The Martian people were not all that peaceful

The portrayal of the original Martian people is ambivalent. On one hand we see them as highly cultured and highly advanced, even possibly more biologically advanced than Earth homo sapiens. But it becomes clear that the Martian people are just mortal, blood and flesh all too human as us, even as they do have an advanced civilization.

Their mortal fallibility as us humans quickly becomes obvious at the beginning. The Martians, despite their peaceful appearance, possess advanced infantry weaponry, based on directed lethal energy, possibly microwave pulses. Their culture, which prizes harmony, peace, tranquility, and co-existence, must have had a history of war and conflict. The Martian culture includes a metal mask of conflict, designed to hide the wearer's face and emotions while possibly serving not only as face armor but a barrier to telepathy and mind-reading from fellow Martians.

Yes, the Martian people are quite aware of physical conflict and violence and their artifacts show they were prepared for it, even if just on a one-to-one basis since there was no evidence of a national military organization and military weaponry. Maybe they achieved planetary peace a long time ago but memories of it linger which is why they still own personal weapons.

The Martian people might be more human as us than we are aware of. It appears they possess a sexual libido. Mr. K's beautiful wife, Ylla, is clearly aroused in her dreams by the tall, brunette Earthman, York, still in route in space to Mars. She has never met an Earthman before, clearly a sentient being from a totally different species and yet you sense she has some kind of physical attraction for him already. Her curiosity and sexual attraction completely submerge any caution and fear as she is about to step outside into the evening darkness to meet a strange man from another world that she has never met before; a man who in her dreams tells her that he will take her back with him to Earth, and she is a married woman!

I know some viewers are underwhelmed by THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES but I believe they are judging it by 2016 standards. It was better received when it came out in 1979.