Resident Alien tells the story of Harry (Alan Tudyk), an alien disguised as a human who crash-lands in a remote Colorado town called Patience. Harry takes on the role of the town doctor, all the while plotting to kill humanity. The only issue? A nine-year-old boy named Max (Judah Prehn) can see Harry for who he really is: an extraterrestrial in disguise. As Harry spends more time on earth, he must fight his new human emotions of empathy and understanding and stick to his mission. Season 2 of the series contained a breakthrough for Harry, who has now definitively chosen what side of the fight he wants to be on.
Created by Chris Sheridan, Resident Alien was critically acclaimed when it premiered in 2021, with audiences praising Tudyk's comedic skills and the ensemble as a whole. Tudyk's performance as Harry has solidified him as a lovable extraterrestrial whom audiences want to root for. With a third season already underway, check out this who's who guide of the townspeople of Patience.
Resident Alien
TV-14
Sci-Fi
Comedy
Drama
Mystery
A crash-landed alien takes on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor and slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth.
- Release Date
- January 27, 2021
- Creator
- Chris Sheridan
- Cast
- Alan Tudyk , Sara Tomko , Corey Reynolds , Elizabeth Bowen
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 3
Alan Tudyk
Harry Vanderspeigle
The titular Resident Alien, Harry Vanderspeigle is really an extraterrestrial who has the ability to morph into another species, which is how he is able to disguise himself so convincingly as a human. Assuming the role of the town's doctor, our fake Harry learns English through watching television, primarily Law and Order. In Season 1, Harry does whatever he can to remain under the radar to complete his mission of destroying the human race; however, Season 2 transforms Harry into someone who doesn't want to fulfill this mission, as he's become close to those in his new life, particularly Asta (Sara Tomko). Harry's blunt honesty begins to fade as he picks up more human traits, and ultimately decides not to go through with his plan to cause a genocide on earth. Season 2 also had Asta and Harry traveling to New York City, with Harry standing up to his alien counterparts, The Greys, telling them he wouldn't be returning to space.
Actor Alan Tudyk is no stranger to sci-fi projects, as he's had roles in films like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, I, Robot, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Tudyk also played the pilot Wash in the cult-favorite sci-fi series Firefly. He has an extensive voice acting career, including Harley Quinn, Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph, American Dad!, and Rick and Morty. Other notable projects for Tudyk have been Arrested Development, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.
Sara Tomko
Asta Twelvetrees
Asta and Harry relate through their feelings of being outsiders within the town of Patience, with a bond forming between the two before Asta knows Harry's true alien identity. Asta works as a nurse under Harry and has a daughter named Jay (Kaylayla Raine) whom she gave up for adoption 17 years prior. While Asta's initial reveal to Jay that she is her mother doesn't go smoothly, over time, Jay reaches out to Asta and the two begin to build a solid foundation for their relationship. Asta is especially important to Harry, as she's his first true friend on earth.
Sara Tomko has appeared in shows like Once Upon a Time, S.W.A.T., Sneaky Pete, and The Leftovers. Tomko's film credits include many sci-fi projects, including Journey to the Center of the Earth, 400 Days, and Pandemic.
Judah Prehn
Max Hawthorn
Max has a special ability in that he's able to see through Harry's human form. This capability disturbs Max at first but ends up being helpful to him in later episodes. Because Max's mother, Kate (Meredith Garretson), is a teacher at his school, he is often an outcast with kids his age, and this isn't made any better when he claims that Harry is an alien. Max's only friend at school is a girl named Sahar (Gracelyn Awad Rinke), and she believes Max when he says that Harry is an extraterrestrial, even though she can't tell it herself. In Season 2, it's revealed that Max has a sibling who was abducted by The Greys, and time will tell how this twist will play out.
While Judah Prehn has appeared in shows like Mythic Quest and Adam Ruins Everything, Resident Alien is his first big recurring role. Prehn won a Young Artist Award in 2022 for "Best Performance in a TV Series" for his role of Max.
