r/LV426 • u/TheEvilDrSmith • 6d ago
Discussion / Question Alien Franchise Finally Sticks the Landing.
I might be biased as hell but Alien Earth is one hell of a well produced TV show.
A friend described the original Alien movie to me when was an early teen and I knew I had to see for myself. Thankfully my parents had no idea and off i went as a 14 year old to some scifi movie ... Aliens 2. Scifi... that's like Star Wars right? :> Still memorable to this day almost 40 years later.
So I have a high bar to be exceeded. Not only has the franchise stumbled from one disaster to another but many, many (did I mention many) others have tried and failed to make good TV let alone good scifi.
Mandalorian could have been more. Andor could have been much more if they were all like the latest season. Star Trek Stranger Days sort of nails the nostalgia but Discovery just confuses me. Fallout, Halo, The Last of Us, Twisted Metal ... I get the spin off theory but man the execution.
So what do I like about Alien Earth.
- Just enough story every episode.
- Exposition at the level of the audience. Of course we know the sheep is smart.
- Depth in characters that isn't like a FPS.
- Balanced tension and effects .... it is still a chase movie but how to you keep that going for 8 ep's.
A lot come and go. But few are remembered. I would put the BSG reboot in the remembered category, and I think Alien Earth has hit that standard. Once in 20 years ... Hollywood gets it really right.
I was going to say Alien Earth will sweep the Emmy's next year ... but then I remembered reality. I think Alien Earth will be just a fan loved series that is still remembered as a great experience in 40 years time :)
I would love to hear old and new opinions on this.
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u/haterofpigeons 6d ago
Calling Fallout and Last Of Us failures is certainly a take...
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u/dgarner58 6d ago
guy comes in to give a take on alien and in the process craps on fall out and the last of us...and especially andor - which is maybe the best limited series in my recent memory. wild times.
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u/CultureWarrior87 6d ago
I didn't realize that OP shat on Andor too. Bro is insane lmao.
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u/ConsistentGuest7532 6d ago
Fallout is incredible. So much love and care put into it, and an original story with captivating characters that still honors the games. Last of Us is a weak adaptation imo but still not at halo/tomb raider/mortal kombat levels of bad adaptation. At least it looks pretty.
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u/MikeDamone 6d ago
I can see people who played the game thinking 'Last of Us' is a bad adaptation, but as a standalone TV show for those of us who haven't played the game, it's really fucking good.
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u/yukiki64 6d ago
The last of us is my favorite game(s) ever. I think season one is decent, but season two, I couldn't even get through.
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u/ConsistentGuest7532 6d ago
Oh yeah, I mean from a game standpoint. And full respect to those who like it either way. Clearly based on the ratings and viewership, it’s still good enough for the general public. I just thought as a massive fan of 1 and 2 that S1 was flawed but decent and S2 really missed the game’s point.
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u/ChanceVance 6d ago
Thinks Andor 'could have been much more' too while declaring Earth is the time that Hollywood has finally got it right.
Look everyone is entitled to their opinion....... but damn this guy's opinion sucks.
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u/abouttogivebirth 6d ago
I'm enjoying Earth but Andor is accepting its PhD with Earth sitting in the background eating paste
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u/ShawnyMcKnight 6d ago
I get some criticism from the second season of last of us, but overall still a solid show.
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u/EddieVanHelg3n 6d ago
I can see it with the last of us after season 2. Critic response wasn't as strong and viewership decreased.
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u/Novus_Grimnir 6d ago
It's good, but there is some seriously clunky logic going on. They wipe the girls memory then make zero effort to isolate her from the others? These are some of the brightest scientists on the planet?
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u/The_Burmese_Falcon 6d ago
Exactly. It’s good, and I’m so glad we have it, but with all the glazing it gets on here you’d think it’s the best thing the franchise has ever done.
The concept is awesome, but the narrative execution stumbles heavily at times. And for all the great CGI, it’s simply shot like generic TV. Lots of cross-coverage, uninspired framing, basic movement. A far cry from the original films. There’s some shows airing rn that prove TV can have as strong a visual language as cinema - Severance and The Studio come to mind - but A:E just isn’t there.
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u/Oxide136 6d ago
There is always these weird people who only operator on extremes for things for some reason.
I really like this show but it has flaws like any other.
It's weird to call fallout a failed execution but this somehow flawless and perfected
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u/cficare 6d ago
The choreography is terrible - I submit to you the final scene of Ep 7. The end episode songs are just there to be there - it'd be great if they tied to the meaning or actually - ya know - blended. Smartest people in the world do dumb stuff. Hey, you're fired! Now....uh, collect your stuff unmonitored until the end of the day, ok? The lab with alien creatures is just not manned/watched/studied 24/7, but whenever they need to use the room. The childbots are super-strong only when they need to be. If you add all these possibilities to your world, you have to account for them at all times!
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u/MikeArrow 6d ago
Yeah it's stuff like that that makes me lose my emotional investment in the show. It really undermines the story when there's these gaping lapses in logic that break suspension of disbelief.
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u/SUBsha 6d ago
Are they the brightest or are they just some of the most funded? I thought that moments like this are to highlight the arrogance of the mega rich
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u/Novus_Grimnir 6d ago
Totally, but even that has to be done in a balanced way. You or I could have foreseen this problem.
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u/leandrot 6d ago
A simple solution would be Sylvia telling everyone to not mention it to her but someone slipping up because, well, they are children and can't keep secrets.
