Alan Tudyk is a phenomenal actor! His role in Resident Alien is a testament to his skill. But, even a perfect performance can bring about some unexpected issues!
Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle
Tudyk plays Harry Vanderspeigle, an alien disguised as a human, brilliantly. Since the show started in 2021, he has been the heart of the show. Though Resident Alien season 3 seemed like it might be the last, a move to USA Network means more episodes are coming! That means Tudyk's incredible work will continue, for now.
The show is based on the comic book by Peter Hogan and explores the transformation of an alien from wanting to destroy humanity to adopting human values! Playing this quirky alien would be a big challenge for any actor, but Tudyk's experience in this area is awesome! He is well-known for off-beat characters, so he's clearly well-equipped to portray Harry. However, some very unusual elements show up because of Tudyk's performance!
Harry's Quirky Demeanor
Tudyk plays Harry as a really eccentric character! He tries his best to look and act like a normal earthling! Yet, in real life, everyone would immediately recognize that something is weird. His interactions, demeanor, speech - everything would immediately tip others off. But, nobody in Patience, Colorado seems to notice anything weird about Harry!
Sure, people are different, but Harry's strangeness is off the charts! This could mean that people in Patience just accept eccentrics without much concern! But it’s still surprising that others don't think something is weird when you factor in that some believe in aliens! Why are some people accepting Harry's strangeness, which is really pretty crazy.
Other Aliens Don't Act Like Harry
There are other aliens who seem totally human in Resident Alien, like Joseph Rainer (played by Enver Gjokaj) and Heather (played by Edi Patterson). Unlike the Grey Aliens, these aren’t visually obvious aliens. And, strangely, they act very human, as well. This is particularly curious because some people actively believe aliens exist and never think Harry is abnormal.
Harry barely tries to hide that he’s alien but he's just as human as Joseph and Heather, who is a very unusual Blue Avian whose background is super different. Neither of them act the same way as Tudyk plays Harry. It's a fun idea that gives fans a sense of the weird possibilities out there! However, if all the aliens acted as eccentric as Tudyk's Harry, it would be completely ridiculous to think no one would notice! Harry slipping through cracks may seem strange, especially since he replaced someone! But other more off-the-wall characters? That could get tough.
Goliath's Different Personality
Resident Alien season 2 had a big twist. We learn Goliath, who originally seems like a completely separate alien, is Harry from the future. Goliath becomes an alien when we’re in the dystopian timeline. But back in the past, David Bianchi plays him. This performance isn't the quirky Tudyk style! This choice is interesting since both actors are, essentially playing Harry!
The explanation may come down to Goliath’s time alone! He’s trying to rescue a dying world so he is far from Acting like he did originally! Yet, Wouldn't someone with tons of time alone be even MORE quirky? His more “human” acting, especially for an actor who looks super similar is certainly noteworthy and interesting and this change would likely mean a whole different response from fans!
Tudyk’s Brilliant Performance
Tudyk’s Harry is the undisputed star of Resident Alien, so he has tons of freedom to develop the character. His style totally fits an alien trying to look normal. It would be very tough to copy what Tudyk does, meaning this performance has a great, unique stamp that's not seen elsewhere!
Resident Alien is comedic as well as sci-fi! That exaggerated reality means some craziness makes perfect sense! Having Tudyk’s off-the-wall persona contrasting with how “normal” the humans in the town act creates hilarity! Without it the comedic style and many laugh-out-loud moments might disappear!
To conclude, Alan Tudyk truly excels in this role! While there are some inconsistencies in terms of how the aliens act overall, Tudyk's performance works amazingly. His quirks, comedic approach, and ability to fit in a heightened world creates lots of laughs!
