Critics Hail Noah Hawley’s “Alien: Earth” Ahead of 12 Aug Premiere

Early reviews of “Alien: Earth,” the first television entry in the long-running Alien franchise, describe the eight-episode season as an ambitious, visually striking expansion of the 46-year-old property. Critics at Gizmodo, Space.com, TechRadar and IGN España say show-runner Noah Hawley balances franchise hallmarks—xenomorph horror and industrial production design—with new storylines about corporate rivalry, artificial intelligence and human-machine hybrids. Set in 2120, the series follows Wendy (Sydney Chandler), a human consciousness uploaded into a synthetic body, who is dispatched to the crash site of the Weyland-Yutani research vessel Maginot after it plummets into Prodigy City carrying multiple alien life-forms. The accident ignites a power struggle among five megacorporations and unleashes both the iconic xenomorph and four new extraterrestrial species on Earth. Supporting roles are led by Timothy Olyphant as android mentor Kirsh, Alex Lawther as Wendy’s brother Hermit and Samuel Blenkin as Prodigy’s billionaire chief Boy Kavalier. Reviewers praise Hawley’s ability to evoke the claustrophobic tension of Ridley Scott’s 1979 original while delivering large-scale set pieces and ethical debates reminiscent of Jurassic Park and Peter Pan. Several outlets call the show the strongest Alien project since James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, citing its practical creature effects, Jeff Russo’s score and sharply edited action as highlights. “Alien: Earth” debuts with a two-episode premiere on 12 Aug on FX and Hulu in the United States and 13 Aug on Disney+ internationally, with the remaining six episodes rolling out weekly through 24 Sep. The series arrives amid renewed interest in the franchise following 2024’s theatrical release Alien: Romulus and marks Hawley’s latest high-profile television project after Fargo and Legion.