Thesci-ficomedy seriesResident Alienhas been one of Syfy’s biggest hits in the last few years, and there are quite a few debates about why. Viewers liken the highlyunderrated sci-fi showto3rd Rock From the Sun, comparing Alan Tudyk’s hilarious performance as the quirky alien Harry to John Lithgow’s uproarious turn as Dick Solomon. Other comparisons are often made to shows like the early ’90s folksy dramedyNorthern Exposure(also featuring an out-of-town doctor in a small Colorado setting), but the series might be best described as a weirder version ofTed Lasso— with less soccer and more aliens.
Resident Alienhad a phenomenal start in 2021 and only got better. It currently boasts a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and an 8.1 IMDb rating. The second season opened with Syfy’s second most-watched premiere episode since 2013, and the third season, currently airing, is just as entertaining so far. Since partnering with Netflix recently, the series has maintained a spot in Netflix’s Top Ten for weeks and brought a whole host of new viewers in. However, the best part about the show is the rare blend of comedy and heartwarming emotional drama that aligns it more withTed Lassothan comedy sci-fi like3rd Rock From the SunorGalaxy Quest.
Resident Alien Found Success Through Comedy and Heartwarming Drama
Resident Alien
Based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name (created by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse), the basic plot ofResident Alienfollows an alien who crash-lands on Earth. He quickly kills a human and takes his form, becoming Harry Vanderspiegle, the resident of a small Colorado town who becomes the local doctor when the previous one is killed. He maintains his disguise, perfecting the role of “human” bybinge-watchingLaw and Orderwhile searching for a missing device to complete his mission and leave Earth. His mission is, of course, to destroy all of humanity. Harry’s one foil in his plan is a young boy named Max who can see through his disguise — except none of the adults believe him.
The comedy and heartwarming drama in the show also plays alongside darker themes. Harry starts by murdering a man, after all, and his stated goal in the beginning is to kill all humans. This adds an edge to the show, making it more compelling than a pure dramedy. As described in areview byThe Guardian:
Although it frequently plays with the moments of misunderstanding thrown up by Harry’s ignorance and literal-mindedness, it’s never purely a fish-out-of-water escapade, nor simply an adult Mork and Mindy. It retains a hint of darkness throughout that means you never quite become complacent.
The series finds itself in a sweet spot, both compelling and comical, as Harry comes to begrudgingly like the humans in the small mountain town and begins to question his mission. The supporting cast plays perfectly against Alan Tudyk’s very physical comedy performance, and Tudyk himself is at the top of his game. Between his stellar comedic acting, the excellent side characters, and the evolving and ridiculous plot,Resident Alienfinds itself alongside greats such asTed LassoandThe Good Place, proving that comedy excels best when it works hand-in-hand with heartwarming emotion.
Like Jason Sudeikis, Alan Tudyk’s Alien Harry Makes the Show
Like Jason Sudeikis was inTed Lasso, Alan Tudyk is the undeniable heart ofResident Alien. He’s a sci-fi veteran with hits likeFireflyandStar Wars,as well as comedies likeTucker and Dale vs. EvilandA Knight’s Tale,so he is at home in this role. Harry isn’t presented like Ted Lasso was, either — the two shows actually come at their similar themes from completely opposite angles. While both characters play thefish-out-of-water rolein their new communities, Ted is a charismatic leader dealing with personal issues while lifting up everyone around him.
Harry, in a marked contrast, is more like a child. He is so new to humanity that everything is strange to him, and he awkwardly learns as he goes, much like Dick Solomon from3rd Rock From the Sun. Because of this, Harry is often used as a vehicle to comment on what makes us human, to begin with, from our raw emotions (which confuse Harry) to our familial bonds. His recent exploration in the newest season is the concept of love. As he says at one point:
“Love is like a lifeline that tethers an astronaut to a ship. If that line is cut, you are lost.”
The role as Harry may be Tudyk’s best of his career. It is certainly some of the best physical comedy of any TV show in the last decade. Tudyk’s facial expressions, inhuman mouth sounds, and overall movements make him seem decidedly alien and somehow endearing. Being endearing to the audience is especially important since Harry spends most of the first season trying to destroy the human race. Ted Lasso, by comparison, sometimes seemed to be ona heartwarming missionto save humanity, one soccer player at a time.
While Ted is on a journey to discover himself and connect with his inner traumatized child, Harry is on the opposite journey, one that is much more about him growing from an alien with a childlike (and aggressive) approach to humanity to an adult who values the relationships in his life and understands his own inner turmoil. Starting from these opposite ends, the characters of Ted and Harry end up headed in the same direction.
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The Supporting Cast Amplify the Leads in Both Shows
LikeTed Lasso, Harry is also defined by the excellent supporting cast. They contrast his weirdness with their comparable normality—even if many of them have their own quirks and oddities. Sara Tomko stars alongside Alan Tudyk as Asta Twelvetrees, and she’s not the only Native American actor cast in the show, either. Showrunner Chris Sheridanincluded Native American writersto ensure the representation of Native people was done well.
The bartender and ex-athlete D’Arcy (Alice Wetterlund) is also great and can sometimes steal the scene, even from Tudyk. The child actor for Max (Judah Prehn), who can see Harry, is surprisingly good (watching his growing friendship with Harry is one of the best parts of the show). The rest of the cast is also memorable and interesting. What makes them great, however, is how they amplify Tudyk’s performance as Harry.
Resident Alien and Ted Lasso Blend Emotional Depth With Witty Humor
A show likeResident Alienwouldn’t work without leaning into its own absurdity, and it does this remarkably well. It’s hard to say whether the best part of the show is the comedy or the more emotional moments, because the two seem to go hand-in-hand so often. LikeTed Lassoand the highly acclaimed showsThe Good PlaceorBoJack Horseman,Resident Alienfinds its sweet spot in walking the delightful and delicate balance between ridiculous humor and heartfelt sincerity without ever taking itself too seriously. It’s not easy — lean too much into the absurdity, and the emotional weight is lost. Lean too much into the drama, and the humor can fall flat.
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It seems that, especially in the modern TV era, viewers respond strongly to relentless optimism. Series that lean into this theme tend to be defined as “comfort shows,” andResident Alienis no exception. There is no truly evil character; nothing gets overly negative or dark (even the kill-all-humans plot). The antagonists are often humanized or even made into allies. It’s not easy to pull off this kind of tone in a show without becoming either too preachy, too cheesy, or losing the humor, and it’s a rare show that can dial into this formula and pull it off.
The dramatic lean of the show takes an extremely rare approach to the subject of aliens, exploring the emotional trauma of those who have been abducted and struggle to understand the experience. Creator Sheridan leaned on his own close encounter 20 years ago as inspiration, as well as his strong belief (along with Tudyk) thatpeople have been abducted by aliensin real life.
Resident Alienpulls off the blend of comedy and emotional depth perfectly. The humor in the show is smart and surprising. Instead of stepping aside for more emotional moments, it is often used to enhance them, going beyond a simple comedy and taking the story deeper into questions of identity and belonging. For a show that leans into its absurdity,Resident Alienaddresses questions of humanity, love, and family in ways that make it a worthy companion to an acclaimed series likeTed Lasso.Resident Alienis available to stream on Netflix and Peacock.
