Ok, so what are the show's flaws in general, if the books are no longer part of the equation? Is it just the production values for you? because considering what else was on Nickelodeon at the time, almost entirely comedies and cartoons, a show about an alien invasion with a more dramatic tone was a welcome edition to the line up if you ask me.
Sorry if I'm treading a bit too off topic here, I'm just really curious.
And just because you find an adaptation a laughable effort doesn't make it a parody. A parody pokes fun the ridiculousness of the original concept and characters.