Noah Hawley Has Plans For Multiple 'Alien' Seasons

[Nightmare Asylum]

Speaking with Collider's Steve Weintraub for Fargo Season 5, Hawley explained that he went into the show with a clear structure and picture of how it would begin and, indeed, how he foresaw it ending when asked what his outline for the series involved. Referring back to his previous project, Legion, which was known for its unconventional brand of storytelling, Hawley explained that a project could only have "meaning" if it had a clear ending. Without a goal to reach, the purpose becomes more abstract.

As a result, he was pleased when FX disclosed to him that it was their desire to have the series be a recurring one, with multiple seasons, rather than a limited series which would give him time to build the story gradually and allow it to breathe. "I think that endings are what gives a story meaning, and so you should never start a story without some sense of where it's going because then you can really build that meaning into it," said Hawley, adding:

With Legion, I had what felt like a three-act structure to it that I didn't know if that would be three seasons or five seasons, or whatever it was, but I sort of knew what a beginning, middle, and end was. And here, similarly, I knew that their desire was for a recurring series, not a limited series, and I had an idea that I was excited about, that I could see the escalation of it from one year to another. That's where we ended up not pitching them having a bible or pitching them blow-by-blow, but saying, "Big picture: this is the first movement, this is the second movement, and we're ultimately going here."

Following his highly successful work on Fargo, for which the interview with Weintraub was based around, Hawley noted that he had earned the trust of FX and so they were happy for him to perfect the story and not milk it or stretch it out for more than it was worth.

"Obviously, they trust me after all these years, and the writing was on the page for the first year. So, in success, you tell the story and tell the story until the story is done. They're very good at that at FX, of not wanting you to milk something that feels like it's over. Legion, for me, I thought ended quite elegantly in that last season with a sort of perfect circle, literally back to the opening image. If they'd said we want one more season, now you've got a detour and you've gotta sort of add a thing that's not organic to the full story. It's just better if the story itself can drive how long it is. We want quality, not quantity."

Lastly, when asked if he planned to step behind the camera for multiple episodes of the show, or if he planned to let others take the lead, Hawley admitted it was too early to tell, coming off the back end of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, but that he was thrilled at the prospect of getting behind the camera on such an ambitious project.

"I think that's a hard one just because we had the strike, so we're figuring that out. But it's thrilling to get behind the camera again, and to get behind the camera on this and to do something that's much bigger and in the science fiction genre, playing with the elements that we all know from Alien. It's really thrilling."

https://collider.com/alien-series-multiple-seasons/

[Corporal Hicks]

I'm really happy to hear that actually. I hate when a show over stays it's welcome so very pleased to hear there's acceptance on both sides of ending once the narrative has run its course.

[Acid for Blood]

This sounds promising. I hope the show is a success in this case and it doesn't end prematurely on a cliffhanger. I hate it when that happens to good tv shows.

[PortugueseXeno]

On one hand, it's cool that he already has the narrative structure all layed out, but i think it would be cooler for the Alien series to be an anthology like Fargo.

Each season being a seperate and contained story.

[Jia]

Season 5 of Fargo was phenomenal. Very excited to see what he has cooked up.

[Corporal Hicks]

On one hand, it's cool that he already has the narrative structure all layed out, but i think it would be cooler for the Alien series to be an athology like Fargo.

Each season being a seperate and contained story.

I had been expecting anthology potential. And I do think it could work. Probably better than any real on-going series. But I also like the idea of a 2-3 season show.

[Slutty Badger]

This sounds promising. I hope the show is a success in this case and it doesn't end prematurely on a cliffhanger. I hate it when that happens to good tv shows.

It's already happened to the films!

[The Cruentus]

Quality over quantity for sure, plenty of shows have gone on too long, they decline in quality and even forget their own lore and continuity. CW is frequestly guilty of it.

[Nukiemorph]

Was hoping for a limited series, and not worrying that it'll get cancelled at the end of each season.

[Nightmare Asylum]

worrying that it'll get cancelled at the end of each season.

I miss Raised By Wolves.

[[cancerblack]]

worrying that it'll get cancelled at the end of each season.

I miss Raised By Wolves.

I'll never forgive them.

[Corporal Hicks]

worrying that it'll get cancelled at the end of each season.

I miss Raised By Wolves.

Me too I had been really enjoying it.

[Highland]

It's all about the story really, I liked that Watchmen was a really high quality 9 episode banger - one and done.

I also like bigger story's, but I'm not sure the material would warrant more than two seasons if its a linked story. I'd imagine it would turn into some kind of Weyland Yutani wicked corporation drama and the Alien would just be background noise to Burk esk baddies running around and android reveals.

[[cancerblack]]

I'd imagine it would turn into some kind of Weyland Yutani wicked corporation drama and the Alien would just be background noise to Burk esk baddies running around and android reveals.

An anthology series could dodge that easily enough.

[Nightmare Asylum]

Based on the multi-season narrative at play here, I do wonder if the intent is for the entirety of it to be set on Earth, or if we could see if leave Earth in season two (and beyond)...