If there’s one franchise I didn’t expect to see making a comeback in the 2020s, it’s Alien (and by extension, Predator). After the mixed reception of the Alien films in the 2010s, I figured the series would be shelved for at least a decade before anyone dared to take another stab at it. But then came Alien: Romulus, a pleasant surprise that brought the franchise back to its atmospheric, survival horror roots. Naturally, I became curious about where things might go next, especially in a television format. Now, a year after Romulus took the world by storm, we have Alien: Earth. And based on the first two episodes, I have to say, I’m thoroughly impressed.
Like Romulus before it, Alien: Earth returns the series to its survival horror roots, but this time with a much bigger canvas. Our story begins when a deep-space research vessel carrying alien specimens, including a xenomorph, crash-lands in the crowded metropolis of Prodigy City. First responders, the military, and a ragtag band of experimental synthetics scramble to contain the disaster and stop the specimens from triggering a full-blown biological and ecological catastrophe. But racing the clock is only part of the struggle as corporate interests are circling, and a brewing war over the ship’s cargo threatens to make an already dire situation even worse.
What really stood out to me in these first two episodes was the meticulous worldbuilding. Not only does it nail the look and feel of the original Alien, but it also builds on it in meaningful ways. By taking the claustrophobic survival horror of a cramped spaceship and transplanting it into a skyscraper at the heart of a massive city, the stakes feel bigger than ever, yet the survivalist core remains intact. On top of that, the added lore and expanded scope give the Alien universe new layers, reminding us that the xenomorph isn’t the only danger humanity has to face.
Aside from a bit of tonal whiplash and a few questionable needle drops, I came away genuinely impressed with these opening two episodes. The atmosphere is everything you’d want from Alien, oppressive, tense, and brimming with a creeping dread that follows you in the dark. The sense of claustrophobia is palpable, even with the story’s larger scale, and it’s matched by performances that are both captivating and magnetic, pulling you deeper into the chaos. Overall, Alien: Earth has made a confident and compelling first impression. It’s a strong start, and if it can maintain this level of intensity and storytelling through the rest of the season, we might just be witnessing the franchise’s best modern chapter.
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