Resident Alien has garnered a lot of positive buzz since its SyFy premiere last Wednesday. Several critics credit Alan Tudyk’s performance as a clueless, cynical alien for the show’s burgeoning success. Based on the Dark Horse comic series by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, Resident Alien is sure to be a win for many viewers.
The show follows Alan Tudyk’s alien, disguised as Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, as he navigates being stranded on Earth after a failed mission to destroy humankind. He assumes the doctor’s appearance after he throws the human version into a frozen lake, thereby killing him. Though he spends three months isolated and learning human behavior via television, he is by no means an expert. Surprisingly, the imposter doesn’t fool anyone, albeit the mayor’s son, when he’s called on to examine the body of the town’s only other doctor and begins the show’s ultimate murder mystery.
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, Resident Alien currently holds a near-perfect 96% rating from critics. For the most part, critics laud Alan Tudyk as an extraterrestrial initially resistant to the charms of human living. They praise his physicality and versatility in the role, as well as complimenting the supporting cast, who play completely normal characters around his odd man out. Many also claim the blend of dark humor and sincerity works to the show’s advantage. With these critiques in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most positive reviews.
Decider:
A show like Resident Alien has to take on a delicate balance, where it should be funny but not goofy, dramatic and heartfelt but not smarmy, and scary but not violent. Sheridan and his writers have done a good job having all three of these elements in the pilot, but much of it is thanks to the casting of Tudyk as Harry.
CNN:
Adapted by “Family Guy” writer Chris Sheridan, “Resident Alien” possesses the quirky qualities of a live-action cartoon, capitalizing on Tudyk’s weirdly endearing performance, which makes you root for Harry even with his occasional homicidal tendencies.
Roger Ebert:
The writing isn’t quite of that caliber—it too often goes for easy character beats instead of nuanced storytelling—but this is a consistently likable show at a time when people could use something comfortable and easy. And there’s enough talent and potential in it that it could still develop into something even richer and deeper.
Wall Street Journal:
Among all the secret weapons inhabiting Resident Alien, the principal one is Mr. Tudyk, who often provides voices for animated series but can assume the otherworldly look, and charms, of a creature cut loose from his reality.
While many are in favor of Alan Tudyk, some reviewers believe the storyline becomes a little muddled as the series progresses and the show is just too long to warrant one-hour episodes. Several critics say half-hour episodes would have worked best for this dramedy. Some also claim the heavier subject matter outweighs the lighthearted moments at times, so it strikes an uneven balance in tone. A few say that the show doesn’t provide fresh perspectives to the sci-fi genre or small town tropes, which may deter from the overall quality of the show. See below for some less favorable remarks.
The Hollywood Reporter:
The TV incarnation of Resident Alien struggles to find a consistent tone, layers in more artificial storytelling obstacles than the premise requires and only occasionally figures out how to use its appealing cast. … After seven episodes I’d grown tired of wading through the half-dozen plotlines I didn’t care about for the one or two that I did.
The Times:
It’s a nice send-up of various genres, based on the Dark Horse comic books. However, it feels too slight to warrant hour-long episodes and would perhaps be snappier in half-hour bites.
Despite these misgivings, it seems as though Resident Alien has enough steam to be a hit. The overarching opinion from critics for the reason to tune in and keep watching is because of Alan Tudyk. However convoluted the plot may become, Tudyk carries the show and makes it an entertaining and worthwhile watch.
