The Visitors

It's the year 2484 and the Earth is threatened by a rogue comet which could fatally change its orbit. The solution is surprising - Adam Bernau, the greatest genius of 20th century developed 500 years ago an ingenious formula for easy transporting of continents and even worlds. Unfortunately, he made this discovery at the age of 11 and the exercise book containing it was destroyed in the fire. But this is not a challenge to Academic Filip who decides to send an expedition back in time to retrieve the precious exercise book from the fire. But everything is not so simple as it seems...

The Visitors (1983-1984) is a Czechoslovak television science fiction comedy miniseries created by Jindřich Polák and Ota Hofman for Československá televize. Its premise is set in 2484, when a rogue comet threatens Earth, and the solution lies in a formula devised centuries earlier by a boy genius. Academic Filip sends an expedition into the past to retrieve the exercise book that holds the formula before it burns in a fire. Cast members Josef Bláha as Prof. Jan Richard, Josef Dvořák as Emil Karas and Leo Kane, and Dagmar Patrasová as Káťa Jandová and Emilia Fernandez lead the story across fifteen half-hour episodes. The engine of the series is the gap between the visitors' future expectations and the messy reality of the twentieth century, and each episode turns on the small, awkward obstacles that get in the way of a simple retrieval. Fans of Doctor Who, Quantum Leap and Back to the Future will find resonance in its time travel adventure, its family friendly tone and its gentle, deadpan humour. The result is a light, whimsical and nostalgic piece of retro television.

A beloved cult classic in the Czech Republic, praised for its witty humour and charm, though its production looks dated by modern standards.

• Doctor Whotime travel premise, retro sci-fi comedy-adventure tone, serialized family-friendly mystery
• Quantum Leaptime travel mission to alter the past, sci-fi adventure with a family-friendly tone
• Back to the Futurelighthearted sci-fi adventure with futuristic characters tangled in past events

Created by

Jindřich Polák, Ota Hofman

Release Date

1983-11-05

Episode runtime

30 min

Rating

8.2 / 10 (24)

What is The Visitors about?

A 25th century expedition travels back to 20th century Earth to recover a child genius's lost formula and save the planet from a rogue comet.

What is The Visitors like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Visitors as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The Visitors violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Visitors.

What did critics think of The Visitors?

A beloved cult classic in the Czech Republic, praised for its witty humour and charm, though its production looks dated by modern standards.

Which shows are like The Visitors?

Shows with a similar feel include Doctor Who, Quantum Leap, and Back to the Future.

How long is The Visitors?

The Visitors: 1 season, 15 episodes.

Is The Visitors still running?

No, The Visitors has ended.