Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9 Review: Welcome Aliens

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The dude at AlienCon wasn't too far off. Harry has some traits that could corral him in a similar vein as Christopher Columbus.

But despite his mission and obsession to kill us all, his impact on Asta's life has been positive.

A trip to AlienCon on Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9 showed harry how much Asta cares about him, but in the end, he was still a miserable, death-obsessed alien instead of the guy we know is in there.

AlienCon - Resident Alien

Honestly, something about his recent recharged determination to kill us doesn't feel true to the character. It's as if all of the feelings he's experienced have been erased.

Every instance that offers an opportunity to see that side of Harry does an abrupt about-face.

I'm not an idiot, and I read people well. So instead of wondering whether I misread the situation, I'm somewhat annoyed that the more playful side of Harry has disappeared. The side that toys with humanity, holding a mirror up to our reality.

Shock and Awe - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

That's the draw for me. Showing us the ridiculousness of life and seeing that through an outsider's eyes. When Harry is so laser-focused on harming the people he's come to love (not that he's aware of it), I don't like it.

It just hit me that it's my preference because we are so drastically divided as a country right now, with so much emphasis on what makes us different, that it's shows willing to bridge those divides with our commonalities that have become like comfort food for my soul. I want to explore what unites us.

That's not to say that Harry isn't funny or sometimes bordering on a relapsing emotional breakthrough. The show is still enjoyable. It's just a bit different now than the earlier episodes. So, what about this one?

It seems we're leaning more heavily into masses of people who could, potentially, be hunting Harry.

Whether they experienced something true and awful as the couple on the bus in the open or craving the attention lavished on abductees by the community like BB girl, a lot of people other than the military would be pleased to have their hands on Harry.

Terry O'Quinn as Peter Bach - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

Will Terry O'Quinn's Peter Bach be a one-and-done guest performance? It doesn't seem likely that he'll be back after Harry threatened him and let him down like a ton of bricks.

Giorgio Tsoukalos is unlikely to be back in any fashion either. Honestly, I had no idea who the high-haired gentleman was, but his acting led me to believe he might be the real deal. He sure was! And a good sport, to boot.

Harry is busy ignoring his softer side, but others are reaching out to him nonetheless.

Max sweetly displayed his concern for Harry and his happiness that Harry wasn't hurt when he fell into the crevasse. And Harry let a little of his emotional growth leak when he admitted he would have died if not for Asta.

Max: At least you're OK.
Harry: If Asta wasn't there, I would be dead. Except now, she knows the truth about me.
Max: You told her?! I thought this whole alien thing was our secret.
Harry: It stopped being a secret when you told your little friend over there in the head covering!
Max: She must have followed me. Don't worry. She's not going to tell anyone. She swore to Allah.
Max: Allah knows?! How many people have you told?!

Giorgio Tsoukalos Takes the Stage - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

So often being such a little shit on screen, Judah Prehn turned on the charm with Max's disappointment not to be the only person sharing Harry's secret any longer.

Harry: You are so pushy.
Sahar: Oh, it looks like aliens are also put off by strong women. Get used to it. We aren't going anywhere.

Gracelyn Awad Rinke was on fire as Sahar was both childlike and adult in her assessment of Harry's troubles, simultaneously embarrassing him and offering possible solutions, one that sparked his interest in finding alien technology.

Harry: Unless you know someone who has been in contact with other aliens, then I am, what is the expression? Shit out of luck. Mmmwah haha.
Sahar: If you don't stop using that kind of language around us, we're going to have to wash your mouth out with soap.
Harry: Go ahead. I like soap. I eat it all the time! Shit, ass, piss, dink. Where's the soap. I am so hungry.

AlienCon was a good opportunity to be a little embarrassed about our obsession with aliens and make fun of ourselves for believing. Whether it's true or not, stories like those being told are prevalent, and the reasons are probably as varied.

Just this past week in my town of Pittsburgh, there was hullabaloo about a light streaking across the sky. Of course, I missed it, but damn if I hadn't wished that I had seen it for all of the possibilities it put out there. Harry may be lurking around the corner!

Giorgio Tsoukalos as Himself - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

It was Asta's speech that spoke to us all, even if Harry was a snarky ass as she finished. Perhaps he's being human, after all.

Asta: Kinda cool that I'm here with an actual alien. I feel special.
Harry: You are not special. You're common.
Asta: That's oddly less offensive now that I know you're from outer space.

How many of us push away the good things in our lives for fear of getting hurt? If she knew why he was really there, even if he decides against fulfilling his mission, it's not going to be pretty.

His appearance in her life was literally a lifesaver. Did we know the whole story before she shared hers? I knew about the night and that it was the same, but for some reason, it never connected that seeing the crash gave her the courage to leave Jimmy.

All of this took place so soon after their crevasse incident. They were hardly scarred after such a traumatic experience.

D'Arcy Gets Quizzed - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

The same can't be said for D'Arcy, who was out of the loop and feeling dissed. Rightfully so. She saved their lives, but Asta left her in the dust. We know why, but there was no way D'Arcy wouldn't react.

