How COVID Changed FX's Alien: Earth Series

Published: Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 1:00 pm

COVID-19 and Strikes Shape FX's "Alien: Earth" Series

The upcoming FX series, "Alien: Earth," has faced a series of significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Hollywood strikes, which have profoundly impacted its development. Showrunner Noah Hawley revealed how these events reshaped the series both logistically and thematically.

Hawley explained that the pandemic forced a six-month production shutdown on his other project, "Fargo," which provided an unexpected opportunity to workshop the "Alien" series. Regular discussions with FX executives John Landgraf and Gina Balian allowed the team to refine the show's concept during this period.

The pandemic's influence extended beyond logistical hurdles. Hawley noted a natural thematic connection between the virus and the "Alien" franchise, which is known for its focus on parasitic organisms. He stated that the shared experience of the pandemic brought the "revulsion feeling" associated with the franchise to the forefront.

Production was further delayed by the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes. However, Hawley saw a silver lining in this disruption. After shooting a few weeks of footage, the strikes provided him with an extended period to review and refine the initial material. This allowed him to "live with it and learn from it" in a way that is not usually possible.

Despite these setbacks, "Alien: Earth" is now slated to debut on FX and Hulu on August 12.

BNN's Perspective: The challenges faced by "Alien: Earth" highlight the unpredictable nature of modern media production. While the pandemic and strikes undoubtedly caused delays, they also provided opportunities for creative refinement. It will be interesting to see how these experiences have shaped the final product and whether the thematic resonance with the pandemic enhances the viewing experience.

Keywords: Alien: Earth, FX, Noah Hawley, COVID-19, pandemic, strikes, production, series, Hulu, John Landgraf, Gina Balian, parasitic, franchise, August 12

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