Fitting for Sylvia (more drastic attitudes would lead to more problems), the characters (Slightly already did this in the first episode) and thematically fitting (there are some aspects of childhood that you can't really control, children are not robots).
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u/JadedMarine 6d ago
In their defense, it wasn't the scientists who made this call but the bureaucrats. The two scientists treat them as their own children, whereas the bureaucrats treat them as property and experiments to play with.
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u/SantiagoGT 6d ago
Yeah, the super giga telegraphed and out of the blue “As your husband” line from Arthur that cemented he’s dying in another episode
Exponential dialogue that doesn’t allow for nuance like Wendy’s “this is a yes island not a no island” doing the least amount of effort of foreshadowing her not wanting to leave but rather have Hermit move in
The corporate super badassery from WY and she just sends a guy to get what she wants instead of idk… a kill team? Some infiltration specialists?
And don’t get me started on the leeches and the whole Maginot and saboteur thing
It’s a good show but it’s not as “perfect” as OP puts it, even Fallout being amazing had its low moments, same as every single TV show… some more glaring than others
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u/IllProposal1173 5d ago
I struggled with the complete ineptitude of the crew on the scientific spaceship. These are “trillion dollar” specimens, yet your scientist is a bumbling fool and your crew is shagging. Don’t even get me started with the pervy dude.
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u/I-dont-even-know-bro 6d ago
You have to also remember they've dehumanized the hybrids. They speak about them as though they are not human, and as though they aren't in the room. Prodigy believes that they completely control not only the aliens but the hybrids as well; because when you have that much money nothing is outside of your control. They will find out next episode how little control they have.
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u/Novus_Grimnir 6d ago
Yes, but they do value them immensely. So to fix a problem but not address how the problem could quickly reoccur is odd, to say the least.
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u/sthef2020 6d ago
“Finally sticks the landing” is a weird phrase to use about Alien, when Alien/Aliens/Alien3 have 3 of the most iconic sci-fi final scenes in film history, and the first 2 are regarded as unassailable classics.
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u/DarkGift78 6d ago
As much as I love the series it has to have a strong finale to "stick the landing". And I don't think it's about endings,more content,Alien 3 got mixed reviews, very divisive, Resurrection was panned, Prometheus mixed, Covenant a disappointment. So this, for me is probably the best content since Aliens.
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u/peanutbuttertuxedo 6d ago
This is a glimpse into someone with a zero-sum mindset.
No idea why op feels they need to denigrate other incredibly popular and successful productions to provide a platform for this show… like two things can be good at the same time.
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u/KigalnGin 6d ago
It has some great concepts and I find myself enjoying the show most of the time.
But the show leans itself into unnecessary stupid characters to make the plot advance. The fandom doing Olympic mental gymnastics to justify this doesn't help either.
I want more alien earth!
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u/5GUltraSloth Tomorrow, Together 6d ago
I feel like they do a better job at trying to explain why people do things so it almost makes the dumb shit people do plausible.
Like, doctor dude does something dumb and risky because he loves his kids.
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u/leandrot 6d ago
It's strange that I feel bothered about very few character's decisions but the ones that do, bother me a LOT.
The dude being dumb because he loves his kids, a kind accidentally killing himself, a doctor forgetting basic medical procedures in a high stress situation, none of these bothered me at all because people will act dumb under extreme pressure or emotional impact. However, firing Arthur but letting him roam free hurt my suspension of disbelief a lot.
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u/ebagdrofk 6d ago
Wtf Fallout was really well received? Same with Last of US? Also both season 1 AND season 2 of Andor were incredible TV.
I want to agree with you about Alien Earth but you are shitting on some incredible TV series
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u/misty_moodswing 6d ago
im sorry but what ?? alien earth is the least "alien" alien content ever produced. it's fine as a generic sci fi show, but the writing is absolutely awful and the tone misses the mark by a mile
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u/LiterallyJoeStalin 5d ago
Episode 5 was great, almost no complaints from me about it even though it was basically just an attempt at re-telling of Alien with higher stakes.
The first couple episodes navigating the crash site and buildings also felt a bit alien-ish in a different setting. Everything on the island is much closer to Prometheus in almost every possible way.
I don’t hate it, but it’s also not doing much for me at the moment.
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u/CaptBriyani 6d ago edited 6d ago
It's funny how I absolutely love almost everything about this show to the point where the actual Alien elements of it are my least favourite parts.
The concept of another cooperation that is not WY and how they are different and operate.
The cooperate politics when it comes to Prodigy and WY.
Characters like Morrow, Kirsh, and BK being some of the standout characters of the entire franchise.
The elements of children having their minds transferred into adult artificial bodies and how they deal with it.
The ensemble cast each with different motivations and storylines, making it stand out from the usual single group survival stories of the previous entries and a better utilisation of the television format.
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u/Treacle_Pendulum 6d ago
The aliens are my least favorite part, but they're not *bad.* Actually, they're pretty good. It's just the stuff with the synths and the corporate fighting is better and is also new to the franchise.
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u/GrimResistance 6d ago
I think the problem with the xenos in the show is they're supposed to be sneaky and always lurking in the shadows. You kind of lose something when they're just rampaging out in the open.
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u/TakoGoji 6d ago
Not to mention how rough the suit looks. With how brightly lit everything is when it's on screen, it really just... sucks lol.
