Alien: Earth: Review

Alien Earth is not what you'd expect.

And in many ways, this is a good and bad thing - but for an eight-episode series, the idea of stretching out the film series commitment to body horror and bloodcurdling gore isn't one that appeals.

So suffice to say that Fargo writer Noah Crawley has expanded the world and lore by fleshing out the wider terror and applying it to human monsters too.

That doesn't mean the Xenomorphs get a short shrift in the slightest, but a feeling of repeated action beats plagues part of the series- after all what do you do with an unstoppable creature that simply kills and has no dialogue?

Wisely the series expands on the horrific idea of implanting near-death children's minds into synthetic bodies and letting them out into the world - without a hint of maturity to guide them.

Chiefly among these is Wendy (Sydney Chandler), the leader of the "Lost boys" of reassigned kids and the first synthetic to be created by Weyland Yutani's nemesis and rival a company named Prodigy.

When a deep-space craft owned by Yutani crash-lands on earth in Prodigy territory, the race is on to secure the cargo within. But Wendy has am ulterior motive for heading on a search and rescue - her brother, who's been kept from her, is one of those looking fir survivors and in danger...

While Alien  Earth deals out some Xenomorph action in its first two episodes, the idea of repeating creatures in dark corridors doesn't last long and the series brings to life some new creatures and a wider tale of corporate control, IP ownership and the scrabble to be first.

It's a heady mix for sure and one which probes to be gripping in its point of difference.

But parts of the series suffer from staccato moments with atmosphere and dialogue taking preference over what you may expect.

It's not all successful though. Some of the dialogue, chiefly between a pair of the lost boys,plays a little too dumb as it mines the childish element for doltish outcomes.

More engaging is Erana James as Curly, a Lost Boy recruit whose fascination with being the favourite leads to a more intriguing and arresting dynamic between herself, her peers and the owner of Prodigy.

There's much to be discussed here,but lots of it verges on spoiler territory and in truth, the ride is more enjoyable the less you know.

Parts may be polarising, but with am intriguing journey and destination, Alien: Earth shows there's still a lot of scope for the Ridley Scott world- especially if it's stripped of its portentous pomp that was seem in Prometheus. It's a slow-burning atmospheric thrill ride that's occasionally visceral, occasionally cerebral and builds on your expectations for a show from that world.

Alien Earth airs on Disney+ weekly on Tuesdays from August 13.