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.

Ugh!!! The level this show works at is mind numbing. There's a bunch of half thought ideas mashed into a template that simply doesn't work.

"Hey Let's have the alien who is quite clearly a man in a costume rip a room full of people into chunks of meat".

Cool, let's do that.

"Hey let's have a spacecraft crash into a building. But the spacecraft will land beautifully intact and nothing will be damaged, except for a continuous stream of sparks coming from nowhere and a bunch of small fires bubbling in the background, cos that looks cool".

Cool, let's do that.

"Hey let's have a character do the Amélie hair cut and for no reason have a samurai sword strapped to her back".

Cool, Let's do that.

It makes no sense except on a children's cartoon level and the direction is obviously style over substance but there isn't much style to it either.

It's just distressingly flawed on so many levels.

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.

I had high hopes for this series, but so far the writing and characterisation feel unconvincing. Despite a clear sense of extreme danger, the characters behave casually, with no apparent risk assessment. It's frustrating to watch actions that defy logic. By the second episode, major questions remain unanswered - how did the space crash happen in the first place, and why was there no Earth defence against an out-of-control ship? Too many elements don't add up. Hopefully, the story will improve in the coming episodes.

Mr October continues where Neverland left off, with effective character introductions and moves the action and threat slightly beyond its original location.

For me, the highlights are the scenes involving Wendy and Joe. The filmmakers have achieved my investment in these characters, which feels important for what is to come.

Certain other characters are not as likeable, and one in particular feels like he is being set up for grisly demise at the hands of a foreign body. How, or if, this comes to pass is likely to be a source of interest as the story unfolds.

If you are watching for the Xenomorph spectacle, you will likely not be disappointed, as it offers plenty of creature effects and associated horror sequences. Seeing the unknowing characters facing what we already know is always entertaining. Plus, it has an unknown quantity of non-xenomorph alien lifeforms that adds a further level of intrigue.

Generally, the visuals are high quality. The design, tone (and themes) are as reminiscent of Bladerunner, as they are of the Alien and Aliens movies. This should please fans of Ridley Scott's and James Cameron's work.