War of the Worlds

Humanity must resume its war against the Martians when they revive after decades of hibernation following their defeat in the 1950s. The fate of Earth may very well rest in the hands of a small yet courageous band: astrophysicist Harrison Blackwood, paraplegic computer wizard Norton Drake, microbiologist Suzanne McCullough and military man Paul Ironhorse.

War of the Worlds (1988-1990) is a Canadian-French-American syndicated science fiction series, a two-season continuation of H.G. Wells' invasion story that picks up after the Martians were beaten in the 1950s. Astrophysicist Harrison Blackwood (Jared Martin) leads a small band that includes paraplegic computer expert Norton Drake (Philip Akin), microbiologist Suzanne McCullough (Lynda Mason Green) and military man Colonel Paul Ironhorse (Richard Chaves). Their engine is simple and urgent: the aliens have revived from hibernation, they have learned from their earlier defeat, and humanity must find ways to stop them with whatever technology and secret knowledge survives from the first war. The series runs forty-four episodes of hour-long adventure, mixing sci-fi problem solving with action set pieces and a recovered alien arsenal. Its tone is earnest and brisk, a family-friendly pulp adventure with a sense of buried history and a lingering dread of invasion. Set in a present-day world shaped by the old cold war era, it suits viewers who enjoy 1980s syndicated sci-fi. Fans of V and Earth: Final Conflict will find much to enjoy here.

• Earth: Final Conflictshared pulp alien invasion premise, earth defense band, syndicated 1980s sci-fi adventure tone
• Invasion: Earthshared H.G. Wells source lineage and alien invasion survival tone
• V (1983)shared 1980s syndicated sci-fi action with a small band of heroes fighting an alien threat
• Falling Skiesshared alien invasion adventure with humans resisting an occupying force

Created by

Greg Strangis

Release Date

1988-10-07

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

6.5 / 10 (33)

What is War of the Worlds about?

Decades after their 1953 defeat, the Martians revive and a small band of scientists and soldiers must resume humanity's war against them.

What is War of the Worlds like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of War of the Worlds as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is War of the Worlds violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in War of the Worlds as moderate.

Which shows are like War of the Worlds?

Shows with a similar feel include Earth: Final Conflict, Invasion: Earth, V (1983), and Falling Skies.

How long is War of the Worlds?

War of the Worlds: 2 seasons, 44 episodes.

Is War of the Worlds still running?

No, War of the Worlds has ended.