How to watch

Alien Nation began as a 1988 film starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin as a human detective and his Newcomer partner investigating crime in Los Angeles, years after a slave ship carrying a quarter-million Tenctonese aliens landed in the Mojave Desert. Fox adapted it into a television series with Gary Graham and Eric Pierpoint, which was cancelled on a cliffhanger after one season. Fans were eventually rewarded with five TV movies that continued the series' story.

🕐 Release Order

Release order follows the franchise from the theatrical film through the series and the TV movies.

1. Alien Nation (1988)
2. Alien Nation (TV series) (1989)
3. Alien Nation: Dark Horizon (1994)
4. Alien Nation: Body and Soul (1995)
5. Alien Nation: Millennium (1996)
6. Alien Nation: The Enemy Within (1996)
7. Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy (1997)

The TV series reboots the movie's premise with new actors, so the film and the show are best seen as two takes on the same story. The TV movies then pick up directly from the series finale.

📖 Story Chronology

For the continuing story of Matt Sikes and George Francisco, follow the TV series and then the five TV movies in order. The 1988 film can be watched first as an introduction.

1. Alien Nation (1988)
2. Alien Nation (TV series) (1989)
3. Alien Nation: Dark Horizon (1994)
4. Alien Nation: Body and Soul (1995)
5. Alien Nation: Millennium (1996)
6. Alien Nation: The Enemy Within (1996)
7. Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy (1997)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Release order and story order are the same here, and both work well. Start with the film to see where it all began, then watch the series, which develops the Francisco family and Tenctonese culture far more deeply. Don't skip Dark Horizon, which resolves the series' cliffhanger. Sci-fi fans will also enjoy Star Trek, The X-Files, and Stargate.

🔗 Related Guides

• Star Trek Watch OrderGuide
• The X-Files Watch OrderGuide
• Stargate Watch OrderGuide

Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!