Alien: Earth – Neverland review S1 E1

Neverland kicks off the debut of Alien: Earth, a new series featuring sci-fi fandom’s favorite xenomorphs.

While the jury’s still out on the execution, showrunner Noah Hawley (Fargo) took the commendable approach of actually trying something different with the franchise.

Initially it seems like Neverland is going to be just another Alien excursion with a motley crew abroad a space freighter. The crew is ignoring enough evidence provided by the other films that suggests bringing xenomorphs onboard for scientific research is not going to end well.

Hawley doesn’t spend much time developing the crew — their deaths are quick, sudden and largely play out off screen.

It’s a shocking way to kick off Alien Earth since Hawley did spend a few moments in establishing plenty of subplots with the crew. Series title aside, which would indicate this is not a space-based Alien show, it did feel somewhat like Hawley may have been too hasty in killing the crew. Instead of dragging out the suspense, Hawley uses disorienting quick cut edits to offer a glimpse of what happened to the crew.

Neverland does lean into some Alien tropes, namely the traitorous android — in this case, just a cyborg, Morrow (Babou Ceesay) valuing the xenomorphs over everyone else on the ship. Interspersed between the crew segments is the actual main character — Wendy (Sydney Chandler).

Wendy wasn’t her birth name, but the one she chose after she was synced with a synthetic body to cure her of a fatal disease. This body transplant also comes with the benefit of never getting older or the other frailties associated with human life. That does come with the side effect of Wendy looking like an adult woman but still having the mindset of a 12-year-old.

This breakthrough tech was provided by “The Boy Genius” Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), the youngest trillionaire and founder of The Prodigy Corporation. Kavalier is eager to replicate the experiment and find other willing child patients. He hasn’t worked out all the kinks yet to apply the technology to adults.

Under the supervision of synthetic Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant) and Dame Sylvia (Essie Davis), the Lost Boys — and Girls — acclimate to their new lives. Casting a charismatic performer like Olyphant to play the role of an emotionless synthetic human was certainly a choice.

As the eldest, Wendy has been given certain amenities such as being able to view her brother Hermit (Alex Lawther, Andor) in the outside world. Hermit is a tactical officer/medic for Prodigy Corporation.

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Neverland is a slow burn. Hawley is focused on establishing the key characters, which gets overwhelming with a large ensemble that just as quickly gets cut in half. The score is also obtrusive and distracting rather than aiding the suspense factor. Neverland starts to pick up when the freighter crash lands into Prodigy City.

Hermit’s squad is called in to assist with search and rescue efforts. This is the most baffling sequence of Neverland as Hermit’s squad arrives on the scene with guns drawn as if they’re expecting trouble. If people in the buildings the ship collided with needed help they weren’t going to get much from this crew.

Morrow quickly gets established as the villain with a human face as he cruelly binds two of the relief squad to leave for some of the deadly specimens onboard the ship. Hawley’s vision of Alien seems to be less of a thriller where less is more, but more gore is the score.

Upon learning Hermit is part of the relief effort, Wendy successfully pitches for The Lost Boys to join the rescue mission. She’s determined to find him, but the odds don’t seem great on an Earth that’s about to get overrun by Aliens.

Neverland is a fresh approach to the Alien franchise and leaves enough questions and possibilities to warrant further exploration. At least for a few more episodes.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: FX

Enjoyed Neverland? Check out the most recent Alien movie, Alien: Romulus now available on Blu-Ray at Amazon.

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