The Incomparable Mothership 799: Earth 2120 (feat. Xenomorph)
Jan 9, 2026
Join John Siracusa, a deep-dive critic of sci-fi, Sandra Wong, a media commentator, and Annette Wierstra, who shares reactions on storytelling, as they dissect Noah Hawley’s "Alien: Earth." They explore the sidelined xenomorphs, the emergence of new alien species like the eye-alien, and the show’s blend of corporate themes with body horror. Discussions cover ethical dilemmas of consciousness transfer, pacing issues, and the intriguing character dynamics, ultimately concluding with mixed but hopeful feelings for a potential second season.
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Alien As A Mirror For Corporate Power
- Noah Hawley centers corporate power and synthetic humans more than the Xenomorph in Alien: Earth.
- The show uses the alien as a foil to explore AI, ownership, and corporate irresponsibility.
Homage Plus Thematic Expansion
- The series pays clear homage to the original Alien while expanding its thematic scope.
- Hawley prioritizes synthetic people and corporate critique over nonstop Xenomorph action.
Xenomorph As Unstoppable Force
- The Xenomorph functions as a force of nature and a narrative serial killer across the franchise.
- Turning it into a controllable asset undermines its primal threat and alters franchise dynamics.
