Six expert steps to the perfect Alien: Earth viewing experience on Samsung TVs

Garnering rave reviews, Alien: Earth, now streaming on Disney+, takes the claustrophobic horror of the xenomorphic franchise into fresh territory. The show is creepy, atmospheric, and dense with visual detail, but are you seeing and hearing everything as its creators intended?

Back in 1979, audiences first encountered Ridley Scott’s Alien in darkened cinemas, where shadows hid barely-seen horrors and the hiss of the airlock seemed to breathe in the auditorium itself. 

Jeremy Demont, Director of Product Management for TV/AV at Samsung UK, has some practical advice on recreating that immersive cinematic experience at home. These aren’t party tricks; they’re tools to let you see and hear the show as its makers intended.

“Darker sci-fi films and TV shows are all about the subtle details, and those moments where your eyes need to adjust,” he says. “We recommend viewers ensure they get the most from the moody visuals of Alien: Earth with these pro tweaks for Samsung OLED and QLED TVs, designed to bring out every detail without breaking the atmosphere. “

These pro tweaks for Samsung OLED and QLED TVs are designed to bring out every detail without breaking the atmosphere

Watch Alien: Earth the Way the directors intended

Remember, in your living room, no one can hear you scream. Here are six tips to make the most of your Alien: Earth telly viewing experience, according to a Samsung TV expert…

Switch to Filmmaker Mode

Start simple. Using the picture menu select Filmmaker Mode, this dials down post-processing and removes the dreaded ‘soap-opera effect.’  For Alien: Earth, this means rich blacks, delicate shadow detail, and a texture closer to what the director intended. If your set doesn’t have it, Movie Mode is the next best choice.

Turn on AI Mode

Modern TVs are better at reading the room than you think. Samsung’s AI Mode automatically adjusts picture and sound, balancing dialogue against sudden bursts of action. In practice, it means you can move through hushed conversation one moment and roaring spacecraft engines the next, without scrambling for the remote.

Use AI Colour Booster

Alien: Earth trades in extremes: long, dimly lit corridors punctuated by flashes of vibrant colour. Samsung’s AI Colour Booster works scene by scene, lifting subtle tones without washing out the darkness. It keeps the blood, metal, and nebulae vivid, while preserving the brooding atmosphere.

Let AI Upscaling do its work

Alien: Earth is available in 4K UHD on Disney+, but not everything on your screen is available in ultra-high resolution. That’s when AI Upscaling can help close the gap. 

“Our AI can take your favourite shows and movies and upscale them to an ultra-high resolution, even if they weren’t filmed that way. With greater clarity, detail and depth, the world on screen has never looked more real.”  When it comes to sci-fi, expect sharper asteroid surfaces, clearer star fields, and spacecraft interiors with extra crispness.  

Calibrate with SmartThings

For those who like to tune their set precisely, the SmartThings app offers Smart Calibration. With a few steps, it adjusts colour, brightness, and detail for your viewing room. Done well, the results bring you closer to that cinema feel – each shadow, each glint of metal, measured against your environment.

Add a Dolby Atmos soundbar

Picture matters, but sound carries fear. Pairing your TV with a soundbar anchors the action. The hiss of machinery, the low rumble of engines, and the piercing shrieks of confrontation gain a scale that small built-in speakers struggle to deliver. Samsung Q-Symphony soundbars work in tandem with compatible Samsung TVs, to utilise every speaker for the biggest, most immersive viewing experience. It’s the ideal way to enjoy Alien: Earth’s 5.1 soundtrack. 

Alien: Earth is streaming now on Disney Plus. Watch it if you dare.