Alien: Earth (FX / Hulu)

By: Dave Hughes

Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) is one of the most widely recognized films in the history of cinema, a masterpiece that continues to haunt audiences to this day.  Since the groundbreaking original, the franchise has spawned four sequels, two prequels and spin-offs like Alien vs. Predator (2004). Now, for the first time, the Xenomorphs are making the leap into television. Creator Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion)  takes on the challenge and  to no one’s surprise, he delivers. The Alien story is back and has never been more terrifying. 

Set two years before the events of the original film, this story unfolds on Earth, now a dystopia ruled by five major corporations. Debt is the currency of survival and everyone pays it off through service. Corporate control has always been a part of the Alien DNA and this time around we are introduced to a fresh and nefarious corporation by the name of Prodigy, a relatively new company in the world of Alien that has made an impact by competing with Weyland-Yutani for global control. Run by a young billionaire named Boy Kavalier(Samuel Blenkin), Prodigy has its sights set on AI and more specifically, synths. Fans will recognize these synths from the original franchise. In the films, they were androids who looked and acted human. They were sometimes loyal but also sometimes deadly. Kavalier takes the next step with the synths by imprinting them with the consciousness of humans. It's a weighty concept and one not without questions of morality. The ideas of the human mind being imprinted in the consciousness creates a moral question for viewers and one that encourages conversation outside of the show’s runtime.  Prodigy’s experiments are quickly interrupted as a spaceship crashes in their territory and makes Kavalier question to see how he can get his hands on Xenomorphs and whatever other creatures are on the ship. 

Alien: Earth is a gorgeous looking show from the onset. The set pieces of Earth are breathtaking and incredibly expansive. Even more entertaining is that way Hawley shoots the interiors of the spaceships, echoing Ridley Scott’s style. In a clear homage to Scott, Hawley steers the audience through the ship in episode 1 while making audiences feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic. It’s a clever nod but also a reminder of how close the series ties to the events of the original. It’s clear that Disney gave Hawley a blank check to create this world as each environment has its own color palette and wide ranging scope. Noah Hawley makes the series his own through the surprising music of this series. Long time Alien fans may expect the eerie and industrial feel of the original but, Hawley surprises viewers by using heavy, aggressive  bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica and Tool. This choice gives the series his own sense of atmosphere and mood making the series apart from anything that came before. 

Themes of dangerous corporations and AI return in full force. From Weyland-Yutani in the original films, to Prodigy this time around, Alien has always been about the dangers of unchecked corporate power and it’s never felt more relevant than today. Alien: Earth builds on that legacy by showing what happens when companies compete against one another for total control. Boy Kavalier in particular stands out as a Mark Zuckerberg type character with goals of meeting someone with an equal, possibly superior intellect. His ambition is as frightening as any Xenomorph on the program. 

The performances anchor the story, grounding the journey in human fear. Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood, Justified) particularly stands out as Kirsh, a synthetic created by Prodigy whose robotic approach gives the audience uncertainty about his true intentions. Fans of Olyphant’s previous work will be able to connect with his signature charisma which adds a spark of unpredictability. Another standout is Sydney Chandler (Don’t Worry Darling) as Wendy, a synthetic imprinted with the consciousness of a 12 year old girl. Chandler balances naivety with flashes of confidence and bravery making her both sympathetic and resilient, a character for whom audiences will instinctively root. 

Target Score 10/10: Alien Earth is one of the most exciting programs on TV in recent years. From the captivating story to the genuine terror that audiences feel on board the ships, it proves to be the perfect television adaptation to one of cinema’s most iconic films. Hawley doesn’t just honor the franchise’s legacy, he expands it, creating a series that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.