Alien: Earth Recap: Bees Do It

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The question of what constitutes a sentient being is complex, a topic that has puzzled philosophers (and science fiction writers) for a long time. In the Alien series, this question was largely only hinted at until the introduction of Earth in Alien: Earth. The films do touch upon the Xenomorphs’ place in the evolutionary chain and ponder if synthetic creatures can care about their creators. Ridley Scott’s prequels, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, delve into the influences that destructive aliens and creator deities have had on human history, especially our origins.

Despite the television series, “Alien: Earth,” Noah Hawley delves deeper into concepts that were subtly suggested in the original “Alien.” While it’s arguable that his approach can sometimes feel heavy-handed, as he brings the underlying themes of the original more to the forefront. In this week’s episode titled “The Fly,” there are instances where the dialogues may seem overly direct and awkwardly inserted, as if Hawley was hurriedly trying to elucidate some key themes before the season’s conclusion.

Moreover, these discussions not only provoke intrigue, but they’re also quite frightening and distasteful – arguably among the most intense sequences the show has presented thus far. In short, this program undeniably excels in making viewers squirm with discomfort.

In this episode, Kirsh establishes the intellectual atmosphere through two particularly engaging scenes where the dialogue is particularly sharp. In one scene, Hermit inquires about the potential care needed for Wendy, should he ever be granted permission to keep her, to which Kirsh compares it to an onion asking about caring for a star. He then reprimands Hermit for considering something capable of inventing faster-than-light travel and exploring the stars for millennia as merely a sibling figure.

In due course, Kirsh and Morrow find themselves riding an elevator together. Morrow provokes the android by questioning, “What’s it like being employed by a firm that has rendered you obsolete?” Kirsh retaliates, calling Morrow a “self-loathing machine disguised as almost human.” Kirsh exhibits disdainful arrogance towards anything non-mechanical. Timothy Olyphant once more delivers the air of superiority admirably. He also gets right to the core of the issue between humans, robots, and aliens. What distinguishes a human from a robot, an alien from a human, and vice versa?

Following the pivotal event of the arbitration between Prodigy and Weyland-Yutani, overseen by “the Five,” a powerful governing body, an episode later features a tense elevator ride. In this encounter, the current Yutani CEO glares menacingly, insisting that her prized asset, the Maginot, be returned. Meanwhile, Boy Kavalier nonchalantly lounges with his unclean feet on the table and a condescending grin, bringing up the loss of thousands of New Siamese due to the Maginot crash, and accusing Yutani of breaking numerous intercorporate laws by importing lethal extraterrestrials to Earth. (It’s worth noting that Kavalier was deeply involved in the sabotage of the Maginot himself.)

After the main event of an arbitration between Prodigy and Weyland-Yutani, an elevator scene ensues. The Yutani CEO demands the return of their asset, the Maginot, while Kavalier sits with dirty feet on the table, smirking as he discusses the deaths caused by the Maginot crash and accuses Yutani of breaking laws for bringing aliens to Earth. Kavalier was actually involved in the sabotage of the Maginot ship.

Eventually, Yutani consents to compensate a substantial sum to Prodigy, and Kavalier agrees to hand back the “exclusive specimens” only after the mandatory six-week off-world quarantine has passed. He simply indicates that it’s not secure yet, for the sake of the planet.

They’re living beings,” he notes, “So technically, they don’t belong to anyone.” However, it’s important to note that this perspective might also apply to his hybrids, though for the sake of argument, it’s unclear whether Kavalier genuinely feels this way about them.

This week, Wendy finds herself frequently discussing the same topic in different conversations, even though these discussions are less compelling parts of the series. For instance, she discusses aliens with her brother, likening them to bees – creatures that can harm humans but also exhibit intelligent and social behaviors. Later, she has a conversation with Nibs regarding her strange behavior lately, such as her claim about being pregnant. Shockingly, Nibs reveals that Dame Sylvia has “reset” him, erasing his recent memories. Concerned, Wendy confronts the doctor, reminding her that Kavalier desires this place to be one of affirmation rather than negativity. Dame Sylvia took away Nibs’ affirmation.

I’m concerned about some aspects of these scenes, such as when exactly did Wendy learn about Nibs having no baby. It’s possible that this information was given off-screen, but the foundation for a strong, sibling-like bond between them hasn’t been fully established in previous episodes. Moreover, Wendy’s inquiries to Dame seem somewhat awkwardly direct. When Dame speaks of Neverland as a research facility, Wendy retorts with “Is it like you study us?” followed by the straightforward question, “Are we people or are we something else?

In a scene featuring Wendy, the most impactful exchange occurs when she attempts to clarify Neverland’s positivity policy regarding the word “No.” She explains that using “No” is the starting point for avoiding negativity. However, her brother challenges this by asserting that if someone tries to manipulate or harm you, saying “No” empowers you. This is a valuable lesson that these hybrid characters might benefit from understanding, particularly Slightly.

