Alien: Earth Season 1 Episode 4 “Observation” feels like the quiet before the storm. There’s something brewing in all corners of this show, from Morrow manipulating Slightly to Kirsch looking on in wonder as Wendy communicates with the chestburster. All of these pieces feel like Alien: Earth as a show is moving with intention towards a bigger goal. And it’s going to hurt not just the characters but the viewer as well.
Disrespectfully, TV shows have become way too predictable. It feels like Hollywood is dumbing everything down because media literacy has disappeared into the shadows and the industry machine is feeding into it. Surprisingly enough, I don’t see that happening with Alien: Earth. Looking back on the first episode of Season 1, I did feel like it was a bit… boring. Thank God I stuck with it because the build has been incredibly intentional with everything that has happened so far being part of a bigger picture.
Human life is not being valued in Alien: Earth Season 1 Episode 4. Morrow doesn’t value the lives of Slightly’s family because it draws him closer to his goal of getting the aliens for Yutani. Boy Kavalier doesn’t care for the children’s minds who now inhabit the minds of his hybrid synths because of hubris. And I’d even argue Dr. Sylvia is ok with that they’ve done to these children because science. This devaluing of human life has always been a central pillar of the Alien franchise. And it’s why Alien: Earth fits perfectly.
Back to the quiet before the storm I mentioned in the introduction of this review for “Observation,” we need to talk about the children. Because the way they are being manipulated is going to be the end of everyone. Boy Kavalier is encouraging Wendy to connect with the chestburster by speaking its language. Wendy is sympathetic to these creatures and the show is building up to a moment where she has to choose between the humans and the creatures. And I don’t think she’ll choose the humans first because she’s becoming more independent with every moment.
Slightly on the other hand is being manipulated by Morrow due to the threat of his family. But there’s also jealousy there. Why should Wendy have her family, her brother there, if he can’t have his family too? And I feel like that jealousy is guiding him more than he’d like us to believe. Like in comparison to Curly, we know what she wants. She wants to be Boy Kavalier’s favorite. Plane and simple. But it’s the quiet way that Slightly watches Hermit from the window, ready to strike even though it’s scary that really ramps up this feeling of the calm before the storm.
Even Tootles shy yet eager mannerisms when he wanted to change his name in Alien: Earth make me scared. Because it feels like this show is giving me something soft and gentle, something with the possibility of a bright future, before they cut it in a cruel way. That’s why I’m happy for Tootles with his name change and wanting become a scientist like Kirsh. But I’m also terrified because innocence like that doesn’t survive in the Alien franchise. It gets crushed like most dreams in space.
But you know who “Observation” has made me absolutely terrified of? Nibs. In a previously episode I talked about how she was creeping me out with all the staring at herself in the mirror like she was ready to peel her skin back to see what was underneath. But this? This whole thing about her thinking she’s pregnant and attacking her therapist? Oh this is the behavior of someone who has absolutely cracked from reality and has the most dangerous thing on their side: belief. And there’s something deeper there about the one religious kid being the one to snap the way she did.
Tie it all together and Alien: Earth Season 1 Episode 4 is gearing up to break my heart, kill my favorites, and set up betrayals and danger that will kill everyone on that island. Just you wait.
Additional thoughts about Alien: Earth Season 1 Episode 4 “Observation”:
- What is Kirsch’s endgame here? Because I can’t pin him down. He’s obviously complient enough. But he pushes back against Boy Kavalier. That’s independence disguised as obedience until he gets what he wants.
- When it comes to the hybrid synths, I think we’re getting too little Smee. What are his motivations? Where will he lang when everything crashes around them?
- All of these humans are going to kick the bucket. They played God. And like we’ve seen before, creation always bites back.
Alien: Earth is available on FX and Hulu with new episodes dropping on Tuesdays at 8pm ET.