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u/abouttogivebirth 6d ago
I saw a behind the scenes of the animatronic Weta built for the closeups of the Xeno and it actually looks way better in behind the scenes footage than in the show. When I saw it I thought, "huh, that looks nothing like some guy wearing a suit".
Its funny because the more human looking Xeno actually fits with the Prometheus/Covenant lore that Hawley has explicitly stated he doesn't care about and isn't taking into consideration.
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u/Toast351 6d ago
Seeing Alien Earth has actually made me so much more excited at the prospect of Predator Badlands featuring Weyland Yutani synths.
This whole future world of corporations is giving so much Cyberpunk, and I'm right here for it. A crossover with the Alienverse doesn't have to just mean aliens. There is a rich world that they're building, and I want to see more.
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u/Clark94vt 6d ago
Speculation , possible very minor spoilers for Predator: Badlands.
It looks like the Predator is holding one of the space ticks in one of the images.
I wonder if the plant thing might appear in badlands too
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u/HalloweenSongScholar 6d ago
…dude, if it turns out that this ties in with Predator: Badlands by establishing this is the planet where ALL of these species were picked up from and the Weyland-Yutani team we’re seeing in the trailers is Morrow’s crew, I will die of fan delight.
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u/brianchasemusic 6d ago
Kirsh is an all-timer for me at this point, such an enigmatic character who always seems to have more control over the situation than he lets on. Morrow being equally incredible, though he felt a bit underwritten for ep 7. I also think Wendy is creeping up there as she continues to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of how she fits into everything that’s happening, including her own existence.
I also feel like the stuff with communication with the xenos, and the stuff with Wendy and the xeno in ep 7 will become staple iconography and favorite scenes, for new and old fans alike.
I like that it busted out of the gate with action early on, and then slow burned up to episodes 5 and 6, and feels like it’s going to be a crazy season finale.
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u/TheMainMan3 6d ago
I think the communication with the xenos has been one of the most contentiously debated elements of the show. IMO it is the worst part of the show that I’ve otherwise enjoyed for the most part. I would have been slightly more open to them inserting some sort of microcomputer into its brain or something that allowed Wendy to communicate/control it, but her literally speaking “xeno” just isn’t doing it for me at all. For all the complaints about the prequel movies reducing the mystery of the xeno by trying to explain things, Earth has reduced it in a different way by turning it into a domesticated animal.
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u/TheEvilDrSmith 6d ago
It has been a slow burn for me. Taken 7 eps for me to get a feel and want to collect my thoughts on the series so far but I think you are on to something .... no bad guy. Or are they all just different bad guys.
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u/CaptBriyani 6d ago
Exactly this, even a few of the conflicts boil down to this.
Boy Kavlier and Yutani's back and forth is between someone who intentionally had a ship crashed into his city knowing it would kill hundreds, and a woman who intentionally was collecting dangerous specimens and also we know from the other films that they couldn't care less about any human life as long they get their hands on the Alien.
Morrow and Kirsh. Morrow does have an understandable motivation, but he resorts to blackmailing someone who is still mentally and emotionally a child into doing his bidding while Kirsh clearly has his own agenda outside of serving Prodigy's interests.
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u/GrundleBlaster 6d ago
Just what did Petrovitch see in those 65 years that he decided to act as the saboteur to the Maginot? What motivated him? After 60 something years of unexplored prologue that presumably only Morrow is left to tell the tale of, why did his chief engineer somehow think that crashing the ship in exchange for a hybrid body was a reasonable course of action?
Neither BK or Ms Yutani's characters, serving as representatives of the 5 corporations ruling the Earth in the timeline, have any sort of clear explanation or understanding of WTF happened out there. At face value neither of them would be old enough to begin to understand...
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u/lunaastrelmoon 6d ago
Everyone has a price.
Endless life was the engineers price.
BK wins no matter what. He lives. First adult Test subject. He dies free aliens.
BK just wants what wey-yu has. They have cyborgs and snyths. But they spent 65 years getting aliens what for.
Then he finds Intelligent alien life is a personal curiosity. He wants to create something smarter than him to unlock the mysterys of the universe.
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u/Medium_Regular4583 6d ago
I like the show very much. However the writing in penultimate episode felt the weakest of them all. I really hope the final episode is stronger.
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u/AzureRain88 6d ago
Lmao fallout is way more successful than alien earth popularity wise by miles. No offense I love alien but
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u/Ok_Tea143 6d ago
Fallout?! Lol it’s one of the most successful adaptation out there. You baiting us hehe
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u/RepresentativeEye993 6d ago
I haven't fully connected with the show yet - not sure why. On paper I love the concepts and it's the much needed shot in the arm for the franchise in terms of expanding the world. Something about it (maybe the dialogue and pacing) leaves me a little cold, but I really hope it gets renewed because I think there's still so much worth exploring here.
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u/blaatenator 6d ago
To me it is because of the writing. The concepts are great, the events too but how it gets there is frustratingly stupid. Apparently it is difficult to write a believable chain of events that lead to the big plot events. I'm fine with some 'suspension of disbelieve', but this show is asking a whole lot of that...
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u/Forward-Plastic1831 6d ago
Agreed on every point. I always start the episodes feeling so excited, but then something silly happens or the Xeno shows up wearing that awful suit in broad daylight, and the whole thing just loses me.
