Warning: This article contains spoilers forResident Alien.
Resident Alienis arguably Alan Tudyk’s most outstanding show, allowing the actor to showcase his acting ability across two genres in which he always shined. Alan Tudyk has quietly become one of the most versatile actors working today, with parts in films and shows of just about any genre. He has voice-acted roles in every Disney animated movie sinceWreck-It Ralph, even playing multiple characters, and had parts in both major and cult comedy hits. That said,Alan Tudyk’s best movies and TV showsare often in the sci-fi genre, and he has been considered a sci-fi icon since playing Wash inFirefly.
One ofAlan Tudyk’s best charactersto date is Harry Vanderspiegle in the sci-fi comedyResident Alien. The show began with Tudyk’s alien biologist character intent on destroying Earth but finding himself involved in a murder investigation. Over the show’s past three seasons, thecharacters inResident Alienhave dealt with the trials of human existence as well as the issues that come with teaching an alien how to be human. Tudyk was perfectly cast as Harry, and is set to continue playing the role, withResident Alienrenewed for season 4.
Resident Alien’s Harry Is The Character Alan Tudyk’s Career Was Building Up To
Technically, Alan Tudyk Plays Several Characters In Resident Alien
While Tudyk is undoubtedly a talented actor, he has mostly starred in ensemble pieceslikeFireflyor played smaller but unforgettable roles, like the unhinged squire Wat, inA Knight’s Tale.Resident Alienhas broken a record for Alan Tudyk, becoming his longest-running TV show, and while it is technically an ensemble piece, Harry Vanderspiegle is the clear main character. Tudyk’s career has established him as an excellent voice and comedic actor with the ability to also take on serious projects. While these prior character roles built up to Tudyk playing Harry, he actually plays several characters inResident Alien.
Alan Tudyk’s Brilliant Resident Alien Performances Create A Big Headscratcher For The Sci-Fi Show
There’s no denying how perfect Alan Tudyk is for the role of Resident Alien’s leading man, but his acting choices also create a weird problem.
Tudyk plays the alien Captain Hah Re both in an alien mask and in human form, as he has taken on the appearance of the village doctor, Harry Vanderspiegle. This meant that Tudyk also played the real Harry Vanderspiegle. Tudyk also played the alternate future version of Harry, known as Goliath. Then in season 3, the shapeshifting Mantid took Harry’s form, with Tudyk now playing an alien pretending to be a different alien pretending to be human.Tudyk’sResident Aliencharactersoften have to interact with each other, further showcasing his ability as a character actor, even in a comedic role.
Every Alan Tudyk Fan Should Be Watching Resident Alien
Resident Alien Is The Perfect Show For Tudyk Fans
After many years playing smaller roles compared to Harry Vanderspiegle, Alan Tudyk is front and center inResident Alienand appears to have been given free rein to improvise at times. The show even pays tribute to Tudyk’s previous shows, withFirefly’s Nathan Fillion voicing a character in season 2. Tudyk’s role within the show is growing, and it has been confirmed that after a long break from directing TV episodes,Alan Tudyk will directResident Alienseason 4’s premiere episode. This is great news for his fans, who should all be watchingResident Alien.
Rotten Tomatoes critics score
Rotten Tomatoes audience score
1
2021
94%
92%
2
2022
100%
73%
3
2024
-
Resident Alienseason 3 ended with a cliffhanger, with Joseph switching sides at the last moment and Harry being revealed to be trapped onboard the Greys' ship as the Mantid (voiced by Clancy Brown when in alien form) assumes the form of Harry.Resident Alienseason 4 may not feature Harry Vanderspiegle much to begin with, focusing instead on the Mantid, which is likely to be the show’s most dangerous antagonist yet. Still, Harry is the heart ofResident Alien, and Tudyk’s best character in the show, so he should not stay away for too long.
Resident Alien
Cast
A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk’s character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.
