Alien: Earth represents Alien’s inaugural venture into the realm of long-form episodic storytelling. The forthcoming show is significant as it marks the first Alien project set mainly on Earth, dealing with events that occurred two years prior to those of the 1979 original film. Alien: Earth boasts a remarkable ensemble, with Timothy Olyphant, Sydney Chandler, and Alex Lawther taking on the principal roles.

While it’s very exciting that the Alien franchise is making the long-awaited plunge to an Earth-bound story, the decision opens up some major possibilities for plot holes and inconsistencies. Long-time fans of the franchise are understandably concerned that Noah Hawley’s series will retroactively change the timeline and raise tricky questions about the Xenomorph’s existence and how much humanity knows about the extraterrestrial species. Alien: Earth is a hugely anticipated project, but it’s also one with immense pressure riding on its shoulders.