While Firefly might still be Alan Tudyk’s most beloved cult sci-fi series, one of Netflix’s biggest hits in the genre proves that the star has another iconic show to his name. Even though Firefly has a reboot on the way, the show’s one-season run remains one of the most infamous fumbles in the history of network TV. The space opera premiered in the early 2000s, when the success of Stargate, Farscape, and Babylon 5‘sreboot proved its timing was seemingly perfect.
However, even though Battlestar Galactica’s reboot became a critical darling and lasted four seasons only a few years later, Firefly’s timing must have been historically wrong, as the starry series was canceled after only 14 episodes. There was a 2005 movie spinoff in the form of Serenity and the cast went on to some major roles, including starring in ABC’s hit cop show The Rookie in the case of star Nathan Fillion.
However, the unfulfilled potential of Firefly remains a legendary piece of TV history, with countless shows since, such as 2015’s Dark Matter and Killjoys, citing the series as an influence. Fortunately, Fillion was not the only Firefly star who managed to maintain a major small-screen career after the show’s one-season run wrapped up. Summer Glau starred in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Arrow, Gina Torres starred in Suits and 9-1-1: Lone Star, and Alan Tudyk’s Firefly fame led to a massive Netflix hit in the form of Resident Alien.
Resident Alien Is Alan Tudyk’s Best Sci-Fi Show Since Firefly
Set in small-town Colorado, Resident Alien stars Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle, an alien who crash lands on Earth and assumes the identity of a local doctor to blend in. Like the lead characters of Resident Alien’s animated alternative Solar Opposites, Tudyk’s alien is ostensibly on Earth to destroy or overtake the planet, but he ends up growing fond of humanity and instead finds himself choosing to assimilate into this quirky Colorado community.
With a killer supporting cast including Sara Tomko as Vanderspeigle’s assistant Asta Twelvetrees, Corey Reynolds as the town’s desperately insecure Sheriff, and Levi Fiehler as the community’s sweet but inexperienced Mayor, Resident Alien is a charming fish-out-of-water comedy. The series finally mines a lot of laughs out of Tudyk’s Vanderspeigle trying and failing to fit in with humans, but across its five-season run, Resident Alien gradually transforms into more of an ensemble sitcom as viewers get to know the supporting characters better.
Resident Alien Avoided Firefly’s Early Cancellation (But Still Deserves Another Season)
While the significantly bigger 3 Body Problem is Netfltix’s biggest sci-fi series ever, Resident Alien’s unassuming small-town sci-fi comedy came close to dethroning that mega hit with a viewership of 485,400,000 hours streamed. These astounding figures prove that Resident Alien’s charming, warm comedy has broad mainstream appeal, something that Firefly never had a chance to display thanks to the brevity of its run.
In comparison to the 14-episode duration of Firefly, it seems fair to say that Resident Alien’s 44-episode four-season run gave the show a much better shot at success. Based on Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse’s comic book of the same name, Resident Alien was a hit on both its original network SyFy and, later, the streaming service Netflix, and its large fan base were mostly happy with 2025’s Resident Alien series finale.
That said, as the wait for the animated Firefly revival continues, there is an argument to be made that Resident Alien also deserves a revival. Like Solar Opposites, the show’s setup allowed for endless reinvention, so even the seemingly definitive ending of the series finale would not be impossible to temporarily undo for a standalone special. Considering how huge Tudyk’s Firefly follow-up was on Netflix, viewers shouldn’t be shocked if Resident Alien makes a return in years to come.
- Release Date
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2021 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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USA Network, SyFy
- Showrunner
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Chris Sheridan
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Sara Tomko
Asta Twelvetrees