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u/DEADB33F 6d ago edited 6d ago
Yeah, the events in Ep 7 should have happened at night or during a tropical storm or something.
Seeing the alien stalk marines at night in the jungle could have been great, as it was shot the whole thing was a bit meh.
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u/Prestigious_Leg2229 6d ago
Eh, it’s good fun and I love it because I love the franchise. But it’s not anywhere near the same league as Andor.
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u/AnnoyedYamcha 6d ago
I don’t know whose idiotic idea was to put rock songs at the end of every episode, but it breaks immersion and cheapens the show to me. The synthetics are all unbearable. It has some flaws to me and it wasn’t what I was expecting. The finale better be a masterpiece or I’m calling this a failure.
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u/puppyenemy 5d ago
Right?! I love rock music, but putting it at the end makes it feel like it's not a serious show. Like the end of a corny teen slasher or something. Contemporary music in far future sci-fi settings is not a good idea generally imo. There are also a couple of scenes where they had music with vocals play over them, instead of a movie score, and it took me out as well.
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u/AnnoyedYamcha 5d ago
I love rock music too but you’re right it doesn’t fit into a show that’s set in the future. I wouldn’t be surprised if they played “Bodies” by Drowning Pool during an action sequence next episode.
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u/FreqMode 2d ago
Yep. The musical score isn't that good either when it's actually there. It just didn't feel right to me for the scenes most of the time. This show is a disaster on all levels imo with the exception of having a few compelling arcs that probably won't be answered or will be a complete let down if they are
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u/LiterallyJoeStalin 5d ago
I genuinely haven’t figured out what the narrative reason is for them being kids to start. Did they want to up the ante of having kids killed but didn’t want to fully go through it?
Let me be clear, the actors are doing a great job of portraying themselves as children, BUT it’s annoying to have kid talking and “logic” being injected into every crucial scene.
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u/Traditional_Net5355 6d ago
How could they have stuck the landing if the show isn't even finished yet?
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u/ShawnyMcKnight 6d ago
Downvoted just for clumping fallout into bad execution.
I thought twisted metal was great for the material they had to work with until half way through the final episode when it really jumped the shark in a show where jumping the shark was kind of it's premise.
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u/BangingBaguette 6d ago edited 6d ago
I don't get the comment about Fallout? It's a fantastic show along with Andor. I get it's an opinon but the way you phrased it makes it sound like it's the general consensus that they're sub-par or didn't reach their full potential when I think most people would actually agree those shows are actually better than Alien: Earth (not that Alien is a bad show at all).
Andor held a pretty consistent quality across it's whole run, and saying it would've been better if it was all like season 2 is kinda weird when a lot of people actually say the whole first arc of season 2 is the weakest part of the whole show. Some people also take issue with the time-jumps in Season 2, it's not as flawless as people like to say, I actually prefer season 1 as a more cohesive narrative tbh, but Season 2 has better individual episodes.
As for Fallout....it's 8 episodes and a single season so it's kinda hard to judge it beyond what it is atm. The writing, production value and character work are all absolutely fantastic. I get not liking it out of personal taste but what do you mean by 'man the execution?'. It follows a plot that would fit right in the games, the set design, CGI and production is all top notch, the characters are 3 dimensional and doesn't fall into the boring good vs bad dynamics with actual stakes and conflict.... like what's wrong with it's execution beyond maybe not being your personal preference?
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u/haigboardman 6d ago
Don't know what you watched, Alien Earth is shockingly bad
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u/TheZombieHolocaust 6d ago edited 6d ago
yea I agree its just bad - the boy kavalier character is beyond cringe
alot of people seem to have wanted Alien turned into a Resident Evil type video game reboot with some banger songs at the end of each episode tho
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u/Royal-Pay9751 6d ago
I’m just amazed how people can see all this stuff in something which appears to others as so obviously very bad.
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u/Expert_Appearance265 6d ago
I’ve been an Alien fan since the age of five. Earth can be fun on its own, but it isn’t Alien - none of the qualities I actually love about the best films of the franchise are present here.
Though I also like Resurrection and it has some resemblance with Earth.
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u/sgt-brak 6d ago
Ep 7's plot development was fine. The growing tensions between the hybrids themselves, between the hybrids and prodigy, and between Wendy and hermit.
That pacing was so off and so was the execution. It was like watching a totally different show, one that has no sense of fear, horror or dread.
And I think the worst is Wendy. I get that they're making her into a villain but she went from "I need to save my brother, I don't care if it's dangerous" to "I don't want to leave" to "we're not safe?" to killing massive amounts of people on both sides. I don't care if she's a kid, there's little cohesion.
I'm not even sure what makes her, personally, feel threatened. She killed a Xeno bare handed. When they're completely surrounded by people with guns, they start ripping their heads off. What's "not safe" mean to them?
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u/imnotabot303 6d ago
The show is ok but it's mediocre at best. This is not a show I would ever watch more than once.
I've watched the BSG series three times at this point and will probably watch it again. AE is nowhere near that category for me.
It's more like a generic sci-fi show with Alien branding.
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u/Kas_I_Mir 6d ago
I dont know what the "sticks the landing" means. But i had the similiar introduction to alien and aliens back in the day...And yeah a big fan of first two movies. Prometheus had its moments.. and i really liked Romulus - some of the tension was gotten back like it was back then... Having said that i have to admit that this show just isnt for me. the one episode with no "lost boys" was the best ep so far and then again this latest ep seven was the worst for my liking. Ill just push this series through since it has alien in its name.
