(NEXSTAR) — The fourth episode of FX’s “Alien: Earth” shows off some of the series’ most grizzly, gory and spine-tingling creature scenes yet. Prodigy is putting its alien research to the test — but how long until it all goes wrong?
Gear up, because a lot happens in this episode!
Spoilers ahead for episode four.
Though episode four, “Observation,” picks up right where episode three left off with hybrid Wendy’s newly discovered xenomorph-hearing (more on that below), the episode is better framed by its two big laboratory sequences.
Eye can’t believe they did that
We’re still on Prodigy’s island, where synthetic scientist Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant) and Prodigy CEO Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) are finally putting Weyland-Yutani’s eyeball octopus creature to use. If you happen to remember a brief glimpse of a white goat in the lab last week, well, you know where this sentence is going.
Kirsh and Kavalier release the eyeball creature, officially called Species 64, or Trypanohyncha Ocellus, into the goat’s glass box, where a truly horrific transformation takes place. In one of the series’ most unsettling scenes, the tentacled eyeball rips out the goat’s left eye and lodges itself squarely inside. This appears to hijack the goat’s body and mind, as soon, the farm animal is standing on two legs and displaying increased intelligence.
The scene ends as the goat’s multiple irises hone in on its human captors.
Surely nothing bad will happen, right?
Side-note: We’d be lying if we said we didn’t love Kavalier’s linen patchwork outfit from this episode. Shoutout to costume designer Suttirat “Anne” Larlarb (“No Time to Die,” among many films) for creating a look that feels both earthy and fashion-forward. Boy Kavalier, we didn’t know you were such a drip king.
Trouble in paradise
While Kirsh and Kavelier push ahead in research, other Prodigy researchers are having doubts.
Scientist Arthur (David Rysdahl) leads wife Dame Sylvia (Essie Davis) out to the jungle for a chat away from prying ears. Arthur explains that Wendy’s recent episode cast uncertainty on whether the hybrids are actually functional. What’s more, the company’s hybrid launch seems to have been derailed by Kavalier’s fascination with the stolen alien species.
“We need to think about what happens when this whole thing goes to hell,” Arthur tells Dame Sylvia. Though she doesn’t share her husband’s worries, Dame Sylvia assures her husband that the team is following protocols — in addition to saying she’ll make dumplings later that night for a quiet night in.
Are we gearing up for an ethical domestic rift?
Do androids dream of electric babies?
The Sylvias’ covert conversation is interrupted by hybrid Nibs (Lily Newmark), who’s been acting strange since her encounter with Species 64 aboard the Weyland-Yutani ship. Though the creature was stopped from doing to her what it did to the goat, her brush with the gnarly species appears to have changed something.
“I’m pregnant,” Nibs announces. Holding her synthetic belly, she says, somewhat menacingly, “I woke up this morning and I just knew… It’s a baby.”
As Real Housewife Nene Leakes once said: Well, whatever that means.
After Dame Sylvia attempts to reason with Nibs, the young hybrid attacks, prompting Sylvia to order Nibs to be locked in her room and watched.
No such thing as a free lung
Next, Joe (Alex Lawther) has a meeting with Prodigy C-Suite executive Atom Eins (Ade Edmondson), where Joe learns the real cost of the life-saving procedure Prodigy gave him last episode. Though Joe is eager to learn news of his team, Eins explains that the company intends for Joe to test Wendy for proof that the transfer of his sister’s mind to the synthetic actually worked. Joe, who works for a subsidiary of Prodigy, refuses, saying he quits. Eins explains that he’ll have Joe escorted off the private island — which he won’t be allowed to return to — right away. He also won’t be able to contact Wendy.
“Also, as your body keeps reminding you: You have a new lung,” Eins says. “Whilst it comes courtesy of the Prodigy Corporation, it isn’t free. You could work off the price here, assessing Wendy… or simply go home, and we’ll bill you.”
Resigned, Joe agrees.
Also, in case you weren’t sure: Yes, Eins did make a reference to the Snuggie, which he called “an invention that nobody wanted.” We’ll take the fact that the Snuggie is still being talked about this far into the future as proof of its success, personally!
Wendy’s also given an ultimatum this episode: Joe can stay on the island, if she helps Prodigy understand what the aliens are saying. Wendy agrees.
Slightly screwed
In “Observation,” we learn what Weyland-Yutani cyborg security officer Morrow (Babou Ceesay) has planned for hybrid Slightly, whose communications he hacked into last episode. We also learn Kirsh has been listening in on these conversations. He’s just not letting Slightly know yet.
Off-island, Morrow contacts Slightly again (Adarsh Gourav) with a proposition: Steal back a xenomorph egg or an infected human for Weyland-Yutani and his mother back home lives. And he’s got 24 hours to do it.
Slightly’s target? None other than Joe.
Talk xeno to me
Finally, at episode’s end, we learn the fate of Joe’s previously xenomorph-inseminated lung. Say that sentence to someone out of context today.
After a tense conversation with the rest of the hybrids (who now think they too should be able to have family members on the island), Wendy heads to the lab to unwind, where she begins “speaking” to Joe’s infected lung through its glass box.
The lung starts pulsing before a chestburster-like creature (this technically isn’t a chestburster) springs forth and cracks through the glass. As established, the creatures don’t attack synthetics, and this one also doesn’t attack — but it does immediately seem to form some sort of bond with Wendy. The two keep chatting as credits roll.
Will Wendy become “Alien: Earth”‘s Mother of Dragons? Stay tuned.
Final thoughts
Grade: A.
There were some rougher moments in last week’s episode, but thankfully, episode four buffed out some of those dings. The Wendy-Joe relationship, which we opined last week wasn’t really working, is at least given a complex new angle to make us care about. All-in-all, “Alien: Earth” is turning out to be a weekly dose of surprise to look forward to.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this recap as much as we’re enjoying “Alien: Earth.” The series, created by Noah Hawley, airs Tuesdays on FX, Hulu and Disney+.
Nexstar’s Russell Falcon can be found on Instagram, X and TikTok.