REVIEW: 'Alien: Earth' Episodes 1 And 2 Promise A Fresh Return To An Old Franchise
- Christopher Mills
- 24 hours ago
- 11 min read
Updated: 19 minutes ago
This review contains minor spoilers for the first two episodes of 'Alien: Earth.'
Last year, we got the release of Alien: Romulus, which, for a lot of people, was the start of the Alien franchise returning to its glory, but for others like myself, while still a good film, it still felt like it was retreading previous mistakes. Enter Noah Hawley: the man who created both Legion and the Fargo television show for FX returns to the network to bring the first live-action television series in the Alien franchise, Alien: Earth.
In the double premiere of Alien: Earth, we’re introduced to the Weyland Yutani vessel, Maginot, as it finds its way heading to Earth to deliver specimens to Yutani (Sandra Yi Sencindiver) before the ship crashes into Prodigy City after horrific unforeseen circumstances. Meanwhile, Boy Kavalier, who is CEO of Prodigy, the newest corporation that’s on the come-up, has created their first hybrid synthetics and sends them on a mission to the crashed ship to test their limits but also secretly get his hands on what Yutani is trying to obtain. What they all don’t know is that they're dealing with the biggest threat that Earth has ever seen.
Alien: Earth Episode 1 - "Neverland"
The worry when it comes to creating a show or a project in an already established IP is that fans may see it as a carbon copy or a cheap attempt to use nostalgia to dangle keys in front of the audience, hoping that will be enough to hold them off. Thankfully, that isn't the case with Alien: Earth, as it would be hard to watch 8 one-hour-long episodes that don't hold any real substance. Noah Hawley has a knack for dealing with numerous characters in one show and ensuring that they all get the spotlight; it was proven in Legion and Fargo, and with this first episode, he introduces several groups of characters while still giving them space to breathe.
If you watched Alien (1979), you'd remember that it opened on a Weyland-Yutani ship famously known as the Nostromo, which consisted of a captain, executive officer, warrant officer, navigator, science officer, engineers and also, a cat. The opening to Alien: Earth follows suit as we watch a similar crew aboard the Maginot sit around the table, eating breakfast, and cracking jokes at each other while Morrow (Babou Ceesay), their security officer, brings down the fun energy a notch, reminding them that they've got a job. With 4 months until they arrive on Earth and not much fuel left, they've got to ensure that they make it safely to Earth with the specimens that they've been tasked to deliver.
As Earth is a new location that the franchise hasn't deeply explored before, it gives Noah Hawley a lot of room to create new history for this expansive world. We quickly learn that Yutani operates within North and South America, and this is where we discover the all-new corporation, Prodigy. There are five corporations that don't only rule parts of space but rule Earth altogether. With Alien: Earth taking place two years before the original film, there's a lot of space to create new aspects within the universe that could hopefully lead into intriguing storylines.
"In the future, the race for immortality will come in 3 guises:
Cybernetically enhanced humans: Cyborgs
Artificially intelligent beings: Synths
and
Synthetic beings downloaded with human consciousness: Hybrids.
Which technology prevails will determine which corporation rules the universe."
The episode opens up on this quote, and it's one that will sit with you throughout the show as you watch Yutani and Prodigy go head to head, but in this first episode, Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) is already one step closer to finding the key to immortality. The episode brings us to "Neverland", a research island on Prodigy where Boy Kavalier is experimenting with this new program which allows for him to take the consciousness of a human and put it within the body of a synthetic. With his new program, which is currently under wraps, he's able to take the consciousness of a human and put it within the body of a synthetic.
This episode finds itself referencing the story of Peter Pan, from Boy Kavalier reading the book to the original film being played for the kids who are getting their consciousness transferred to a synthetic body. The episode is titled after their research island but is also the name of the fictional island in Peter Pan where he and the Lost Boys live and is also a place where children can stay young forever. Boy Kavalier is using children who have terminal conditions to allow them a longer lifespan, one without an expiration date, forever keeping them as children through mind only.
The first of the children to become a hybrid is Macy (Florence Bensberg), who chooses the name Wendy (Sydney Chandler) for herself simply because her synthetic body looks like a Wendy. Noah Hawley never shies away from the idea that children are full of limitless imagination; it's a core theme in Alien: Earth and is first found when Wendy explains to the other kids going through the same procedure as her that they must use children, as adults' brains are too "stiff" compared to the brain of a child, which is not yet fully developed. This is just one of the many instances that Hawley reminds the audience that while this is a horror series with grotesque creatures and a fight to rule the universe, the children are the stars of the show.
