Thanks to my friend, Robert (Marines Don't Have Curlers) Matuzsan, I was inspired to delve into SyFy's Resident Alien, created by producer/writer virtuoso, Chris (Family Guy/Titus) Sheridan, based on the irreverent, Dark Horse comic by writer Peter (Terra Obscura/Robo-Hunter) Hogan and artist Steve (Doctor Who Weekly/Judge Dredd) Parkhouse.
There are three seasons available, with each episode bringing laughs, intrigue and quirky characterizations, as Resident Alien is a fine blend of My Favorite Martian, Northern Exposure, A Visit to a Small Planet, Green Acres, It Came from Outer Space, Monk and perhaps from a marginal stance, The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Alan (I, Robot/Tucker and Dale vs Evil/Doom Patrol) Tudyk, who's made a strong mark in particular on the DC multiverse (as both a physical and voice presence), plays the titular persona, ersatz Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle. The doc has become the extraterrestrial's genetic cloak, reinstated after his accidental demise, which leaves our resident alien to assimilate as fast as he can, harnessing English (thanks to Law & Order reruns), social customs and all the snags that follow such in humble Patience, Colorado. (Incidentally, it appears that the genuine Vanderspeigle harbored an unsettling secret, and if revealed, it could spell disaster for his anxious counterfeit.)
In the meantime, our bumbling visitor plans to carry out a monumental mission to eradicate Earth, but as he merges with its inhabitants (all the while developing a penchant for pizza), Earth's erasure seems less worth while. In other words, he begins to side with the Earthlings and their lifestyle, becoming more human through his empathetic encounters with them. This, in turn furthers his madcap exploits, some of which would give the likes of Jerry Lewis and Jim Carrey a run for their comedic money. (Little Greys, with "their meatball heads and spaghetti arms," influence much of the goofiness.)
Those our cosmic foreigner comes to embrace (most of whom are human, though a few are fellow aliens) include Sara Tomko's relatable Asta Twelvetrees (our alien's best buddy); Gary Farmer's nurturing Dan Twelvetrees (Asta's dad); Alice Letterlund's would-be gold-medalist, D'arcy Bloom; Levi Feihler's well-meaning Mayor Ben Hawthorne; Meredith Garretson's concerned Kate Hawthorne (the mayor's wife); Judah Prehn's Max Hawthorne (their inquisitive son and the first to detect the doctor's underlying identity); Gracelyn Awar Rinke's Sahar (Max's partner in crime and secrecy); Jenna Lamia's love-starved Judy Cooper; Corey Reynolds' politically incorrect Sheriff Mike Thompson (aka "Big Black"); Elizabeth Bowen's downtrodden Deputy Liv Baker; Edi Patterson's driven but smitten Heather (an otherworldly Azure/bird lady); Kesler Talbot's alien tyke, Bridget (aka Bobby Smallwood when in human guise, and for most sequences, nicely puppetized); Terry (The Stepfather/Lost) O'Quinn's ever-searching celebrity, Peter Bach (aka "The Alien Hunter"); Linda (The Terminator/Beauty and the Beast) Hamilton's hardened General Eleanor McCallister; and a slew of gifted others who help make an already nuanced layout even more so.
Resident Alien, like the best fish-out-of-water ventures, allows viewers to look at themselves in a fresh way through "Vanderspeigle'"s eyes. The charm of the premise bids a fourth season, with a dicey cliffhanger having capped the prior.
Resident Alien is worth a view, so check out its segments (a copious thirty at present) on SyFy, Peacock, Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services. Don't be surprised if this sardonic sojourn reels you in and, as with the most absorbing, mind-control experiments, doesn't let go.
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