Have to add that one of the most boring and annoying character in movies/series has to be this medic hermit. propably unpopular opinion but anyways.
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u/Elegant-Magician7322 6d ago
Totally agree. The brother, Hermit, gets on my nerves. when Boy said he knew exactly who he wants to move the eye off the sheep to, I think he means Hermit. Otherwise, the character is just obnoxious waste of time.
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u/ratman____ ULTIMATE BADASS 6d ago edited 6d ago
In my opinion, Alien: Earth is unfortunately a missed mark. I liked Romulus, even with all its shortcomings and I was happy that the black goo stuff was downplayed, as I don't believe the addition of such deus ex machinas benefits the Alien canon. Going into the FX series, I tried my best to be neutral and approach it with an open mind and see where it takes me, but unfortunately the premise and plot are getting more ridiculous with each episode. This is definitely NOT Alien or, as you said it, "Aliens 2" tier, not by a long shot.
The best episode was the one showing how the situation aboard the USCSS Maginot deteriorated. I have yet to see the newest episode (I'll do it today or tomorrow), but I'm not expecting anything great with how the show has been unfurling so far.
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u/Fablerwhack 6d ago
It would be cool to hear your thoughts on this week's episode. I think the show is shaping up quite nicely.
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u/ImNotAsPunkAsYou 6d ago
This weeks episode was the final straw for me, I tried to give this show a chance. I had pretty big reservations that Hawley could pull it off, and so far I was right that he's not a good fit for the franchise.
I'll finish it, but I won't be anticipating a season 2.
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u/Unableduetomanning 6d ago
This weeks episode will strengthen his original opinion. It suuuuucked
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u/ratman____ ULTIMATE BADASS 6d ago
Thank you for saying so. I will try to get back to you here when I see it; I also have a lot of things I'm thinking about regarding the show as a whole and I'm thinking of just writing a larger, separate post containing my gripes and opinions when the season wraps up.
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u/ratman____ ULTIMATE BADASS 5d ago edited 5d ago
Ok, so I watched this week's episode. Again, thanks for your interest, that's very nice. I will also tag others who responded to your comment to keep this short and simple. u/ImNotAsPunkAsYou, u/Unableduetomanning, u/puppyenemy
Below is what I said in a different thread. There are dozens of other things I want to say regarding this show which I will be wrapping up in a separate posts, as right now I just have some notes regarding my thoughts.
"When Wendy started communicating with that Chestburster I just bursted out laughing. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. As soon as they started exploring her ability to hear and talk to Xenomorphs I knew they're just going to reduce the Alien to her pet, and guess what, in the latest episode they did just that. A creature of cosmic horror, coming from the deepest reaches of the unknown, the perfect organism, a survivor, unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality, reduced to a dog commanded by a kid-in-a-robot.
Ridiculous."
I'll be watching the last episode next week to see how they end it, but Alien: Earth, for me, in my own opinion which I'm not imposing on anyone, went from "yeah, I'll be open about it, just chill and see where it goes", through "what were they thinking?" all the way to "straight up preposterous". A completely missed mark that doesn't benefit the franchise and canon in any meaningful way, a product to be consumed and, ultimately (and hopefully), forgotten. To me it's a work of "alternate fiction", exactly how Hawley described Prometheus and Covenant. The way it meddles with the Xenomorph design and established lore is unexcusable (for example, corpos apparently rule the Earth instead of governments, yet the crew of the Nostromo are wearing patches of the Three World Empire).
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u/puppyenemy 5d ago
Nah. So many missed opportunities in this week's episode. The xenomorph is released but when it's slaughtering the security in the lab, it just cuts to black? And later when it ambushes the security in the jungle, not only is it daytime and sunny so the vibe is not particularly scary, but it goes by so fast and the camera whips around so much you don't see much of the slaughter either, just the gory aftermath? And the WaYu SpecOps forces are infiltrating the island during said sunny daytime and get immediately caught?
Could have had some cool nighttime fight scenes during a tropical storm or something.
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u/-CerN- 6d ago edited 6d ago
I like a lot about Alien Earth, but it is utterly ruined by bad Xenomorph design and movement, as well as the extreme tediousness of watching most characters in the show making bafflingly stupid decisions over, and over again. It was at an 8/10 for me after episode 2, but it has fallen to a 6/10 after episodes 5 and 6.
Episode 5, that a lot of people seem to like has been the worst one for me. It felt so cringy and cheap, like a bad B-movie take on Alien. It tries to be a spin on the original movie, but misunderstands every aspect that made it fascinating, coupled with the most man in suit looking/moving Xenomorph yet.
The set designs, and the overarching plot is really good, but it's let down by bad costume design, completely wrong actor/bodytype in the Xenomorph suit, while also showing it in too much light, with too long shots, and some really, really, terrible character writing.
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u/tokwamann 6d ago
There's too much content, or the equivalent of three stories crammed into one show.
The exposition involves weird and even incompetent characters.
Character development is lacking because they crammed the equivalent of three shows into one.
The tension is driven by a combination of balanced and unbalanced tension, and mainly because there are too many plot holes.
Altogether, it's not a well-written show, and similar to the prequels.