The only downside to the kids being granted immortality is that they forever lost contact with their original family. Except for Wendy, who has secretly been keeping in contact with Hermit (Alex Lawther), her brother, who she has a deep relationship with. Noah Hawley uses superimposition throughout his editing to either provide moments of horror or, in this instance, to let the audience not only see their flashbacks but also experience them through the character's eyes and have a better connection to their emotions.
It's also through this superimposition and some quick flashes that we get glimpses of the tragedy that has taken place on the Maginot. A tragedy that Noah Hawley smartly decided not to rush through in this episode but instead give it its own episode, which is easily the highlight thus far of the six episodes I've watched. Morrow is easily the most interesting character in this entire episode, as we get to see him bordering the line of villain as he leaves the last alive crew member to save himself and as much of the ship as he can while it begins crashing down to Earth.
We get our first real glimpse of the Xenomorph as it kills the last remaining crew member and tries to also kill Morrow. No matter how many times you see a Xenomorph in action, it'll never not be the most terrifying experience while watching Alien. With that being said, the quick flashes that were provided earlier showcase that Noah Hawley plans to depict the Xenomorph and other specimens in ways that the franchise has never done before.
Back on Earth, we get to meet Wendy's brother and witness the life he lives without his sister, who he believes is dead. There isn't much time wasted as the Maginot crashes into New Siam-Prodigy City, and Hermit is sent on a search and rescue as a medic to survey the crash site and ensure everyone's safety. Hermit and his team's exploration deeper into the ship leads them to discover the unexpected. While we don't get the return of the Xenomorph in this episode, we're met with a vampire termite that is small and slightly cute but proven to be deadly, as it drains the blood of its victims with ease.
Hermit now in danger means that Wendy wants to go to the rescue, and while this may prove a huge risk, Boy Kavalier approves the request as it allows him to test how capable they are in the field. This plays into Wendy's relationship with her brother and how her fellow hybrids and Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant), her synthetic mentor, view that relationship. Kirsh provides the real and harsh reality to her that she will never be able to save him from death, as he'll either get sick or eventually die from old age, unlike her, who now has the capability to never get sick again or die. Wendy, determined as ever, rejects that idea of her brother dying as she tells Kirsh once more, "No, he's not going to die. I'm going to save him," leaving Kirsh astonished and intrigued by Wendy's way of thinking before the episode closes out on the heavy metal song "Mob Rules" by Black Sabbath.
Alien: Earth Episode 2 - "Mr. October"
The first thing that’s noticeable with Episode 2 that’s unlike any other show is how they handle their episode recap. Noah Hawley brings his own style to Alien: Earth, although this episode does tend to honour the styles of Ridley Scott and James Cameron. The previous episode showed how Hawley uses quick flashes, and he brings that to his title card, which is blended with the episode recap, showing the most relevant parts that will matter for the current episode instead of just info dumping in a sluggish way what previously happened. The cherry on the top is that those beautiful distorted vocals you hear during the title sequence may possibly belong to Noah Hawley himself, as he isn’t opposed to providing vocals for his own projects.
The episode doesn’t waste any time with replicating that original Alien feeling with the horror. Noah Hawley is able to recreate the uneasy feeling as the search and rescue team walk into the unknown, seeing the dead bodies without any awareness of what took place. This effectively works, as Hawley’s decision to hide what happened to the Maginot crew until later places us in the same boots as the search and rescue team, not aware of the dangers that are about to give everyone involved a rude awakening.
Noah Hawley’s writing can’t be praised enough when it comes to this series. This tiny exchange between Rashidi and Hermit is beautifully written to complement the following scene where it’s revealed that the Xenomorph is hiding, blending in with its surroundings, which it uses to its advantage in this episode to continuously gain the upper hand. The Xenomorph has been around for 40+ years; there’s not much mystery when it comes to the 8-foot-tall creature, yet with his dialogue, he’s able to still revitalise that mystery and keep the audience engaged with the terror that’s to come.
This episode begins to tackle the mortality of humans and how the hybrids feel and deal with the idea of death, knowing that they’ll never meet it but that the people that they love around them will. Slightly’s conversation with Wendy about his father’s death reminds us that although he has the appearance of an adult, he’s still a kid at heart and doesn’t really understand or is able to comprehend death.
We’re taken to a day before the tragedy of the crash took place as Hermit tries to take time off from his contract so that he can attend medic school on Mars to make his deceased father proud, but what we learn in this scene is that Wendy has the capabilities to rewrite the code in the robot he’s talking to, going back to their references of Ice Age 4. It’s one of the touching, fleeting moments we get before horror ensues.
