Boss Rush Network watched the premiere of FX’s Alien: Earth as part of the Advance Fandango Screening at the Seattle AMC Pacific Place 11 theater. The following review discusses general reactions and is Spoiler Free, except for the very basic premises of the show, which are already widely known.

This Alien show isn’t for everyone—and I’m so damn happy about that.

If you’ve been even slightly interested in film and television over the past two decades, you’re well aware of the slow decline in quality of storytelling as greedy studios have pushed writers to create stories that appeal to the masses, tales that will hit every demographic point in order to maximize audience reach and financial returns. And you probably also know how unwatchable this has made many of our favorite franchises.

I’m here to tell you that show creator Noah Hawley doesn’t care about any of that. Alien: Earth isn’t about banal storytelling or safe bets that will please alike the twelve-year-olds craving a monster show and Boomers trying to scratch the nostalgia itch. Alien: Earth knows its identity, and it believes in it; Hawley has a story to tell and ride-or-die, he’s going to tell it.

The tone is serious, the scale is massive, and the possibilities are many. Hawley takes BIG swings with Alien: Earth, and lands many of them in the first episode, which tracks the arrival of the USCSS Maginot to Earth and the subsequent crash into New Siam and Prodigy City. The audience is briefly introduced to some of the new monsters and the Xenomorph makes limited but very satisfying appearances. The premiere also dedicates a good portion of the one-hour runtime to introducing the world of 2120, the state of humanity (ruled by five corporations), and the way technology has surged forward as humanity pursues immortality. The universe feels real and lived in, fresh in a way this franchise has desperately needed. Beyond that, I won’t ruin the specifics as this you’ll want to experience the episode yourself.

Alien: Earth episode one demonstrates that there is so much room for good story telling. The very first image fans will see is a note about the technology humans are using in this new era: Synthetics are artificial humans—robots with AI brains; Cyborgs are humans with artificial limbs and other body augmentations that leverage the advance in robotics and cybernetics; and Hybrids, the newest category in the Alien universe, which are humans who have transferred their consciousness into a synthetic body. All three of these adaptations center around the question of mortality and whether humans can cheat death, a worthy question in its own right, but especially with so many killer creatures on the hunt.

The monsters are awesome–I was creeped out watching Alien, something I haven’t felt in decades. I get the feeling that Hawley will be slow-rolling new creatures out each episode, giving audiences a chance to take them in and let curiosity run wild. During one of the kills by a new monster, I found myself shocked and wondering why it did something to the victim. And of course, the episode left me hanging—I can’t wait to learn more about the life cycle of this creature. When was the last time you felt that way watching Alien? I believe Hawley has found a good solution for keeping the universe fresh while retaining the greatest monster of all time. The Xenomorph doesn’t have to hold the audience’s attention in this way. It gets to be King of the Monsters. Perfect.

If there’s anything I’m worried about, it’s how people will react to the Hybrids. This show will ultimately rise or fall with with the success of Hawley’s biggest swing. A child in an adult’s body is going to make people uncomfortable, and it should. We are at the dawn of a frightening era of technology and many ethical lines have and will be crossed. This show looks hard at these kinds of dilemmas. Some people may not accept the idea of a Hybrid and may not be able to suspend belief with the acting performances. I didn’t mind, but this will be the key for folks and not everyone is going to like it.

As the premiere wrapped up, I found myself lingering in my seat as the credits rolled. I felt happy, satisfied, and somehow wanting more all at once. As a lifelong fan of the Alien franchise, a love that began in the 1980s, I’ve consumed almost every piece of franchise content that I can get my hands on. There have been some dry years, when I wondered if we’d ever get another film (let alone a television show). During those times, I dove deep into the expanded universe, the novels, comics, and video games crafted by professionals who loved the franchise as much as I did. What I appreciate about the expanded universe is the attention to detail, the depth of storytelling, the nuance of conflict. The best compliment I can give Alien: Earth is that the show feels like the best of these, that same feeling I had exploring the world of Alien: Isolation or reading masterful novels like Aliens: Bishop. These take time to do well, and it feels like Hawley is doing exactly that with this television series. No rushing to get in the one-liners or call-backs, no pressure from the studio to cut it short. When all is said and done, we may conclude that Alien was always meant for long-form storytelling. This is how Alien is supposed to be.

Tell us what you think! Will you be watching Alien: Earth? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord, Facebook, and Twitter.

Featured Image: FX Networks