On Resident Alien, Harry has had a whirlwind of a romance with the Blue Avian, Heather. Their relationship is going so well, that the good doctor is ready to be whisked away and start a new life with her. Sure, that might conflict with his previous mission of defending Earth from the Greys, but at least he is working on providing the means to defeat the extraterrestrial threat for General McCallister. However in tonight’s episode, “Bye Bye Birdie,” it’s safe to say things might not be going well with Harry’s new girlfriend.
Some of the season long personal narratives finally begin to have some payoff in “Bye Bye Birdie.” It’s inspiring to see a good person like Liv finally stick up for herself. She has always never hesitated to help others, but she is sometimes mistreated by those closest to her. It’s a triumphant moment when she finally shuts down her bully and hopefully this is the end to all that Nana foolishness.
What makes Liv’s journey sweeter on Resident Alien is that Sheriff Mike is there every step of the way. He’s usually the most guilty of dismissing and disparaging his deputy, but you know how much she means to him by being her support. But his biggest breakthrough comes from within. He contemplates life decisions and regrets causing him to come to his senses. Dan Twelvetrees helping nudge Mike during his self reflection is nice to see, because the owner of Joe’s Diner isn’t just a father figure to Asta, but to many other residents of Patience. This reinforces how much of a close knit community this small town is.
Elsewhere, new conflicts come out into the open. There’s no doubt that Asta and D’Arcy are best friends, but maybe they are the type that shouldn’t live together. We’ve been feeling the strain between them and it takes the potential end of the world for all their issues to bubble up to the surface. There is an emotional gut punch from the hard truths both spew at each other, but it’s hard to not question the credibility considering how they both don’t have their lives in order. Despite the hostilities, it doesn’t seem like a break up but part of the natural ebbs and flows of a friendship. Asta and D’Arcy can’t stay mad forever.
Diving into the other characters is fun, but the main focus of Resident Alien is always Harry. As an outsider, he provides insightful thoughts on the human experience based on his own encounters. This time he discusses breakups. It’s no surprise considering how quickly he fell in love on how hard he takes the news. There are relatable feelings from disbelief to desperation to hurt, though it’s all through an overly exaggerated lens for the sake of comedy.
It’s also a contrast in behavior comparing how outlandish he can act to the dark place he eventually ends up. Will he go even darker when he learns of the betrayal? Luckily, he has good friends to keep an eye on him and help him through the ordeal.
Then to kick a man while he’s down, the episode ends with another great cliffhanger. We know which blast from the past returns during the cold opening, but we don’t find out their motives until the closing moments. Harry better get over his breakup soon because a dangerous threat is gunning for him.
“Bye Bye Baby” gives Resident Alien’s other characters important moments, but it’s the continuing drama surrounding Harry that is the most intriguing.
New episodes of Resident Alien air Wednesday nights on Syfy.
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