John Wyndham, an English novelist, published his science fiction book The Midwich Cuckoos in 1957.
Book synopsis: A mysterious silver object emerges in the tranquil English town of Midwich, knocking out all occupants. Everyone wakes up unhurt the following morning after the item has vanished, but it is then discovered that every woman in the town is pregnant. All of Midwich’s offspring are blonde with golden eyes, and they do not belong to their parents. They mature too quickly, and their brains possess horrifying powers that enable them to exert control over others and put them in conflict with the villagers just as the outside world begins to realise something terrifying. The classic story of aliens living among us, The Midwich Cuckoos explores how we react to people who are inherently more intelligent than us in every way.
The book has been adapted into a variety of media, including radio (1982, 2003, and 2017), TV series, and cinema (twice as Village of the Damned, in 1960 and 1995).
In the 2022 series The Midwich Cuckoos, all of the childbearing women of childbearing age mysteriously become pregnant. Midwich starts to realise that these babies are unique as they are being born by these ladies. Each child looks like their mom (unlike the book where they all have golden eyes, dark blonde hair, and pale, silvery skin). They also contain extraterrestrial additions to their mother’s DNA. A few are masculine, indicating a Y chromosome. The government shows instant concern, insisting on confidentiality right away and rewarding the parents for their assistance.
