'Resident Alien' renewed for a second season on Syfy

resident alien
(Image credit: SYFY/ Huge Designs)

It's official sci-fi fans: "Resident Alien" will be renewed for a second season, Syfy has announced. This news comes after the superb sci-fi comedy aired the first season finale and it didn't disappoint. 

For anyone who hasn't seen it — for starters, you're missing out — the show focuses on an alien who crash lands on Earth and murders a man named Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle (played by Alan Tudyk) and assumes his identity. 

The alien, whose actual name is pronounced N'a [click] ka-tay-ahla-Oooay, is on a mission to destroy every human on Earth. However, he must attempt to blend in with the other residents of a small Colorado town in order to avoid detection while he searches for vital components of his spaceship that are now buried in snow on the neighboring mountains. 

During his time spent getting to know the small town's residents, Harry learns about humanity and begins to have doubts about his mission. There are some amazing characters, each with their own stories that we learn more about, including Asta Twelvetrees (Sara Tomko), D'Arcy Bloom (Alice Wetterlund) and Sheriff Mike Thompson (Corey Reynolds). 

However, one young boy, Max Hawthorne (Judah Prehn) is unlike the rest of the townsfolk as he possesses a rare gene that allows him to look past Harry's assumed human form and see him in his natural alien state. But, of course, no one believes him. 

Harry struggles with even the most basic of human customs and at first, there is a little too much of Tudyk gurning and making strange "alien" faces, but once the show finds its footing an episode or two into the first season, Tudyk begins to deliver arguably his finest and funniest role yet and the dark, often-adult humor of the show is extremely entertaining. 

The opening credits show amusing images from a "How to Survive on Earth" guide written for visitors to our planet. (Image credit: SYFY/ Huge Designs)

There are a number of relationships that are great to watch unfold throughout the season, in particular Sheriff Thompson and his deputy, Liv Baker (Elizabeth Bowen) and Max and his parents, Kate (Meredith Garretson) and Ben (Levi Fiehler). Some great cameos include Terry O'Quinn, Giorgio A. Tsoukalos and Linda Hamilton. 

The show was adapted by Chris Sheridan (who also is a producer on "Family Guy") from a series of comic books by British creators Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse and published by Dark Horse. Let's hope Syfy realizes the potential of this show and doesn't cancel it prematurely like they did with "The Expanse," Dark Matter," "Helix," "Caprica" and "Stargate Universe." 

Every episode is available to watch on Peacock, NBC's streaming service, plus you can also download Syfy's free app for lots of extra "Resident Alien" content. The website has lots of great content as well. 

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Scott Snowden

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.