Resident Alien (1×02) Homesick Review

For our review of last episode of Resident Alien, click here.

Synopsis: In his first week at the clinic, Harry struggles to diagnose a strange feeling: human emotion. (IMDb)

Spoilers Below

Two episodes into this series and Resident Alien is the perfect blend of mystery, emotion and dark humor. Picking up immediately after last episode, Harry is about to examine Max and threatens to kill him. This escalates to Max hiding under a park bench as his parents try to convince him everything is alright. This is one area where this series truly excels.

With Max being able to see Harry’s true form, there is an underlying issue of his identity potentially being revealed. This causes Harry to feel the need to kill Max in some form or another and creates a hilarious Tom and Jerry ridiculousness for their dynamic. While these scenes add hilarity to the series, they are not the only ones that do so.

It is also in Harry’s attempt to understand the complexity of humans and their emotions where the comedy has boundless potential. Between his bedside commentary on patients, his inability to convey human behaviors like laughter or smiles, or his desire to milk a cow utter with his alien mouth, Harry continues to bring the funny thanks to Tudyk’s stoic yet curious performance.

Beyond these comedic moments are the emotional backbone of this story which seems to come in the form of Asta Twelvetrees. Her grief concerning the late doctor is not at the forefront of this episode, but gets its moments to help us understand her connection to him beyond just a colleague. This extends to how the rest of the town reacts to his death and Harry taking over the doctor’s office in town.

Rather than jump straight into the who-dun-it portion of the mystery, the series tackles Harry’s attempt to blend in, the world building and his ongoing mission on Earth and that’s a detour certainly worth taking, even if it’s only the second episode.

Coroner’s Report

• Who poisoned Dr. Sam Hodges?
• Will anyone believe Max about what he sees when he looks at Harry?
• How long until Harry’s secret is revealed?
• Will Harry change his mind about eradicating the human race?
• What is the Sheriff’s deal?

What did you think of “Homesick”? Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips