"The Invaders" was a science-fiction series which ran on the ABC Television network from 1967 to 1968. David Vincent is a military veteran and professional architect who one night witnesses the landing of an alien spaceship or "flying saucer" and discovers that extraterrestrials disguised as humans have been living on Earth for some time to prepare for an invasion and conquest. David makes it his life's mission to disrupt the invaders' plans and expose their activities. This episode is titled "The Spores" and was first broadcast on October 17, 1967. The program features an alien who arrives on Earth with a suitcase containing spores which he intends to use to grow little aliens. The suitcase is stolen and the alien has to use a 1960's pay telephone to call for assistance. The alien holds some small United States change.

A spaceship appears headed towards the Earth.

Each episode began with a flying saucer headed to Earth while an announcer proclaimed:

David Vincent, driving late at night and lost, stops his car to rest.

What is it?

In previous episodes David has learned of their plan to take over the Earth, that they use short-lived disguises as humans which require frequent visits to "regeneration chambers", that when they die their human bodies turn red and incinerate leaving no trace, and that they are unpleasant to be around.

The program begins with alien Tom Jessup and another alien driving a truck in rural Colorado.

Two more aliens are riding in the back of the truck with a metal suitcase.

The program announcer states that the aliens are carrying spores from which they intend to grow more aliens.

Two policemen are manning a roadblock and the alien driver turns the truck around. The older policeman, Sergeant Ernie Goldhaver, is suspicious and drives after the truck which crashes into a ravine.

The two aliens in the rear disappear and the policeman drives to the police station. He writes his report but his superior, Lieutenant John Mattson, tells him not to file the report as people will think that he has been drinking. David Vincent learns of the incident.

After talking to the policemen, David drives to the scene of the accident and encounters Tom walking David offers Tom a ride and they head for a cafe.

Another car arrives.

The car is a customized "hot-rod" and disgorges three people, Hal, Mavis, and Roy. Tom visits a pay telephone booth.

Tom pulls out some loose change. The coins appear to be United States quarters (25 cents), dimes (10 cents), and nickels (5 cents). Telephone calls then cost a dime and silver coins were still in circulation.

While Tom is telephoning, David attempts to steal the suitcase. The two men fight and Hal of the hot-rod steals the suitcase. The three hot-rodders drive to their house and Hal attempts to open the suitcase. He can't open it and sends Roy to the cafe to return the suitcase to Tom. Roy instead visits the cafe and leaves the suitcase in a parked automobile. Tom makes another call

Some new aliens arrive and with Tom find Roy.

Roy knows too much.

The device kills humans by simulating a stroke. Sgt. Goldhaver arrives and both agree that the young man's death from a stroke is suspicious. Jack and Sally Palay, a married couple, are the owners of the car with the suitcase. They find the suitcase and take it to their hotel.

Jack is able to open the suitcase and both look at the contents.

The spores do some occasional wiggling. Jack and Sally have been arguing and Sally takes the car to the cafe where she is stopped by a policeman. Tom appears and offers Sally money for the location of the suitcase.

The aliens and Sally go to their motel. At the police station Sgt. Goldhaver telephones Lt. Mattson's former police department and learns that the real John Mattson died.

The lieutenant pulls out an alien death device but the sergeant's gun is quicker.

Three boys have found the suitcase and take it to an abandoned greenhouse. A little girl wants to join them but they tell her it's too dangerous for girls.

The boys don't know it but the spores have changed.

The boys "plant" some of the spores in dirt. Two of the boys chase the third boy away and he promptly heads for the police station where Tom is reporting the theft. The boy tells Tom where the suitcase is and Tom and two aliens go to the greenhouse.

The little girl tells David and Goldhaver where the boys took the suitcase. They head for the greenhouse.

A gunfight ensues between the aliens in the greenhouse and David and Goldhaver. Goldhaver shoots an alien who dies in the usual manner.

David puts some gasoline into a bottle and creates a bomb.

David throws his gasoline bomb at the greenhouse.

Tom is still firing his pistol while the building burns.

David and Goldhaver return to the police station.

They agree to meet after the sergeant retires the next year.

Roy Thinnes as David Vincent
Gene Hackman as Tom Jessup
John Randolph as Police Sergeant Ernie Goldhaver
Wayne Rogers as Police Lieutenant John Mattson
Mark Miller as Jack Palay
Patricia Smith as Sally Palay
Director: William Hale
Writers: Ellis Kadison, Joel Kane, Al Ramrus