Worlds Collide: BBC 'SuperPower' Meets ABC 'V' TV Show

Two ethereal female guides offer help for planet earth. Both represent super powers. Both attempt to 'shock 'n awe' us into looking at our lives in different ways. The promos are similar in their 'otherworldly' approach and mood, but the intent is much different. One looks to inform while the other to entertain. Both connect with Barack Obama. While the president is actually featured in SuperPower's promo, the 'V' series has been interpreted as an allegory of the current administration, with its allusions to "change" and "universal health care."

Over the dates of March 8-21, BBC's SuperPower will spotlight the Internet and its impact on people globally. It will demonstrate how it has changed our lives from the way we search for information to how we work, communicate and network with others. The programming will mash up TV, online and radio content in a new format that's never been seen before.



'V' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast on ABC on November 3, 2009. A re-imagining of the 1984 miniseries created by Kenneth Johnson, the new series chronicles the arrival on Earth of a technologically advanced alien species who ostensibly come in peace, but actually have sinister motives. 'V' stars Morena Baccarin, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Scott Wolf, and is executive produced by Scott Rosenbaum, Scott Peters, and Jace Hall.



The spokeswomen deliver their messages to us mere mortals in a eerily similar fashion.

"Greetings citizens of earth," says the wraith-like alien creature hovering above the Earth's orbit. "We are in dialogue with your leaders to help the human race survive its infancy."



The BBC's SuperPower will offer the following unique features:

• Blogworld which is gathering the best of the blogosphere in multiple languages. Visit their blog, especially if there's a blog you'd like to share with the BBC team. Starting on March 8th the network will be airing short TV and radio slots in English, Arabic and Farsi, talking with some of the bloggers that are going to be featured.
• Digital Giants which will be talking to some of the main figures in the development of the Web in a series including Steve Ballmer of Microsoft, Eric Schmidt of Google, Joe Rospars from the Obama campaign and Sam Pitroda the main adviser to the Indian Government on the web.
• On/Off which explores the differences between the connected and unconnected worlds. Two families in the world's most connected city, Seoul in South Korea agreed to be disconnected from the Web for one week. In contrast two young men in a Nigerian village, Gitata have been given two Internet connected mobile phones to explore the web for the first time.
• SuperPower Nation will harness the power of the Web and the BBC's 32 language services to launch the world's biggest multi-lingual conversation. Superpower Nation goes on air March 18th.

While giant spaceships appear to hover over major cites, Anna (Morena Baccarin), the beautiful and charismatic leader of the extra-terrestrials known simply as the 'visitors' states her race "will bring harmony to every country and continent on your planet."


ABC will be airing clips to recap the first 4 episodes of "V" on Tuesday March 23rd March, a week before the return of the new season of "V" on Tuesday March 30th. The recaps will begin airing at 10:06pm on Tuesday 23rd March during LOST. King Features' entertainment reporter Cindy Elavsky calls 'V' "the best new show on television, by far. The special effects are feature-film quality; the writing is intelligent and time-relevant; and the acting is first-rate. The first five minutes alone will hook you for the entire season."

If you're on Twitter, you can follow these programs at @BBC_SuperPower and @vtvseries.

Whether you need to be informed or entertained, these two alien females will be your guides for a unique and diverse combination of news and intrigue.  So fasten your seat-belts and enjoy the ride. And remember, "We are at peace - always."