Alien: Earth (FX on Hulu)

[belloq87]

I thought the premiere was very enjoyable. Good balance of unabashed monster stuff with some big ideas Hawley is clearly interested in exploring within the ALIEN universe.

 

[USO92]

I’ve been doing research on writing novels, screenplays, and character building these last two weeks. The first episode reminded me of the “Save a Cat” writing method (ironically inspired by Ripley saving the cat in the Alien series).

It’s a lot of world building and character building in the early stages. It’s usually slower and I’ve noticed these shows have been taking greater liberty with that lately.

 

[Legacy]

I’ve been doing research on writing novels, screenplays, and character building these last two weeks. The first episode reminded me of the “Save a Cat” writing method (ironically inspired by Ripley saving the cat in the Alien series).

It’s a lot of world building and character building in the early stages. It’s usually slower and I’ve noticed these shows have been taking greater liberty with that lately.

And that’s kinda a hallmark of Hawley, sure. Except he normally does it in a more narratively integrated way. It’s a little less necessary when it’s an exceedingly known world. I still haven’t watched the second episode but, strictly on the first episode:

I think the first episode should have…

Spoiler

…started with a cold open of the Maginot during containment breech. Title card. Then it’s all the crash in New Siam. After all that addressed, THEN show us Wendy’s “creation” in episode 2.

One of the best parts of Alien is the reveal Bishop is a synth, working for a truly evil corporation. It’s world-building through storytelling, with a moment that is narratively essential while catalytic to the entire franchise’s lore.

Instead, we’re told we have hybrids and cyborgs in an opening title card and told we have multiple competing conglomerates in an opening exposition dump. Hiding all that, and letting the viewer wonder who the synth is (later learning “OMG, there’s more than synths”), or letting the question of what Prodigy’s relationship to Weyland/Yutani linger is (I think) a more engaging structure for this franchise. As it stands, the biggest questions the show could have are already answered before anything’s happened.

Someone involved in this production wanted this to be lowest common denominator storytelling, but that’s not what the franchise has ever really been.

 

[USO92]

And that’s kinda a hallmark of Hawley, sure. Except he normally does it in a more narratively integrated way. It’s a little less necessary when it’s an exceedingly known world. I still haven’t watched the second episode but, strictly on the first episode:

I think the first episode should have…

Spoiler

…started with a cold open of the Maginot during containment breech. Title card. Then it’s all the crash in New Siam. After all that addressed, THEN show us Wendy’s “creation” in episode 2.

One of the best parts of Alien is the reveal Bishop is a synth, working for a truly evil corporation. It’s world-building through storytelling, with a moment that is narratively essential while catalytic to the entire franchise’s lore.

Instead, we’re told we have hybrids and cyborgs in an opening title card and told we have multiple competing conglomerates in an opening exposition dump. Hiding all that, and letting the viewer wonder who the synth is (later learning “OMG, there’s more than synths”), or letting the question of what Prodigy’s relationship to Weyland/Yutani linger is (I think) a more engaging structure for this franchise. As it stands, the biggest questions the show could have are already answered before anything’s happened.

Someone involved in this production wanted this to be lowest common denominator storytelling, but that’s not what the franchise has ever really been.

This sounds great! I appreciated the pace of episode 2 much more than ep. 1. I think what you described would have certainly been a great hook. I remember that reveal in Alien and being gobsmacked. It’s still a great twist!

 

[Legacy]

I watched episode two.

Still upset about this, to the extent I wonder if Noah Hawley actually understands what actually makes the franchise ticked. No suspense. No intrigue. Universally juvenile dialogue that constantly contradicted the action on screen.

They actually have the elements for something really compelling and they just consistently present it in the most frustratingly simplistic way possible.