“The Alien Within” serves as a transitionary episode for Resident Alien. It concludes the main mystery from the series premiere regarding the murder of Dr. Hodges. At the same time, it sets the stage for the rest of the second season.
We’ve known for a while the “who” in Dr. Hodges’ killing, but not a clear answer about the “why.” Deputy Liv’s investigative skills reveals the Galvan/Powell Group’s nefarious plan. It’s a pretty familiar sketchy big company scheme, and not necessarily worth the payoff in the end considering how long it took to get here. However, it does tie things up in a nice bow. For a series that can juggle too many plots at a time to the point that things seem disjointed, this ending is much warranted so we can focus on the other more important developments.
The episode of Resident Alien creates a sense of urgency in finding the baby alien. We have General McCallister snooping around as the new lunch lady and her subordinate, Lieutenant Logan digitally surveilling the town. Meanwhile, Harry and Sahar are in a race to find “Bobby” for their own reasons. The former to find out about the alien threat and the latter merely looking out for his best interests. The search allows us to see a sillier side to Sahar with Gracelyn Awad Rinke committing to the absurd alien calls. Things take a dramatic turn and it builds the excitement for next week.
The most compelling part is Harry wrestling with his humanity. He has spent too much time in this other form that it’s hard not to influence him. His feelings have grown past Asta and included the other residents of Patience. He has become more empathetic to those around him and literally offers his shoulder to lean on. His consoling of Sahar is particularly moving and one of the few moments that the scene is given the emotional weight it deserves rather than forcing one of Harry’s idiosyncrasies to ruin the mood.
More importantly, Harry’s humanity plays up the big revelation at the end. It can be tricky utilizing different timelines but Resident Alien executes this fairly well. We catch a glimpse into the future after the other extraterrestrial threat has destroyed the planet, leaving behind a lonely and jaded looking Harry. Then we see Goliath’s role in the situation, which is definitely an unexpected twist. Recently, the show has been introducing some fascinating narratives and it will be fun to see where everything goes. Especially with this surprise, there is even a greater importance for little “Bobby.”
“The Alien Within” brings a satisfying conclusion to Dr. Hodges’ mystery, which allows viewers to move on. Meanwhile, Harry’s growing humanity sets the stage for the surprising reveal at the end.
New episodes of Resident Alien air Wednesdays nights on Syfy.
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