There are currently 34 episodes ofResident Alienin total, but I’ve undertaken the difficult task of whittling that figure down to ten, so only the show’s most spectacular efforts remain. It wasn’t an easy task, and there are a few that didn’t make the list that at least deserve an honorable mention. However, it wouldn’t be a proper top-ten list if I started doing that. The sci-fi dramedy’s best installments showcase several members of theResident Aliencast, althoughAlan Tudyk’s Harry Vanderspeigledoes understandably feature quite heavily in all of them.
WhenResident Alienseason 4 is released, it will be a difficult task for any of the new episodes to break into the show’s upper echelon. I’m sure Tudyk and company are up to the task, but that doesn’t change the fact thatResident Alienhas some incredibly well-written stories, andResident Alienseason 3 largely fell short of the show’s high standards. That being said, the most recent batch of episodes did manage to contribute some fantastic entries toResident Alien’s catalog of episodes.
10"End Of The World As We Know It"
Season 1, Episode 8
Resident Alienseason 1 is ten episodes long and tells a very focused story. “End of the World As We Know It” isn’t the best of these 10 installments, but it still shines very brightly. It doesn’t just function as a compelling take on the bottle episode TV format, but also builds the world of the show and is a pivotal point in therelationship between Harry and Asta Twelvetrees(Sara Tomko).
A bottle episode is when an installment is filmed entirely or primarily in one location. Although starting as a way for producers to save money, they’ve also gone on to be used for other reasons.
Information about Harry’s species and his life before his arrival on Earthhas largely been drip-fed to the audience and the show’s other characters throughoutResident Alien. However,“End of the World as We Know It” is a figurative treasure trove of informationin this respect. Forcing him to spend so much time with Asta under dangerous circumstances leads tothe reveal of Harry’s real name, among other things. Plus, he’s forced to trust Tomko’s character with his massive secret, which kickstarts the true beginning of their close friendship.
9"Birds Of A Feather"
Season 1, Episode 4
Harry’s transition into a more human-like being is one ofResident Alien’s central themes, and “Birds of a Feather” features several key moments and milestones in this slow-burning arc. As well as beginning with a hilarious sitcom-style montage that turns out to be Harry’s first-ever dream,the episode delves into other aspects of humanity of which Tudyk’s character was once blissfully unaware. In trueResident Alienstyle, some are hilarious, others tug quite aggressively at the heartstrings.
Harry’s visit to Asta and her family on the Native American reserve moved both Harry and me in ways I never expected.
Harry’s dinner party scene with D’arcy Bloom (Alice Wetterlund) as his date is one of the episode’s funniest scenes, as watching both him and D’arcy struggling to act appropriately for different reasons is a brilliant way to prove howTudyk’s character is simultaneously an outsider while also growing ever-closer to somehow blending in. Plus, Harry’s visit to Asta and her family on the Native American reserve moved both Harry and me in ways I never expected.
8"Alien Dinner Party"
Season 2, Episode 8
Resident Alienseason 2 set a record-high for the show that has yet to be beaten, as it consisted of 16 episodes. Despite the show’s second run boasting so many installments, very few managed to force their way into the list ofResident Alien’s best episodes.“Alien Dinner Party” isn’t just a standout in season 2, but also in the show at large. Like “End of the World as We Know It,” “Alien Dinner Party” is set mostly in one location (Harry’s cabin), allowing the character-driven installment to explore the cast’s brilliant performances.
Why Only Certain Resident Alien Characters Can See Harry Vanderspeigle’s Real Face
Alan Tudyk plays Harry Vanderspeigle in his human and alien forms, but some Resident Alien characters don’t have the option of seeing him both ways.
As well as the hilariously chaotic antics on display caused by Harry’s baby breaking free, “Alien Dinner Party” also finds time not only to address more grounded storylines like Kate Hawthorne (Meredith Garretson) and her unplanned pregnancy. Plus,the episode pushes forward season 2’s mysterious Goliath storylinein the throes of all the pandemonium, further solidifying “Alien Dinner Party” as deserving of a place on this list.
7"Pilot"
Season 1, Episode 1
Pilot episodes can often have a thankless task to achieve. They’re often landed with several responsibilities, including setting up the world of the show, establishing its visual language, and introducing the main cast. As a result, it can be difficult to make room for a storyline that both makes sense on its own and lets every other element breathe. Pilot episodes are essentially their own art form, andResident Alien’s first-ever installment allows the show to hit the ground running.
It kickstarts the murder mystery storyline that runs throughoutResident Alienseason 1, and even bleeds into season 2.
The simply-titled"Pilot" sets up Harry as the show’s primary protagonist, despite his intention to kill all humans. On paper, it sounds like something that should be either darkly dramatic or a sidesplitting sci-fi parody. Impressively, “Pilot” somehow manages to fit both categories, without solidly fitting into either. Plus, it kickstarts the murder mystery storyline that runs throughoutResident Alienseason 1, and even bleeds into season 2.
6"Here Comes My Baby"
Season 3, Episode 7
Resident Alienseason 3 was forced to condense its story into 8 episodesafter Syfy told showrunner Chris Sheridan at the last minute that he wouldn’t be getting the 12 installments he had planned for. Despite the show’s truncated run,Resident Alienseason 3 still manages to pull off an entertaining run, but parts still feel pretty rushed. However, the final two episodes combine to create a thrilling finale, and it arguably begins with “Here Comes My Baby.”
