Visitor History

Aliens, who appear human, arrive on Earth in a fleet of huge saucer-like motherships, which they park over all major cities. They have come from the fourth planet from the star Sirius, and they appear to be friendly, seeking the help of humans to obtain chemicals to aid their own world. In return, the Visitors promise to share their advanced technology with humanity. The governments of Earth accept, and the Visitors gain considerable influence with authorities.

However, strange things are soon noted. Scientists find themselves facing increasing media hostility, and government restrictions on their activities and movements. Others, particularly those keen on examining the Visitors more closely, disappear. Noted scientists confess to subversive activities; some exhibiting other unusual behavior, such as suddenly demonstrating an opposite hand preference to the one they are known to have.

TV cameraman Michael Donovan (Singer) sneaks aboard one of the Visitors' motherships and discovers that beneath their humanlike facade, the aliens are reptilian in nature, and carnivorous - preferring to eat live food, like rodents and birds. Donovan gets some of this on tape, but just as this exposé is about to air, the broadcast is interrupted by a Visitor announcement, suddenly making Donovan a fugitive, pursued by both the police and the Visitors.

As the miniseries progresses, the Visitors' agenda is revealed: they plan to steal all of the Earth's water and harvest the human race as food, leaving only a few as slaves and soldiers/cannon fodder for the Visitors' wars with other alien races. The scientists are persecuted - both to discredit them, the part of the human population most likely to discover the Visitors' secrets, and to distract the rest of the population with a scapegoat upon whom they could focus their fears.

Key human individuals are subjected to a special mind control process called "conversion", which turns them into the Visitors' pawns, leaving only subtle behavioral clues to this manipulation. Some other humans, on the other hand (including Mike Donovan's mother), willingly collaborate with the Visitors, seduced by their power.

A resistance movement is formed, determined to expose and oppose the Visitors as much as possible. The Los Angeles cell leader is Dr. Juliet (Julie) Parish. Donovan is later assimilated into the group. Soon, the members of the resistance strike their first blows against the Visitors. Meanwhile, there are dissidents among the Visitors (known as the Fifth Column), lead by Martin, who are opposed to their leader's plans and attempt to help the Resistance.