This week, Morrow’s recruitment of Slightly has picked up speed, largely due to the unfavorable outcome of the Prodigy arbitration. Yutani advises Morrow to either pressure his asset into acquiring a Xenomorph or at the minimum, create turmoil within the facility and escalate the tension. Morrow chooses the former approach, understanding that the latter may ensue even if he falls short. The initial chaos is relatively mild, as Slightly attempts to convince Hermit to visit the lab, offering weak arguments like “I want to show you something” and “It’ll be fun.” However, Hermit’s duty patrol requires his presence, so no lab visit – and no chance of becoming a Xenomorph host – for Joe.

At roughly the same period, Isaac, often referred to as Tootles, receives instructions from Kirsh offshore to assist the aliens, aided by Curly. Deceitfully claiming that Curly is absent, Isaac attempts to manage the feeding and watering on his own, behaving like a responsible adult. However, this leads us back to an event reminiscent of last week’s flashback in Maginot, where the aliens collaborate to capture their prey. In a particularly unsettling sequence, the eyeball/sheep monster startles Isaac, leading him to unintentionally confine himself within a pen with a creature resembling a fly, which then releases acid onto Isaac, causing his face to melt.

As a cinephile reflecting on this captivating narrative, I must express that the climactic events unfold with a heavy heart, centering around Hermit, Slightly, and the tragic figure of Arthur Sylvia. In defiance against Nibs’ reprogramming, Arthur finds himself terminated by Atom, but not before sharing a crucial conversation with Hermit. Here, he subtly advises Joe to escort his sister away, setting off a chain of events.

Arthur then covertly disables Wendy’s tracking device and uncovers a startling truth about Tootles-he is “disconnected.” Fueled by this revelation, Arthur ventures towards the lab, pursued relentlessly by Slightly. In due course, Slighty exploits the situation to manipulate Arthur into approaching a Xenomorph egg, ultimately leading to Arthur’s tragic encounter with the face-hugger.

Two significant events unfold during the chaos. First, Kirsh, monitoring the lab from afar through security cameras, fails to raise an alarm despite witnessing the situation. When Kavalier inquires about everything being alright, Kirsh responds firmly with “Affirmative.” Later in the episode, Slightly moves Arthur’s body into a ventilation shaft. This act could either be a delayed expression of remorse or an attempt to safeguard a Xenomorph host body before other aliens consume it.

Are these mechanized beings truly humans? While Slightly believes they are, he claims his misconduct was inevitable due to Morrow having his “family.” However, it can be debated that Slightly doesn’t have a genuine family. He possesses another’s memories of a family-memories that we now understand can be altered. In reality, Slightly might share a closer bond with Kirsh, who remains skeptical of the hybrid’s human desires.

In another instance, Hermit’s friends question, “Could that actually be your sister trapped within that machine?” To which he responds, “To me, she is.” While this sentiment is touching, it’s more a product of hope on the part of both Joe and his sister. The question remains, how strong would their bond endure if Wendy malfunctioned?

Screaming, Hearing, Etc.

In the remaining episodes of this series, I plan to delve deeper into the implications of Hawley’s casting choice, where adult actors portray characters that are supposed to be children. While it generally succeeds, there are moments when it appears as if the actors are engaging in dramatic exercises instead of convincingly embodying their youthful roles. In this particular episode, Smee’s lines such as “Being grown-up sucks” and his awkward attempt to give a “grown-up hug” to Slightly come across as self-conscious and contrived. A more natural dialogue for Smee might be when he struggles to express his frustration and resorts to a casual, “Can’t we just … I dunno?” (Better: In the remaining episodes of this series, I will further explore Hawley’s decision to cast adults as child characters. While it mostly works, there are instances where it seems the actors are engaging in dramatic exercises instead of convincingly portraying youth. For example, Smee’s lines like “Being grown-up sucks” and his attempt to give a “grown-up hug” feel forced and self-conscious. A more natural dialogue for Smee could be when he struggles to articulate his feelings and instead says, “Can’t we just … I dunno?”)

This week, I realized for the first time that Arthur’s style seems to be inspired by 1970s or ’80s sci-fi films, such as “Close Encounters” or “The Thing” (or even “Alien”). The link becomes apparent when he gathers his belongings and grabs an antiquated photo cube.

A hint for upcoming plot twists: It’s one of the explanations why Nibs resets – Atom wishes her to be tranquil and captivating before facing “the information designers of the Five.” This indicates that there might be a public introduction of the hybrids before the end of the season. Additionally, the Sylvias mention that Nibs has experienced trauma in her past, and they knew when she was selected that this could potentially cause issues.

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2025-09-10 06:56