So I only watched Episode 01; I wasn't impressed at all, I am debating whether to watch episode 02.
I don't at all mind writers/authors developing new directions/concepts based on an existing franchise base. I really enjoyed Aliens: Phalanx, even thought it had massive flaws, but the world building was engaging and the pace was good.
That being said E01 comes off as a somewhat generic, "made for streaming" series adaption of the Alien world. Alien: Romulus on the other hand combined "modern sensibilities" with the classical retro-futuristic canon of the alien universe.
Perhaps it's too early to judge, but I feel there is going to be a large YA-focus to this series (kids in adult bodies). Aliens: Phalanx was also very heavy on YA tropes, but IMO it had other things going for it to compensate.
I didn't feel any tension or dread in the first episode. Some stuff was happening I didn't feel like caring.
I will probably watch E02 to see if it gets better, but I am not getting my hopes up.
EDIT: E01 is 7.8 on and E02 is 8.0 on IMDB; no wonder I always got the feeling that series rating are always heavily inflated.
I feel like i am going to watch the whole series, though I may wait for a few more episodes to release. It is a fun take on the world that somehow has managed to maintain the claustrophobia of the original films while being set on earth. I assume the scope will expand as the series progresses.
The heavy Disney influence (direct clips from Peter Pan and Ice Age) is a bit off-putting, and makes the series feel a bit confused. We are in a futuristic world that is owned by 6 major companies, we have space flight, synthetic humans, and now consciousness transplants, yet our biggest cultural touchstones are a 1953 animated film, and the fourth ice age movie? Do kids today watch either of those films?
My other concern is that the series is going to have to keep explaining how our cast aren’t being slaughtered by the xenomorph. In a film, Ripley only has to survive for 2 hours. An 8 ep series is a bigger ask. Hermit has already run into the xeno three times in two episodes, and each time the killing machine who was all blades and teeth just second before switches to ‘throw the protagonist gently across the room’. Even the conclusion of E02 sees him pushed off a ledge where any lesser character would have a bladed tail through their chest.
I am giving the series the benefit of the doubt that these two eps are just set-up, and will give the rest of the series a chance. Despite my concerns, I did enjoy the characters and their relationships, and the story being set up seems like classic Alien storytelling.
Agreed with all your points. The show would be elevated by taking a "Game of Thrones" approach - aka no character is safe from being killed off. They've made it really obvious who's ""safe"" and it takes the tension away.
Overall, it's a good start and I'm excited to see more.