But there is this massive power creep that is getting incredibly hard to justifiability hide.
In the beginning they are just barely able to figure out how to use the ancient tech, but they eventually advance to being the most powerful civilisation in the known universe with massive space battles over Antarctica - all without any effect on the rest of the earth's population? One would imagine that at some point they would no longer see a point at keeping this all secret and let the general public also benefit from that technology.
I remember watching it at the time and really enjoying the cover up aspect. Then rewatching it 15 years ago and finding the cover up a little less plausible. Then after rewatching it last year the whole cover up aspect felt dumb. What I put it down to was the following:
At the time it was aired, it was intended to be set in our universe. So there was some logic in maintaining the cover up because we obviously weren’t hearing stories about alien battles in the news. It’s only when you rewatch it 20+ years later and see all the 90s tech mixed with futuristic tech that you’re pulled out of the realism that it’s set in our universe. Once you see this as an alternative universe with an alternative earth, you no longer need the cover up to keep the cover up to aid with the viewers suspension of disbelief.
It’s a bit like with Dr Who and how present day humans have never heard of the Daleks despite the high number of episodes where they’ve invaded Earth. The moment the victim recognises the Dalek the moment you realise this isn’t set in a reality you occupy and that’s when all the tension disappears (it no longer matters what happens because you don’t care about an alternative Earth you don’t live in).
Although, hilariously, they did have a Doctor Who episode where everyone had abandoned London on Christmas Eve because aliens had invaded the previous couple of Christmas episodes.
They give technology to general public, but in small doses and after rigorous safety tests. There were numerous incidents with "surprises" left in alien technology.
