Harry and company are lucky to be alive following last week’s episode of Resident Alien. After falling down a crevasse while on an iceberg, D’arcy exhibits the drive that made her a word class athlete by not giving up and rescuing her friends. While waiting, Harry reveals his true form to Asta because his sustained injuries make it difficult to keep his human form. Even after being saved, the extra terrestrial isn’t out of the woods yet and Asta has to perform an emergency amputation.
As we learned earlier, Harry’s species and octopuses are related so his amputated leg has already begun to regenerate. What’s more of a concern is the doomsday device is broken and he needs to find spare parts to repair it. The best place to find alien technology is at UFO Con where hopefully some abductees have been implanted with a monitoring device.
In addition to making me long for the day I can attend a convention in person, the event serves up some really great moments. There’s the humor (obligatory anal probe joke notwithstanding) with Harry talking trash about the different aliens out there and an unexpected cameo of Giorgio A. Tsoukalos.
But there is also a tender moment between Asta and our resident alien as well during the “Experiencer Panel” where she shares her more optimistic views of these intergalactic visitors that puts a smile, albeit awkward, on her friend’s face. Only if she knew Harry’s true intentions. Although her speech could be a turning point to make Harry eventually abort the mission. Then there’s the curious warning another attendee tells Asta that aliens are the Christopher Columbus of the sky.
UFO Con introduces us to Peter Bach, the alien tracker, played by Terry O’Quinn. Despite a small role, O’Quinn proves his class as an actor providing a significant emotional beat. The tragic opening of “Welcome Aliens” paves the way for his painful and desperate admission during Bach and Harry’s final showdown. Compounded with Harry’s cold and heartless truth, the scene stirs up a lot of different feelings. The fact that Bach also had the genetic mutation to see past the disguise adds another level of intrigue.
Elsewhere in Resident Alien, we finally receive closure on the murder case. The culprit was subtly alluded to in the previous episode but Sheriff Thompson finally put all the pieces together thanks in part to former Deputy Baker’s evidence board. The reveal is a disappointment considering its importance and impact at the beginning of the season and now it feels more as an afterthought. The Thompson/Baker reconciliation is entertaining at least during the pair’s Karaoke duet of “Wind Beneath My Wings.” Corey Reynolds got some pipes!
Lisa Casper parlayed her new friendship with the mayor’s wife to bring her that much closer to Max, which in turn will lead to Harry. She’s so shrewd using the guise of a couples’ dinner to snoop around and is so sharp coming up with believable explanations when she’s caught.
It took almost the entire season but at least there’s some comedic payoff for the mayor’s candle making obsession and he even makes himself a tiny bit sympathetic when explaining the purpose behind his hobby. The biggest development is Max’s general paranoia leads him to record Lisa combing through his room. Imagine his shock when he finds out who his new babysitter will be. What an unlucky kid.
Meanwhile, D’arcy isn’t feeling quite like a hero despite all of Patience’s praise. Probably because the friends that she saved are ghosting her. Her near death experience brings Judy to the bar to express her relief over the safety of her lifetime frenemy. As usual, there’s hilarious and quick-witted banter between the two. Alice Wetterlund and Jenna Lamia have such chemistry with each other and their character’s relationship is by far one of my favorites on Resident Alien.
D’arcy’s storyline leaves some enticing unanswered questions moving into the season finale. During her interview for the high school paper with Jay, the former Olympian expresses the graveness of the situation and how Asta may have died. Jay is taken back by the news and is unsure how to feel. Though she and her biological mother are estranged, the reality of potentially losing her mom deeply affects her and we’ll see if this is a catalyst to patch things up.
Moreover, the lack of contact from her friends makes D’arcy visit Harry’s home. She breaks into the cabin and finds the real Dr. Vanderspeigel in the freezer and begins to freak out. This might be another misdirect with her believing Harry died from his wounds rather than him being an actual alien but we won’t find out until at least next week.
“Welcome Aliens” has all the different plots working in tandem to create a quality episode. There is great character work and the episode concludes a major storyline while leaving unanswered questions for the season finale.
New episodes of Resident Alien air Wednesday nights on Syfy.
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