Alien: Earth - Culture's Review: Does the TV series take the Alien franchise back to its roots?
In the year 2120, two years before the events of the iconic 1979 film Alien, the small screen welcomes a new addition to the franchise with the premiere of the TV series, Alien: Earth. The show, created by Noah Hawley, takes us on a thrilling journey as a mysterious deep-space research vessel, the USCSS Maginot, crash-lands on Earth.
Leading a ragtag group of tactical soldiers investigating the crash site is Wendy, played by Sydney Chandler. As they delve deeper, they make a shocking discovery that sets them against Earth's greatest threat - the arrival of Xenomorphs on our planet 15.
A New Era of Alien Lore
Alien: Earth serves as a prequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien, shedding light on how the Xenomorphs first come to Earth, setting the stage for the later space events seen in the film 15. By bringing Xenomorphs onto Earth and exploring the rise of Weyland-Yutani, the series deepens the franchise lore, though some fans worry this might undermine or complicate Ripley’s original story from the Alien saga 1.
The series also delves into the events and corporate rivalries that led to the original film. It reveals the emergence of the iconic Weyland-Yutani Corporation and the intense corporate rivalry among five powerful mega-corporations—Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold—that control Earth and its technological advances 4. Alongside humans, cyborgs and synthetic beings exist, with experimental hybrids (synthetic bodies infused with human minds) playing key roles in the story, including Wendy herself 2.
A Familiar yet Refreshing Setting
The series is set in Prodigy City, founded by trillionaire Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), who goes by the name 'Boy Genius'. The city is a claustrophobic environment, a spaceship-within-a-skyscraper setting that adds to the tension as the characters navigate the city while evading the Xenomorphs 6.
The opening of the series attempts to recreate elements of the original but descends into a series of flashbacks from the crew being attacked. As the story unfolds, the characters' gradual, gruesome revelations are what spark terror, while the Xenomorph itself exhibits aggressive behavior, causing harm to the characters 7.
A New Chapter in an Iconic Franchise
With its fever dream-like quality, combining elements of Alien, Die Hard, and Stranger Things, Alien: Earth promises to be an exciting addition to the Alien franchise. Fede Álvarez's Romulus went some way to rectifying the franchise's issues by returning to its claustrophobic tension roots. However, whether Disney, now in the business of milking IPs, will continue to nurture the Alien franchise remains to be seen 9.
As the first two episodes of Alien: Earth have aired, fans are eagerly awaiting more from this thrilling series, set to continue the legacy of the Alien franchise in a unique and captivating way.
Fans of movies-and-tv, especially the Alien franchise, will be thrilled to delve into the new series Alien: Earth, as it brings an exciting entry to the franchise, setting the stage for the events of Ridley Scott’s Alien and exposing new insights into the Xenomorphs' arrival on Earth 15. With its unique setting in the claustrophobic environment of Prodigy City and its dark exploration of corporate rivalries, experimental hybrids, and the emergence of Weyland-Yutani Corporation, this series promises to serve as both a prequel and a refreshing chapter in the iconic Alien franchise, intertwining familiar elements with a captivating storyline 4, 6, 9.
