Pick a direction and throw a stone and you’ll probably hit an alien invasion story of some kind. On the one hand, you’ve got your Independence Days, your War of the Worlds, and your Cloverfields. But on the other hand, you’ve got your District 9s, your Arrivals, and your Absolutely Remarkable Things. In a world so oversaturated with alien invasion narratives, is there really room for anything new? Well, as it turns out, yes. Because whatever you’re expecting from Emily Jane’s On Earth as It Is on Television, think again. On the surface, it seems like any old UFO story. But look a little bit deeper, and you’ll find a very absurd, heartwarming, hilarious look at what makes us human. A tale laced with fatty foods, talking cats, mysterious aliens, and far too much television. Exactly as it should be.
What Happens When the Aliens Leave Immediately After Arriving?
One day, out of nowhere, spaceships appear over a variety of cities throughout the United States and the rest of the world. The spaceships block cell phone signals and Wi-Fi, throwing our very society into chaos. But other than that, they don’t do much. They just sit there. Where have they come from? What do they want? And – wait – where are they going? Almost as quickly as they appeared, the spaceships disappear, leaving humanity with a host of unanswered questions. For Blaine and his wife, the arrival of the spaceships adds complexity to a marriage that previously seemed flawless. For Heather, the spaceships make her realize just how uneventful her life’s been – and how strange her stepfather is. And for Oliver, the spaceships snap him out of a decades-long comatose state.
For all four of them, life will never be the same again. Does life go on as normal or does everything change? Well, the answer’s a bit complicated – and far weirder than any of them could expect. In On Earth as It Is on Television, Emily Jane delivers a story that’s equal parts heartwarming, silly, enormously weird, and incredibly human. Honestly, everything about the book is just strange – in the best way possible. From the UFOs’ appearance, to the very specific ways people react to said UFOs, to the prose itself. But why shouldn’t it be weird? After all, the sudden appearance and disappearance of extraterrestrial life would be a pretty strange occurrence, right? Don’t let that scare you, though. The book’s every bit as enjoyable as you’d hope for. Just in very surprising ways.
A Character-Driven Romp Through Sci-Fi Tropes and Social Satire
If you’re going into On Earth as It Is on Television expecting a big, explosive story about First Contact, think again. Sure, the arrival of dozens of spaceships makes up the book’s inciting incident, but the story’s not really about that. All of the fallout happens in the background – more window dressing than narrative. Instead, Jane decides to focus on how the UFOs’ arrival changes the lives of these four specific people. Everything that happens is seen through the eyes of these characters – how it impacts them, how they feel about everything, etc. As a result, the story feels less about how a monumental event changes humanity and more about how a monumental event changes individuals. And honestly, I really loved this approach. It’s so delightfully human in the most enjoyable way. After all, the best science fiction stories ground their narratives in something identifiably human.
Much of that groundedness comes in the form of the book’s social satire. Mainly, Jane takes aim at America’s consumeristic tendencies and our obsession with television and social media. Multiple characters spend a lot of the book hyperfixating on very surface-level concerns. There are hints of McCarthyism-paranoia in humanity-at-large’s reaction to the aliens. And there’s a pretty large heaping of escapism in the form of media consumption. To say anything more would venture a bit too far into spoilery territory, but let’s just say there’s a pretty good reason Jane structures the novel as multiple episodes of a TV show – and that quirky structure ultimately pays dividends. Put simply, the book’s a total joyride through sci-fi tropes. On Earth as It Is on Television hews much closer to something like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy than Contact – but that’s exactly what makes it so much fun.
An Incredibly Satisfying Read
At first, all of the book’s plotlines kind of feel disconnected. It’s hard to imagine how this suburban couple’s storyline is gonna connect with this spoiled California teenager’s storyline or this newly-conscious man’s quest to rediscover who he is. But as the book goes on, Jane does an excellent job weaving all of these stories together in an immensely satisfying way. Sure, the first third of the book is a bit hard to get into as she tries to juggle all of these storylines. But then there’s a moment somewhere around the halfway point where everything just clicks into place, and you see exactly where the story’s going. And that’s just such a satisfying moment. Everything after that is icing on the cake as one piece after another falls into place, resulting in a surprisingly emotional, immensely enjoyable climax.
That being said, as a big fan of traditional First Contact stories, I do wish there was a way the government’s response to the UFOs could’ve been better worked into the narrative. As it stands, the wider impacts of the UFOs stay firmly in the background of the story, and you often feel a bit confused about what, exactly, is going on. The book does eventually explain all of that, but it’s still a bit too confusing and vague for most of the read. And sure, there are very understandable reasons why Jane takes that route, and the book is absolutely thrilling as is. But it might’ve been equally interesting had one of the characters been a member of the government, so the book could occasionally hop to that perspective. But ultimately, it’s not a particularly big problem given just how enjoyable the book is as is.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, I don’t know what I was expecting from On Earth as It Is on Television, but the book definitely blew me away. It’s a wholly unique take on the First Contact genre – even as it plays with all of the well-worn tropes. It’s an absurd, deeply strange read – but one that’s equally emotional and biting. The humor is very specific, only adding to the absurdity. The characters are deeply relatable, even if they’re not necessarily likable. And the story, itself, is never anything less than thrilling – even with its strangeness. If you’re looking for a new take on the UFO genre, then look no further than On Earth as It Is on Television. It won’t be for everyone, that’s for sure. But those who like it are gonna adore it.
On Earth as It Is on Television is available now in hardcover and eBook formats from Hyperion Avenue/Disney Publishing Group.
DISCLAIMER: A review copy of On Earth as It Is on Television was provided by the publisher. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Emily Jane's "On Earth as It Is on Television" offers a wholly unique take on the First Contact genre that's equal parts hilarious, emotional, absurd, and biting.
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GVN Rating 9.5
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