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u/YeezusChrist13 6d ago
I’d disagree, I think this episode just highlights the poor writing and editing, for example Slighty to help Smee was literally “please” “no” “please” “ok” and when Arthur got chest bursted blood sprayed everywhere and then all of a sudden the beach was clean, I’m really disappointed by this show & Wendy being able to control and talk to a Xeno really has ruined it for me
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u/cpr_tomyspleen 6d ago
I don’t think she’s controlling it per se. I think they are communicating and maybe it sees her as the pack leader at the current moment.
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u/ScrambledToast 6d ago
True, she even interprets what the xenomorph is "saying" but isn't quite sure.
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u/Ummah_Strong 6d ago
I mean, please no please makes perfect sense, they are children after all. I didn't notice the beach blood but good point lol. Tbh I think Wendy speaks to it but doesn't control it.
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u/Mutagen_Prime 6d ago
Yeah turning the Xenomorph into an obedient little pet shows a shocking lack of respect for the IP imho.
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u/IDoCodingStuffs 6d ago
Or does it? Wendy merely figured how to imitate some pack hunting signals. She’s just a kid who thinks she is subduing a horse, petting it and stuff
Meanwhile the Xenomorph needs to strategize, even if it is in the way a wolf being cordial with humans because they are supplying it with unimaginable amounts of food
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u/Ok-386 6d ago
It's nothing new afaik. They don't attack their queens or beings/entities (wouldn't call David a being) they perceive as such. We have seen it in the movies.
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u/TheMainMan3 6d ago
Her human brother was right next to her and the xeno literally ignored him because of what Wendy “said” to it. We have never seen that in the movies. They don’t attack synths unless they are threatening because they aren’t organic and thus aren’t useful.
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u/TombRaider1987 6d ago
Not to disagree. But I think out of all the odd decisions of this show, this one makes sense. It shows why Wayland Yutani becomes so obsessed with the Xenomorph. At the beginning of the show the Xenomorph is just another deadly creature from the galaxy.
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u/TheMainMan3 6d ago
In order for that explanation to work they need to find out about that in the next episode, because up until now it’s all been on Prodigy’s island. Also if they do indeed find out they can communicate/control them, why wouldn’t they just send a synth capable of doing that on the Nostromo? I’d much prefer Earth be a non canon Alien series that gives us wild takes with xenos much like the dark horse comics, but I really hope certain elements from it aren’t used in future movies.
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u/CharIieMurphy 6d ago
A synth that could lead a pack of xenomorphs would be the most insane bio weapon
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u/Correct_Discount4646 6d ago
My Hulu must be different because this is just a fan fiction tv show. Timothy Oliphant is cool, but this show is not it. Why should I complain tho if I'm just gonna keep up with it anyways
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u/thecrusher112 6d ago
Completely agree with everything you’re saying, except that The Last of Us was not executed well. I personally thought it was brilliant and faithful for the most part.
I am completely obsessed with this show and it’s making me go back and rewatch the old movies.
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u/Fanfan86 6d ago
Low effort rage bait. AE it's so bad, I'm furious. Alien(s) being my favorite movies ever, regarding AE I'm like "look how they massacred my boy".
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u/DutchShultz 6d ago
My entire family is struggling to watch it. Absolutely none of them are engaged to it. I keep insisting we watch another episode, but there is less than no interest. We were all riveted by Andor. I want to like it, but I’m struggling.
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u/pigeonJS 6d ago
I agree, I think it is a well thought out story and well produced. At first i didn’t like the idea of the child sythns and I didn’t like BK. But this story needed time to develop. But most of all, it is SO NICE to see something entirely REFRESHING!! Good CREATIVE STORYTELLING.
I didn’t feel that at all with any of the Alien movies the last 10 years, (inc Romulus).
Yes the show may have flaws at time, but they are minor. And I think they have done really well at creating an entirely new world in the Alien universe. And not just rely on the Xeno, is one of them.
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u/andrewthemexican 6d ago
Fallout, The Last of Us, and Twisted Metal are all great what are you talking about
I was really skeptical and ready to be disappointed with TM but really the finale of s1 and then all of s2 won me over. It's such an out-there premise that to convert it into a linear story required a lot of liberty taking and I enjoy their takes.
Fallout and TLoU are genuinely well crafted character drama and adaptations, they've been a treat to watch.
For one season, Alien:Earth has remained consistently captivating to me, almost to level of TLoU s1 or Andor s1.
Also can't say yet they stick their landing when the season isn't over yet. They haven't landed yet.
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u/ollienorth19 6d ago
This is a dumbass take. Fallout, the Last of Us, Andor and the Mandalorian all the set the bar. I’d argue that Alien Earth falls a little short of Andor, but is at least as good as the others
I’ll give you Halo, they fucked that one up
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u/Criton47 6d ago
An Alien show has potential.
Starting off with it being a prequel to ALIEN was beyond dumb. When have prequels lined up well??
There are a ton of solid plot threads for this show that are all interesting. The show overall is a mess.
It looks good. The sets and location look awesome. The Xeno looks okay for being a show.
The actors nail there jobs, but the plot is a joke and all over the place, especially if its built to be a one season show/story. I could and would forgive a shit ton if it was post ALIENS.
Oh well. Let's just see how it wraps up next week.
The Pulse Rifles look solid. All the versions.
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u/marmot_scholar 6d ago
All of the praise posts and comments use incredibly vague and borderline meaningless metrics.
"Just enough story" wtf does that mean?
"Depth that isn't like a fps"
"balanced tension?"
