Resident Alien: Writing Combined Comedy and Science-Fiction

As a writer, I’m fascinated by other writer’s work. In particular, I’m a science fiction writer, so when a new science-fiction series airs I usually try to check it out, even if it’s bad.

“Resident Alien” over on the SyFy network is anything but bad. It is brilliant. It is also a master class in how to write engaging comedy into a science-fiction plot.

It has a team of writers, but is created by Chris Sheridan of Family Guy fame. It is based on a fan-loved Dark Horse comic by the same name, and so far has kept with the feel of that wonderful comic book by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse.

First of all, the show’s premise is something of a trope: alien comes to earth to destroy us because we either annoy them, they want our resources, or a multitude of other reasons. So far the series has not explained our alien’s reasoning as to why his race wants to decimate our race. That being said, the serious nature of that plot device (however trite) is made enjoyable because of the writer’s ability to inject raucous comedy into every frame and most of the dialogue.

Starring Alan Tudyk, (the beloved Wash from Firefly fame) each episode is an awkward romp through the brain of this alien as he tries to fit in and survive long enough to find his “device” which he will then use to…