Noah Hawley is the latest creative mind to tackle the Alien franchise. The series which began all the way back in 1979 features four core films, two spin-offs, two prequels, and a mid-quel, making it one of the longest lasting science-fiction properties in cinema. Now, with Alien: Earth the franchise gets its first television series.
Rather than being set in the aftermath of Alien Resurrection, which (spoilers) ends with xenomorphs crash-landing on Earth, or adapting the Earth Hive trilogy of Aliens spin-off novels by Steve Perry, Alien: Earth rewinds the clock to just a couple of years before the events abroad the Nostromo in Alien. When this time period was announced as the setting, die-hard fans of the movies were left confused and concerned that the prequel series would just be a load of stuffy board meetings in the offices of Weyland-Yutani. This would still have been somewhat interesting, getting a glimpse behind the company who favour bio-weapons research and development over human life, but thankfully Noah Hawley has opted for a much more compelling storyline.
Right from the first episode, Neverland, Hawley gets into the thick of the action and it isn’t long before fans of the franchise are in familiar alien tainted territory. That Hawley hasn’t held back on the action in the first episode is a huge positive for the series. There was the potential for a whole season to go by with only teases of xenomorph activity, and throwing the audience in head first is certainly the best tactic and the easiest way to win people over. The set-pieces themselves are a wonderful fusion of Alien and Aliens, and although packed with nods to the original films, Alien: Earth never beats the viewer around the face with them as seen in Alien: Romulus. These elements are far more subtle and will pass by most viewers, but are clearly included as little trinkets for those that hold the franchise closest to their hearts.
Despite the title, Alien: Earth, the series appears to be about far more than just xenomorphs running amok on our home planet. Instead there is also plenty of exploration about artificial intelligence, chiefly synthetics, cyborgs, and things of a similar nature, and ultimately what it means to be human. It seems that Noah Hawley is combining elements of Westworld with xenomorph nightmares to create a series that is both thrilling to watch from an action perspective, but also has plenty of components to engage your cerebral cortex. It is an impressive balancing act that perfectly captures the tone of the original films that always used the setting to explore a multitude of other issues. And, if the title of episode one – Neverland – didn’t give it away, Alien:Earth also shares a kinship with the story of Peter Pan and a light refresh of that story might be worthwhile homework.
Neverland is a brilliant introduction to the show. It features a little bit of all the elements that are set to be the show’s calling card, without every feeling scattered. Hawley concisely sets up the story and several key characters, before handing over the reins to Dana Gonzales for episode two, Mr. October. In this episode, the action intensifies; it is a direct continuation from Neverland and so viewing them both with little time in between is recommended. From these two opening episodes alone it is evident that incredible care and respect has gone into Alien: Earth’s creation. Alien: Earth is a tonally authentic expansion of the beloved franchise, that, despite having its own story to tell, never forgets its fanbase. Alien fans rest easy, Alien: Earth looks to be an exceptional chapter in the franchise’s history.
Alien: Earth
Summary
A rare example of an adaptation of existing IP that won’t alienate its loyal fanbase.
The first season of FX’s Alien: Earth premieres with two episodes on Wednesday, August 13 on Disney+ internationally.