The Xenomorph isn’t the only problem in Alien: Earth, as we finally run into the eye parasite which has taken over the body of the cat on board. The body horror is grim and even hard to look at when it involves such an innocent animal as a cat, but it’s nightmare fuel at its finest and a hectic scene which involves the speedy parasite trying to take out Nibs (Lily Newmark).
The idea of potential is such a big part of this episode as we truly start to begin to understand what the Boy Kavalier wants from these hybrids. Yes, to have the key to immortality, but that’s not all. It’s that final line in his conversation with Dame Slyvia (Essie Davis) that matters the most. He wants to have an interesting conversation, and while this scene is a highlight within the episode and proves why Noah Hawley’s writing is one of the strongest factors about this show, none of that matters to Boy Kavalier, as it’s clear that not even this conversation, which lasts 3-4 minutes, was a conversation worth the time. This is a conversation that’s to be remembered for later episodes as we continue to further understand Boy Kavalier as a character and how he perceives not only Wendy but also the other hybrids.
This showcase of Wendy’s potential is only the beginning, as not long after when they land at the crash site, she begins to hear clicking sounds that none of the other hybrids are able to hear. Now at the crash site, there’s only one goal in mind for Wendy: to save her brother, while Boy Kavalier has new plans for what he wants from that ship. While Yutani calls him in hopes of an agreement to allow her people to retrieve their stuff, Boy Kavalier is an a**hole who only begins to gain interest in what the ship holds simply for the fact that Yutani so desperately wants it back.
We’re so used to the Xenomorph being sneaky, using the vents to kill its prey, but Hermit doesn’t get the pleasure of dealing with a sneaky Xenomorph. This one is out for blood, chasing him through the tight confines of the ship’s hallway, hitting wall after wall, only inches away from its kill. It’s chase sequences like this with the Xenomorph throughout Alien: Earth with how Noah Hawley has decided to film them that make these scenes feel fresh and different from what we’ve seen before.
Have you ever wondered what happens when you invite (or don’t invite) a Xenomorph to a party? Well, with the search and rescue team trying to vacate the premise of the building which the ship crashed into, they struggle to get uptight partygoers to vacate the premises, which leads to their timely deaths by the Xenomorph, which cleans the floor (with their blood) in the matter of literal seconds. The Xenomorph almost makes quick work of Hermit before Morrow arrives, stunning the Xenomorph and also Hermit too. A quick reminder that Morrow isn’t here to help the “good guys”. He has his own mission that he will do anything to complete.
Wendy, alongside Slightly, finally finds her brother, and while she tries to keep it a secret from him, Slightly can’t help himself with his childish nature and reveals that Wendy is indeed the sister he thought was dead. Hermit struggles to accept that his sister is alive after believing she was dead and attending a funeral for her but soon comes to accept it after she proves herself. Family is everything, no matter what happens. It’s impressive that within all this horror, Noah Hawley is able to provide these calm, touching moments before throwing us back into reality. An aspect that’s usually missing from the Alien franchise or that hasn’t been handled this well before.
The episode comes to a sudden end when they find a room of Alien eggs, which leads to Hermit being taken by the Xenomorph who has finally caught up with him. Wendy isn’t about to lose her brother again after just reuniting, and while Episode 2 might be the most action-packed, heavy episode next to a future episode, the beginning of next week’s episode might be the coolest thing that has ever been witnessed throughout this whole franchise.
Alien: Earth Episodes 1+2 are a great showcase of why Noah Hawley was the perfect fit to bring this show to life, with outstanding writing that challenges the characters and your beliefs, cinematography that throws you right into the horror and action and a score by Jeff Russo that neatly brings everything together. You'll find hints of Ridley Scott and James Cameron in these first two episodes, but it's very much a Noah Hawley production.
Rating: ★★★★½
About Alien: Earth
Premiere Date: August 12, 2025
Episode Count: 8
Executive Producer/Showrunner: Noah Hawley
Writer: Noah Hawley, Bob DeLaurentiis, Bobak Esfarjani, Lisa Long, Maria Melnik, Migizi Pensoneau
Director: Dana Gonzalez, Ugla Hauksdóttir, Noah Hawley
Production: FX
Distribution: Hulu
Cast: Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, Adarsh Gourav, Erana James, Jonathan Ajayi, David Rysdahl, Diêm Camille, Moe Bar-El, Timothy Olyphant, Kit Young, Sandra Yi Sencindiver, Lily Newmark, Adrian Edmondson, Amir Boutrous, Lloyd Everitt
Synopsis: When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet's greatest threat in FX’s Alien: Earth.