Resident Alien Season 4 Can Be Much Better Than Season 3 Thanks To These Two Episodes (2024)

With Resident Alien returning after a switch from Syfy to the USA Network, the upcoming fourth season has the chance to massively improve upon the previous run, all thanks to two key episodes. Although it looked for a while like Resident Alien season 4 might not happen, the Alan Tudyk-led sci-fi dramedy is set to continue. When the Resident Alien cast returns to add to the story, they have a great chance of bringing an excellent arc to life. Resident Alien season 3's ending set up a brilliant plot, and it will hopefully be built upon when the show returns.

Since the show began in 2021, Resident Alien has cultivated a dedicated following. When the first two seasons hit Netflix earlier this year, the fan base grew even more as Syfy prepared to air Resident Alien season 3. The show's third run of episodes greatly differed from the previous two and for more reasons than one. As a result, the quality dipped a little. However, two episodes promise that the project's future is looking far brighter than its most recent offering.

Resident Alien Season 3's Two-Part Finale Was Much Better Than The Other 6 Episodes

"Here Comes My Baby" & "Homecoming" saved Resident Alien season 3

Although Resident Alien season 3 had some great moments, it was far less consistent than seasons 1 and 2. That being said, the two-part finale - "Here Comes My Baby" and "Homecoming" - raised the bar a considerable amount. The thrilling conclusion made the show feel like an epic space opera while also maintaining Resident Alien's signature wit and snark. The high stakes and hurtling forward of the plot in the closing pair of episodes made season 3 a much more worthy endeavor. Before these two installments, the previous six had felt like a departure from the show's high standards.

The jump in quality for "Here Comes My Baby" and "Homecoming" is perhaps the most visible when considering the show's top 10 episodes on IMDb. They're the only episodes to appear in Resident Alien's upper echelon from season 3, with the other eight consisting of efforts from seasons 1 and 2. The next episode to rank from season 3 is "Upper Hand," which is currently sitting in 13th place. Without the two-part finale performing so well, it would have made Syfy's decision to make Resident Alien season 3 very questionable.

Why Resident Alien Season 3 Wasn't Quite As Good As Seasons 1 & 2

Showrunner Chris Sheridan has given a very reasonable explanation

There were a few different factors that detracted from Resident Alien season 3's quality, but most of them came down to one vital change. While Resident Alien season 1 consisted of 10 episodes, the following run boasted a total of 16 installments. Unfortunately, Resident Alien season 3's episode count was cut from 12 to 8. As a result, showrunner Chris Sheridan has confirmed that a much longer story had to be altered to account for the last-minute change. Sheridan discussed the challenge in an interview with CBR.

"It was hard, especially since we started at 12. The original order was for 12, and then we dropped to eight about midway through the writers' room. We didn't have time to reconceive the season, so we had to tell our 12-episode story in eight episodes. We had to pick and choose our moves. The downside is that there were some things that were a little bit rushed."

Sheridan's efforts to squash a 12-episode arc into just 8 installments are commendable, as Resident Alien season 3 is still very watchable. On the other hand, the latest run is a little heavier on lore and worldbuilding elements rather than being all that successful at advancing the larger story. It's understandable why this has happened, and some of the new canon - like the new alien species - is inarguably brilliant. However, it doesn't all come together until deep in Resident Alien season 3.

Resident Alien Season 4 Must Keep The Momentum Of Season 3's Final Episodes

Sheridan's show can't let season 3's finale go to waste

Although Resident Alien season 3 did feel a little rushed as a result of its behind-the-scenes issues, season 4 can use the brilliance of "Here Comes My Baby" and "Homecoming" to help launch the next era of the show. There's no denying that addressing the massive cliffhangers regarding Resident Alien season 4's new villain and other key figures will be one of the biggest focal points going forward. If season 4 wastes these storylines, it will make the season 3 two-part finale seem much less effective.

According to Hollywood North Buzz, Resident Alien season 4 is set to commence filming in December 2024 and will wrap in March 2025. Presumably, the scripts are either finished by now, or they are very close. Hopefully, they are making full use of season 3's fantastic climax and using it to inform the show's future. If not, there's a chance that Resident Alien season 4 could be the last time we see Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle if the show's quality continues to trend in the wrong direction.

Sources: IMDb, CBR, Hollywood North Buzz

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Resident Alien

TV-14

Comedy

Mystery

Drama

Sci-Fi

A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk's character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.

Where to Watch

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*Availability in US

Cast

Alan Tudyk , Elizabeth Bowen , Judah Prehn , Levi Fiehler , Corey Reynolds , Alice Wetterlund , Sara Tomko

Release Date

January 27, 2021

Seasons

4

Showrunner

Chris Sheridan

Where To Watch

Peacock