Alien: Earth: "A thrilling show that not only deals with sci-fi fears, but some very real ones too"

Back in 1979, a badass Sigourney Weaver took on the infamous Xenomorph – and its drooping saliva, bulbous head and unknowable menace – in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror classic, Alien. Famously, the landmark movie birthed an entire franchise.

Purists will be relieved that the new Disney+ series, Alien: Earth, retains much of the original’s DNA. Episode one opens on research vessel USCSS Maginot (similar to the Nostromo), which is hijacked by a rogue synth and crashes into a megacity on Earth. The alien is unleashed, and the setting of a smashed spacecraft embedded in a collapsing skyscraper does a great job echoing the 1979 film’s narrow corridors, flickering lights and claustrophobic dread.

But what really makes Alien: Earth interesting is its layers of social commentary.

Set in 2120, making it a prequel to the original, it imagines a planet ruled by trillionaires. Among them is newcomer Boy Kavalier (played with unsettling calm by Samuel Blenkin), the world’s youngest member of this all-dominating wealthy elite.

There are comparisons to be made between him and certain modern tech moguls who believe they’re uniquely qualified to shape humanity’s future. From his private island, Kavalier pioneers a technology that transfers the consciousness of terminally ill children into synthetic humanoids that are incredibly strong and superintelligent, yet emotionally stunted.

Episode one is called ‘Neverland’ and one of the protagonists is named Wendy. The Peter Pan references mightn’t be subtle, but they’re effective. Kavalier’s synths are children on the inside, but they look like adults. They won’t age and aren’t quite human. It raises profound questions about what actually makes us grow up – and, by extension, what makes us human.

Furthermore, the dystopian world we’re introduced to is a technocratic nightmare full of AI-driven bureaucracy and constant surveillance. JD (Alex Lawther’s character) is rejected from attending medical school on Mars by a robot civil servant, who refuses to sympathise with the fact it’s his last chance to apply.

His sister Wendy meanwhile, uses screens to stalk him, with the siblings having been separated from each other following her illness. In turn, Boy Kavalier and his crew monitor Wendy’s every move. It’s a pretty clear metaphor for the hierarchical surveillance culture cultivated by social media bosses and autocratic leaders.

The whole world feels like it’s under a microscope, and it adds another layer of unease to the more deliberate, physical horror wrought by the alien. Throw in some bravura action scenes and gorey goodness, and you’ve got a thrilling show that not only deals with sci-fi fears, but some very real ones too.

• Alien: Earth is streaming now on Disney+