This Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Horror Series Only Got 1 Season Before It Was Unfairly Canceled

The small screen is notorious for unceremoniously cancelling both critically acclaimed and fan-favorite shows, with notable titles like My So-Called Life, Twin Peaks, Deadwood, and Firefly just a few TV gems that were given the ax far too soon. In 2005, the criminally underrated sci-fi series Invasion premiered on ABC. Set in a small Florida town, the show followed mysterious, water-breathing creatures that began taking over residents’ bodies and cloning them after a hurricane devastated the community.

Inspired by the 1956 cinema classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the show featured a large ensemble cast including William Fichtner, Eddie Cibrian, and Evan Peters. It garnered widespread praise for its stellar writing, immersive atmosphere, and winning performances. Despite such a positive response from audiences, Invasion was shockingly canceled after just one season for reasons largely out of its control, even though it was originally conceived to run for five seasons. Let’s check out why the sci-fi horror series was canceled and why it deserves a second look.

‘Invasion’ Emerges as a Harrowing Sci-Fi Horror Hit

ABC

Set in the small Florida town of Homestead in the aftermath of a violent hurricane, the sci-fi series Invasion focuses on the coastal community. It explores the impact of the storm as many of its residents begin disappearing, and people who were believed to be dead mysteriously reappear. During the hurricane, only a select few witnessed thousands of ominous orange “lights” drop into the ocean, including Florida Everglades Park Ranger Russell Varon (Eddie Cibrian) and his conspiracy theory-obsessed brother-in-law Dave Groves (Tyler Labine), who are attacked after investigating the perplexing occurrence.

Russell, along with the dedicated town sheriff Tom Underlay (William Fichtner) and his family, sets out to uncover the truth in Homestead. Together, they make a terrifying discovery: water-breathing extraterrestrials are emerging and creating human clones from the bodies of the dead. The 22 episodes chronicled how the residents attempted to fight back against the nefarious creatures that were trying to take over the planet as the dominant species, with the series also delving into the terror, grief, and mistrust that ran rampant among the community.

Created by singer, actor, and producer Shaun Cassidy, Invasion drew heavily on the premise of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It left audiences on the edge of their seats as Russell, Tom, and the rest of Homestead’s residents rallied together to stop the extraterrestrials from claiming and cloning the lives of their own, making for a truly thrilling experience from start to finish. When the series premiered on September 21, 2005, it attracted a whopping 16.43 million viewers. However, the ratings began to slip shortly thereafter, which did not bode well for its ultimate fate.

Multiple Factors Led to the Shocking Cancellation of ‘Invasion’

ABC

The timing of Invasion‘s debut was not ideal, as the sci-fi series premiered on TV screens in the direct wake of Hurricane Katrina and its devastating impact on the southern United States. This prompted ABC to pull on-air promotions and change the core theme of the show to completely exclude the hurricane element, instead focusing on the alien invasion aspect. Invasion also aired directly after the cultural phenomenon Lost, which, despite helping the newcomer initially attract viewers and passionate sci-fi fans, also resulted in endless comparisons between the two plot-heavy shows. Entertainment Weekly observed:

“As simple as it may sound here, Invasion was rather high-concept. And unfortunately, it got lost in the buzz surrounding the second season of the equally high-concept science-fiction show that it followed: Lost.”

The hurricane-themed premise (and its unfortunate timing), lack of promotion, and inheritance of the timeslot after Lost ultimately led to Invasion being canceled after just one season, much to the devastation of its loyal fan base, who awarded the show a stellar 84% Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter rating. Invasion had the makings of being a truly exceptional sci-fi horror hit, as it featured genuinely terrifying thrills, strange creatures, and emotionally driven characters that audiences were eager to learn more about, before ABC unceremoniously canceled it. Shaun Cassidy later commented on the shocking cancellation of Invasion on Reddit in 2014:

“I think there were unrealistic expectations that any show following Lost should do better. But no show after ours ever DID do better, so I suspect some of the execs may have regretted taking our show off the air.”

Cassidy was certainly right. Invasion has garnered a cult-like following and growing appreciation in the two decades since its initial run, thanks to its fresh take on Invasion of the Body Snatchers, its gripping narrative, and William Fichtner’s standout performance as the determined town sheriff.

Invasion has landed on numerous lists of shows canceled too soon, including those by The Huffington Post and Entertainment Weekly. Even its cast members were perplexed that the show never made it past its freshman season, with star Tyler Labine retrospectively calling it, “a big hit that got cancelled for some reason that nobody understands.” Invasion is now streaming for free on Tubi.

Release Date

2005 – 2005

Network

ABC

Directors

Thomas Schlamme, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Bill Eagles, Bryan Spicer, Eric Laneuville, Ernest R. Dickerson, Fred Toye, Harry Winer, J. Miller Tobin, Michael Dinner, Michael Nankin, Rod Holcomb

Writers

Shaun Cassidy, Juan Carlos Coto, Becky Hartman Edwards, Julie Siege, Michael Berns, Reed Steiner

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  Barry Wiggins

  General Turner

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  Bob Morrisey

  Lawrence Burley

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  Eddie Cibrian

  Russell Varon

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  Holmes Osborne

  Mayor Littles

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