How is this show 'War of the Worlds'?

Oh, I love these topics! I never get tired or worn out from defending this show.

First, the planet from which the invading aliens originate is trivial. If you, or anyone else, can't get past that, then you're overlooking the bigger picture laid out in Wells' novel, and I refuse to carry on anything resembling an intelligent discussion with anyone who can't get over that small fact.

Now, as for the 1953 - well, there are some difference between the two pieces despite the that fact that the series is a sequel to the film. Now, the only definitive knowledge of the aliens being Martians comes from the words of the narrator. Now, in the novel he was the central character, but in the film we only hear a voice from time to time. Not entirely reliable, is it? But perhaps there is some truth to his exposition. Now, in the series, it's claimed that their homeworld of Mor-Tax, is 40 light-years away (all but out-right saying that they've overcome a good deal of the physics that's held humans back). Now, in "Eye for an Eye" we learn that the aliens sent a reconnaissance mission to earth in 1938 - a small battle no one recall because the government hired some man named Orson Welles to cover it up (this also clues us in on the fact that the Wells novel does exist within the universe of the series). Of course since that's only a 15 year difference, this narrows the field of assumption down to the theory that the aliens take base on Mars before launching the invasion. Neat, really - both in creating a new mythos while tying back perfectly to the old.

Now I should break in to the fact that many aspects of the series where never allowed time to be covered and explained properly. The thing about no one remembering the '53 invasion is the sucker of them all. Keep in mind that the mythology was still being laid in the first season, which was not allowed to be followed through (I'm not including the virtually unrelated turd known as Season 2). That's the one difference between this version and the others as a TV series is not a one-shot medium. The show had about four years worth of plotlines to work out, and television is not the most kindest outlet for patience and growth.

There were many clues dropped in the first season that may have led to a plausible explanation. My personal theory contains an alien element (not too dissimilar to the one that affected human behaviour), public distraction and government conspiracy both in the vain of the 1938 radio broadcast. Of course, something other than a local broadcast would have to be implemented in order to reach across the board. Wouldn't a film be in this design? I honestly think the concept of George Pal following in Orson Welles' path in more ways than one both strikes in wider strokes and explains why there are some variants in some elements. Now, with this in mind, it's interesting to perceive the film as complete fiction within the context of the series. How do we know that the Eiffel Tower was really destroyed in their reality? What was the total loss of life? How high-end was the overall devastation? Granted, the destruction would still have to be imagined as taking a huge chunk out of things, but with thirty-five years, a huge memory black-out, and a multitude of lies and deception to pass as history, there is still plenty of room for the truth to hide. Yes, there are events that are still remembered, but let us not forget that there is still much in the past that is still covered in falsities.

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Formless, faithless, and free.

The same way that 98% of the aliens on Star Trek are humanoid oxygen breathers.

The title is well-known and in the public domain and the underlying concept is attractive.

It's a TV show.