“Here Comes My Baby” is just one of two season 3 episodes to make this list, and the other one is a pretty obvious choice.
Although an incomplete narrative in isolation, it would be unfair to separate it fromResident Alienseason 3’s final effort. The return of Bridget is a major catalyst in what turns out to be a very dangerous mission to destroyResident Alien’s Grey Aliens- although the installment ends with the compelling tease that D’arcy is planning to sacrifice herself to accomplish the task. “Here Comes My Baby” is just one of two season 3 episodes to make this list, and the other one is a pretty obvious choice.
5"Homecoming"
Season 3, Episode 8
Despite the feeling that Syfy was trying to rushResident Alienseason 3 out the door, “Homecoming” still manages to be a thoroughly impressive finale. Building on the tension established in “Here Comes My Baby,” “Homecoming” combines with season 3’s penultimate episode to form what is essentially a feature-length story that would make certain other sci-fi movies blush.
The twist of the shapeshifting Mantid taking Harry’s place on Earth promises an exciting beginning toResident Alienseason 4.
Serving asResident Alienseason 3’s ending, “Homecoming” splits its time between Kate’s deeply upsetting search for her baby aboard theGreys’Star Wars-inspired moon ship, and Harry’s humorous escape scene that ultimately leads to him being captured. While the episode temporarily teases that pretty much everything has been wrapped up in a neat little bow, the twist of the shapeshifting Mantid taking Harry’s place on Earth promises an exciting beginning toResident Alienseason 4.
4"Best Of Enemies"
Season 2, Episode 15
“Best of Enemies,” like so many otherResident Alienepisodes, has several storylines running at once. However, this particular installment earns a huge number of its points from Harry’s team-up withTerry O’Quinn’s Peter “The Alien Tracker” Bachas they take on General McCallister (Linda Hamilton) and her forces. The entire sequence is immaculately executed, and incredibly exciting.
Peter Bach’s heartbreaking backstory is also heavily addressed via flashbacks in “Best of Enemies.”
“Best of Enemies” is also a key installment in bringing togetherResident Alien’s two sets of characters: those who don’t know aliens exist, and those who do. Sheriff Mike (Corey Reynolds) and Deputy Liv (Elizabeth Bowen) combine to create a duo that represents both of these categories, and their investigation into the disappearance of the Alien Tracker starts to bring them closer to the absolute truth. Plus,Peter Bach’s apparent death goes on to plant a seed for his awesome season 3 comeback.
3"Welcome Aliens"
Season 1, Episode 9
Showrunner Chris Sheridan has borrowed heavily from alien folklore that exists in the real world and allowed it to influenceResident Alien’s canon. A lot of that can be experienced in “Welcome Aliens” whenHarry and Asta head to an alien convention to find the tech Harry needsto contact his people. Almost the entire episode is incredibly immersive and makes the audience feel as though they’re actually attending the event and learning about alien life.
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Alan Tudyk is responsible for portraying more than just Resident Alien’s main character, with his casting resulting in an impressive workload.
As zany as “Welcome Aliens” is capable of being, it also doesn’t forget to address the show’s heart.Mike and Liv’s karaoke scene is by far one ofResident Alien’s most underrated moments. Although it isn’t enough to lift the episode to such lofty heights on its own, it’s certainly a huge selling point when it comes to appraising the episode at large.Mike’s willingness to apologize through song is a huge milestonein their working and personal relationship, and I love watching it every time.
2"Love Language"
Season 1, Episode 5
“Love Language” focuses on dysfunctional relationships and issues that can often only arise when family is involved. As well as Asta’s storylines revolving around her daughter finding out that Tomko’s character is her mother, Harry’s best friend also encounters her ex-husband once again. However,most of the episode revolves around Harry’s “reunion” with Isabelle(Elvy), the wife of the man Tudyk’s character killed and replaced.
Because so accustomed to Alan Tudyk’s brilliantly irreverent performances, it’s equally bizarre to see him playing such a normal version of the character, but also fascinating.
The episode is an excellent exploration of what the real Harry Vanderspeigle was like. “Love Language” doesn’t just analyze the human Harry by having his wife speak with Tudyk’s alien character, but it also goes as far as opening with a flashback showing how they both originally met. Because so accustomed to Alan Tudyk’s brilliantly irreverent performances, it’s equally bizarre to see him playing such a normal version of the character, but also fascinating.
1"Heroes Of Patience"
Season 1, Episode 10
Resident Alienstill hasn’t beaten its inaugural run, as proven by the fact that over half the episodes on this list are from season 1.“Heroes of Patience” is the show’s first finale, and it remains the best installment of the sci-fi dramedy. After 9 episodes, Harry finally has his human-killing device ready to go, and although he does activate it, “Heroes of Patience” ultimately becomes a story about him trying to get the weapon away from Earth before it goes off.
Harry’s storyline would be compelling enough to earn it the top spot on this list, but combined with the episode’s other plots, “Heroes of Patience” becomes even more difficult to beat.
Harry’s storyline would be compelling enough to earn it the top spot on this list, but combined with the episode’s other plots, “Heroes of Patience” becomes even more difficult to beat. For instance,Ben (Levi Fiehler) and Kate’s violent defense of their home is impossible to forget, as is the mistake of the government kidnapping Dr. Ethan Stone (Michael Cassidy). It would take a massive installment to dethrone “Heroes Of Patience” asResident Alien’s best episode.
