Resident Alien
I think I have a problem with modern TV shows. They are increasingly becoming very similar to each other, transcending even genres. All boast cliché storytelling and characters, conventional in their ideas and crowd pleasing morality, when they should be prioritizing what the show is about. I don't want to see political correctness in every show I take a peek at, but that's what I'm subjugated to. That doesn't mean I'm against such concepts. I simply don't like it when they aren't warranted but included anyway for the sake of inclusion. Sure, I like them very much when they are incorporated naturally as a part of the story.
Take this particular show for an instance — where an alien is stranded on Earth, trying to blend in as a human. He's faced with a lot of challenges. How humans talk, express, eat, kiss, love, socialize. With such precursory conditions, commentaries about human relationships are bound to follow throughout the show and they do not feel imposed.
"Resident Alien" is a work of comedy though, or how the poster says, "alien dramedy", (implying alien doctor comedy!). The alien came to earth with a device to destroy humanity, but when his vehicle crashed, he took the identity and shape of a human he accidentally killed and started searching for the device he lost during the crash. A few months went by, with no luck finding the device, the alien slowly learned the ways of humans by watching TV characters and imitating them.
The guy whose place he took, was a retired doctor by profession. When the town doctor mysteriously dies, the mayor asks the camouflaged alien to step in as a substitute doctor. This is where the story begins!
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Why the alien wants kill the humans though? It's simple. We're vermin. The vilest parasites on earth. She is better off without us (even I'm sure of that). So the supposedly superior alien race thought it's better to just wipe out the humans. Clean slate.
How the story advances through the episodes — is something best experienced on screen. So sit tight and enjoy.
I've been watching a couple of episodes every day over the weekend and this show is pretty hilarious! It has a mushy, feel good vibe to it, you know? Like when you're waiting for stuff to happen, anticipating, yet no sense of dread is there.
Of course, an alien coming to earth to destroy humanity is an overused cliché and in this show, it is actually aware of that and makes a mockery of it. If you take out the alien part, it becomes about an eccentric man who tries to find his footing in a world with set norms and ideas. In his attempt to blend in, the alien constantly experiences all kinds of conflicting emotions and weird social rituals that make us humans. The colorful characters represent humanity. A sheriff who's insecure about his position. A mother who gave up her baby as a teenage girl but regrets the decision every single day. A skier who lost her former glory. Overly protective parents with marital issues. People who sacrificed their lives to save others. In other words, us.
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Alan Tudyk steals the show as the alien. His marvelous performance as the awkward extraterrestrial, the deadpan expressions are spot on! And these are the prime source of comedy. The child actors were fine too. I've taken a fancy to Sara Tomko!
Although the show loses some of its charm when it tries to continue building upon alien trope and take the story to a coherent climax. I suppose it can't be helped. Other than that, solid one!
Here's the trailer if you want to check it out —
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I don't really watch network TV at all (if I can avoid it), but I have to admit... this is the kind of show that I would !LUV and I will probably end up diving in at some point. I always appreciate Alan Tudyk's performances. I found this poster image that echoes your sentiments perfectly:
Just finished season 1 and it had become a must watch weekly show for me. Alan Tudyk is great as the alien struggling with his new found human emotions. Can't wait for season 2 in early 2022. :)
He is great, isn't he? I would think he isn't capable of regular human expressions if I didn't see his other performances!
Can't think of anyone else in the role.
He certainly is. Loved him as the pirate in Dodgeball also. AAAARRRGGGHHH! :)
or firefly...
Where is this show on? You know I won't download torrent :)
I can look it up, but it would be nice to add it in the text. I am guessing it is on SYFY channel. But it is available on Prime Video or Netflix?
It's not on prime or netflix. And if you head over to Syfy website, they let you directly stream but they ask you about your provider. I have no idea where to head from there though.
https://www.syfy.com/resident-alien/videos/101-pilot
Works! Goes straight to my cable provider's website... I have Xfinity... and it immediately streams...
Seemless!
I see! That's great. :) I'm glad it worked without troubles.
If you keep watching it, do tell me how you liked it.
Hyped for this ever since i saw the trailer. Will definitely watch this after reading ur post...Cheers
The trailer was justified. Happy watching. :)
Wasn't sure what you meant with the italics, but I don think he "accidentally" killed the original doctor. Without rewatching the original first episode, I recall it as being intentional, although he probably considered it a necessity.
True, it seemed he did that intentionally. But later in the series, through some monologue, he laments that he didn't know the original doctor would drown in the lake and die and he didn't know the ways of earth. He was acting in self defense.
It may be accidental to him, but it also looks quite intentional. Hence, italic.
Since he was planning on wiping out all humans on earth, I think he just wasn't concerned about it.
Mostly this show is just for fun, of course, but it does bring up interesting questions about what exactly it means for someone to change/reform and how they should be viewed in that case. In the show, by assuming human form, he somehow begins experiencing emotions, and has apparently become a very different person.
Agreed.
As he says, his planet's technology grants him abilities to change his form in a molecular level — perhaps that change affected his hormones, neural oscillations and psychology as well and enabled him to think and feel like a human.
I wonder whether change of morality can be fitted in that equation too. 🤔
Oh man this is one of the best shows ever. We are currently watching it and on episode 4 and I love the humour, it's so we'll written and different. I can't wait to see where the series ends up and depending on what happens I hope there is another season. 👽🛸😍
It's been renewed for a new season already. So hopefully we'll get to see more of the alien soon enough!
This looks really good - thanks for the recommendation friend!
No worries! Happy watching. :)
I have a feeling that all new movies and shows are not just very similar but equally badly done.
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Beautiful review once again.. cliche tropes made me loose faith in a lot of TV shows, especially the more popular ones.. my personal opinion I didn't think money heist was great.. I couldn't get past the first 4 episodes because I thought the story was forced and things happened because of plot convenience.. what are your thoughts
Shawn Murphy isn't such a different kind of doctor now.
Ah, I've yet to see Good Doctor.