Alien Nation (1989)

"Alien Nation" as a series has been a remarkable achievement in the dullest fall season in history. It is both entertaining, socially responsible, and significant. [7 May 1990]

Issues of bias and prejudice are moved to center stage, rather heavyhandedly. There are references, direct and veiled, to blacks and civil-rights struggles, the Holocaust, and AIDS hysteria. But Gary Graham and Eric Pierpoint are effective as, respectively, a younger, hipper Matthew and a mellower George. For television, Fox's Alien Nation is different, adventurous and very much worth monitoring.

Although flawed in its heavyhanded and unrelenting use of prejudice against alien beings as a metaphor for prejudice against blacks, Alien Nation packs a punch and could be the cult action show of the year - if it survives "Monday Night Football." [18 Sept 1989]

It almost torpedoes itself by being a bore and taking its futuristic sociology too doggone seriously. [18 Sept 1989, p.3D]

Shadowing most every encounter and incident are examples of the same sort of bigotry and racism that many other peoples have faced and fought as they dragged themselves into this society. Racist references - the aliens are called slags and spongeheads - are unfortunate and but the most serious of this series' many problems. [18 Sept 1989]

Alien Nation is covered with ooze. For one thing, it's about as subtle as an AK-47. For another, its aliens lack interest because -- except for looking a little different and humming like tuning forks when engaged in sexual foreplay -- they're almost human clones.

A good idea has been largely bollixed through crummy execution. [18 Sep 1989]