The question “Why?” never crossed my mind while watching Ridley Scott’s Prometheus or Alien: Covenant. Yet, it haunted me through all eight episodes of Alien: Earth, the television chapter of the xenomorph saga crafted by Noah Hawley, the mastermind behind Legion and Fargo.
The premise is intriguing: a Weyland-Yutani research vessel crashes into a city owned by a rival corporation. On board is a deadly menagerie of the universe’s most dangerous creatures, including something black, sleek, and oozing acid blood. The creatures are whisked away to a remote island under the supervision of scientists, soldiers, and advanced androids. But, as any Alien fan knows, containment is a pipe dream.
Ridley Scott’s prequels, Prometheus and Covenant, often catch flak for teetering between atmospheric sci-fi horror and absurd, almost comedic slasher vibes. In hindsight, though, this tonal wobble feels like a strength, and Michael Fassbender’s android David emerged as arguably the franchise’s greatest antagonist - sorry, xenomorph. Fassbender’s chilling performance outshone the iconic creature itself.
When early reviews likened Alien: Earth to Andor in terms of its narrative weight within the Star Wars franchise, my expectations soared into the stratosphere. But the comparison falls flat, and my disappointment is hard to overstate.
Unlike Andor, Alien: Earth fails to introduce compelling new characters woven seamlessly into the established universe. Sure, Sydney Chandler is cool, Babou Ceesay is unsettling, Samuel Blenkin nails a parody of an insufferable young billionaire, and Timothy Olyphant begrudgingly bleached his eyebrows for the role (a choice he openly loathed). But these characters are all style, no substance - lacking the depth or emotional arcs that invite investment. The rest of the cast is so grating that I found myself tempted to skip their scenes entirely.
Where Andor (and even Scott’s prequels) delivered memorable antagonists, Alien: Earth stumbles. Well, almost. Enter THE EYE. This enigmatic entity is, hands-down, the standout “character” of the series. With minimal screen time, it’s more terrifying than the xenomorph itself. Keep both eyes on THE EYE and what Hawley does with it next - it single-handedly justifies the show’s existence.
Unlike Andor, Alien: Earth lacks timely real-world allegories. There’s a vague nod to the dangers of megacorporations (the show’s world is carved up among five conglomerates) and a half-baked idea that humanity’s inventions inevitably become weapons. But these themes feel like background noise, not sharp commentary.
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Alien: Earth is a perplexing show with an unclear purpose. It’s commendable that Hawley dared to shift focus away from the xenomorph, but that’s the only bold move worth praising. The series adds little to the Alien universe, introduces no one we truly care about, and leaves a bittersweet aftertaste - especially since it’s unlikely Ridley Scott will get the budget for another film featuring Fassbender’s unhinged android.
Naturally, a second season of Alien: Earth is already in discussion.
All episodes of Alien: Earth Season 1 are available to stream now.
