If producer Steven Spielberg teamed up with “Star Trek” royalty for an original sci-fi TV series, you’d think it would live long and prosper. Unfortunately, “Invasion America” — an animated project that featured the voice talent of the late Leonard Nimoy — boldly went nowhere.
Created by “E.T.” director and producer Harve Bennett — the man who essentially reignited the “Star Trek” franchise with “The Wrath of Khan” — 1998’s “Invasion America” was a traditional 2D-animated sci-fi epic that centered on David Carter, a teenager who discovers he’s half-human, half-Tyrusian. His father is the ruler of an alien race, and his life becomes a frantic fight for survival when a rogue Tyrusian faction decides Earth is ready for the taking.
Nimoy — most famous for playing the logical Vulcan Spock — was tapped to voice General Konrad, a high-ranking Air Force official who is secretly a Tyrusian traitor. Konrad is a cold-blooded antagonist who famously unleashes “Manglers” — vicious, raptor-like beasts — on his own soldiers just to get a shot at his enemies. However, his reign of terror is short-lived, as he meets a fiery end in a plane crash during Episode 4 of the series.
Invasion America produced two cuts of each episode
During an interview with Deseret News when the series debuted, Harve Bennett opened up about the conception of “Invasion America.” “The idea was Steven’s,” he told the outlet. “It has been bubbling for probably this entire decade. It’s had several incarnations within his own mind and on paper.” While the “Star Trek” producer eventually took the lead on the show, Steven Spielberg was always a presence. “He has been with us for meetings, conferences, art approval,” Bennett said. “I’d say he was not at my side, but over my shoulder.”
“Invasion America” also tried out a unique scheduling experiment: The WB aired uncut versions of episodes geared for adults during primetime, while kid-friendly versions that toned down references to alcohol, partial nudity, and violence ran during the Kids’ WB block on Saturday mornings.
Unfortunately, the series — which has a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – was met with lukewarm reviews. The Los Angeles Times was put off by the excessive violence and said the show’s “splashy” visuals were a facade for its “formulaic” plot. The New York Times praised its “stylish” animation but said the series ultimately lacked a heart. Despite the Spielberg-Bennett pedigree, the ambitious series was gone in a light-speed flash. Only 13 episodes were produced, airing for a brief window between June and July 1998. The final episode even teased a 2nd season that never came to fruition.
