Bring Them WHERE?

This new installment of the Alien franchise does something unexpected, it actually expands the franchise on screen.
After decades of uneven sequels, spinoffs, and prequels that tried to answer questions no one was asking, Alien: Earth feels like the first on-screen installment in years that respects the franchise’s core—unknown horror, corporate greed, and humanity’s fragile place between them. It plays with the series’ DNA without overwriting it, proving there’s still life, and terror, left in this dark corner of sci-fi.

Sure, various comic publishers have explored the mythos for years, showing us Weyland-Yutani as the monstrously insane, alien-harvesting, gene-splicing madmen they are—corporate-government hybrids willing to exploit extraterrestrial DNA for profit and power. But here, we get to see it play out with cinematic weight.

We open aboard a Yutani Corporation research vessel with no clear sign if Weyland is still in the picture, returning from a 65-year mission to collect alien specimens. Unlike the Nostromo, where the crew was in the dark about its “secondary objectives,” this crew knows exactly what they’re hauling home: extraterrestrial organisms destined for Earth.

And here’s where I had to hit the mental brakes.

Because, as a self-proclaimed smart guy, my first thought was: You don’t bring unknown alien organisms to Earth. You take them to a research station on the Moon or Mars—places with no biosphere, where escape means a quick, cold death in space. If containment fails? You scrub everything, mourn your highly-trained scientists, and try again. Expensive? Sure. But better than accidentally seeding Earth with an apex predator that thinks you’re lunch.

I gave this a second’s thought, chalked it up to “plot-induced necessity,” and went back to enjoying the ride.

The Right Kinds of Callbacks

The production nails its Alien DNA: the ship’s comms center lovingly recreated, cryo-chamber wake-ups staged as nostalgic callbacks (now with better-fitting underwear), and non-linear story flashes that enrich the pacing. The shipboard tension plays in sharp contrast to the Prodigy storyline — humans caught in something deeply sinister, tied to the main plot in ways I suspect will prove pivotal.

The score? Atmospheric and unobtrusive, exactly what you want. The new aliens? Absolutely grotesque in the best possible way. And yet, I’m pulled from the moment by the glaring lack of containment protocols. No enhanced doors, no airlocks, no incineration safeguards, no clean-room suits.

These aren’t “surprise” finds, they knew what they were bringing back. They even mention a cost paid, possibly in blood. But you don’t bring apex predators to Earth in a paper bag. That room should have been a fortress. That makes the oversight feel less like corporate arrogance and more like suicidal negligence.

A Future Hellscape Worth Visiting

Still, the show’s worldbuilding is compelling. The man-child CEO of Prodigy and his apparently ill-considered creations add a fresh flavor of madness. Earth is revealed as a future hellscape, humanity scattered among planets and moons, with every faction clawing for power over dwindling resources.

The pacing keeps you engaged, whether you’re learning something new, stumbling into something weird, or getting just enough character work to make you hope their arcs will pay off. Not every beat lands, but most of the actors bring something unique to the table.

Much better than that film we don’t talk about—you know, the one with the black ooze trying to bio-form planets. This opening episode, by comparison? Atmospheric, stylish, and just crazy enough to feel like Alien again.

Cast and Production Snapshot

If you’re wondering who’s steering this ship—on camera and off—here’s the roster: Anchoring the cast is Sydney Chandler as Wendy, the first synthetic hybrid carrying a human consciousness, alongside Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh, a science-minded synthetic guardian, and Alex Lawther as Hermit, the medic whose life is upended by the return of his sister. Supporting roles include Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier (Prodigy’s eerie wunderkind CEO), Essie Davis, Adarsh Gourav, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Kit Young, and others who add sharp turns to the ensemble.

Behind the scenes, the series is a collaboration between 26 Keys Productions, Scott Free Productions, and FX Productions. Created, written, and directed by Noah Hawley, with Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Dana Gonzales, Walter Hill, and Joseph E. Iberti as executive producers. Cinematography by Dana Gonzales, Bella Gonzales, and Colin Watkinson. The score, composed by Jeff Russo, threads tension through every frame without overwhelming it.

RATING: 8.5/10

Welcome back, Alien and company—this is how you pry a franchise out of hypersleep and remind it why it was terrifying in the first place. Except for the bringing them to Earth part. I still don’t understand, who would do that?