Passing Fancy (Alien Nation 6): Passing Fancy

This particular story would have been an excellent episode should the show have been granted a second season like it deserved. The mood and social commentary (on the police side, family side, and the "guest star" side) were an interesting continuation into the reality of being an outsider mainstreamed into modern Western life. It illustrates just how far some outsiders are willing to go in order to approximate normalcy in mainstream society. The writing style was a bit jumpy with the flashbacks and some of the adjectives chosen to describe certain people, which of course suggests that it may have been a bit of a rough transition from script to prose.

I wish that David Spencer had paid more attention to the tv series before writing this novel. Some things just don't fit. However, the idea of Newcomers wanting so much to fit in that they risk their health to change their look is very powerful and unique. The writing was well done though frankly I think too much time was spent on the lives of the Francisco family and not on the case.

Passing Fancy would have been an amazing episode for the TV series Alien Nation. Sadly, the series ended before the story treatment could be made. We are fortunate that David Spencer was allowed to turn his wonderful story into this rich book that reads like an enhanced episode. It is obvious that Spencer cared for and understood the characters he wrote about. Every bit of the well written dialogue reads as spoken by George and Sykes..AS PLAYED by Eric Pierpoint and Gary Graham. It is refreshing and enjoyable. The story itself is a tightly woven look at adaptation and prejudice, human AND alien. I can't recommend it enough.