‘V UK: Visitation’ Review – A Tense, Gripping Thrill Ride

Cult sci-fi series V returns in a reimagined audio drama from Big Finish Productions. Written by Jonathan Morris, V UK: Visitation takes listeners to the heart of modern-day London at the height of an alien invasion. Drawing from Kenneth Johnson’s original TV miniseries, V UK: Visitation offers a breathtaking look at the beginnings of an invasion and life under a tyrannical regime; an edge-of-your-seat thriller grounded by a core of eminently personable characters. Though a lot about V UK: Visitation may seem familiar to those who’ve seen the original miniseries, Morris adds a modern twist while carefully balancing respect to Johnson’s original story. It’s a thrilling, emotional listen for newbies and aficionados alike.

They Come in Peace

When alien spaceships appear above cities all across the globe, life as we know it changes forever. It’s humanity’s first contact with an alien species, and everything seems to be going quite smoothly. Except for the fact that some people believe that though the Visitors claim to come in peace, something more sinister lies behind their docile appearance. But are these whispers nothing more than conspiracy theories? Or do the Visitors hold doom and destruction for the earth? And what happens to those who stand in the Visitors’ way? It’s the end of the world as we know it – but is it an apocalypse or merely the beginning of a new age? Jonathan Morris’ V UK: Visitation spins a tale of suspense, intrigue, and danger. A conspiracy theorist’s nightmare wrapped within a tale of human resiliency.

For the uninitiated, V is less of an Independence Day-style first-contact story and more of a grounded, character-driven journey into the very heart of tyranny. And that’s very much the same for V UK. It’s an age-old story. A race of superintelligent aliens visit the Earth, promising prosperity and scientific advance all while asking for seemingly little in return. But underneath their friendly exterior rests plans far more devious than humanity could’ve ever expected. It’s a story about deception, trust, and human perseverance. A political thriller, even if it’s not specifically a story about how governments might react to the sudden appearance of seemingly peaceful aliens. Somehow both cinematic and extraordinarily intimate, V UK: Visitation offers a perfect example of just how impactful science fiction can be.

It Couldn’t Happen Here

In a way, it’s a very Twilight Zone sort of idea – using science fiction to tell a story about a very human experience. In this case, it’s how easy it is to gradually descend into fascism. Led by an ensemble that runs the socioeconomic gamut, V UK: Visitations perfectly illustrates the gradual decline into fascism. On the one hand, you’ve got characters like news anchor Kristine Walsh (Gesella Ohaka) and disillusioned teenager Daniel Mabaso (Jesse Dunbar) who’re all too eager to blindly support the Visitors in whatever they want. On the other hand, you’ve got characters like Dr. Juliet Parrish (Annabel Baldwin), photojournalist Mike Donovan (Jack Myers), and South African transplant Abraham Mabaso (Geoffrey Aymber) dedicated to thwarting the Visitors at every turn. And lastly, you’ve got the enigmatic Visitors themselves, led by the charming and charismatic Diana (Janie Dee).

Morris’ script and the cast gathered by director Helen Goldwyn paint a devastatingly relatable portrait of modern-day humanity. Plagued by recent pandemics and government-sponsored distrust of experts, it’s all too easy for these characters to fall into the trap laid by the Visitors. Everyone always says, “It can’t happen here,” when thinking about the rise of fascism throughout history. But Morris and Johnson’s script proves exactly how easy it is to happen anywhere. All it takes is the right narrative pushed by the right people at the right time and then before you know it, it’s all over. It was a prescient message back in the 1980s when the original V miniseries aired, and it remains a timely message now; a heartbreaking reminder of how close we all are to the world of V at any given moment.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, V UK: Visitation offers a gripping, emotional, and devastatingly relatable dive into the depths of fascism. Led by a dynamic cast and a thrilling script, V UK: Visitation invites listeners into a world all too similar to our own. It’s a heartbreaking, thrilling, and endlessly captivating listen. Don’t go into this volume expecting any answers, though. This is merely the beginning of a larger saga. The earliest throes of the Visitors’ terror. But if the rest of Big Finish Productions’ reimagining of V is even half as good as Visitations is, then we’re all in for quite a treat. It’s a perfect listen for all sci-fi fans – regardless of if you’ve seen the original V or not. Give it a listen, and then look at the world around us and see just how prescient this story is.

V UK: Visitation is available now from Big Finish Productions.