I don't like the #AlienEarth series so far (one episode) and I give lots of spoilers. If you do like Alien Earth, please don't read.
I intentionally came to the series entirely spoiler free, didn't even know it was made by Disney (boycott?). I have read no publicity, and no reviews.
First off, apparently the corporate battle of the future is over which of three forms of immortality will dominate. Only one of them is even the faintest bit plausible.
We are introduced to two technologies, one borrowed, one we've seen before:
First the borrowed – Cyborgs, human with mechanical augments, Terminator-like powers. The first one we see clearly has a mimetic polyalloy over a hyperalloy combat chassis, he's a Legion Rev-9 Terminator with a human brain, his hand can melt away to expose a gas torch, then reform.
How are cyborgs immortal, how have they fixed the aging brain? But at least this solution does involve humans.
Second, the one we know – Synths. These are completely synthetic, with presumably something like AGI, e.g. Ash or Bishop. This isn't human immortality at all, it's replacement.
Third, not a technology at all, a magical bullshit ride, a scam masquerading as tech – Hybrids. Human consciousness that has been “uploaded” into a synth body. Oh really!!?? The fucking TESCREALists are thriving in this 2120.
The chief TESCREAList is a creepy trillionaire who lives on an island called Neverland and names his androids Wendy, Slightly, Curly, Nibs, Smee, and Tootles after Peter Pan (Yay Disney!). He orders his company's search and rescue team to triage by income bracket. Like Kony, he happily sends “children” into battle. He's a real rotter, cartoon villain.
The main hybrid is heavily HEAVILY influenced by Alita Battle Angel.
We have possibly a couple of new Xenomorph lifeforms or developmental stages, an eye with fingers, and a vampire slug.
A painful Basil Exposition scene on the Nostromo/Maginot for a crew member who failed social studies reveals that GAFAM/FAANG have taken over the world.
The Maginot “crashes” in slow motion into Thailand, an Austin Powers steamroller homage, raising only a slight dust cloud, preserving all structures/occupants remarkably intact.
Wendy should be going to a repair shop, not running down the beach. I wonder how impervious hybrid materials are to xenomorph blood?
The search and rescue team carry only weapons, not anything that would assist with rescue (bar a token medic, who doesn't do any medicine), and wear no respiratory equipment in an environment full of hazardous particulate and gas. Their mission is nonsense. They aren't rescuing anybody, they are there purely to become xenomorph food.
Not sure if I will continue watching. Would like to feel entertained by entertainment, rather than annoyed, and really CBF.
Wow I spend more time writing this than watching the actual episode, sad bro, very sad.
Oh I forgot. Apparently someone called Noah Hawley was involved in the production.
Second Thoughts:
Speculate Morrow/Weyland-Yutani intentionally set the Maginot down softly on a Prodigy territory to conduct the experiment of xenomorphs upon civillians.
Speculate Kavalier doesn't actually believe in Transhumanism of TESCREAL, he just tells the parents that, he wants the kids for cheap diverse AGI training set, and J.M.Barrie cosplay. He wouldn't dare do the transfer himself, hence "only children are flexible enough".
I attempted to watch Episode 2, after somebody said it got better.
It didn't. I'm out. They're just throwing any old shit in there, I have to wonder if the Noah Hawley had even watched any previous Alien movies before getting this job.
Gonna watch Alien vs Predator (2004) now, Lovecraftian Mountains of Madness awesomeness. People hang shit on that movie, but it's fucking Shakespeare compared to Alien Earth.
Inverting previous position, I actively sought out spoilers for the series. Wow. It's soooooo bad. Value judgement.
A reviewer called Wendy a "Judas Goat", yeah she fucking is. Feel fictionally sorry for those fictional parents.
Good old Dinsdale, fucking up another creation with some overfunded fanon. Where's Spiny Norman when you need him?
Depressed Goblin Nightmare Man