Noah Hawley, the acclaimed writer-director known for his work on “Fargo” and the Marvel series “Legion,” has brought his creative vision to the small screen with “Alien: Earth.” The most-foreseen limited series debuted on Disney+ this past Wednesday, August 12th. It promises audiences a new and horrifying look at the world of the legendary “Alien” franchise. Our story picks up a few years prior to the very first “Alien” movie. It introduces the novel’s deeper, more chilling exploration of humanity’s continually evolving relationship with technology and identity.
Set in a dystopian world dominated by a consortium of five tech companies, “Alien: Earth” explores themes of identity, the limits of artificial intelligence, and human frailty. The story’s focus is on Boy Kavalier, who’s made out to be a fellow adventurer in the mold of a Richard Hammond lookalike with a Bob Dylan coiffure. Kavalier, the former founder of Prodigy, is a visionary. To ignite these radical conversations about existence, he creates a new species known as Hybrids.
The series also features Adrian Edmondson in a role that makes him all but unrecognizable, reinforcing what an amazing chameleon actor he is. Timothy Olyphant is a remarkable addition to the cast and you’ll love his character. He portrays an inscrutable robot scientist, injecting an exhilarating aura of mystery to the unfolding drama. The sound design in “Alien: Earth” plays a crucial role in creating an unsettling atmosphere, featuring chitinous clacking and background monkey whoops that enhance the eerie setting.
The stakes become even higher when a for-profit entity locks its crosshairs on humanity’s greatest biological adversary. They’re interested in the creature that Kavalier has designed. This monster is the perfect crystallization of the child grown adult dichotomy, of innocence and evil. The company’s ambition to bring this biological weapon to Earth raises ethical questions about the exploitation of science and technology for corporate gain.