They're here! Aliens have invaded North American living rooms in the new hit TV show V. Known as “Vs”—short for Visitors—these extraterrestrials have come to Earth preaching peace but hiding darker motives, not to mention lizard-like bodies under their fake human skin.

The pilot episode kicked off last fall with giant spaceships darkening the skies over 29 major cities of the world. Anna (Morena Baccarin), the beautiful and charismatic leader of the Visitors, reassures the panicked masses of Earth that they mean no harm. “We are of peace—always,” she intones.

Crisis of Faith
But a small number of humans begin to doubt the sincerity of the seemingly benevolent Visitors. FBI counter-terrorism agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell) discovers that the aliens have spent decades infiltrating human governments, businesses and religious institutions. But to what purpose?

Erica joins the resistance movement, which includes Ryan (Morris Chestnut), a Visitor sleeper agent who wants to save humanity, and Father Jack Landry (Joel Gretsch), a priest who has a crisis of faith when his superiors quickly accept the Visitors as part of “God's plan.”

Unfortunately, the Visitors have an expert public-relations strategy. They recruit young people as “ambassadors” —including Erica's son, Tyler (Logan Huffman)—to serve them unknowingly as spies. And they enlist Chad Decker (Scott Wolf), a conflicted television reporter, as their chief spokesman.

Through TV interviews, the Visitors explain that they need a new supply of water and a certain mineral, which is abundant on Earth, to survive. In exchange, they agree to share their technological advances, including cures for the sick. People flock to their medical centres, but Ryan and Erica are convinced there is something more nefarious at work.

As Erica says, “They're arming themselves with the most powerful weapon out there … devotion.”

Trust and Terror
The series is a “re-imagining” of two V mini-series that aired on NBC in 1983 and 1984. ABC's remake is faithful in premise and less campy in presentation. V has been on hiatus following the first four episodes but continued its run in late March, after the Winter Olympics. ABC clearly hopes to appeal to the same fan base of its other hit science-fiction shows Lost and FlashForward, which have intricate plotlines designed to keep audiences guessing.

“V was a timeless story of resistance against tyrannical oppression,” says writer Kenneth Johnson of the original series. “It was never about spaceships and aliens. V was about power: ruthless people who possessed power, and everyday people who risked their lives to fight against the abuse of power.”

Johnson says that his inspiration for the original series was based on anti-Nazi resistance movements during the Second World War, apartheid in South Africa and the American Revolution. Those historical underpinnings gave V a depth and substance that helped to make it an instant classic.

There is a similar undercurrent in the new V, what executive producer Scott Peters calls a “post-9/11 emphasis on questions of trust and terror.”

The best science fiction is not only a portent of what's to come but a commentary on present-day society. For example, the Visitors' offer of free medical treatment resonates with the current controversy over access to health care in the United States. The decision to grant visas to Visitors so that they can mix with the human population evokes the immigration debate. Of course, the show is not meant as a political statement, but V's creators know that good science fiction exploits our deepest anxieties.

Searching for a Saviour
The core message of V is that appearances can be deceiving. And blind trust can lead to ruin. It's a theme as old as the Bible. The Apostle Paul notes the devil is so clever and deceptive that he often “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14) in order to win people's hearts and minds.

Jesus, too, had warnings about false saviours: “If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, 'Here's the Messiah!' or points, 'There he is!' don't fall for it. Fake messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better” (Matthew 24:23-24 The Message).

Many people today are searching for a Saviour. Someone to rescue them from failing health, abusive situations or feelings of worthlessness. Too often they look for answers in all the wrong places: at the bottom of a bottle, in self-centred New Age spirituality, in material wealth and prosperity.

Their devotion is misplaced. What they don't realize is that a Saviour has already come. Christians believe Jesus was God in the flesh, who came to teach us the way to live. At Easter, we commemorate His death and Resurrection. His sacrifice means we can be forgiven for our sins and enter into a renewed relationship with God.

We are not alone in the universe. There is a God who loves us. He's our Creator in Heaven who can be known through prayer, a relationship with Jesus and studying the Bible.

God doesn't promise that once you believe, things will miraculously improve for you. But He'll help you learn to love yourself and your neighbour a bit better. He'll help you understand your place in the universe. He'll help you find a community of believers that can support you along life's journey.

Christianity is not just “pie in the sky.” It's a way of life that leads to an overwhelming joy and deep fulfilment.

As Father Landry says, “The world's in bad shape. Who wouldn't welcome a Saviour?” Just be sure to place your faith in the One who has your best interests at heart.