Reactions: A slow build, but great characters and story
Where to watch: Hulu

This is the review that anyone who knows me would NOT expect in a million years. I don’t watch scary movies or tv shows by myself, or really much at all. But I watched the first two episodes of Alien: Earth while on vacation with my friend Jay. And it’s really fucking good.

The show is set in 2120, aka two years ahead of the first Alien movie. A ship is returning to Earth from its mission out in the stars collecting samples alien life. And you guessed it, some of the samples were xenomorphs. And you also guessed it, all hell breaks loose and the get out.

But there’s far more to it that just aliens ripping people to shreds. The core of the story is about the three evolved species of humans: Cyborgs (cybernetically enhanced humans), Synths (artificially intelligent robots), and Hybrids (synthetic beings with downloaded human consciousness). The show revolves around the first ever Hybrids and their trajectory as they become aware of their place in the world.

One complaint online is that it took way too long to see a belly bulge give birth to a xenomorph. I’d argue that there was plenty of xenomorph and other alien fuckery going on all along. The belly bulge eventually happens, and it’s perfection when it does. I personally loved the pacing of the show and story.

While this isn’t my normal type of show I watch, I did quite enjoy this new take on the Alien universe. It helps build context and meaning into the broader world, especially giving more depth to David and Walter from the movies. (Also, Timothy Olyphant was amazing.)

If you’re ok with gore, you’ll probably enjoy this show. If you love the Alien franchise, this may feel too slow paced for you. But I hope you’ll still enjoy it as another chapter in the long arc of Alien world building.