Review: Resident Alien

Resident Alien on Netflix turned out to be a better show than I thought? I really got hooked on this series last year. At first glance it doesn't look like much. Just another ho hum series to fill the blank spaces on streaming channels.

The Syfi channel produced series comes off very hoaky and entirely woke to the point where it's offensive. It's that kind of Hollywood television that seeks to bombard you with politics when all you want is to be entertained. What is wrong with those people? Well, that is an essay for another time.

But, it has one redeeming quality to it and that is in its central character played by Alan Tudyk. His interpretation of the Alien trying to, and learning to be human is refreshing and very very funny at times. It is worth the whole show, really!

He comes to earth with the intention of planting a device that will kill every man woman and child on the planet. Very Hamas of him. He takes on human form and proceeds to learn everything about being human one letter at a time. It's very funny.

He ends up killing the first human he meets who is played by the human Dr. Vanderspiegel. He assumes his form so he can blend into the community in which he needs to complete his mission. He apparently learns to speak English by watching television. Not just any television but episode after episode of "Law and order." And, at times refers to Lt. Lennie Briscoe, Jerry Orbach's character using his exact lines which leaves the other characters dumbfounded because they don’t know what he is talking about. But we do. Very funny.

And, he learns by imitation, whether appropriate or not. In episode one he drives into town parks his truck and is a little nervous to exit. So while he is sitting there he sees some kid on the street flipping off some girls who threw snowballs at him. . He then slowly makes his fist and extends his middle finger. It's very funny.

But there are some tender moments as well. He becomes the town doctor and befriends the nurse there. She becomes his confidant and all around pal. Asta, an indigenous American conspicuously, is not woke or hoaky. Probably on purpose because she stands right beside Harry’s character, throughout the first three seasons. Helping him, teaching him once she finds out he's an alien. He needs to get the basics of greeting people and learning what to say and what not to say in casual conversation before he tackles anything like love or even sex. He never quite gets it even with Asta’s help. That is what makes it so funny.

Along with Tudyk is a supporting cast which garners its own brand of amusement. As mentioned earlier the show is completely woke to the point where it gets preachy and really annoying but Tudyk’s character is always there to say something entirely funny and incredibly adoring, drawing you back into its entertainment.

The sheriff of the town played by Corey Reynolds is sort of a reincarnation of Barney Fife, if you are old enough to remember who he was. Completely annoying and full of himself to the point where you just want to slap the guy upside his head. He is balanced by his deputy, who is smart, incisive and clear thinking. Elizabeth Bowen plays deputy Liv Baker. Not sure but the Barney fife thing might be more real than I first bargained for. Chris Sheridan, the creator of the series, might have taken the old Andy Griffith 1960s paradigm and reversed the roles on purpose. If he didn’t, it is quite the coincidence.

The Mayor is a wimp, and like the sheriff you just want to take him aside and beat some sense into him. He is totally pussy whipped by his wife. But the two have sexual chemistry which like so many other characters in the show is way overplayed but that is the only time you see him on a par with his wife.

Other characters who appear and are noticeable are the Mayor’s son who can see the alien not as harry but as the alien and it scares the shit out of him. Plus his friend the Muslim girl, Sahar, who appears to ba about the smartest person in the town. She is dominating, intellectual and intuitive far beyond any ten year old can be. Hoaky, very hoaky.

Even with all this irritating noise that goes on among those in fictitious Patience, Colorado, I still highly recommend you watch. Alan Tudyk makes it work. He will make you laugh when you are half asleep watching it through your toes in bed.

Oh and one more thing, Harry loves earth food, especially pizza. How do you make eating pizza funny? Alan Tudyk knows. LOL

There are three complete seasons and I just found out they optioned for a season 4. However, I don't know when that will be released. It's on Netflix. You should check it out.

If you are the stuffy type and don't go in for that sophomoric type humor do me a favor. Just watch S1E1. If you don't like it, don't watch it anymore. And, if you do please pop me back and let me know. I think you will.