Hollywood prank on the heartland

Happily wielding his newly won Emmy (for a guest turn on “The Practice” that set up his current role on “Boston Legal”), William Shatner emerges from a limo and quickly charms a group of Iowans with the skill of a presidential hopeful at the caucuses. Is Wild Bill hawking a book, or maybe stopping by a “Star Trek” convention?

No, Shatner and a film crew have come to Riverside, Iowa, population 928, to shoot a science-fiction movie about a man who travels back in time to prevent the impregnation of a farm girl by a murderous, futuristic race. Shatner is to direct from his own script and star alongside 10 locals cast in supporting roles. The people of Riverside are ecstatic to have Shatner in their presence and to be working on his film -- which, unbeknown to them, is an elaborate hoax.

In a wacky inversion of “The Day of the Locust,” Hollywood comes to the heartland in Spike TV’s miniseries “Invasion Iowa.” Beginning tonight and showing over four nights, the program features Shatner as a slightly twisted version of himself in what is essentially a protracted episode of “Candid Camera” meets “Punk’d.”

It’s dishonest. It’s mean-spirited. It’s improbable to the extreme. Pulling one over on the rubes is one of the oldest cons in the book.

Yet it’s also pretty funny. Besides, a town that bills itself as the future birthplace of Capt. James Tiberius Kirk of the Starship Enterprise is kind of asking for it, right?

Only the first two episodes were available for preview, but at least initially, Riverside is buying into “Invasion Iowa” -- which is also the title of the fake movie -- with the enthusiasm of “American Idol” contestants. After Shatner gets to know some of the townspeople, his conscience rears its head, but thankfully that doesn’t seem to last long.

As he shoots his faux epic, Shatner is surrounded by actors playing exaggerated Hollywood types: His leading lady is the kleptomaniacal ditz Gryffyn Greene (Desi Lydic); stuntman/body double Tate “Tiny” Duncan (Kirk Ward) is Shatner’s unctuous “nephew”; there is also the incompetent assistant, Herb (Michael J. O’Hara); a cold, sadistic female studio exec named Max (Garz Chan); and an eccentric “spiritual advisor,” Steve Cook (Ernie Grunwald).

The series occupies such a bizarre place in the reality TV landscape that at times it’s difficult to decide whether it’s brilliant or moronic. One of the residents is given the job of product placement guru and shoots a series of commercials mocking the whole idea. But the more times priceline.com, Brylcreem and Aqua Velva are mentioned, the more “Invasion Iowa” becomes just another reality TV meta-commercial with Shatner as the ultimate pitchman.

Yet the 74-year-old actor soldiers forth with a “this is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you” attitude that makes it rather hard to dislike him for what he’s doing. He’s simultaneously gleeful while pulling off the gags and sincere in delivering a wonderfully self-deprecating performance in the film-within-the-show. When he mock-earnestly tells the people working on the film, “This is my picture of what America is ... and I’m Canadian,” they applaud him.

The residents of Riverside get the fact that the movie they are working on is low-budget schlock and even seem to be aware of Shatner’s reputation for camp, but they are so intoxicated with his star power and the opportunity to grab their 15 minutes of fame that they seem like willing butts of the joke. How upset they become when the ruse is revealed remains to be seen, but it promises to be entertaining.

*

‘Invasion Iowa’

Where: Spike TV

When: Tonight -- Friday 9 p.m.

Ratings: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children)

William Shatner...Himself

Kirk Ward...”The Body Double” Tiny

Desi Lydic...”The Actress” Gryffyn

Ernie Grunwald...”Bill’s Spiritual Advisor” Steve

Garz Chan...”The Studio

Executive” Max

Michael J. O’Hara...”The Assistant” Herb

Executive producers Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Gary R. Benz, William Shatner. Creators Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick. Writers Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Andrew Green, J. Holland Moore, Jonathan Green, Gabe Miller. Director Brendon J. Carter.