Creator Noah Hawley has tackled a daunting task by turning the iconic sci-fi franchise Alien into a television series. By taking a classic film like Fargo and using it as a model, Hawley has shaped the concept of Alien into something thrilling and unexpected. While the show has its flaws, particularly with the Xenomorph’s seemingly indestructible nature, it manages to evoke the original movie without feeling too imitative.
Alien: Earth takes place two years before the first film in the series and follows a crew on a spaceship called Maginot that crashes in southeast Asia. The team is led by Boy Kavalier, an overgrown child who has created his own version of the Lost Boys by transplanting the minds of terminally ill children into synthetic bodies. One of these synthetic beings is Wendy, who convinces her creator to send her and others on a mission to investigate the crash site.
However, the show faces challenges in explaining how they captured a Xenomorph in the first place and why Kavalier risked his expensive prototypes on such a perilous mission. These logic issues continue throughout multiple episodes. Despite these problems, Hawley has successfully introduced new monsters that are nightmare-inducingly gross, and each has its own macabre method of attacking the human body.
The show also explores bigger ideas, including the dehumanizing effects of late capitalism, the dangers of AI, and the extreme methods used by the super-rich to extend their lives. The Lost Boys, particularly Wendy, are fascinating characters that make the show’s flaws less noticeable.
The cast delivers standout performances, with Sydney Chandler as Wendy being a standout. The show’s creator has managed to balance these different elements, making Alien: Earth feel like it belongs in the fictional universe of the original films. With its unique blend of sci-fi horror and thought-provoking themes, Alien: Earth is an exciting addition to FX and Hulu’s lineup.
Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/alien-earth-1235398061