I trust FX more than any other Network, more than HBO, more than AMC, more than any of the other top dogs that exist in 2025, so when it was announced that FX would be responsible for bringing the Alien franchise to TV, I had as much trust as I possibly could in its potential success given how few failures the FX network have produced over the years.
Yet, the first episode of Alien: Earth introduces us to an all-too-familiar concept, one that has been reused repeated - an unstoppable alien is released into general population by an android that betrays the very people it was built to serve and chaos ensues, except this time, itโs on a planet in a heavily populates area. Naturally, the Marines are called upon to take care of business, except these arenโt the foul-mouthed, jacked, alien ass-kickers that we have grown accustomed to, these Marines look like they were literally pulled directly from an 8th grade home room, and even then, that feels like an insult to most 8th graders.
Now, I donโt care how incendiary or stereotypical that comment sounds, because there is just no way that any soldier would look like they barely weigh 110lbs soaking wet, except of course, this is Disneyโs version of Alien, which fits their vision perfectly, regardless of how ridiculous it looks. Disney has proven dozens of times over that they will continue to double down on their failed approach to action franchises and that no matter how many times the audience says โwe donโt want thatโ, Disney will without a doubt go in the opposite direction apparently out of spite.
There are some new things that have been added to the series, namely the transference of a dying girls consciousness to a new robot body, and the introduction of new super-corporations in competition with Weyland Corp, but thatโs really it, at least so far. The major problem with prequels always has been the fact that you already know what the future holds which reduces the stakes significantly, this means that the writers need to be on point, the actors need to be exceptional, and in the case of a horror series, it needs to be scary, and Alien: Earth does not do any of those things particularly well.
It is still early so perhaps Disney will surprise me, but if the past 5 years is any indication of the direction the show is moving in , I will most likely be disappointed.