Invasion Iowa (2005) User Reviews

To Boldly Go...

[morpheusatloppers · 7/10 · 23 March 2009]

The premise: a film crew turns up in a genuine Iowa Small Town (pop. 800-odd) which, 20 years ago, had decided to name itself "The Future Birthplace Of Captain Kirk" - since it had been referenced as such in Star Trek.

They have the legendary Bill Shatner with them and announce they are there to make a movie entitled - "Invasion Iowa". Furthermore, they will be needing a number of locals to help, filling minor roles, playing extras, etc.

They begin holding auditions. Of course, video-cameras are rolling - to gather material for the "making-of featurette". But what the good folks don't realize is that the cameras are ACTUALLY recording them for a REALITY SHOW. The "movie" doesn't exist.

The crew, Shatner and the other actors are all in on it - but apart from the town's mayor, no-one else is. What will happen? The thing is, nobody really KNEW. Although the programme was the first major SERIES by a company who had previously done "punk" TV, they had never done a whole TOWN before.

And while Americans might be happy to laugh at individuals, they wouldn't take kindly to a whole TOWN being punked. Sure, a LITTLE punking would be okay, but these were decent people - they were America - so overall, care had to be taken and respect given.

And it was. The whole exercise had a feel-good factor that was palpable. You came to CARE for these people.

And there was an element of suspense, too. After all, there was no precedent for this - nothing like it had ever been done before. The actors had to stay in character, 24/7 - without a script. The crew had no idea what they would need to shoot. Improv - on a MAJOR scale.

It all happened years ago now - I only write this to help anyone whose country has JUST had this show syndicated to them - and despite ticking "here be spoilers" I have no intention of going further, for fear of ruining one of the very BEST "reality shows" ever made.

I realize that's not SAYING MUCH, but if you haven't seen it and you get the chance - check it out. It's unique. And now, it can never really be done again. At least, nowhere that HAS seen "Invasion Iowa"!

Interesting but didn't really work

[whatch-17931 · 6/10 · 15 March 2021]

If you read Shatner's biography, he says this was initially intended to poke fun at small town yokels, but once they got started they realized how innocent the townspeople were and how cruel it would be to do that.

So, they quickly changed it so that Shatner and company would be the butt of the jokes. That's probably why it doesn't work terribly well. They just really weren't prepared for that angle.

A town of Joe Schmo's touch the heart of Hollywood

[Pro Jury · 1 April 2005]

What if an American entertainment living legend came to your small town with a large camera crew to make a movie, what would you and your fellow town-folk do? And what will you and your friends do once you learn that the whole production is fake?

SPIKE TV continues their Joe Schmo fake reality show tradition with INVASION IOWA. Yes, a whole town filled with unknowing Schmo's! Unlike the Schmo shows, INVASION uses a world famous TV legend and the town-folk act with much more respectful restraint than they otherwise might.

Ironically, the most interesting and most candid moments come when the camera captures the reactions of the Hollywood actors. The last hour has much raw emotion pouring from William Shatner and his fellow actors. Watching as the town folks receive their "thank you" gifts was by far the highlight of the series.

Great Idea, Totally Wasted

[curtis-8 · 2/10 · 3 January 2010]

"Invasion Iowa" has a great concept (explained elsewhere on the site, so I won't repeat it here). But the people involved totally fail in every single way to make the mess entertaining. Firstly the cast members that make up the fake film crew are not funny people. They aren't even as eccentric as real film people are. They all seemed WAY too afraid to be the weirdoes or jerks they needed to be to pull off the humor, way to nice, way too normal. In fact, even though Shatner describes his "character" as self absorbed and eccentric, he actually treats the townfolk really well, as though he can't help but try to be liked. Also, the situations that must have seemed funny on paper just don't work in real life. The townfolk just aren't that taken aback by the cast's lame antics, so since the "victims" don't react, we lose the "Candid Camera"/Punk'd aspect of the gag. In fact, the comedy in the execution of the practical joke itself is SO lacking that the producers resorted to filming the cast, including Shat, in private interviews making lame jokes ABOUT the practical joke. I mean the practical joke ITSELF should be the funny part, right? But the joke just doesn't work at all. So then the show becomes not about something funny but rather more about whether or not the practical jokers can at least not get caught in their lie. But there's nothing funny about any of it.

"Invasion Iowa" is justifiably obscure.

Invasion Iowa What was he Thinking?

[gregorycox12345 · 27 June 2005]

I watched The Mini Series on Spike TV.I must say William Shatner has done it again.At first I figured.What The Heck Nothing else on TV.Boy I'm Glad there was not anything else on TV.While I was watching it I could Not Believe How Gullable some people are.I mean Come on don't People in Iowa Watch TV?I admit what he did was wrong.But Boy was it Funny When he told the People of Riverside Iowa That this so Called MOVIE HE WAS MAKING WAS A FAKE!!JUST A REALITY SHOW!But in the end hopefully he learned a lesson.But The question remains,will the good people of Riverside Iowa Forgive and Forget.Or Won't They?Tune in For Yourself.I know that this is Very Hard to find.Good Luck.

Hope it Was worth It.

Greg