The original Alien and Predator films were ahead of their time. They were smart, scary, and unforgettable. Unfortunately, over the years, the studios squeezed them as much as they could simply for their notoriety, often without giving them a good story. Recently, though, Prey in 2020 and Alien: Romulus in 2025 proved that these franchises have great stories to tell when given the right writers and directors. Now with Noah Hawley, known for Fargo and Legion, at the helm of Alien: Earth, that trend continues; this is a great time for one of the most iconic sci-fi horror franchises.
One of the things you’ll first notice in Alien: Earth is that instead of going with updated tech aesthetics like what we see in Prometheus and Covenant, which, to be honest, makes them feel like they’re in a completely different universe, they instead kept the aesthetics of the original 1979 film. This decision actually grounds the series in the Alien universe. Even the look of the crew feels like you’re staring at the crew of the Nostromo.
Each episode opens with a short, eerie overture, a mix of recap, foreshadowing, and visual poetry, accompanied by an unsettling score that makes you feel like you have already stumbled into danger. It is Noah Hawley’s way of saying this is a show where you have to pay attention.
While keeping the look and feel of the original, the show also expands the Alien universe, reshaping the familiar without breaking what fans already love. The show feels as ambitious as Tony Gilroy’s work on Andor. It is thoughtful, stylish, and grounded in a world that feels fully alive. With each episode, Alien: Earth blends the slow-burn dread of Ridley Scott’s original film, the adrenaline-pumping action of James Cameron’s sequel, and the big ideas of Prometheus, all while adding its own strange DNA to the mix.
Alien: Earth is streaming on FX and Hulu
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