Netflix Just Added Another Sci-Fi Series to Its February Lineup - and It's 97% on Rotten Tomatoes
A series in which Alan Tudyk tries to look like a normal person from Earth. Totally normal.
Summary
The original series produced under the Netflix umbrella are undoubtedly a major draw for the streaming service, often offering truly compelling and sometimes even unique stories not found on the platform's competitors. But Netflix also has a pretty good eye for third-party projects, licensing some pretty remarkable series that were previously only available on broadcast television or were not available at all.
And now, one of Netflix's latest acquisitions, while not generating any sudden buzz and exclusive media coverage, may actually turn out to be one of the best comedy-drama series ever made. It will please all the old-schoolers who are nostalgic for 00s television, it will please the sci-fi buffs who already miss the new episodes of Doctor Who, and it will even please those who prefer crime dramas and sitcoms to science fiction.
Yes, it's a crazy mishmash of genres, tropes and clichés, but that's what makes the plot of the series in question incredibly hilarious and impossible to tear away from the screen. The series has also been highly praised by critics and audiences alike, with an impressive 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes!
What Is the Show About
The show in question is Resident Alien, developed by Chris Sheridan, whose writing credits include many popular '00s sitcoms. The plot follows an alien, played by science fiction legend Alan Tudyk (Firefly), who is sent to Earth for the sole reason of wiping out all of humanity. However, he crash lands in a small Colorado town.
Well, there is no need to hide a small but important spoiler from our readers — our protagonist is not familiar with human customs, morals and social norms, and in general, as we have already said, he, like Martians from Mars Attacks! or aliens from the video game series Destroy All Humans!, does not intend to stand on ceremony with humans, and that is why he kills a doctor named Harry and assumes his identity.
While his efforts to pass as a human are somewhat awkward at first, the townsfolk accept the new doctor as one of their own. Now Harry is reevaluating his views on humans, seeking to understand their hearts, while plotting to kidnap a young boy who knows he is an alien... All right, it's more comical in the show, and not as cringe-worthy as it sounds. But despite the 'doctor' thing, Harry's main passion now is investigating local mysteries.
Why You Should Give the Show a Chance
The series is based on the comic book of the same name, created by Alan Moore's contemporaries and close colleagues Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. However, the series is the exact opposite of the comic book, hitting completely different heights, so it's advisable not to have any expectations if you're familiar with the original.
Instead of a subtle comic book story about an outsider trying to fit into a localized community where Harry is virtually indistinguishable from other people in his behavior, Harry, played by Alan Tudyk, is the ultimate portrayal of a creature unfamiliar with human principles.
The show is stylistically a mixture of different genres and inspirations: visually, it is more reminiscent of Doctor Who or Torchwood, the setting, despite the sci-fi elements, is more akin to slice-of-life dramedies like Northern Exposure.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season received an impressive 94% from critics, and the second one received a perfect 100%. Hopefully, Netflix subscribers will enjoy the series and Syfy's upcoming third season will be added to the streaming service's library.