There’s No Better Character For Alan Tudyk Than The One He’s Playing In This 3-Season Sci-Fi Comedy Show

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Resident Alien.

Resident Alien is arguably Alan Tudyk's most outstanding show, allowing the actor to showcase his acting ability across two genres in which he always shined. Alan Tudyk has quietly become one of the most versatile actors working today, with parts in films and shows of just about any genre. He has voice-acted roles in every Disney animated movie since Wreck-It Ralph, even playing multiple characters, and had parts in both major and cult comedy hits. That said, Alan Tudyk's best movies and TV shows are often in the sci-fi genre, and he has been considered a sci-fi icon since playing Wash in Firefly.

One of Alan Tudyk's best characters to date is Harry Vanderspiegle in the sci-fi comedy Resident Alien. The show began with Tudyk's alien biologist character intent on destroying Earth but finding himself involved in a murder investigation. Over the show's past three seasons, the characters in Resident Alien have dealt with the trials of human existence as well as the issues that come with teaching an alien how to be human. Tudyk was perfectly cast as Harry, and is set to continue playing the role, with Resident Alien renewed for season 4.

Resident Alien's Harry Is The Character Alan Tudyk's Career Was Building Up To

Technically, Alan Tudyk Plays Several Characters In Resident Alien

While Tudyk is undoubtedly a talented actor, he has mostly starred in ensemble pieces like Firefly or played smaller but unforgettable roles, like the unhinged squire Wat, in A Knight's Tale. Resident Alien has broken a record for Alan Tudyk, becoming his longest-running TV show, and while it is technically an ensemble piece, Harry Vanderspiegle is the clear main character. Tudyk's career has established him as an excellent voice and comedic actor with the ability to also take on serious projects. While these prior character roles built up to Tudyk playing Harry, he actually plays several characters in Resident Alien.

Custom Resident Alien image of Edit Patterson as Heather, Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle, and Enver Gjokaj as Joseph Rainer

Alan Tudyk's Brilliant Resident Alien Performances Create A Big Headscratcher For The Sci-Fi Show

There's no denying how perfect Alan Tudyk is for the role of Resident Alien's leading man, but his acting choices also create a weird problem.

Posts11

Tudyk plays the alien Captain Hah Re both in an alien mask and in human form, as he has taken on the appearance of the village doctor, Harry Vanderspiegle. This meant that Tudyk also played the real Harry Vanderspiegle. Tudyk also played the alternate future version of Harry, known as Goliath. Then in season 3, the shapeshifting Mantid took Harry's form, with Tudyk now playing an alien pretending to be a different alien pretending to be human. Tudyk's Resident Alien characters often have to interact with each other, further showcasing his ability as a character actor, even in a comedic role.

Every Alan Tudyk Fan Should Be Watching Resident Alien

Resident Alien Is The Perfect Show For Tudyk Fans

After many years playing smaller roles compared to Harry Vanderspiegle, Alan Tudyk is front and center in Resident Alien and appears to have been given free rein to improvise at times. The show even pays tribute to Tudyk's previous shows, with Firefly's Nathan Fillion voicing a character in season 2. Tudyk's role within the show is growing, and it has been confirmed that after a long break from directing TV episodes, Alan Tudyk will direct Resident Alien season 4's premiere episode. This is great news for his fans, who should all be watching Resident Alien.

Resident Alien seasons
Season	Year	Rotten Tomatoes critics score	Rotten Tomatoes audience score
1	2021	94%	92%
2	2022	100%	73%
3	2024	-	92%

Resident Alien season 3 ended with a cliffhanger, with Joseph switching sides at the last moment and Harry being revealed to be trapped onboard the Greys' ship as the Mantid (voiced by Clancy Brown when in alien form) assumes the form of Harry. Resident Alien season 4 may not feature Harry Vanderspiegle much to begin with, focusing instead on the Mantid, which is likely to be the show's most dangerous antagonist yet. Still, Harry is the heart of Resident Alien, and Tudyk's best character in the show, so he should not stay away for too long.