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.

  • J-Bone@lemmy.dbzer0.comOPEnglish
    0·
    3 days ago

    Watched E02; it’s largely more of the same; if anything there are now even more lame elements to the concept compared to E01.

    They put in too much effort into making it edgy, quirky and YA-compatible with the Peter Pan stuff.

    In principle, I think the main concept (alien infested ship crash landing on earth) is solid and even the Peter Pan stuff could be fine.

    The problem is the execution. The kids act like generic types in a high production sci-fi action streaming show. It would be far more interesting and unique if there was an element disorientation and introspection (as a prelude to their rebellion).

    I couldn’t take the Kirsh character seriously. I can’t be the only one who thought he was (unintentionally) funny.

    The boy trillionaire character is pretty unconvincing and reeks of lazy attempts at edginess. Caricatures are fine, but you need to set the tone of the story to make it work.

    I will probably keep watching, but I am going to change how I approach the series. Treating the series as an unintentional parody with sci-fi Peter Pan in a Disney executive’s lobotomization of a dystopian cyberpunk that just happens to infested by Alien seems the right way forward.

    I just hope there will be (unintentional) comedy.

    P.S. I will happily admit that I was wrong and that I am a overly picky snob (not true, I like the Maze Runner series) if it gets better in the subsequent episodes. It’s not happening!