FX’s Alien: Earth Season 1 Episode 1-6 Early Review

The following is a spoiler-free review of the first 6 (out of 8) episodes of FX’s Alien: Earth Season 1, the first 2 episodes premiere August 12th at 8pm ET on FX, and on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ internationally

From creator Noah Hawley, of Legion and Fargo fame, Alien: Earth has been in development for quite some time and marks the first television series set in the Alien universe. Alien: Earth is set in the year 2120 (2 years before the events of the Ridley Scott 1979 classic) is centered around the aftermath of a crash landing of a Weyland-Yutani spaceship on Earth. Unleashing terrifying alien creatures, it would be up to a group of hybrids, led by a young synthetic named Wendy (Sydney Chandler) to fight for survival against both the alien threat and the surrounding corporate intrigue. Meanwhile, the series explores the saga of five powerful corporations vying for control of the planet. Alien: Earth also stars Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Bleknin, Essie Davis, Adarsh Gourav, Kit Young, Babou Ceesay, and Adrian Edmondson.

Though some audiences might have their gripes with how the series fails to acknowledge past events, that choice makes for a standalone experience that does not require much background to understand what it going on. Introducing new elements and lore, it will show them things they have never seen in any Alien film, while providing answers to some lingering questions one may have about the Earth side of the aforementioned companies, and their shady operations. At its core, Alien: Earth is very much a sci-fi horror series that definitely does not skimp on brutality, while offering a corporate storyline that is just as compelling as everything else.

Wasting no time, the series throws viewers right into the action and just lets the Xenomorph loose. In terms of the Xenomorph itself, it looks terrific, terrifying, and most importantly, nearly practical. Perhaps the most ruthless version to date, it leaves an incredibly high body count in its wake and the level of gore on display produces a plethora of shocking images, especially early on. Going back to the franchise’s original horror roots, it does so through countless of well-made sequences that are both genuinely scary and quite tense to watch. Similarly, the introduction of new creatures fit nicely into this world without taking away from the main attraction, the Xenomorph. In the end, it is clear that FX Productions, 20th Television, and all those behind the production have poured in a lot of money and resources into the series, making it into a property that pushes the limits of television, and evidence of this production value can be seen within the opening minutes.

The cast all deliver remarkable performances, led by Chandler’s Wendy, a character that will pull viewers in from the opening minutes. As Wendy has the mind of a child but the body of an adult, Chandler walks that tricky tightrope perfectly, as do the other actors playing synthetic characters, particularly Kit Young (Tootles) and Erena James (Curly). The relationship between Chandler’s Wendy and Alex Lawther, as Wendy’s brother CJ, is the heart of Alien: Earth, and a pair worth becoming emotionally invested in through all of their hardships. Lawther may not be given as much to do at first, however, CJ is a character that will surely grow on viewers over time, and as his strong chemistry with Chandler and their sibling relationship further develops. Samuel Blenkin plays the young, rich, and extremely cocky CEO trillionaire Boy Kavalier to perfection. Though Kavalier is an easy character to hate, Blenkin brings such an entertaining screen presence that one can’t take their eyes off of him whenever he pops up.

That being said, two of the best performances come from Timothy Olyphant, as Wendy’s synthetic mentor Kirsh, and Babou Ceesay, as Morrow. Olyphant fits into this world perfectly as a character whose true allegiances are unknown (up to this point). Kirsh is more complicated than a mere good or bad, which makes him all the more compelling, making for one of the best additions to this universe. On the other hand, it is incredibly hard to talk about Ceesay’s Morrow as there are so many elements to him that series keeps viewers in the dark on. Nevertheless, Ceesay delivers an incredible performance, and Morrow is one that is sure to generate fascination from viewers as it goes on.

Now, as great as it is, the series thus far is not without its issues. Some viewers may be thrown off with how quickly it starts out, however, that issue us ironed out over later episodes. Secondly, some of the younger cast aren’t given the best dialogue, and that may lead to an adjustment period when the cast also includes adult cast members who are essentially playing children. Also, though not uncommon as of late, the leads are given incredible plot armor to the point where the Xenomorph seems to favor tearing apart anyone who even looks at it, over them. Though it may appear silly, its biggest issue is its terrible needle drops and ill-fitting modern soundtrack that can be incredibly distracting at times. A few more nitpicks veer too far into spoiler territory but some may very well be resolved over the remaining two episodes.

Through six episodes, Alien: Earth successfully brings the franchise to the small screen, creating some incredibly compelling television in the process. Keeping in mind that the remainder of the season remains to be seen, these episodes have provided little reason to suggest that the it will drop the ball come the final two episodes. Regarding those final two episodes, they are shaping up to be chaotic and extremely brutal. For fans of the Alien franchise, this series is a must watch, but for anyone else, if the first 6 episodes are of any indication, Alien: Earth is looking to be not only one of the hottest series of the summer, but also one of the best new series of 2025.

still courtesy of FX Networks and 20th Television

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/