestead began to change. But these changes aren’t just highly emotional, grief-stricken outbursts; rather, people are no longer acting like themselves. As it turns out, a series of alien creatures hidden within the water are slowly taking over the bodies of these local Floridians and setting themselves up to be the primary species on the planet. Or, at least in the Everglades.
Taking clear inspiration from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, James Cameron‘s The Abyss, and Lost, Invasion is one of those shows that thrives because of the characters (the broken families that are the Underlays and the Varons) and their distinct responses to their post-hurricane circumstances. That, coupled with the alien angle, makes Invasion a pretty unique series that has yet to be recaptured. The mystery surrounding William Fichtner’s Sheriff Tom Underlay in particular is especially intriguing as his strange rivalry with Eddie Cibrian’s Russell Varon comes to a head by the time the series ends. Well, was canceled…
Tragically, Invasion was canceled before the final episode even aired, and though the show was originally said to make the jump to the CW, nothing ever came of it. “They put us on after Lost,” wrote Juan Carlos Coto, one of the writers on the series. “It made sense on paper, but audiences weren’t up for two mythology-rich shows at once. Lost was awesome, but exhausting — in a good way… (and so were we).” A few months later, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment dropped the entire series on DVD, which was the last we ever saw from the sci-fi thriller.
‘Invasion’ Was a Critical Success, But It Aired at the Wrong Time
Critical reception for Invasion was mostly positive. Despite following Lost, the series was loved by audiences and critics alike, and has since been considered one of the great one-season shows that was gone too soon (most notably by The Huffington Post). “As simple as it may sound here, Invasion was rather high-concept,” wrote Jean Bentley and Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly. “And unfortunately, it got lost in the buzz surrounding the second season of the equally high-concept science-fiction show that it followed: Lost.”
According to series creator Shaun Cassidy, Stephen King even praised the series, which makes sense since it feels a lot like something the Master of Horror might dream up in his nightmares. But even high praise from notable outlets couldn’t keep Invasion afloat, especially in light of a national tragedy. In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina formed over the Atlantic and tore through the Gulf Coast. The tropical storm resulted in over 1,000 deaths and became a national tragedy, not unlike 9/11 only a few years prior.
Due to Invasion‘s focus on the aftermath of a massive hurricane, The Los Angeles Times reported that ABC delayed promoting the series. Eventually, promos were released, but the network opted not to share the hurricane backdrop, instead relying heavily on the alien angle. Interestingly enough, Alexis Dziena‘s character Kira even notes that television should be an escape from real-life problems in the second episode. Unfortunately, Invasion premiered at the wrong time, and the lack of promotion only drowned the series further.
‘Invasion’s Cast & Crew Remember The Series Fondly
Despite the show’s shortened lifespan, the cast of Invasion still considers the series one of their favorite jobs. “[Invasion was] one of my favorite shows to be a part of,” said Eddie Cibrian on his Instagram. The sentiment was echoed by Kari Matchett on her Twitter, who tagged series creator Shaun Cassidy. Interestingly, not everyone thought their work on the series was up to snuff. Evan Peters admitted to Hero Magazine that he hadn’t quite got a grasp on acting at the time, even if he still enjoyed the series. “It only lasted one season unfortunately, but it was cool. I still had no idea what I was doing.”
Others are still recognized for their work on the show today, even after appearing in bigger-name projects. One such cast member is series star William Fichtner, who is often asked about his part as Tom Underlay. “This show had no viewers, no one was watching it and that’s got to be in the top 3.” Although fans have asked him if the show will ever come back, Fichtner has been clear that there’s no chance. “A lot of people asking me if it’s coming back, and I’m like ‘no, it was [many] years ago, buddy!'” Still, some shows have come back after longer breaks, and in an age of revival and reboot seasons, could we see Invasion return in some form again?
Additionally, series composers Jon Ehrlich and Jason Derlatka have ranked Invasion as one of the best shows they ever worked on. “It’s always a treat working with a great orchestra,” they explained on a Reddit AMA. “We love working with Shaun Cassidy. We also met Larry Trilling (who directs on Goliath) through Invasion, and we’ve had a great collaboration with him.”
‘Invasion’ Had A Lot More Life Left In It
Sadly, Invasion ended prematurely, and although the show was originally meant to go on for five seasons, it just wasn’t meant to be. Still, the show had a lot more to explore, and many hoped it would one day get the ending it deserved. Other premature cancelations, such as CBS’s Jericho or NBC’s Revolution, were given comic book continuations later on, though it seems like Invasion is over and done with. That’s too bad, because it’s a show that would’ve thrived as a graphic novel.
“Shaun told me Larkin was going to [be presumed dead],” actor Tyler Labine told TV Guide back in 2006. “I was going to get all militant and shave my head, and Russell and I were going to join forces against Tom. Tom was going to find out that his first wife was actually alive, and she was running this whole military operation, and she was Szura’s boss.” Sounds like Season 2 would’ve been an intense follow-up, raising the stakes even higher than before. But, it turns out, the end of the series would’ve been even crazier.
“The idea of the show was, we were never gonna win,” Labine, a clear fan of the show himself, explained years later while promoting his most notable work, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. “What was happening was not an invasion at all, it was an evolutionary step. So we’re basically going to spend five seasons tryin’ to win this battle we can’t win. It was just the end of the human nature — the humankind — as we know it.” Talk about a bleak ending. Maybe it’s good that Invasion never had the chance to wrap things up, maybe it’s good that the mystery continues.
Invasion (2005) can be streamed for free on Tubi and can be found on The Roku Channel as well.
Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
