This aired some time ago but as we are wont to do we recorded it then and watched it recently. The miniseries is based on a 1950s Arthur C. Clark novel of the same name. I think I read it back in middle school because the kicker in it I remembered. There have been some changes to story the ambassador between Karellen, Overlord Supervisor of Earth wasn’t a farmer but a Senator in the book. I rather like the change to a farmer. The adaptation is very good and has the gut emotional impact of the novel. The question is what if an alien came and made, forced peace on earth – gave us a golden age of no sickness and war. Why can’t we see them at first? What would that do to us in a generation? Would we take it or be suspicious of it? What in the end would be the price? Why would they give us a Golden Age? These are the questions of the novel and the miniseries that do get answers. If you haven’t read or seen it and want to explore these questions with the novel or the very well done miniseries don’t read after the cut and go do so. For under the cut there be spoilers and a discussion of where I felt the miniseries dropped the ball a bit at the end. So if you continue on you are either like me okay with spoilers or you know the twist.
Mary Louise Eklund 