The “Alien” movies are famous for one thing: pure, primal fear.
The first film, directed by Ridley Scott in 1979, became a classic because it mixed terrifying alien horror with deep thoughts about human nature. The xenomorphs in the movie aren’t just monsters — they’re terrifying because they invade and destroy everything in their path, driven by an endless hunger that’s the complete opposite of human warmth and hope.
Noah Hawley, known for creating FX’s Fargo and the strange X-Men series Legion, clearly understands what makes Alien scary and why fans love returning to that world. His new FX series Alien: Earth (Tuesdays, 8 p.m. ET/PT, also on Hulu, ★★★½ out of four) is the first Alien story made for TV — and it’s a strong addition to the franchise. This time, the horror comes to Earth, but the look and feel of the original films are still there. The eight-episode season feels both familiar and fresh, and by the end, it might leave you with the same chills as the original movie.
Right from the start, Earth throws you into a future where corporations, not governments, rule the world. We begin on a research spaceship with sleep pods, a friendly crew — and deadly alien specimens on board. Of course, things quickly go wrong. The ship crashes to Earth, where powerful companies are competing to solve the mystery of eternal life.
In this world, there are “cyborgs” (humans with tech upgrades), “synths” (full robots, like Ash from the original film), and “hybrids” (human minds in robotic bodies). Billionaire Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) is testing hybrids by putting children’s minds into adult bodies. His first hybrid is Wendy (Sydney Chandler), who names herself after the Peter Pan character. She has incredible strength and abilities that keep growing. When she learns her brother Hermit (Alex Lawther) is helping investigate the crashed ship, she joins a rescue mission with other synths.
The show brings humans, robots, and hybrids into direct conflict with the alien lifeforms from the ship — strange, disgusting, and dangerous creatures. Some characters want the aliens for money, others for science, and some just want to destroy them. The aliens, of course, only want one thing: to kill and consume.
Hawley’s writing and smart directing keep each episode tense and full of suspense, packed with action and violence. Even in the first episodes, the show manages to explain its story while still delivering chaos and danger. By the season’s end, the nonstop excitement and fast-moving plot are truly impressive.
But the show isn’t just action. Earth is also full of big ideas, sometimes making its themes very obvious. For example, when Timothy Olyphant’s emotionless “synth” tells Wendy that humans are just food, the message feels a bit heavy-handed. Still, anyone who has seen Hawley’s Legion will recognize his interest in exploring what makes us human, and Fargo fans will see his love for large casts of quirky, strangely lovable characters. The actors playing the child/adult hybrids keep the awkwardness of youth even when they’re adult-sized. Olyphant and the other human-like characters give off an eerie, robotic vibe. The world feels believable even before any aliens show up.
Earth has a lot of expectations to meet: pleasing Alien fans who want a true continuation of the movies, satisfying Disney and FX who hope to attract both longtime fans and newcomers, and delivering a clear, engaging story. It does all of this without cheap tricks or unnecessary drama, keeping the famous long-headed alien at the heart of the action.
Published: 13th August 2025
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