Corey Reynolds
Sheriff Mike Thompson
Sheriff Mike Thompson is one of the members of Patience who was immediately suspicious of Harry's business in the town, although he does not believe in aliens. Sheriff Thompson is a no-nonsense individual whose attitude often rubs people the wrong way; however, he often changes his tune about certain people and situations after he realizes he may have reacted too harshly. At the end of Season 2, Joseph Rainier (Enver Gjokaj) is interviewing for a job as Sheriff's Deputy, which may become a big plot point for Sheriff Thompson in Season 3.
Corey Reynolds was one of the stars of the TNT drama The Closer, appearing in all 109 episodes of the series, which co-starred Kyra Sedgwick and J.K. Simmons. Reynolds has appeared in films like Selma, The Terminal, and Straight Outta Compton, and television shows such as Castle, All American, and Masters of Sex.
Alice Wetterlund
D'Arcy Bloom
A bartender at a tavern in Patience, D'Arcy is thrown into Harry's extraterrestrial saga through her best friendship with Asta. At one time an Olympic hopeful, D'Arcy has been living her life looking for some meaning outside of sports. As the secret of Harry's true identity begins to tear at the threads of D'Arcy and Asta's relationship, D'Arcy is brought into the know of who Harry truly is. D'Arcy's reaction to this news further demonstrates to Harry the resiliency of the human spirit, making him even less inclined to fulfill his original mission of ending humanity.
This isn't Alice Wetterlund's first time in the science fiction genre, as she's appeared in People of Earth, Space Force, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Her other credits include Single Parents, GLOW, Silicon Valley, and New Girl.
Levi Fiehler
Mayor Ben Hawthorne
Ben Hawthorne is the Mayor of Patience, although his flaky attitude has caused him to obtain the nickname "Mayor Snowflake" from Sheriff Mike Thompson. Ben is the father of Max, the boy who can see through the alien's disguise. Ben and his wife, Kate, have lots of conflict in Season 2, as Ben wants to open a resort in Patience, while Kate believes it to be a bad idea. Later, Ben gets abducted from his bed by The Greys, who tell Ben that his baby is with them too, which they secretly stole from his wife, Kate.
Levi Fiehler has explored life with aliens before, as he appeared in several episodes of the National Geographic series, Mars. His other credits include Ray Donovan, CSI, The Fosters, and SEAL Team.
Meredith Garretson
Kate Hawthorne
Kate Hawthorne is married to Patience's town mayor, Ben Hawthorne, and is mother to their son, Max. Kate is a teacher at Max's school, which has caused Max to have trouble making friends. Kate and Ben have issues in their marriage due to their opposite personalities, with Kate more headstrong and Ben less confrontational. Originally a lawyer, Kate's life in Patience has caused her to see the value in human connection. In Season 2, it's revealed that The Greys stole a baby from Kate's womb without her knowing. While this information is revealed to Kate's husband, Ben, it's unclear how this shocking news will affect Kate in Season 3.
Meredith Garretson appeared in seven episodes of the Paramount+ drama, The Offer, alongside Juno Temple, Giovanni Ribisi, and Miles Teller. Gerretson's other credits include New Amsterdam, Chicago Med, and The Good Fight.
Elizabeth Bowen
Deputy Liv Baker
Liv Baker is the sheriff's deputy of Mike Thompson in the town of Patience. Against Thompson's strong personality, Liv has a hard time making her opinions known. This eventually leads her to quit her position working with Sheriff Thompson, although the Sheriff eventually realizes the error of his ways and Liv comes back to work. Liv has a special fascination with life on other planets, as she saw an alien spaceship when she was young. Liv believes there's alien life in Patience, and she contacts an alien tracker to find it.
Elizabeth Bowen has appeared in Loudermilk, Fargo, Upload, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. A native of Canada, Bowen studied improv comedy before landing her role in Resident Alien.
Other Actors in 'Resident Alien'
The rest of the cast of Resident Alien includes:
- Ben Cotton as Jimmy
- Kaylayla Raine as Jay
- Deborah Finkel as Abigail Hodges
- Gary Farmer as Dan Twelvetrees
- Mandell Maughen as Lisa Casper
- Alex Barima as David Logan
