V has built a real following among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. 2 seasons in, and the quality has not slipped. 819 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Elizabeth Mitchell anchors it with a performance that grounds the bigger ideas in something human. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, V earns its spot. What makes V work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. A re-imagining of the 1980s miniseries about the world's first encounter with an alien race in which the aliens call themselves The Visitors, and have a seemingly friendly agenda that may or may not be a cover for something more malevolent. Elizabeth Mitchell and Morena Baccarin lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. The series ran for 2 seasons (2009–2011), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. What separates V from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

V is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. Invasion is the obvious comparison, but V earns its own place alongside it. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Elizabeth Mitchell anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.

V was cancelled in 2011, created by Kenneth Johnson and Scott Peters — and 2 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.