Alien: Earth premiere review: a deep, dark sci-fi masterpiece

Digital Trends

19 hours ago

Alien: Earth episode 1
Score Details 'FX's hit series, Alien: Earth, brings intense sci-fi terror to Earth and new life to the Alien franchise.'
Pros Terrific performances
Compelling characters
Haunting atmosphere
Expansive worldbuilding
Cons Many plotlines with a slow pace
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Noah Hawley's (Fargo, Legion) long-awaited sci-fi horror series, Alien: Earth, has premiered on FX and Hulu, kicking off a bold, frightening new chapter in the Alien franchise. The pilot, written and directed by Howley, shows the spaceship Maginot crash-landing on Earth while delivering some of the deadliest alien creatures in the universe, including the franchise's dreaded mascot, the Xenomorph.
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From the very beginning, Alien: Earth replicates the look and feel of Ridley Scott's original horror film, from the music to the set design to the cinematography. Even the awakening of the Maginot's crew mirrors that of Ripley and her crew in the 1979 film. Though the show's beginning is familiar to franchise fans, it quickly forges its own stellar identity within the world of Alien. And like the franchise's vicious aliens, this new series gets under viewers' skin until their chest bursts with sheer terror.
A brave new world
The first episode of Alien: Earth takes its time introducing its main characters, specifically Wendy, CJ, and Morrow. Much of the pilot is dedicated to building up their respective stories, which ultimately converge when the Maginot crashes into a city on Earth. This sets off Wendy's thrilling adventure, not just to stop the Xenomorph, but also to reunite with her brother, CJ, with their loving bond adding plenty of heartwarming drama and childlike wonder to this dark tale.
Also, in its first episode, Alien: Earth greatly expands the world of the franchise, not just by introducing new, creepy extraterrestrials, including a crawling eyeball with tentacles. The series delves deep into the bleak, dystopian sci-fi world that Earth has become, with five megacorporations ruling over entire countries and planets throughout the solar system like royal houses.
At the same time, the show puts a unique spin on synthetic androids, introducing a group of terminally ill children whose minds are transferred into robot bodies by the Prodigy Corporation. Much like Stranger Things, Prodigy holds these special children captive in their 'Neverland' lab, observing them until they leave to battle otherworldly creatures that appear on Earth. Nevertheless, this setup makes Alien: Earth its own story within the franchise's world, and the latter is better off for it.
The characters
Alien: Earth features a variety of eerie and entertaining characters. Sydney Chandler leads this new series as Wendy, who is introduced as the first child to have her mind transferred to a synthetic body. Though she now inhabits a grown-up's body, ironically, she is unable to grow physically older in a clear allusion to the story of Peter Pan.
Chandler delivers an entrancing performance portraying a wide-eyed, playful child living in an adult's body. It is clear that Wendy has some growing up to do, as she's still learning about the world and her new, ageless form. However, she is forced to grow up fast when she decides to save her brother. Speaking of him, Alex Lawther also sells his respective role as CJ, who, despite being a soldier, is clearly still a kid who's way in over his head as he ventures into the Maginot's crash site and witnesses world-shattering horrors.
Meanwhile, actor Samuel Blenkin rules over Prodigy as Boy Kavalier, whose persona as an immature, kidnapping 'tech bro' parallels young Wendy with a sinister mix of Peter Pan and Mark Zuckerberg. However, the series features even greater menace from its sinister androids. Babou Ceesay stands out as the callous, emotionless robot Morrow, who, like Ian Holm's Ash, is driven solely by his directive from his company to capture the Xenomorph.
Timothy Olyphant's android, Kirsh, is just as unsettling with his icy demeanor. He also delivers an especially chilling monologue about humans being food, wrapping up the episode on a high note and setting the stage for humanity's bloody, existential war against their alien guests.
On Earth, everyone can hear the screams
Like Ridley Scott's Alien, Hawley's new series takes its time building up terror and suspense. In true reverence to its predecessor, Alien: Earth crafts a dark, chilling atmosphere as it turns the Maginot into another haunted house in space. This is a sharp contrast to the bright, lush 'paradise' of Neverland.
While scenes in such Earth-bound locations steer away from alien gore, its horror hits close to home. With Prodigy no longer considering its children human due to their new synthetic bodies, the series shows more of the corrupt, exploitative nature of one of the franchise's multiple evil corporations, using lies and technicalities to further their twisted agendas.
It's a slow-burning horror, but all that careful construction pays off with frightening scenes like the Xenomorph's rampage on the Maginot and the ship's crash into the city. Composer Jeff Russo's foreboding music, reminiscent of the original Alien's score, fills the air with an even greater sense of impending doom. The show pairs it well with dreamlike imagery, including flash cuts and superimposed shots, to bring a surreal, sci-fi nightmare to life.
Is Alien: Earth worth a watch?
Though few Alien projects have come close to rivaling Ridley Scott's iconic original film, Alien: Earth is one of those exceptional few that lives up to its legacy and stands tall on its own. Diehard fans of Alien will enjoy the show's faithful, frightening style. Fans of Prometheus should also enjoy its philosophical exploration of humanity and evolution through its compelling cast of characters.
While the dense, slow-burning story may turn off some viewers, the show's second episode (which premiered on the same day) goes all in on the alien terror as it unleashes a gory, sci-fi slasher-fest. This all makes Alien: Earth a distinctive addition to the franchise's canon, with the pilot setting up a vast, thoughtful epic that demands audiences' attention.
The first two episodes of Alien: Earth are now streaming on Hulu. Episode 3 will air at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 19.