Alien Earth review

A measured review of the FX series Alien Earth that praises its ambition, direction and visuals.

Alien Earth Delivers a Visually Rich Take on Corporate Horror

Alien Earth, the new FX series directed and written by Noah Hawley, arrives on Hulu with two episodes that set a tense cinematic tone. The show trades pure space horror for a sharp critique of megacorporations and the ethics of consciousness transfer. The premise centers on Prodigy, a company that transfers terminally ill children into adult synthetic bodies, raising questions about autonomy, family and the price of survival. A crash injects a xenomorph into a populated city, and Wendy, a focal figure among the synthetics, navigates rescue work while corporate insiders pursue secret goals. Visually, the series leans into bold, kinetic camerawork and fades that layer images into a living collage. The xenomorph remains a threat, but the drama comes from the human and synthetic characters caught in an extraction economy that values immortality over people.

Where this show deviates from earlier Alien entries is not just setting but tone. Hawley's past work on Legion and Fargo shows a willingness to mix dreamlike sequences with social satire, and Alien Earth uses that recipe to turn corporate greed into a monster with teeth. The result is a production that feels fresh yet faithful to the franchise's core tension about who pays the price for progress. If the early episodes sustain this balance, the series could become a standout entry that uses Earth as a stage for big questions about power, identity and the cost of playing god.

Hawley rethinks the franchise by making the xenomorph a symbol of extractive capitalism. The show centers on ethical questions, worker exploitation and the friction between human emotion and corporate need. It also channels a cinematic energy that matches Hawley's Legion and Fargo pedigree, giving the series a bold visual signature and mental puzzles that reward attentive viewing.

Yet there are risks. The ambitious setup could test casual viewers, and the heavy themes may invite political or public reaction debates. The balance between noir mood and sci fi spectacle will be tested as the plot thickens. If the series keeps surface suspense while deepening its critique of power, it could reshape what fans expect from Alien.

Highlights

Alien Earth invites a longer look at where sci fi can go when it dares to critique power.