The alien invasion has long been a staple of science fiction, whether it’s a high-octane thriller like Steven Spielberg‘s War of the Worlds or a more modern approach like Falling Skies. One of the best alien invasion stories recently became available to stream on Prime Video, and it makes for the perfect binge-watchthanks to its creative approach and talented cast. It’s also indirectly responsible for the rise of another hit series, even though it only lasted for a mere 39 episodes.
We’re talking, of course, about Colony. Originally released on the USA Network, Colony begins when a mysterious alien force known as the “Hosts” places the Earth under its occupation. As part of this occupation, a weapon is triggered that causes a global blackout, while massive walls slam into place that separate the world’s nations from each other. One of these walls lands in Los Angeles, separating Will Bowman (Josh Holloway) from his son, Charlie (Jacob Buster). After being arrested for trying to sneak past the LA Wall, Will is ordered by the Hosts’ human collaborators to seek out a resistance that opposes the new world order.
‘Colony’ Weaves a Web of Suspense and Deception Throughout Its Run
Will Bowman (Josh Holloway) and his wife Katie (Sarah Wayne Callis) prepare for a fight in ‘Colony’.Image via USA Network
As Colony progresses, it starts unveiling twists that radically upend the series. Will hunts for the Resistance, but doesn’t know his wife, Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies), is working with them to spy on the Hosts’ collaborators. The Season 2 premiere, “Eleven Thirteen”, reveals that certain people in power knew that the Hosts were coming and were more than willing to sell out the human race to hold onto their power. But the biggest twist involves the Hosts themselves. In Season 3, it’s revealed that they‘re at war with another alien race implied to be deadlier than they are, and their invasion of Earth is an attempt to cull the weak so they have a stronger fighting force.
This makes Colony an intense but incredible watch, which also makes its cancellation all the more upsetting. According to series co-creator/showrunner Carlton Cuse, the series was meant to last for five or six seasons, culminating in a full-scale battle between humanity and the Hosts. Josh Holloway also said Will would have undergone a major transformation if Colony had gone through with Season 4, as the Hosts would have turned him into a super soldier. “I told them, ‘You got to show an alien soon,'” Holloway said in a later interview with Esquire. “But we were a little late.”
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Thanks to ‘Colony’, ‘Game of Thrones’ Fans Can Enjoy This Spin-off Series
Colony might have lasted for three seasons, but it gathered a loyal fanbase in the process. Among those fans were prolific author Stephen King, who called the series “smart, suspenseful, subversive” and “thought-provoking.” Another fan was George R.R. Martin, who actually loved Colony so much that he reached out to co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal to work on House of the Dragon. On his personal blog, Martin expressed major praise for Condal’s work:
“I first met Ryan when he came to New Mexico a couple of years ago to shoot a pilot for a fantasy western called THE SIXTH GUN, based on the comic book. He’s a helluva strong writer, and a huge fan of A SONG OF ICE & FIRE, Dunk & Egg, and Westeros in general. I’ve loved working with him, and if the Seven Gods and HBO are kind, I hope to keep on working with him for years to come on this new successor show.”
Condal has since made House of the Dragon one of HBO’s biggest hits, with a fourth and final season slated to release in 2028. Any fans of House of the Dragon, or sci-fi in general, need to check out Colony. It’ll keep you engaged from beginning to end, and it offers a fresh take on the idea of an alien invasion.
