Roadside Picnic is probably my favorite version of alien visitation. I'm partial to stories where the aliens are largely incomprehensible. Especially the ones who can manage the high tech requirements of FTL. Felt very realistic having the aliens visit Earth as tourists and not invaders, ignore the locals, and throw their trash around.

I am also a little surprised it hasn't been made into modern show. It would perfectly fit the paradigm of the modern story arc-based show that's centered around a big mystery. But, there's some consolation when one can see the influence of Roadside Picnic on other shows. Seems like it was a big influence on Lost.