Series based on Mahy novel

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 15

Series based on Mahy novel

Stunning special effects are a feature of a gripping new British children’s adventure series based on a novel by New Zealand author Margaret Mahy, which starts this afternoon at 4.30 on Two.

Called “Aliens in the Family,” the six-part series is a combination of an exciting sciencefiction thriller and a portrayal of difficult family relationships. It brings together two different kinds of aliens, one from outer space, and the

other an outsider in a new family. British children have been enthralled by the series, which has regularly attracted viewing audiences of six million.

The story starts as Jacqueline, known as Jake, sets out to meet her father for the first time since his remarriage. Her new stepmother already has a 12-year-old daughter, Dora, and a younger son, Lewis, and Jake is to stay with them for the summer holidays.

She is apprehensive about meeting her father’s new family and her fears are realised when she and Dora detest each other on sight. She feels like an alien in the family. The other alien, Bond, lives on Galgonquan, a “school” travelling through space. He, too, is sent away — on a mission to Earth to test his initiative and maturity. His arrival on Earth coincides with Jake’s first unhappy meeting with her new relatives.

Bond soon enters the children's lives. His mission is already fraught with danger, as he is being pursued by Galgonquan’s bitterest enemies, the Wirdigen. The children give him food and shelter, and understanding develops between them, and they form a united front against Bond’s enemies. Soon events from the past and future tangle with the present, and the children must depend on each other if they are to survive.