As a big Alan Tudyk fan, I’ve been delighted to see more and more people come to appreciate this talented performer in recent years, and his fantastic performance as Harry the alien in Firefly, where he played the witty spaceship pilot, Hoban “Wash” Washburne.

When I heard Alan Tudyk's new TV show was a sci-fi comedy, I was thrilled at the prospect. Playing an alien pretending to be human seemed like a perfect fit for the comedic actor, and I was happy to be proven right when the first season aired on SyFy in 2021. Although the show has been hugely popular with viewers, it surprises me that there are still some people out there who aren’t watching this hilarious series.

5 Harry’s New York Trip

Season 2, Episode 6: “An Alien in New York,” And Episode 7: “Escape From New York”

Resident Alien season 2, Harry is on a new mission to uncover the secret life of Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, the man whose identity he took when his ship crashed in Patience. His investigation takes him and his closest confidante and friend, Asta Twelvetrees (Sara Tomko), to New York City, and they begin following a code throughout the city in his native alien language. The trail leads to an art gallery owned by a woman named Violinda Darvell, who shocks the pair with the knowledge of who Harry really is.

While mingling among the gallery’s attendants, one of them offers Harry a tab of LSD. Ignorant of its properties, Harry ingests the drug and begins to revert to his alien form. Panicked, he runs out onto the street in the middle of Times Square. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), the New Yorkers seem not to be too concerned about an alien in their midst. Terrified by his surroundings, Harry calls Asta for help, telling her, “I just saw an alien take off its head and there was a human inside!” Sober Harry is already wacky enough, but Harry on a hallucinogen is one strange trip.

4 Harry’s First Kiss

Season 1, Episode 4: “Birds of a Feather”

Harry’s nemesis at the start of Resident Alien is 9-year-old Max Hawthorne (Judah Prehn), the only one who can see through his human disguise, thanks to an unusual genetic mutation. The first time Max encounters Harry in the doctor's office, he screams and runs away, causing worry for his parents, Ben and Kate. To help Max get over his “delusion,” Kate and Ben invite Harry to have dinner with the family. Harry brings Asta's best friend D’Arcy (Alice Wetterlund) for moral , but being attracted to him, she assumes that his invitation counts as a romantic date.

After dinner, Harry drives D’Arcy to her home, where she asks him for a kiss. Of course, being an alien, Harry has never kissed anyone before, and has only seen humans kiss on TV. Still, confident in his abilities, he leans in for a smooch, sticking out his tongue first. D’Arcy awkwardly sits there as Harry licks parts of her face - a moment that lasts for a ridiculously long period of time. Afterward, she declares nonchalantly that it isn’t the “worst” kiss she’s ever had, though she does break things off with Harry the next day.

3 The Convention

Season 1, Episode 9: “Welcome Aliens”

The beginning of Resident Alien has Harry crashing his spaceship on Earth and losing an important piece of alien technology in the process. After combing the mountainside for the missing alien device, Harry finally finds it only to have it break when he falls through the ice into a deep crevasse with Asta and D’Arcy. After revealing his secret to Asta, he tells her that he needs alien tracker technology to fix it. Asta gets the idea to take Harry to a UFO convention, where some of the attendees claim to have been abducted by aliens.

Harry and Asta explore the convention, which is crowded with alien enthusiasts in cosplay and various UFO “experts.” Harry scoffs at all the inaccuracies, whispering “um actually” asides to Asta as the day goes on. He also delights in spilling the alien tea, such as the fact that the first astronauts on the moon were actually taken over by aliens before they returned to Earth. Harry does, however, appreciate the presentation given by Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, the internet-famous alien enthusiast who plays himself in this episode.

2 The 59ers Play

Season 2, Episode 5: “Family Day”

Although they may be in the middle of nowhere, the citizens of Patience, Colorado, take pride in their small town and its history. So, when Mayor Ben Hawthorne (Levi Fiehler) agrees to write and direct the children’s play for the annual Family Day celebration, he considers it an honor. The play’s story follows an important event in the town’s history: In 1884, 59 men went into a collapsing mine to save one man. Although they all died, their memory became a legend beloved by the town's population. Unfortunately, Ben may have been a little overly enthusiastic with his creative control.

During the climax of the play, a bloody battle ensues between the young actors, with some kids portraying the boulders that violently crush the doomed miners. The scene plays out like the opening of Saving Private Ryan, complete with bloody gore and severed limbs. Although Harry appreciates the dramatic performance, the rest of the family in the audience watch in horror as the “bodies” of the miners pile up on stage, and Ben suddenly realizes he made a terrible mistake.

1 When Harry Ate 42

Season 2, Episode 6: “An Alien In New York”

Resident Alien season 1 disclosed that Harry’s alien species are actually related to octopuses from Earth - knowledge that was hilariously revealed when Harry communicated telepathically with an octopus in a tank at a Japanese restaurant. Harry affectionately named his “cousin” 42, after the menu dish #42 - octopus in black bean sauce. Not only did 42 have valuable information about Harry's race and their intentions for Earth, but he also helped to alleviate Harry's loneliness, as 42 was the only other "alien" on the planet. Harry would later rescue 42 and keep him in a tank in his cabin.

Voiced by Alan Tudyk’s Firefly co-star, Nathan Fillion, 42, met his unfortunate end when Harry’s dog, Murphy, made the octopus his new chew toy. As Harry tearfully cradles the dying cephalopod in his arms, 42 makes his dying wish - to be eaten, specifically with butter sauce and a “really nice” Chardonnay. Harry honors his friend’s final request, tears streaming down his face as he sits down to dine on 42 while the Bee Gees' song "Dearest" plays throughout the scene. At least 42 is delicious, if Harry’s pleased reaction in Resident Alien is anything to go by.