Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Being Human’s Michael Socha headlines the cast for E4’s new comedy SF series Aliens.

In the series, which began shooting this week, aliens have been among us since they crash-landed in the UK 40 years ago. Though they look and behave exactly like us, they are forced to live a segregated life, behind a huge wall in a ghetto called Troy. It’s a hedonistic and ramshackle town, unpoliced and filled with gangs who make a living smuggling alien hair out of Troy to be smoked as a drug by humans. Lewis (Socha) is a border guard who mans the checkpoint between Troy and the human side of the wall. In common with most humans, he regards the aliens who pass through the checkpoint to do menial jobs on the human side of town as second class citizens. But when he discovers that he is the world’s first half-alien, he finds himself drawn into a world of divided loyalties and a search for his own identity.

Michaela Coel (Top Boy, Chewing Gum) joins him as Lilyhot, an enigmatic and alluring alien who is deeply embroiled in one of Troy’s criminal gangs. When Lewis crosses her path, her fate and his become inextricably entwined. Michael Smiley (Black Mirror, Kill List), Ashley Walters (Top Boy, Hustle), Holli Dempsey (Derek, New Worlds) and Trystan Gravelle (Mr Selfridge, Anonymous) will also appear.

Wry, violent, funny and visually arresting, Aliens is written by Fintan Ryan; episodes 1-3 will be directed by Jonathan van Tulleken and Lawrence Gough will direct episodes 4-6.

Michael Socha says: “I’ve never played anyone like Lewis before – it’s going to be an exciting challenge for me. E4 is the home of some of the coolest dramas in the UK and I can’t wait to take my first steps into the world of Troy.”

Michaela Coel says: “I’ve been a big fan of Fintan Ryan since Never Better and was directed by J Van Tulleken in my first ever television role. They, amongst many other things, make this one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever been a part of and I can’t wait to get started.”