A Legendary Sci-Fi Franchise Debuts a TV Show—But It's Not What You Expect

The Legacy of the Original Alien

The original Alien is celebrated for its simplicity, a quality that has contributed to its enduring appeal. Driven by technical constraints, the film keeps the alien creature largely in the shadows, shrouding its existence in mystery. This lack of explanation not only enhances the suspense but also allows the xenomorph to serve as an effective plot device. It is a perfect killing machine, devoid of any need for justification, and its very nature ensures that no one who encounters it survives to share its secrets.

This simplicity, however, is not something Noah Hawley typically embraces. His series Fargo was more about reimagining the works of the Coen brothers rather than delving into deeper philosophical themes. While the Coens explored the essence of evil, Hawley focused on their style. Despite this, the Alien franchise has shown remarkable adaptability over the years, thanks to its minimal core requirements: an unstoppable monster, a sinister corporation, and a strong female lead, along with a synthetic humanoid with ambiguous motives.

Introducing Alien: Earth

Hawley’s new series, Alien: Earth, takes this concept further by merging the corporate and synthetic elements. The protagonist, Wendy (Sydney Chandler), is an athletic brunette with a strong sense of survival. Her mission is to protect her brother CJ (Alex Lawther) from various threats. However, she is also a unique creation—her consciousness is transplanted into a synthetic adult body by Prodigy, a company led by Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), the world's youngest trillionaire.

In previous Alien films, the antagonistic corporation was Weyland-Yutani, known for prioritizing profit over human lives. In Alien: Earth, Weyland-Yutani is just one of five powerful corporations that have taken over the universe, including the moon and Mars, by 2120. Prodigy, the newest player, is a brainchild of Boy Kavalier, who embodies a mix of juvenile behavior and technological ambition.

A New Kind of Storytelling

Hawley's series introduces a unique narrative twist by incorporating elements from Peter Pan. Before Wendy undergoes her transformation, Boy Kavalier shows her footage from the 1953 Disney movie, naming other children after characters from J.M. Barrie’s story. This approach reflects a form of reverse nostalgia, where future characters engage with pop culture from centuries ago.

The series starts in a familiar setting: aboard a spaceship, where the crew of a deep-space research mission makes a terrifying discovery about the alien species they are sent to collect. The timeline places the show just two years before the first Alien’s space voyage, allowing for accurate recreations of the Nostromo.

The Crew and the New Creatures

The Maginot’s crew faces a swift and brutal end, raising questions about the inclusion of actors like Richa Moorjani. However, this setup leads to a crash landing in Prodigy-controlled territory, triggering parallel operations. One involves a search-and-rescue mission led by Wendy’s brother, while another features Wendy and her fellow hybrids under the guidance of Kirsh, a synthetic enforcer.

The show’s opening titles introduce a three-way "race for immortality" between android synthetics, enhanced cyborgs, and hybrids. The winner, it is suggested, will determine which corporation rules the universe.

Themes and Challenges

While the setup is promising, the series leans more towards exploring humanity's place in the cosmos rather than grand universe-ruling ambitions. The aliens return humanity to its status as food, and although the hybrids lack bodies worth eating, they can still be damaged and traumatized. Wendy and her fellow Lost Boys, though given adult bodies, remain children at heart, grappling with their identities and potential futures.

The series draws inspiration from the evolution of technology and self-awareness, mirroring the development of artificial intelligence. It presents the possibility of ushering in a new era or deciding that humans are merely a step toward something greater.

Scale and Ambition

Despite its ambitious scope, Alien: Earth sometimes struggles with pacing, as seen in the extended premiere where characters remain in an apartment building. With a budget estimated at up to $250 million, the series has a sense of scale that stands out in an era where most television is scaling back. It is a big show about big ideas, offering a universe to explore.