Resident Alien Review: Invader Zim and Stranger Things Meet The North Exposure

Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk of Firefly and Rogue One), the protagonist of the new drama Syfy. Foreign resident, does not belong to Patience, Colorado. Everyone in the remote little town knows each other, and as the town’s new doctor, Harry has to try to deal with his quirks and complicated personal dramas when he just wants to get home. While Harry tells everyone that his home is New York, it’s actually another planet.

At first glance, Foreign resident looks like a sci-fi twist on early 90s drama North exposure, with a real alien playing the role of Jewish doctor Joel Fleischman. It also has obvious parallels to weird bizarre sitcoms like Third rock of the sun and Solar opposites. But even though Tudyk is the undisputed star of the show, Foreign resident Creator Chris Sheridan changed the storyline of the Fish Out of Water tale by exploring how anyone can feel like an outsider.

“Everyone must belong to something greater than themselves,” Harry mused in one of the conclusions of the moralist episode, summarizing what he has learned about humanity and himself over the past 45 minutes. . “Yes, the number is strong, but maybe it is easier. Maybe humans feel better when they know they’re not alone on this Earth.

This is practically the thesis of Foreign resident, which was adapted from the Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse Dark Horse Comics series of the same name. In addition to moving the stage from Washington to Colorado, Sheridan shifted the focus of the crime-solving series to focusing more on interpersonal relationships. Harry, who learned to speak English himself by watching many Law, is still fascinated by mysteries, but most of the plot is devoted to how the people of Patience interact with each other, deal with their pasts and try to build a better future for themselves and their loved ones. .

Of course, none of this should matter to Harry, who crash-landed on Earth during his mission to end all human life. He killed the real Dr Vanderspeigle, who had moved to Patience from New York in search of solitude, and tried to avoid detection while wearing the appearance of Vanderspeigle and looking for parts of his ship buried beneath the snow. But when the City of Patience medic, Sam Hodges, dies under mysterious circumstances, Harry vows to both investigate that death and to take Sam’s previous post until a replacement is found.

This involves working closely with Asta Twelvetrees (Sara Tomko), who was Sam’s nurse and viewed him as a mentor and father figure. Asta quickly forms a strong bond with Harry after intervening to protect her from her abusive ex-husband. “I’ve always been a foreigner,” Asta confesses. “Maybe that’s why I understand you.” You are different. I know what it feels like. Sometimes feeling human is foreign to me. “

Tudyk and Tomko have easy chemistry, whether they’re having conversations fueled by Harry’s awkward brutality or over heavier material, like Asta discussing his decision to put his teenage son up for adoption. It’s the kind of relationship that is probably meant to turn into a willed romance, not them. But in the first seven episodes of the 10-episode season, it’s pleasantly only about mutual respect, if not always admiration, given that both characters are prone to making big mistakes and being forced to manage them.

Most of the townspeople also find it difficult to integrate. Asta’s best friend D’arcy Bloom (Alice Wetterlund) appears carefree as she serves drinks at the town bar, but still mourns her failed shot to glory when an injury ended her Olympic skiing . career. Sheriff Mike Thompson (Corey Reynolds of The closest) is jealous of the action in bigger cities and dreams of having a serial killer to hunt down, while his aide Liv Baker (Elizabeth Bowen) wishes he would pay attention to her ideas so that she could have the feel like making a difference. Young Mayor Ben Hawthorne (Levi Fiehler) is just trying to make sure things run smoothly and avoid controversy.

“It’s actually the oldest building in Patience,” Ben told a newcomer, pointing to a plaque hanging in the town pub. “Yes, if the indigenous story is not told before the recorded time,” Asta corrects. “And we’ll take that badge off,” Ben replies, with the nervous energy of someone still learning to prove their privilege.

The biggest problem Ben faces is his son, Max (Judah Prehn), who has the rare genetic ability to see Harry’s true alien form, and is desperate to convince his family and anyone else who will listen. That the new doctor is a murderous alien. Max is a strange kid with a vivid imagination, and Harry’s inexperience with humans makes him a kid in his own way, turning their rivalry into a surprisingly even couple. The dynamics are similar to a hybrid between Strange things and Invader Zim, with Max conspiring to expose Harry, while Harry tries to get this curious boy out of his way.

Tudyk does an absolutely fantastic job with a surprisingly physical role, whether it’s the awkward way of keeping his mouth wide open while laughing at his own jokes, or his attempts to keep eating steak while being hugged. Its dialogue is by turns absurd and deeply philosophical, and its ability to quickly switch between modes provides poignant scenes, with writers sometimes eschewing easy jokes in favor of larger emotional rhythms.

While there are a lot of antics centered around Harry’s attempts to keep his secret, the theme of the show is that everyone at Patience has their own secrets. Humans lie, Harry thought to himself. “That’s what they do. Maybe they don’t want people to know who they really are.

Harry hides his nature to avoid being captured, but he’s also addicted to the feeling of being seen. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has left so many people feeling isolated and alone, Harry’s struggle to balance security with the desire for camaraderie is particularly relevant. Harry is certainly the strangest guy in town, but he also fits the bill perfectly.

The Foreign resident the pilot is free streaming on Syfy’s website. The new episodes will launch on Syfy Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.