CRYPTOQUOTE
Remember all things are possible for those who believe. — Gail Devers
LOS ANGELES – “Resident Alien,” a new Syfy series that caught the attention of veteran TV critic Rob Owen and approving viewers, is evidence that inventive shows exist outside premium cable and streaming services.
“It’s been a while since there’s been a cable show, a basic cable show on USA or Syfy or another one of those channels, that’s struck me as something I would go back and give another look,” Owen, a Pittsburgh Tribune-review columnist, said of the comic book-inspired series that arrived in January.
An hour-long dramedy about an extraterrestrial being stuck in a small town, “Resident Alien” gained early traction in the ratings. It pulled in a bigger audience for its second episode than its first, a rarity in the peak-tv era of dizzying decisions about what’s worth your time and money. The numbers are on a modest scale but with promise enough to gladden the heart of Syfy’s parent company, Nbcuniversal, which gave the series a robust blastoff that included a NBC network promotional spot starring a UFO.
“We launch shows all the time and we want to pretend that every show can be the next big hit,” said Nbcuniversal executive Jeff Bader, who heads its TV programming strategy group. “But it’s actually rare that you have a show that people seem to respond to … and this is one of those shows.”
The Rotten Tomatoes website tallied robust approval from critics and viewers, both in the 90th percentile. “Resident Alien” airs 10 p.m. EST Wednesdays.
A key element: Alan Tudyk’s deftly layered comic performance as stranded alien Capt. Ha Re, who takes a crash course in human conduct and speech from “Law & Order” reruns. His otherworldly appearance is mostly cloaked with the appearance of an Earthling he killed, the memorably named Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle.
Series creator Chris Sheridan gladly raves about Tudyk’s work, but he was determined that the quirky residents of fictional Patience, Colorado, be as compelling as the alien in their midst. The cast includes Sara Tomko (“Sneaky Pete”) as Asta Twelvetrees, assistant to Vanderspeigle; Corey Reynolds (“Selma”) as town sheriff Mike Thompson, and Judah Prehn as Max, the boy who sees Harry as the menacing interloper he is. (Spoiler alert: Ha Re’s mission is to wipe out humans.)
The show’s escapist comedy and Harry’s grudging attitude shift toward Earthlings suit a pandemic-weary country grappling with political and social divisions, Sheridan said.
Superficially, “it looks like it’s just a show about an alien coming down and trying to destroy people,” he said. “But when you really follow it, it becomes a show about unity and how humans are stronger when they work together, and how connected we all are.”
For TV critic Owen, “Resident Alien” recalls the “Blue Sky” label that USA Network, Syfy’s Nbcuniversal cable sibling, gave its lighthearted dramas that aired circa 2005 to 2016. Among them: “Psych” and “Suits,” the latter now best known for co-starring future Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.
Such “Blue-sky DNA” largely vanished from basic cable as it gravitated toward darker dramas, Owen said.
So how can a series on a niche channel like Syfy compete? With the heft of Comcast-subsidiary Nbcuniversal behind it. The creative strengths of “Resident Alien” aside, its promising start demonstrates that even the right series at the right time benefits from a juggernaut promotional and scheduling effort.