Noah Hawley on Fargo, Legion and Alien: Earth – The Radio Times Writers’ Room

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Welcome back to The TopMob Writers’ Room!

This week, we’re pleased to introduce Noah Hawley, a writer renowned for his creative interpretations of broader, well-established series from the last ten years.

Initially, Hawley made his mark in songwriting and novel writing. Later, he landed a position as a scriptwriter for the procedural drama Bones, and penned the screenplay for the 2006 romantic comedy film titled The Alibi.

Afterward, he proceeded to develop two television series for ABC – “The Unusuals” and “My Generation.” Unfortunately, neither of them ran for more than one season. Later, he landed a spot on cable TV with FX.

The first production by the broadcaster that he worked on was Fargo, an ongoing anthology series inspired by the Coen brothers’ 1996 movie with the same title. This series received widespread praise, paving the way for him to secure additional projects.

After that point, Hawley has produced the unconventional Marvel series Legion, which received praise, and the 2019 psychological thriller movie “Lucy in the Sky”, featuring Natalie Portman.

Now, he presents what could be his most substantial creation yet – Alien: Earth, a lavishly financed sci-fi/horror TV show embedded within the universe of the Alien saga, which was introduced by Ridley Scott’s iconic film back in 1979.

The narrative chronicles a team, headed by Wendy from Sydney Chandler, who are pioneers in a new era – they consist of the first-ever individuals, with their consciousness transferred into advanced, mature robotic forms.

Upon the arrival of an extraterrestrial spaceship, causing a catastrophic landing and releasing a variety of alien beings, among them the renowned Xenomorph, our swift-acting team springs into rescue operations for the individuals trapped inside the debris and retrieval of the recovered specimens.

During our conversation, Hawley frequently discussed his passion for adapting to existing styles and personas in writing, delved into the potential revival of Fargo, shared insights on casting Aubrey Plaza in Legion, a part initially intended for a mature actor.

Apart from the projects he successfully completed, he also disclosed information about some ambitious endeavors that didn’t materialize – such as a Dr. Doom film and a fresh take on Star Trek. He further explained how the movie Alien: Earth was heavily influenced by Ian Holm’s portrayal of Ash in the 1979 classic film.

When asked about the core concept of his show, he mentioned it was primarily inspired by Ian Holm’s character. Intriguingly, even an hour into what seems like a typical monster movie, we find out that Ian Holm’s character is actually an android.

So, the concept is essentially a film where we’re transitioning from our past, in which we were mere resources, to the future, but ironically, the future seems intent on destroying us. This monster we’ve brought forth is trying to eliminate us. It’s an intriguing setting for a story, and it appears that the filmmakers have Michael Fassbender and Winona Ryder, as every movie requires its own unique ‘synth’, or central theme.

It struck me that we might be at a point where synthetic bodies coexist with corporations striving to augment biological ones using neural implants and cybernetic limbs. Could we also be exploring a trans-human narrative in this scenario?

This line of thought somehow took me to the question, ‘Could they be children instead of adults?’ and that idea led me to Peter Pan, which eventually became the basis for this show.

Feel free to catch the entire video at the top of this post currently, and keep an eye out for future visits to “The TopMob Writers’ Room” in the near future.

In the interim, feel free to explore our past conversations with Mark Gatiss. During these discussions, he delved into his projects on Doctor Who, Sherlock, and his latest show titled Bookish. Additionally, you can revisit our chats with Harry and Jack Williams, where they discussed their productions such as The Missing, The Tourist, and the new Prime Video thriller, The Assassin.

Friend, the planet Earth is currently available for streaming on Disney+! If you’d like to watch it, consider subscribing to Disney+ at just £4.99 per month, or opt for an annual subscription at £89.90.

Don’t forget to include ‘Alien: Earth’ in your watchlist through the TopMob ‘What to Watch’ app. Enjoy daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and much more by downloading it today.

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2025-08-29 12:34