Alien: Earth – Series Review

ALIEN: EARTH on FX and Hulu is a new sci-fi horror series set two years before the iconic ALIEN from 1979. The original film’s style is faithfully preserved, while we’re introduced to intriguing characters and terrifying creatures. And yes, it’s good. Really good. Read our Alien: Earth series review below!

ALIEN: EARTH has landed on FX and Hulu, premiering with its first two episodes. Each runs for about an hour, so it’s almost like watching a couple of mini-movies. The quality is easily on par with one of the many Alien films that have graced the big screen over the decades.

Unlike recent Alien films—which were more like spin-offs—this series is firmly set in familiar territory. The story takes place just two years before the original 1979 film. And this time, we’re on Earth… mostly.

Continue reading our Alien: Earth series review below. Watch the series on FX and FX on Hulu (Internationally on Disney+) beginning August 12, 2025.

Welcome to Earth

Alien: Earth begins in space, aboard a ship that could easily be mistaken for the spaceship from Alien. The production design nails that first-film aesthetic, from tech details to character archetypes.

Before long, we’re back on Earth, as the mysterious USCSS Maginot—where the story began—crash-lands. From the opening scene, we know a Xenomorph is on board. Maybe more than one. And definitely some other alien lifeforms.

On Earth, we meet Wendy (Sydney Chandler), who lives on a research station called “Neverland.” Yes, there’s a very deliberate Peter Pan theme. The facility is owned by the youngest trillionaire on the planet, a man obsessed with fusing human consciousness with synthetic bodies to create hybrids. A project that has succeeded with Wendy.

Child Soldiers Sent Into Battle

Others have undergone the same transformation, but only children’s minds are able to survive the transfer. That’s why terminally ill kids are given synthetic adult bodies, effectively granting them eternal life.

And of course, they make for ideal soldiers… though they’re essentially child soldiers who just look grown-up.

It’s a clever twist that delivers sweet, funny, and heartbreaking moments. After all, kids still get scared—especially when they’re suddenly face-to-face with “monsters.” And yes, this team of child-soldiers is sent to recover the wreck’s dangerous cargo.

The company that owns both the soldiers and, apparently, an entire continent is called Prodigy—named after its “Boy Genius” founder, Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin). The world is now run by just a handful of corporations.

Another is, of course, the familiar Weyland-Yutani, owners of the crashed spacecraft.

Naturally, Prodigy wants the ship’s contents. Wendy, however, has a different motivation: her brother (Alex Lawther) is at the crash site, and she’s desperate to find him.

An Excellent Cast

Since many key characters are hybrids (children in synthetic adult bodies), several adult actors have to play with a childlike mindset—and it works surprisingly well. The core idea that these kids are exploited simply because they appear adult is chilling.

It’s a challenge not only for the actors playing the hybrids, but also for those interacting with them. Luckily, the casting is spot-on. Not least with Sydney Chandler and Alex Lawther as the central sibling duo.

The supporting cast includes Essie Davis (The Babadook, Nitram), Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet, The Crazies), David Rysdahl (No Exit), Lily Newmark, and Kit Young (The School for Good and Evil).

Personally, I was also happy to see two Danish actors appear in the series. They are Diêm Camille as Siberian and Sandra Yi Sencindiver as none other than Yutani of Weyland-Yutani. Both have previously been in The Wheel of Time.

Watch Alien: Earth on Disney+ Now!

Alien: Earth comes from Noah Hawley, making his debut in the Alien universe. While he’s not known for dark sci-fi or horror, he has serious chops when it comes to adapting beloved films for TV. He’s the creator of the Fargo series—a series that, at the time of writing, actually rates higher than the original movie.

He also created Legion, a genre-bending blend of sci-fi, thriller, superhero elements, and more. In short, Noah Hawley knows genre storytelling—and more importantly, he’s brilliant at crafting compelling characters that drive the plot.

Noah Hawley also directs episodes of the series. He directs the first episode himself, followed by Dana Gonzales (The Changeling, The Handmaid’s Tale). The eight-episode season has just three directors, with Ugla Hauksdóttir (The Power, Hanna) rounding out the trio.

We’ve watched the first two episodes for this review, and without hesitation, we’re giving them a solid 4 out of 5. Whether the season climbs even higher to a top rating remains to be seen—but this is an incredibly strong start.

Alien: Earth premieres with two episodes on FX and Hulu on August 12, and internationally on Disney+ on August 13, 2025.

Details

Creator: Noah Hawley
Starring: Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Babou Ceesay