
Alien: Earth
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’ is just the latest graphically violent entry in the already graphically violent ‘Alien’ franchise.
Nella Rogers is waiting for her dream job at Wagner Books.
Her favorite book, Burning Heart, is what led her to Wagner. That and the editor of the book–the only Black, former female editor in Wagner’s history–Kendra Rae Phillips.
If it weren’t for Phillips’ inspirational legacy, Nella wouldn’t be suffering through long hours as an editorial assistant, biding her time until her boss, Vera, gives her a much-deserved promotion. But in Nella’s eyes, it will all be worth it one day. It will be worth it to leave a legacy behind, just like Kendra Rae Phillips did.
And that day has come.
Vera has just told Nella that she’s going to put her name in for her long-awaited promotion. And the same day she gives Nella the news, another assistant comes on the scene: Hazel-May McCall.
A Black woman in a sea of white coworkers. Finally, an ally for Nella. Someone who will truly understand the necessity for diversity and the Black voice in the workplace.
Nella and Hazel-May hit it off. Hazel is cool, collected and relatable while Nella is opinionated and justice-oriented. Both women love the same books and share many of the same interests.
Most importantly, Hazel tells Nella she has her back as Nella goes to approach Wagner’s most successful author: Colin Franklin. He’s a white man who likes to portray Black characters in a negative, stereotypical light, and that’s something Nella won’t stand for.
But when she goes to share her thoughts with Colin, Hazel takes Colin’s side.
Suddenly, Nella goes from possible promotion and having a new friend and ally to barely hanging on to her job thanks to a backstabbing frenemy. She’s not sure she can trust Hazel anymore. She doesn’t know what her future holds at Wagner.
And she’s received a threatening note, warning her to leave Wagner immediately. Still, that’s nothing compared to the horror-like apparitions of former editor Kendra Rae Phillips that have started to haunt her.
Something’s going on at Wagner. Something dark. Something mysterious. Nella just has to find out how it’s all connected, if Hazel-May is in on it, or if she’s just … paranoid.
Hulu’s The Other Black Girl is based on The New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Zakiya Dalila Harris. This TV-MA series is designed for people looking for a mix of mild comedy, suspense and a hint of mystery, doled out one episode at a time. But they’ll have to deal with plenty of issues along the way.
From the start, we learn that Nella listens to a podcast that encourages her to speak her mind and to work to change “the system” that oppresses Black men and women. And so that’s her goal. She desires to see change and works toward that change in any way she can. And in the book publishing world she’s swimming in, that’s the written word. But her opinions aren’t typically welcomed in a predominately white workplace.
So, when she finds a fellow Black employee, she thinks things will be different. But they’re not. Threatening letters fill her days. Nightmares fill her evenings.
What. Will. Happen.
Well, I won’t tell you everything.
But I will tell you that this holds an MA-rating because the characters use a whole lot of profanity. They also make crude sexual jokes and they joke about race and worldview. Nella and her boyfriend make out, and further acts are insinuated. And Nella’s best friend uses incense and makes a few comments about wanting to marry a female celebrity.
If you’ve seen Get Out, this is like a very light version of that movie, proclaiming the belief that racism is deeply interwoven in the white workplace. And while workplace equality is certainly a worthy goal, this show gives viewers problems as it pursues that goal.
Nella instantly takes a liking to a new coworker at Wagner Books named Hazel, but she questions her character after Hazel publicly betrays Nella.
Nella begins to have weird things happen to her at home and at the office, including scratching her own head in anxiousness until it bleeds and having nightmares of a former editor being chased. Nella also sees apparitions of this former, distressed editor around the office and is startled. Nella receives a threatening letter that says “leave Wagner now!”
Nella’s female friend tells Nella that she “lit intention candles” for her promotion. She also comments that she is attracted to Rhianna and would marry her.
Nella makes it clear that she is uncomfortable with the lack of Black opinion and influence at Wagner Books. Hazel tells her she feels the same way and wants to be her “ally” in all matters.
Men and women take shots of hard liquor and drink wine and champagne.
Hazel says “oh my god!” a few times. The f-word is heard twice and the s-word is used once. Other profanity includes multiple utterances each of “d–ks,” “d–n,” b–ch,” and the n-word is used a few times in a song.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
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