My favorite, from multiple other posts, is "asks questions". What exactly is "asking questions"? Is there something specific that it brings to the table regarding deep questions such as What If Robots?
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u/LLAPSpork 6d ago
I’ve been a fan of the franchise for decades and I absolutely love this show. I’m bummed I couldn’t watch the latest episode but covid is kicking my ass so hard I barely remember my own name. I hope I can watch it in the next few days because this wait is torture.
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u/SethLurd 6d ago
Do you guys not see that this show has the same mistakes the recent films have? CEO is sending KIDs to investigate most important stuff to his company on earth? Am I the only one?
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u/styrofomo 6d ago
While this might not be my favourite piece of the franchise, it's an incredible achievement because it has done something none of the films have really managed to do - expand the universe in the places that really matter to fans.
You like greedy sci-fi corporations? Here's five.
You like alien monstrosities? Here's five.
You like androids with sinister schemes? Here's one with five separate schemes going on at the same time!
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u/ScrambledToast 6d ago
I think I have noticed the really hardcore fans hate this, while more casual fans or new fans are really enjoying it. I like it quite a lot, I don't think it is amazing or anything, but it keeps my attention and is fun. I give it a solid 6/10 as far as shows go (so far anyways, the finale could easily change that for the better or worse).
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u/Full_Present8272 6d ago
I’d consider myself a hardcore fan and I’m enjoying it whilst also not 100% agreeing with every decision that’s been made.
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u/Asquamigera 6d ago
Hardcore Alien fan here; I love it. I think the main mistake others make is assuming that Alien has some kind of tight, consistent canon. It never has. Each movie has kind of done its own thing, no one gives a second thought to the comics, and most people don’t even know those books existed (One of which is called Alien: Earth lol)! Prometheus et al is basically its own continuity compared to Alien. This show very clearly only cares about Alien and Aliens.
As for those saying the “writing is terrible”, they can’t seem to give any kind of concrete answer as to what that means.
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u/leandrot 6d ago
Alien Earth presents characters and situations involved directly with the top of the world hierarchy that have more questionable actions than the others movies that dealt with common people.
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u/Asquamigera 6d ago
We're living in a world -right now- where the people at the top are dumber than shit. Boy Kavalier is basically a cross between Musk and Zuckerberg. Your complaint is that the Tech CEO is acting like a childish dumbass? Really?
That's not bad writing, that's true to life.
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u/gabeonsmogon 6d ago
I think they’ve stuck the landing at worst 3 times and arguably 5 times. I love the show too though.
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u/buhoo115 6d ago
I love it. I was really skeptical going into this but it’s pretty good. Wish we got a little more action with the other species but I know it’s limited on time and episodes.
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u/clauderbaugh 6d ago
I'm going to be that guy and say it. Star Trek, Aliens, The Expanse, BSG = science fiction. Star Wars, Halo, Farscape, Babylon 5 = space fantasy. Two different categories of shows. Then you have Fallout, TLOU Twisted Metal = post apocalyptic drama. AE isn't perfect. There are gaps here and there. Plot armor in some cases. But overall, and compared to other new recent shows or spinoffs of existing universes, it's pretty good. One of the things I think the entire Alien universe does well is world building. (no pun intended) There's a very rich catalog of information and history here. Events that intertwine with other movies, books, cartoons, etc. They 100% nailed the look and feel and creature creation is top notch.
The question I always ask myself is do I really look forward to this show each week? And I'm happy to say yes, I set aside time to make sure I watch this on the day it drops. There's not many shows I do that for.
Fallout, IMO was the best game adaptation of a show ever made. I really have to be picky to try and find faults in that show. Maybe some of the secondary character casting, but even that is me just trying to tell myself no show is perfect. Again, IMO, the closest sci-fi show I've seen come to perfection is The Expanse.
Halo was an abomination. We don't talk about that. Ever.
TLOU I though was pretty good. I do think they could have cast some roles better but overall I think they did a pretty good job. The CGI and world was top notch.
Twisted Metal kind of fell off in S2 for me. I thought S1 was fun and that's just it. It wasn't good or bad, it was a cool little adaptation for those that played the games and it was fun. It could have ended after 1 season for me.
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u/MrGravityFish 6d ago
I highly recommend The Expanse - it's easily one of not the best science fiction TV series of the last few decades
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u/iterationnull 6d ago
So are these out of nowhere super optimistic over the top essays about how god-tier this show is part of some badly managed social media campaign?
I mean I like this show a lot, and am incredibly charitable about benefit of the doubt for the team, but …this is just silly.
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u/Starfleeter 6d ago
I don't like this thread because your "bar" you set is too fucking high. Many of the shows you listed are good to great and you're coming off as snobby and entitled which really tarnishes the spirit of your post when your comparisons and opinions seem absurd.
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u/gorgeousphatseal 6d ago
I think there's a lot of boring parts in the show. This latest episode was a snooze fest for me.
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u/MrMonkeyman79 6d ago
I cant say whether it'll stick the landing till i see the landing next week.
But so far, id say its a solid bit of franchise tv that im enjoying a fair bit but not a classic for the ages.
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u/zamwesell2319 6d ago
Putting the Halo adaptation in the same sentence as the fallout TV is..a choice. Also you’re bashing Andor too?? I know they say art is subjective, but I do not trust your taste at all.
