Following the massive success of the original 1983 miniseries and its 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle , NBC launched a weekly series to continue the fight.

Picking up one year after the events of The Final Battle , the series reveals that the Visitors’ "Red Dust" biological weapon is only effective in colder climates. Taking advantage of this, the Visitors return to conquer cities in warmer regions, declaring Los Angeles an "open city" for both sides.

Kenneth Johnson, the creator of the original concept, was not involved in the weekly series, leading to a shift in tone toward more episodic, "monster-of-the-week" storytelling. Key Characters and Plot Lines V (TV Series 1984–1985)