Jay: So, you were an olympic skier. What was it like to wipe out and lose in front of the whole world?
D'Arcy: Not awesome.
Jay: Would you consider yourself a fallen hero? Because you were a hero, and then you fell.
D'Arcy: Mmm. Hmm. [covertly flips Jay the bird] I don't know. I thought this interview was supposed to be about the rescue thing.
Jay: I'm establishing background.
D'Arcy: Cool.
Jay: So, what happened to your hand?
D'Arcy: Fractured it. First time I fell down the crevasse.
Jay: You fell down a crevasse?

Everyone in town was treating her as a veritable hero except the people she saved. It's awful.

Jay didn't even understand the reality of the situation when she interviewed D'Arcy, and by the end, she was impressed.

D'Arcy: Yeah, what did you think happened?
Jay: I don't, I thought you were stuck on top of a mountain. You climbed with your hand lookin' like that?
D'Arcy: Well, yeah, I kinda had to. I was 30 feet down. Asta and Harry were down even further. I knew any rescue effort would have to wait until the storm had passed, at which point it would be too late. Cuz we would have all gone into hypothermia and be dead.
Jay: Asta could have died?
D'Arcy: Yeah, she could have. I mean, we all could've died actually. Pretty lucky.

But what was really impressed upon her was how close she was to losing Asta. I expect something significant to happen between them as soon as the finale. The closer you get to losing someone, the more you recognize your feelings for them; Jay was no different.

Jay Has a Question - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

Thankfully, Judy was around to remind D'Arcy how lucky she is to have a friend like Asta, dissed after trauma or not.

D'Arcy: Everybody is talking about me like I'm some big here, except the two people whose lives I saved, who, incidentally, are completely ignoring me. I should be hanging out with my friend right now.
Judy: Bitch? I'm your friend! We're closer than you and Asta. We shared a boyfriend in high school.
D'Arcy: You mean the guy that you slept with behind my back?
Judy: I grabbed his dick, and he was into it, so, what am I supposed to do? Say no?

That leads to my favorite part of the episode: Liv and Mike.

Working relationships can be as close as significant others, and Mike's dad recognized that what was happening between Mike and Live looked a lot like a marital tiff.

The weight of comparing his mother and Liv helped Mike realize that he could have been misreading things with his Deputy.

Unexpected Duet - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

We saw the incredible work that Liv did with that murder board, and now Mike has seen it, too. He remembered everything she said, but he failed to see how the dots connected until he saw her hard work up close and personal without a chip on his shoulder while viewing it.

As I suspected, it led to the reveal that Sam's wife killed him. It's not the greatest ending to an already boring murder mystery, but it was what happened between Liv and Mike that made my night.

Did they write their story to fit Wind Beneath My Wings, or was it kismet?? Their duet was both hilarious and oddly moving. Both of them can sing their asses off!

It was like a promposal offering Liv her badge again. And D'Arcy nailed the sentiment exactly mid-duet.

Liv: [singing] It must have been cold there in my shadow. To never have sunlight on your face. You were content to let me shine, that's your way. You always walked a step behind.
Mike: [singing] So I was the one with all the glory.
While you were the one with all the strength.
D'Arcy: What the hell is happening?
Liv: [singing] A beautiful face without a name for so long. A beautiful smile to hide the pain.
Mike: [singing] Did you ever know that you're my hero?
And everything I would like to be?
Liv/Mike: [singing together] I can fly higher than an eagle. [Mike gets down on one knee and offers her badge back] For you are the wind beneath my wings.
Liv: OK. I guess I'm deputy again!

D'Arcy Feels Down - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

The final discussion point finds Kate and Ben at loggerheads again, and Linda closer to finding Harry than ever.

I can't lie -- I got the woman on the bus confused with Linda. I wondered if they were the same person for a while. Not so much, it seems, so I still don't know why Linda is so hell-bent on this Harry thing other than pleasing the general. Nobody should be that concerned with pleasing their boss. Ew.

And I'm more certain than ever that Ben is on the autism spectrum. Nobody loves a good taco or plate of spaghetti more than me, but damn, dude. Get it together.

No wonder he makes candles to relax. He'd never make it as mayor of another town. He's the queen of routine, and Kate's desire to break free of that mundanity potentially put Max in harm's way.

But Linda doesn't need Max now that she has the piece of the ship, does she? I guess she could follow him to see if he leads her to Harry, but he had signs up asking if anybody had seen him. So, obviously, she would think he didn't know where he was.

Unpleasant Thought - Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9

That's still my least favorite part of the show.

And really, who knows what's going to happen now that D'Arcy searched for Asta only to find Harry dead in his own freezer? She can't possibly understand at that moment what the hell is happening.

Dude: Just be careful.
Asta: What do you mean?
Dude: For all you know, your alien is a Christopher Columbus of the sky.

She could think that Asta killed and froze Harry for all we know. She has no reason to suspect aliens, for goodness sake.

And that's where we leave it. We're up to the finale.

What do you expect will happen? When writing this review, I haven't seen previews. I'm in the dark. After you watch Resident Alien online, drop below and talk it out!

Welcome Aliens Review

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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.

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Resident Alien Season 1 Episode 9 Quotes

Louis: Your relationship with Liv reminds me of me and your mom before she up and left me.
Mike: You mean when she DIED?
Louis: I'll never forgive her for that.

Also, it's not a thing. It's a leg. You are leg-shaming me.

Harry