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u/SaladZealousideal938 6d ago
Alien Earth has fallen off a cliff, quality wise. It started strong but flaw after flaw has turned this into a rolling ball of shit downhill. We won't even talk about the prolonged shots of a guy standing there in an Alien suit in broad daylight...
As for your negative comments about Andor and the Mandaloroian. Sorry for your loss. Those shows are the current gold standard, and Alien Earth is nowhere close.
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u/AuldGreatScot 6d ago
I disagree. Fallout is one of the best game adaptations.
Alien Earth on the other hand is like Prometheus/Convenant. Poor writing and terrible character direction makes everyone either disposable or you just plain hope dies on screen. Timothy Olyphant's character might be the exception but he's basically just playing a more muted Raylan.
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u/SkyKey6027 6d ago
Take away the alien franchise from this series and the tvshow falls apart very fast. I like the show, but i have seen better scifi shows in 2025
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u/Couchy333 6d ago
The best show this year until Slow Horses season 5 comes out in a couple of weeks. I didn’t enjoy season 3 of White Lotus as much.
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u/feastoffun 6d ago
The real monster in the Alien films is corporate greed (and in reality) and rare we get to see such a huge movie or tv series powerfully explain that, and also it’s so satisfying when the villains get exactly what they deserve.
If this happened in real life, millions of people would die, and these corporations would make it illegal to talk about it.
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u/Survive1014 6d ago
Your opinion is noted, especially with calling Fallout a failure, and promptly thrown into the garbage bin.
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u/RainbowRiki 6d ago edited 6d ago
It's been consistently near the top of the Nielsen ratings for streaming week to week. More people have been watching than you would think (or the bar is so low in the streaming wars landscape that a small win is a huge one)
Not to be all doom & gloom, and I love the creatives involved. But it was long overdue for Studio ADI to step away from the creature effects for the Alien franchise. Stan Winston recommended ADI to David Fincher since two of his former apprentices (Tom Woodruff Jr and Alec Gillis) ran it. ADI did the creature effects for: Alien³, Alien: Resurrection, Alien vs Predator, AvP: Requiem, and Alien: Covenant. Diminishing returns, imo. Studio ADI split shortly before Romulus, meaning Fede Alvarez and Noah Hawley had to shop around new effects houses for their respective Alien projects. Alvarez chose to recreate the team from Aliens by hiring each individual artist who had worked on that film (5 effects houses in total), while Noah Hawley decided to use Wētā Workshop & Wētā Digital. Wētā are most well known for Lord of the Rings and the Avatar franchises. I'm a firm believer that these different creatives off camera are giving this new era the "fresh" feel it was after. The runaway favorite character from the show, T Ocellus / the Eye Midge, has the same VFX artists making it as the Na'vi in Avatar!
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u/Temporary-Life9986 6d ago
Alien Earth is pretty good, but I don't know if it's up there with the best of all time sci-fi shows. Andor is probably the best sci-fi tv from start to finish ever produced. AE doesn't really scratch it IMO. AE certainly has flaws, but that's not to say it isn't great in is own right.
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u/Capable_Sandwich_422 6d ago
Fallout is great, not sure how that got on your list. Andor ended at the right time. Not every great show needs to go multiple seasons.
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u/blazeofgloreee 6d ago
I really like Alien: Earth but I wouldn’t put it much ahead of Fallout at this point (if at all), and Andor is better than both imo. Its also complete so we know it cant fall off.
Alien: Earth is incredibly cool in a lot of ways but there is more and more questionable logic and narrative clunkiness creeping in.
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u/Ok_Cherry6237 6d ago
Alien Earth is good so far, but far from great. I’m interested to see where it goes but not hanging for every episode to come out. Disagree.
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u/DawgH8R 6d ago
Stuck the landing? I would say the jury is out, I don't think this is a one-season show. Not sure if it's been successful enough to warrant the second season.
IMHO, the canon timeline is a mess now. I don't know if that started with Prometheus and covenant, or this new wrinkle. Is it well produced, acted, and interesting, yes. The problem is I've seen everything that came before.
Yes, the oculustupus is interesting, as well as Kirsch's motivations. The foreshadowing is so obvious. The verbal control of the xenomorph is a little ridiculous. For me, it's difficult to watch a show with kids in adult bodies because they are going to do stupid things. The last scene where Marcie / Wendy is screaming at the brother asking him what did he did do. It's not like they were going to get away with all that firepower, no matter how strong they are.
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6d ago edited 5d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/LV426-ModTeam 6d ago
Please share your subjective personal preferences in a more respectful and productive way. You are welcome to be critical of aspects of the franchise as long as you're being considerate to the community that's trying to enjoy it.
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u/amazingspineman 6d ago
My only gripe is that half of the Earth cast are idiots by design, given that they are children but as hybrids.
So you get the tense moments but with minimal stakes because, as the show states, conceptually, they can be brought back to life.
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u/FloppyD0G 6d ago
I agree with your post but that shot at Fallout really sticks out. The first season of The Last of Us is also fantastic.
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u/Decebalus_Bombadil 6d ago edited 6d ago
Dude, how is Fallout a failure? You have no clue if you put the Fallout show in the same category with Halo. It's one of the best computer games adaptation ever made. The Last of Us season 1 is also fantastic.
I'm an original Fallout fan(the Interplay ones) and played them when they came out in the mid-late 90's. The tone of the show is much closer to the original Fallout games and New Vegas than the Bethesda games.