PICK OF THE DAY

Resident Alien

Sky One, 9pm An eccentric sci-fi comedy in the spirit of Men In Black – also based on a comic book – this new series follows the adventures of an alien stranded on Earth after crashlanding in a remote corner of Colorado.

Adopting the human form of a local doctor who lives alone in a remote cabin, Harry (Alan Tudyk, right) struggles to come to grips with the minutiae of the indigenous civilisation. But after a swift education, mostly through watching TV, our reluctant alien finds himself pulled out of seclusion into helping the unsuspecting townsfolk of Patience. Although he also has his own mysterious mission to carry out, with possible implications for the entire planet.

Though this isn’t new territory – there are echoes of Douglas Adams, Starman and E.T. – the unpretentiously fun approach is easy viewing, and Tudyk’s studied quirkiness is a joy to watch.