Alien: Earth ep 8 review

 

For a series that has undercut expectations and taken unexpected routes, its fitting that this final episode maintains a similar strategy. Rather than pick up straight away from the tense moments at the end of episode seven, The Real Monsters, a little time has passed and while the hunt is on, its not quite the hunt we expected.

 

 

We might have imagined in this scenario to see several of the main characters gruesomely dispatched by one or other of those alien species now on the loose yet instead the main hunters are now the hybrids. Their style of revenge is calculated yet effective meaning that by episode’s end they have Kavalier, Kirsh, Morrow, Atom and Dame all locked in the same cage that they themselves are seen in at the start of the episode. It’s quite a revolution.

It makes sense to give this show its own identity, separate from the more visceral films in which chatting with a Xenomorph does not happen. Wendy’s speech near the end in which she says she is neither child nor grown up highlights the hybrid's identity issues that have shaped developments  but at least they are becoming more certain of their destiny. When she’s asked by one of the others what they do next, her reply; “We rule.” The most significant reactions to that statement upon which the episode concludes are Joe’s disturbed expression and Kavalier’s amused one.

Of course this episode has two tasks; wrap up the story but also leave an opening for a potential second season. Like all shows initially touted as a one off, the `second season` wish becomes bigger when the reaction is as fervently strong as it has been for Alien:Earth so doors have been left open. It may seem like we’re watching a potential bloodbath yet the only characters who don’t make it alive to the closing credits are supporting ones; all of the key players are around albeit in changed circumstances.

There are times when it seems as if the aliens themselves are used as little more than weapons now that Wendy is effectively controlling one of the Xenomorphs and I dare say this will be a bone of contention with long term fans. There is plenty of them to see though and their presence always adds an extra tension to the other drama.

Along the way though there are plenty of nervy, jangly scenes - the soldiers trapped in the lift, Joe being pursued by the eye – though often implying the hybrids are just as menacing as the aliens.  I had been expecting some more sheep activity only for the eye monster to leave its woolly host though that strange sheep remains one of 2025’s most bizarre images. There are some interesting surprises here, not least the latter destination of that eye creature which really does get around. The show’s trademark use of fast edits just showing a millisecond of something crawling or dropping in the background and also using screens or monitors to underscore the scenario are present and correct. There are also superb montage shots outside using rustling vegetation and sound effects to convey something lurking.

And I should mention Atom played with scrupulous detail by Ade Edmondson as an oddly detached character who has been like Kavalier’s minder. His full story is explained this episode and it turns out he is the first synth Kavalier built. Like anything connected to the Prodigy network Wendy can control it which provides one of the series signature unexpected endings to sequences. And Joe survives; I’ve been worried about him all season and the sequence where the eye is trying to get him is real edge of the seat material; it could have done with being a bit longer. Joe now must have the most astonishing survival stats of anyone attacked by aliens except Ripley. Alex Lawther brings an essential normalness to a cast playing synthetic characters, hybrids, cyborgs or crazies. And its good to see Babou Ceesay have a couple of great scenes after being sidelined a bit. 

Sydney Chandler’s Wendy remains the show’s pivotal performance, an incredibly subtle, layered one which shows a character who is coming to terms with who she is and what she can do. She wants to do the right thing but could easily do the wrong thing. Her use of power is so casual- in one scene she causes monitors around Dame’s office to send her messages, in another a slight wave of her hand opens the bars of a solid metal cage. Meanwhile Samuel Blenkin has been the most unusual antagonist with a playful yet wilful portrayal of a man who is as capricious as some real life figures of power.

While the episode title suggests that the hybrids have become like monsters themselves, perhaps that moniker needed to be a question. What we see is like a mini revolution but also a timely note about the risks of extreme scientific experimentation. I felt the episode also shows well the differences between the undiluted intelligence of Kavalier who seems to feel nothing (even at the end he seems amused by his imprisonment) and Wendy’s sense of doing the right thing. I imagine part of the narrative for season two will be her corruption by the power she wields. Perhaps the two will even swap places in the storyline. Interestingly the story doesn't lead directly to the first film giving the producers some leeway for that possible follow up.

Alien: Earth is a superbly calibrated, edgy yet fulfilling series with a high standard maintained across all eight episodes which I suspect will benefit from another watch in a few months. Definitely one of 2025's best.