Mr. October

Literally only writing this review because of getting blown away by tool's stinkfist as the ending song...

Giving this series a real chance and if that song choice was the writer director's doing then I have hope. You'd only get it if you're a fan... I honestly cannot think of any show or movie with a tool track.

Consider this to be my review of the series so far, since the first two episodes came out together.

Right up top I will say this seems to me like one of the better entries into the franchise, even surpassing the latest Alien: Romulus movie. It is quite clear that the people working on these movies were big fans of the original movies. The sets, costumes and overall production design are very reminiscent of the original movie. What is very reminiscent of the first movie as well are the opening scenes which felt as if I were watching a remake of the original movie.

The movie doesn't mess around and gets right to action fairly fast. The first episode felt longer than an hour not because I felt bored, but simply so many things had happened. The action might even feel off-putting to some (as I've already seen in negative reviews). The Xenomorph gets plenty of room to be brutal leading to some interesting set pieces, even if those might seem as fanservice to some. Personally I am keeping an open mind for now, there is the majority of the plot still in front of us.

Some quick notes:

The artistic choice to have kids in enhanced bodies be the main team inside the ship seems weird to me, but let's see what they do with this setup.

Timothy Olyphant is great in his role. I fear his character is unlikely to see the end of the series, but I am enjoying his scenes so far.

It kept feeling weird that the rescue team would arrive heavily armed, but I guess if their goal was the inside of the ship all along, than that could be understandable. A bit distracting at first though. Does real Army at Earth wear weapons for rescue missions after similar events?

Alien: Earth's second episode dials up the intensity, clawing closer to the franchise's horror roots while untangling Episode 1's AI haze.

Noah Hawley leans into visceral thrills, delivering a blood-soaked xenomorph "slaughter" that echoes Alien's primal terror. Sydney Chandler's Wendy, the synthetic-human hybrid, grounds the chaos with raw vulnerability, her arc sharpening as she navigates her strange existence. The grimy, post-apocalyptic Earth setting pulses with dread, amplified by a haunting score and tight cinematography. Timothy Olyphant's Kirsh brings gritty charm, though his role still feels secondary.

The AI and corporate threads - less cluttered than the pilot - start to mesh with the horror, hinting at deeper stakes. However, pacing dips when tech jargon resurfaces, and the "Lost Boys" hybrids remain an odd fit, teetering on gimmicky.

Ep 2's leaner focus and gory set-pieces make it a step up, recapturing the Alien vibe while teasing future clarity. It's not perfect, but it's a pulse-pounding stride forward.

Knowing what Noah Hawley is capable of, I'm wondering how such plot holes, non-existing character development and general emptiness could take place.

As for the direction, there is no tension and nothing appealing despite the high budget displayed on screen.

There is absolutely no soul in these first two episodes.

Rival business empires fight to get their hands on the valuable cargo, but the group that is first on board the crashed ship discovers a deadly foe. The ship proves to be the unlikely venue for a family reunion.

It surprised me just how good this was; it's a terrific second episode that really held my attention and left me wanting more. Pace, action, horror, and some of that anticipation you get from the franchise-simply waiting for something bad to happen.

When I think of the early Alien movies, I think of the horror element: helpless people up against a deadly and terrifying threat, beasts that kill without thinking. This brought back some of that intensity.

I'm enjoying the characters, and I like the interesting relationship between Wendy and Joe. I also like that Wendy and her friends are still children; I think they're doing a reasonable job with that.

8/10.