15 Comments

The Guardian had an interesting Australian link "According to biographer Michael Foot in H.G. The History of Mr Wells (1995), it started with a conversation between the socialist novelist and his brother Frank: what would an alien invasion feel like? A terrifying disaster, they concluded – not unlike how Tasmanians must have felt when their island was invaded" https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jul/14/war-of-the-worlds-the-pioneering-work-of-science-fiction-inspired-by-australian-brutality I realise current historical research suggests the 'mass hysteria' response to the radio play is no longer considered to have occurred, but a media beat up at the time.

Expand full comment

Muddy Runner is correct. This has as much to do with Wells’ story as Earth vs The Flying Saucers. Nevertheless it is very good. That Bill guy is a nasty, murderours prick who hopefully gets his beans cashed by bug eyed monsters. Or a robot anaconda. We need more robot anacondas.

Expand full comment

I watched the first two episodes on SBS streaming - love it. However, the only thing it has in common with H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" is the name. This is a very different alien invasion story.

But goddam, did I love those French squaddies shooting the shit out of the alien robot dog.

Expand full comment

What the f*ck is it with this book? Why can no-one make a decent film or series remaining true to the original? Even the latest BBC version, which *should* have been superb (and was also, for a change, set in er... hey - England!) was a woke-infested travesty which should have been strangled at birth and was rightly crucified by the critics. I have no doubt that the series previewed in this trailer will be a veritable feast of satisfying splodey-fest BUT what - I ask you what - the f*ck has it got to do with the actual book other than sharing the name and the basic concpet of earth being invaded by aliens? Might've just as well titled Independence Day or Battlefield Earth as "War of the Worlds".

FFS.

Expand full comment

first two episodes got me hooked! I felt irrationally angry having to wait for a new episode each week...

Expand full comment

I'm definitely gonna check out this War of the Worlds, but I usually wait until the whole series is dropped before watching. I'll check back in 10 weeks.

Expand full comment

Watched the first episodes last night, it is a cracker!

Expand full comment

That looks sweet.

Expand full comment