Latest news with #AlisonHerman
CBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Is Alien: Earth a worthwhile addition to the Alien universe?
Social Sharing The Alien universe is expanding. The 1979 sci-fi movie now has its own TV show on Disney+, Alien: Earth. This prequel focuses on the "synthetics," who are androids that have the consciousness of children embedded in them. But does Alien work on the small screen? Today on Commotion, guest host Ali Hassan sits down with TV critics Alison Herman and Rad Simonpillai to discuss Alien: Earth, and how it compares to its big screen counterparts. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Ali: Rad, what are your first impressions of the show? Alien, [the] 1979 film, is one of the greatest films… How much do I have to lower my expectations? Or is it a different world altogether? Rad: When you're comparing it to Alien — and even the James Cameron sequel Aliens — which I think a lot of people talk about as not just like the greatest horror movie and then the greatest action movies of all time but just two of the greatest movies of all time. So, yeah, definitely do not go in expecting that, right? I enjoyed this series. I shouldn't have been comparing it to those original movies, but you just can't help yourself. But I had a good enough time. I've only seen six of the eight episodes so far, and some parts were wobbly. But I was taken in by how the creator here, Noah Hawley, wasn't trying to emulate those movies. He was trying to make this something else, something of his own. And that's actually something that the whole Alien franchise has always made room for. It's always been incredible for how directors would always put their own stamp on the material, bring their own style. Ali: Alison, is Alien: Earth bringing anything new to the larger franchise in your mind? Alison: Yeah, I would say so, just by virtue of being a show instead of a film. There are different things that are valued by television as a medium — and one of them is the idea of a protagonist who develops and changes over time that you can root for. And I thought the idea of centring these synthetic children/newly minted adults was just an incredibly smart way into it. Something I noted in my review is that it almost feels like as much as it's an Alien TV show, it's also a Blade Runner TV show. It's almost as concerned with the ethics of creating artificial intelligence and what we owe to our own creations, and how humanity's work can transcend and catch up to it, as it is about: what are these cool creatures?
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Slow recovery frustrates St. Pete Beach business owners ahead of spring break
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — Thousands of families around the country pick the beaches in Pinellas County as their destination for spring break, and it is their busiest season. Delicious treats are on display at Larry's Ice Cream and Gelato. Owner Alison Herman said business has been slow since hurricanes Helene and Milton. 'Being closed has significantly hurt us financially for the couple weeks we were closed. The last few months, the volume hasn't been there because the beach isn't as busy,' Herman said. Her shop has been a staple in the city since 1984. Herman said they lost thousands of dollars in inventory during each recent storm. City leaders hope spring break will bring relief to business owners struggling following the hurricanes. City spokesperson Marc Portugal said they've received more than 3,100 storm-specific permit requests and issued more than 2,100 permits for home and business owners. Officials welcome spring break crowds but admit, the area isn't back to full operation. 'They're not going to see as many restaurants open because there are some that are still working their way back to opening. There are some hotels, same thing, they're either slated to open in April or may not make it back this particular spring break season. It's tough for them and we don't want to see them struggling,' Portugal said. Beach access points and public parking lots are open. On the beach, tourists will notice the restoration of the dunes and the recovery of the shoreline. Herman is sticking with the community even when things aren't so sweet. 'We're committed, we're not going anywhere,' Herman said. The ice cream shop owner embraces the new normal and any visitors who need a slice of an old favorite. Herman adds, 'We're going to just try and make it a great spring break. It may not be like it was last year but we're going to do our best.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
