Harry’s thought: There's a dead me floating in the lake.
Harry’s words: I can't find the on/off switch in my brain.
A foot belonging to the original Harry Vanderspeigle gets fished up from the lake, making Harry the alien’s life even more difficult.
I love how Harry struggles with sleep and how he keeps hoping it’s already morning, because I relate to that so much. I also loved the scene in the clinic where he stares at the sleeping Jay. At first Asta thinks his behavior is perverted, but Harry’s explanation is much more innocent. He needs more sleep, but he cannot expect to get much, because his situation is so stressful.
Harry’s in trouble in more than one way. Not only has a foot been found – it looks exactly like his human foot – but the body washes up on his shore (as predicted by Deputy Liv, who uses brains instead of brawn to work out solutions). How he gets around the DNA issue and hides the body are nice little bits of plot, as is his luck with the fact that Max’s parents don’t believe their son as he insists the doctor is an alien.
As no living person has reported a missing foot, everyone assumes there are more remains to find. Sheriff Mike, who worked before in a big city, is all excited by the idea of a serial killer in Patience. The sheriff argues that serial killers are easier to catch because, instead of hiding, they want to kill again. However, Mayor Ben and most other Patience residents are worried for their safety.
I like how D’Arcy is not just a barkeep, but also does outdoor maintenance in the mountains. This gives a wee bit of dignity for a character who is in many ways pathetic. Although her behavior to Harry is needy and misguided, she makes a good friend to Asta, cheering her up at the clinic with silliness and by taking her out for a floater watch party. As she says, their little town doesn’t always have that much going on (although there’s more going on than people realize). Nevertheless, it is a bad sign for an episode when characters reminisce and complain about how bored they are.
Asta and D’Arcy go to a party, only to discover that it’s a party for high school students – and that illicit drugs are being used. They also find Jay at the party and get her out of it and drive her home. As Jay goes into her house, Asta flashes back to her own teenage years and how she gave up Jay as a baby. In other words, she’s Jay’s biological mother, which explains her extra protective behavior around Jay. I like Asta, most of the time – she stands up for what is right, she’s a friend to Harry. But I’m still not happy with – nor completely sold on – her backstory.
Kate is still frustrated by her son’s fear of the doctor, and Max is frustrated by the fact that no one believes him. Then Max gets an ally about his age, another student. Sahar wears a hajib, which makes her something of an outcast in Patience, Colorado. She’s direct and funny and tells Max she believes him. Her character gives Max someone to talk to about the alien, and she can even help him. Of course, as she’s also a kid, her ability to act is limited.
Max and Sahar are not the only ones who believe in aliens. The pair we saw at the end of the previous episode are tracking aliens and in this episode they have speaking parts. David Logan and Lisa Casper interview Roy the Cowboy, who encountered Harry when Harry was just in alien form (Harry stole the guy’s horse and his hat). Roy is coy about what he knows – another secret – because he’s saving his story for a book. In order to take his notes, Lisa kills Roy – shocking David – and proving that humans kill way too often, too.
Title musings. The title of the episode is “Secrets.” It’s true that many characters in the episode have secrets, but the title does not strike me as inspired. So far, outstanding titles do not appear to have been a priority for the creators of Resident Alien.
Bits and pieces
Love the dog, Cletus, and his bison treats, and how Mayor Ben can’t get the taste out of his mouth.
The montage showing how Harry figuring out how to move about in the body he assumed was a great piece of acting by Alan Tudyk. It also explains why Harry does not want to simply move on and assume the life of another human. There’s a huge learning curve.
Loved Harry’s and Sheriff Mike’s banter about politically correct language.
Harry complained in episode one that Patience does not have a pizza parlor. Apparently that is changing.
Quotes
Kate: He even convinced the deputy to draw this. Look at this, it's disgusting. Makes me want to throw up just looking at it.
Harry: Some people think humans are ugly.
Asta: Whoa, what are you doing?
Harry: I want that so badly.
Asta: Excuse me?
Harry: Sleep. I can't sleep at night. I'm trying to learn how.
Harry: No one believes you, anyway, not even your parents. Tell people I am an alien. Climb to the highest tower in town and shout it to everyone.
Max: We don't have towers, you dumb alien.
Sheriff Mike: I want it so quiet in here, you can hear a mouse piss on cotton, you understand me?
Deputy Liv: My guess is a boat propeller probably hit the dead body and just chopped the foot right off. White male. I'm thinking late forties, 180 pounds, over six feet tall. That's a size twelve shoe. Heck, if you didn't have two feet, I'd think this thing was yours.
Harry: Is he circumcised?
Baby’s mom: What?
Asta: What?
Harry: Right, how dumb of me to ask. I'm right here. I can just check myself. Let's see what you're packin' down there, champ.
Deputy Liv: Sheriff, maybe I should go in and check the shoreline? Based on the current, it is highly probable the body has already washed up.
Sheriff Mike: I know what's going on. The mayor's still sick. You stay on mission, Deputy. We got a body to find.
D'Arcy: It's like he's jealous but barely hiding it. You know?
Asta: He's hiding it pretty well.
D'Arcy: He's probably gonna follow us.
Asta: No, he's not.
David: We're not supposed to kill people! Those aren't our orders!
Lisa: Looks like you and I have different orders.
Overall rating
Still a lot of fun, but dragged down by the lameness of D’Arcy and Asta. Two and half out of four bison flavored dog treats.
Victoria Grossack loves math, birds, Greek mythology, Jane Austen and great storytelling in many forms.
Victoria, it's interesting that you're not warming to Asta and D'Arcy. I like them a lot. I like Liv, too, and the sheriff makes me laugh every time he has a scene. I think I like everyone but the mayor and his wife. And I probably like Harry more than he deserves because I'm so fond of Alan Tudyk.
ReplyDeleteI like Asta fine, but I don't think her backstory is consistent with who she is. But you're right, I don't like D'Arcy. The rest are fine, and Max really stands out.
ReplyDeleteI loved this series. The most original thing ever on television. I had thought it was doing well in the ratings, and wasn't sure it was canceled. I guess the pandemic killed it. Northern Exposure meets Fargo with aliens. I can't agree about D'Arcy. She has a certain nobility they developed. You just don't like female characters who aren't role models.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, It hasn't been cancelled. Season four is coming soon. And I don't think that's quite a fair thing to say. I can think of other female characters we like that aren't role models.
DeleteD'Arcy may show nobility later, but she has not shown it yet, and this review is for this episode. And I agree, the show is a lot of fun.
DeleteI never really understood the Alan Tudyk craze for the longest time because I enjoyed him in Dollhouse and Firefly but didn't get why he should be singled out until I saw what he did on this show. Holy shit, what a powerhouse of an actor. He's out of this world (hurr)
ReplyDelete