Resident Alien takes a getaway to the Big Apple as Harry hopes to find another person like himself on the planet. However, as he and Asta prepare for the trip, some revelations regarding the real Dr. Vanderspeigle give them more things to investigate while in New York.
Though the pizzeria turns into a dead end, Harry notices clues in a mural right outside written in his native language. He and Asta spend the day following the trail left behind by the street artist Goliath hoping to find another alien. The scavenger hunt nature can cause the story to be long and drawn out at times but things do become interesting when they find themselves at a gallery showing of Goliath’s work.
Our resident alien is disappointed to end up empty handed and it’s ironic that his biggest gripe about his “family” is what his biggest fear would be if they met. Mainly, that they would be considered too human at this point and not accepted. But maybe he is too hasty to give up. After all, it would be too conspicuous to reveal their true form in public and at least one of the visitors to the gallery guesses Harry’s secret. The intrigue and tension are ratcheted up by this surprise in the end in conjunction with Lisa Casper hot on the trail. If she plays her cards right, she might have two specimens to bring back to General McCallister.
This season, the series has kept the initial mystery of Sam Hodges murder in the background and “An Alien in New York” provides more insight into what happened. It provides an entirely new element to the overall narrative but it is a bit too convenient that it ties in with the New York visit. By running this new subplot along side the search for another alien, it diminishes both by taking away from each other. It’s a shame because this conspiracy theory story is interesting so far and provides another danger Harry must navigate.
Elsewhere on Resident Alien, we dive deeper into the other townsfolk of Patience including the complicated relationship between D’Arcy and the mayor. We’ve been hit over the head with how the pair dated in high school and that there could still be sparks there.
They quash the potential infidelity with genuine and touching moments between platonic friends and D’Arcy apologizing for their previous kiss. It does make Ben look sad and sorry when he admits he can’t be himself around his wife. In addition, it can be difficult to balance both sides of a dramedy and the funny situations the show places the two characters makes it difficult to digest when being more serious. Especially when there is no transition and an abrupt change in tone.
A friendship that does achieve the right balance is the one between Deputy Liv and Sheriff Mike Thompson. The past few weeks we’ve learned about the tragedy surrounding the sheriff’s old partner and it all informs how he treats his deputy. Corey Reynolds hits the right beats showing vulnerability while Thompson comes to terms with the confusing nature of grief. He’s the type to be hardest on the ones he loves and it’s a real step forward for him to put down his emotional protective barriers.
Despite some inconsistent character work with some of the residents back in Patience, “An Alien in New York” opens up Harry’s world in interesting ways with the potential of finding a kindred spirit along with even more dangers.
New episodes of Resident Alien air Wednesday nights on Syfy.
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