I’ve found that some of my most delightful discoveries have been the result of recommendations from friends. These are shows that I would never have given a second look to or even knew existed if it hadn’t been for the persistent—nay, annoying—nagging of friends and family members who would insist, “you HAVE to watch this show,” and wouldn’t give up until I did. And, most of the time, I am the one ending up offering up bountiful mea culpas to their wisdom.
Such is the case with the show Resident Alien, a show I had never even heard of until an email 
from my friend Bob, who ended a correspondence a year or so ago with “Have you seen Resident Alien? I think you’d like it.” When I responded that I hadn’t even heard of it, he reiterated how great it was and that I should give it a try. Knowing how many shows I already had on my list, I humored him by telling him I’d look into it. But I knew I wouldn’t.
But he wouldn’t leave it alone.
So, after the second or third time he mentioned it, I finally decided to look up Resident Alien. I saw it was a sci-fi show and I was out. Nope. Sorry, Bob, not my cup of tea.
He didn’t give up.
So, recently, when I was desperately looking for a current show that was neither a comedy nor a drama (because I like to offer a wide range of genres to my readers), I knew two things: one, Bob would never leave this alone, and two, the show has a 97% rating on RottenTomatoes.com, so it was worth a shot.
Oh boy, was it worth a shot.
We started watching Resident Alien and we couldn’t stop. It hooked us from the get. It’s one of those shows that we found ourselves looking forward to every night—the definition of bingeable.
Premiering in 2021 on the SyFy channel, Resident Alien was created by Chris Sheridan, based on the comic book by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. It stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crash-lands on Earth and has to blend into life in a small Colorado town until he can get his ship repaired.
Yup, I know what you’re thinking: that premise is SO DONE. Fish out of water, small town charm, alien hijinks—it sounds like a combination of Crocodile Dundee, Northern Exposure and The X Files, you’re thinking. Ok, but hear me out: imagine combining Crocodile Dundee, Northern Exposure and The X Files. And throw in the absolutely most Ted Lasso-type charming ensemble and a leading man who makes you wonder where the hell Alan Tudyk has been all your life and you’ve got nothing short of magic.
You certainly may not take to Resident Alien as much as we did. It is a sci-fi show that gets more sci-fi as it progresses, but there really is something for everyone here. I can’t remember laughing out loud so often each episode as I did with this show. It is absolutely hilarious. And yet it’s not specifically a comedy. It is set in and about a small town, so it is heartwarming and filled with kindness and a feeling of a warm apple pie cooling on a window sill, but this is definitely not a Hallmark show. There most definitely are aliens from other planets who roam Earth and actually abduct humans, but this is not a horror show. I wouldn’t even know how to describe what this show is, all I know is I want more of it.
Fortunately, the critics love it as much as Bob and I do, and the powers that be have green-lit a fourth season, so there will be more, thank goodness. I don’t know when that next season will air, but it will give you enough time to catch up on seasons 1-3, currently available on Netflix. Just try it. Don’t make me pester you.
Past seasons of Resident Alien can be found on Netflix and new seasons will air on USA Network.