Resident Alien is finally leaning into science fiction, with time travel, cyborgs, and alien abductions

USA/Syfy’s Resident Alien started as a quirky mashup of Northern Exposure and Invader Zim, a fish-out-of-water comedy where Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk of Firefly, Rogue One, and Andor), the new doctor in the small town of Patience, Colorado, is actually an alien who wants to take over Earth. Harry’s secret was originally only known to Max Hawthorne (Judah Prehn) — a kid with the rare genetic ability to see through alien disguises, who devotes himself to trying to stop Harry’s plans — and health-clinic worker Asta Twelvetrees (Sara Tomko), who teaches Harry the value of humanity.

Though the series’ protagonist is an alien, the show’s science fiction elements were relatively subtle in the early seasons. Harry spends as much time investigating the murder of the town’s last doctor as he