The Visitors returned to prime time last week — and so did their audience.

The big open for ABC's "V" redux annihilated the recent poor track record for TV remakes. Updated versions of "The Bionic Woman," "Knight Rider," and "Melrose Place" have all been prime-time flops. But that hasn't stopped execs from raiding the vaults to find more old but well-known franchises. And now that "V" has posted the best ratings of any new prime-time series this year, those plans will probably just grow.

CBS is already prepping a new version of "Hawaii Five-O," while Mark Burnett is kicking around a reality TV version of "Fantasy Island." Syfy — the channel formerly known as grammatically correct — is mapping out a new take on "Alien Nation." And AMC is hot on a dramatic version of "Perfect Strangers," with Wilmer Valderrama as Balki and Jerry O'Connell as Cousin Larry.

OK, that last one's not true. Yet.

But TV is embracing remakes for the same reasons as the feature world: In this age of mass distraction, any brand recognition helps. Even if that brand is 26 years old and conjures up memories of lizard people eating large rodents.

It remains to be seen whether the new "V" will hold up long-term — and there are some troubling behind-the-scenes signs that the well-received first episode is a fluke. Producer Warner Bros. TV shut down the show several weeks ago, and ABC opted to just air four episodes this month of "V," before taking a break and not returning until after the Winter Olympics. "V" also just underwent a regime change at the top, as "Chuck" alum Scott Rosenberg slid into the series' showrunner job.

“V” invades primetime: What other alien should have a reality show? [Poll]
http://www.sodahead.com/entertainment/v-invades-primetime-wha...

These aren't the kind of changes you make when a show is firing on all cylinders. And indeed, insiders said the show needed some sort of creative shot in the arm in order to become a viable long-term title — and not just a concept that burns bright and then quickly fizzles. But unlike most shows that are forced to retool so early in their life, the stench of prime-time death hasn't yet permeated "V." Strong reviews and even stronger ratings should keep the show in viewers' good graces for now.

It'll need that help. "V," which heads back to production in January, will take a four-month break between its fourth and fifth episodes. That's an eternity in today's TV landscape.
Meanwhile, "V" looks likely to join the roster of fall TV's success stories — next to the the likes of CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles," the CW's "The Vampire Diaries," and Fox's "Glee."

Memo to out-of-work TV scribes: Start putting together that pitch for a drama about vampire alien glee clubs. That ought to at least get your foot in the network door. Wanna get on the air? Make sure your out-of-this-world singing undead also conduct navy criminal investigations on the side.

Also last week in TV:

- CBS cut the order on "Numbers" (er, "Numb3rs") from 22 episodes to 16. In related news, network has also renamed the show "Numb."

- Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were named hosts of the Academy Awards. Moments later, Kim Basinger preemptively blocked the Oscars from her TiVo "to record" list.

- CBS also picked up five more episodes of "Accidentally on Purpose." No word if that was that by accident... or on purpose.

- Telemundo announced its new tagline: "ATRÉVETE A MÁS." It replaces the old one, "¿Dónde está Telemundo?

- ABC announced that "The Bachelor" will be telecast in high definition for the first time this January. You haven't seen HD until you've seen a gaggle of women with self-esteem issues fighting for the love of a douchey reality star in HD.

- Watchdog group the Parents Television Council scolds "Gossip Girl" for promoting an upcoming episode featuring a threesome sex scene. "That's deplorable," they said. "Um, can we have a copy?"

- "Inside Edition" breaks the news that sleazy syndicated series "Cheaters" frequently stages its confrontations. "Cheaters" viewers, who find "Inside Edition" too complicated to watch, never hear the allegations.

- TNT picks up cop drama "Southland" after NBC canceled the show. The cast and crew behind the CW's "The Beautiful Life: TBL" await a similar setup: "Anyone interested in broadcasting never-before-episodes of 'TBL'? Hello? Is this thing on? [Taps microphone.] Damn."

- NBC's "Heroes" dumps star Adrian Pasdar. Viewers are shocked: "Wait, what? 'Heroes' is still on the air?!"