X
  • FOX
  • Sep 25, 1989
  • FOX
  • Sep 25, 1989
Alien Nation (1989)

Summary "That was the scene in California's Mojave Desert five years ago - our historic first view of the Newcomers' ship. Theirs was a slave ship, carrying a quarter million beings bred to adapt and labour in any environment. But they'd washed ashore on Earth, with no way to get back to where they came from. And in the last five years, the Newc...

  • FOX
  • Sep 25, 1989
  • FOX
  • Sep 25, 1989
Alien Nation (1989)
Season 1
Season Premiere: Sep 25, 1989
Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 8 Critic Reviews
53
User Score Universal Acclaim Based on 5 User Ratings
8.4
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary "That was the scene in California's Mojave Desert five years ago - our historic first view of the Newcomers' ship. Theirs was a slave ship, carrying a quarter million beings bred to adapt and labour in any environment. But they'd washed ashore on Earth, with no way to get back to where they came from. And in the last five years, the Newc...

Where to Watch

Season Episodes

View All Seasons
Episode 1 • Sep 25, 1989 • 47 m
Fountain of Youth
Sikes' issues with aging are intensified when he learns that the Newcomer life-span is almost twice that of humans. The death of a police officer during surgery raises questions about the hospital.
Episode 2 • Oct 2, 1989 • 47 m
Little Lost Lamb
Sikes tries to help a 16-year-old Newcomer prostitute. George deals with the intrusion of Uncle Moodri and his traditional Tenctonese values.
Episode 3 • Oct 9, 1989 • 47 m
Fifteen with Wanda
Sikes and Francisco must each try to deal with their own problem children while keeping a witness safe from a mob hit man.
Episode 4 • Oct 16, 1989 • 47 m
The Takeover
While the city suffers a riot, Francisco and Sikes alone must defend their precinct house from a gang of thieves.
Episode 5 • Oct 23, 1989 • 47 m
The First Cigar
Francisco comes under the scrutiny of the IRS and wrestles with the ethics of asking for a loan from an influential Newcomer that he has helped.
Episode 6 • Oct 30, 1989 • 47 m
The Night of the Screams
As Halloween approaches, a series of Newcomer murders seems to follow the pattern of a Tenctonese myth.
Episode 7 • Nov 6, 1989 • 47 m
Contact
Episode 8 • Nov 13, 1989 • 47 m
Three to Tango
Episode 9 • Nov 20, 1989 • 47 m
The Game
The Day of Descent, the fifth anniversary of the Tenctonese's liberation from slavery with their ship's arrival on Earth, finds Francisco depressed. A lethal form of gambling from the ship may be continuing on Earth.
Episode 10 • Nov 27, 1989 • 47 m
Chains of Love
Sikes and Francisco seek an elusive Newcomer woman - all of whose dates wind up dead. George worries about Susan's fidelity.
Episode 11 • Dec 18, 1989 • 47 m
The Red Room
A break in at a behavioral lab and a series of execution-style murders dredges up buried memories for Francisco.
Episode 12 • Jan 15, 1990 • 47 m
The Spirit of '95
As Susan and Buck campaign for Tenctonese suffrage, bombings and kidnappings are linked to the anti-Newcomer "Purist" organization.
Episode 13 • Jan 29, 1990 • 47 m
Generation to Generation
Several parties claim ownership of a mysterious Tenctonese box that leaves a trail of death in its wake.
Episode 14 • Feb 5, 1990 • 47 m
Eyewitness News
The line between reality and fantasy blurs when a crossed video phone line lets a boardroom of executives see a sex actress attacked. George becomes swept up in celebrity when a news crew does a week-long special on him.
Episode 15 • Feb 12, 1990 • 47 m
Partners
George is suspended from the force when several grams of drugs go missing on his watch. An old mentor of Sikes' returns. The Francisco family prepares for the Ejection, when the baby will transferred from Susan to George.
Episode 16 • Feb 19, 1990 • 47 m
Real Men
Sikes and Francisco investigate possible steroid dealings at a gym. George must reconcile his and humanity's conceptions of manhood while he is pregnant.
Episode 17 • Feb 26, 1990 • 47 m
Crossing the Line
Francisco worries that Sikes is hiding something when he cancels his vacation plans to help track down a killer.
Episode 18 • Mar 12, 1990 • 47 m
Rebirth
When Sikes comes back after being pronounced dead, he becomes obsessed with finding the Newcomer he believes healed him.
Episode 19 • Apr 9, 1990 • 47 m
Gimme, Gimme
Episode 20 • Apr 30, 1990 • 47 m
The Touch
Cathy finds a boy she knew from the ship, but suspects he has been abused.
Episode 21 • May 7, 1990 • 47 m
Green Eyes

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 8 Critic Reviews
53
38% Positive
3 Reviews
38% Mixed
3 Reviews
25% Negative
2 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 8 Critic Reviews
53
38% Positive
3 Reviews
38% Mixed
3 Reviews
25% Negative
2 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
90
Jul 12, 2013
"Alien Nation" as a series has been a remarkable achievement in the dullest fall season in history. It is both entertaining, socially responsible, and significant. [7 May 1990]
By Marvin Kitman FULL REVIEW
70
Apr 20, 2014
Issues of bias and prejudice are moved to center stage, rather heavyhandedly. There are references, direct and veiled, to blacks and civil-rights struggles, the Holocaust, and AIDS hysteria. But Gary Graham and Eric Pierpoint are effective as, respectively, a younger, hipper Matthew and a mellower George. For television, Fox's Alien Nation is different, adventurous and very much worth monitoring.
By John J. O'Connor FULL REVIEW
70
Apr 20, 2014
Although flawed in its heavyhanded and unrelenting use of prejudice against alien beings as a metaphor for prejudice against blacks, Alien Nation packs a punch and could be the cult action show of the year - if it survives "Monday Night Football." [18 Sept 1989]
By Ed Siegel FULL REVIEW
50
Apr 20, 2014
It almost torpedoes itself by being a bore and taking its futuristic sociology too doggone seriously. [18 Sept 1989, p.3D]
By Matt Roush FULL REVIEW
40
Apr 20, 2014
Shadowing most every encounter and incident are examples of the same sort of bigotry and racism that many other peoples have faced and fought as they dragged themselves into this society. Racist references - the aliens are called slags and spongeheads - are unfortunate and but the most serious of this series' many problems. [18 Sept 1989]
By Rick Kogan FULL REVIEW
30
Apr 20, 2014
Alien Nation is covered with ooze. For one thing, it's about as subtle as an AK-47. For another, its aliens lack interest because -- except for looking a little different and humming like tuning forks when engaged in sexual foreplay -- they're almost human clones.
By Howard Rosenberg FULL REVIEW
30
Jul 23, 2013
A good idea has been largely bollixed through crummy execution. [18 Sep 1989]
By Tom Shales FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 5 User Ratings
8.4
80% Positive
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 5 User Ratings
8.4
80% Positive
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

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