Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast

Episode art by Tristan Jones (IG: @tristans_bones) HAPPY ALIEN DAY 2025!! Looking back through the history of cinema, there are very few - if any - monsters as iconic as the Alien. But why is that? Why are we so afraid of it, intrigued by it, obsessed with it? Why does it speak to audiences in 2025 with just as much power as it did nearly five decades ago? In this episode (which is something of a third installment in our Anatomy of an Alien Film series), Jaime and Patrick discuss these sorts of questions with two of the absolute, unquestionable authorities on the visual language of Xenomorph XX121: Tristan Jones (IG @tristans_bones), the legendary artist behind projects like Dark Horse's Aliens: Defiance, and Dane Hallett (IG @dane_hallett_art), one of Hollywood's most in-demand concept artists (you've seen his work in Alien: Romulus, Furiosa, Alien: Covenant, and many other places). There's lots more to come today, so stick around and stay frosty! // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

(Note: the episode art is an itsy-bitsy preview of the full design that will be revealed on April 26th) One of our favorite Alien Day traditions is our annual t-shirt unveiling. Over the past near-decade, we've gotten to work with tons of gifted artists from around Alien fandom – and this year is VERY MUCH no exception. DeadDark – whose actual name is Ross, and who can be found on IG here (for his digital art @deaddark23) and here (for his tattooing @_deaddark) –  is a crazy talented artist/Alien Saga superfan. On today's episode, Perry and Patrick chat with Ross about all things xenomorph, and share a little preview of the art that will be fully unveiled on Alien Day (just four days from now!). Make sure you don't miss a thing on April 26th by following us on socials if you aren't already! The shirt will be unveiled in the afternoon, and it will be available at a promotional discount for a limited time. You're gonna want this one, trust us ...

In this dynamic follow-up to our first installment, Perry, Andie, Patrick, and Jaime dive deep into the characters of the ALIEN films, when they soar, when they fall flat, and how the modern studio system shapes not just how movies are made, but how we experience them. This episode is spirited, unfiltered, and full of sharp insights and passionate debate. With Alien: Romulus now out and Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth on the horizon, there’s no better time to talk about what makes a character resonate in this universe we all love. // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

In this quick-hit episode, Jaime and Holden dive into the newest glimpse of Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth—a just-released clip that runs over a minute, the longest footage we've seen yet. But is it just a tease? Will we get a full trailer? And most importantly… are we convinced? Join us as we unpack it all. Enjoy!

When we last had concept artist Nick Stath on Perfect Organism (way back at episode 240, released on Alien Day 2024!), we were just months from the release of Alien: Romulus. Given how intimately involved Nick was with the artistic appearance of that movie, we had to be very careful to avoid spoiling anything. But now we've had Romulus out and in the world for seven months (can you believe it?), and we circled back with Nick to discuss his Romulus contributions in great detail. Please make sure you follow Nick on IG @nick_stath so you can see just what we're talking about! // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

The wait is over! In this electrifying episode, the Perfect Organism team dives headfirst into the newly released teaser trailer for Alien: Earth and the latest marketing footage as the countdown to Noah Hawley’s bold new series begins. From the eerie, mysterious setting to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it glimpse of what could be a brand-new Xenomorph, we break down every thrilling detail. What secrets lurk beneath the surface? What does this fresh take mean for the Alien legacy? Join us as we dissect, theorize, and speculate on what’s to come. Strap in—it’s going to be a wild ride! // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

A lot of talk in fandom as of late has centered around where the Alien franchise should go next. Can we handle another film with an "airlock sequence," a countdown, a beacon, etc.? Or do audiences want something completely new and wholly inventive? In today's episode—the first of a two- (or maybe three- or maybe more?) part series, Jaime and Patrick discuss where the saga could go next by examining where it's come from. We're first examining this through the key plot elements in Alien films, discussing where they've become tired (and where they might be refreshed). We'll be tackling characters next, with more of the PO Team—so stay tuned! // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

In this episode, Perry, Patrick, and Jaime sit down with Alien: Romulus creature performer Trevor Newlin for a deep dive into his incredible work. From undergoing a full-body scan to stepping into a legacy pioneered by Bolaji Badejo, Trevor shares the fascinating process of bringing the film’s terrifying creature to life. He takes us behind the scenes of making a film on the scale of Alien: Romulus and how the experience has shaped his career and perspective. This was a truly fantastic conversation—Trevor isn’t just a master of his craft, he’s a storyteller at heart. You can enjoy this episode, ad-free only on Patreon. // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

The team at Perfect Organism Podcast dives into the recently released 40-second teaser for Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth. While many expected a full trailer with actual footage from the series, what we got was something entirely different. Jaime, Patrick, Perry, Andie, Adam, and Xander share their thoughts on whether this teaser hit the mark and lived up to expectations. Though Holden couldn’t join us for this episode, he was with us in spirit! // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.

In this episode, Jaime, Patrick and Perry talk with Iván Pohárnok and Viktoria Stieber about their practical effect work on Alien Romulus. From working with Aileen Wu to creating the mechanism for Andy's upgrade, Ivan and Viktoria go in to wonderful detail about the rigors of working on a very practical film, the hours involved and what they're most proud of. This episode is a fantastic and detailed look behind the curtain of a film the size of Romulus. We hope you enjoy!   // Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/perfectorganismitunes // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com. // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Building Better Worlds // To support the show, please consider visiting www.perfectorganism.com/support. We’ve got some great perks available! // And as always, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing this show. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us, but we can hopefully show you by continuing to provide better, more ambitious, and more dynamic content for years to come.