I’m a sucker for sci-fi series and had great hopes for this new one, mainly because of Steven Spielberg’s credit as executive producer.

But the opener left me somewhat deflated as really it’s just another metaphor for good ol’ gun-toting Americans fighting the evil overpowering state — in this case represented by insectoid aliens who have killed 90 per cent of Earth’s population for no apparent reason — seemingly intent only on taking the kids alive, but for what purpose we know not.

Incidentally why are aliens always based on insects?

It’s perfectly feasible alien life my have evolved from dolphins or koalas.

But I suppose it’s hard for directors to convince audiences Earth is being held to ransom by raygun-toting cuddly koalas high on eucalyptus.