Ep 1. Pilot

After crash-landing on Earth, an alien takes on the identity of Harry Vanderspeigle, a small-town Colorado doctor, in order to blend in and find a way back home. However, he quickly finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation when the town's beloved doctor is found dead and Harry is asked to take over his practice. Along the way, he navigates the complexities of human emotions, relationships, and social norms, all while hiding his alien identity from everyone around him.

In the first episode titled "Pilot," we see Harry adjusting to life in the small town of Patience, Colorado. He struggles to understand human customs and mannerisms as he observes them from a distance, relying on a book called "How to Human" to guide him. When the town's real doctor, Dr. Hodges, suddenly dies, Harry is thrust into the role of the town doctor by Mayor Ben Hawthorne (played by the always fantastic Sara Tomko).

Harry soon discovers the many challenges of practicing medicine in a small town and is met with skepticism and hostility from some of the residents. But he slowly earns the trust of Nurse Adlon (played by the hilarious Elizabeth Bowen) and, to his surprise, even some of his patients. Along the way, Harry makes some amusing missteps, such as trying to appease a grieving mother by offering her a hug (which understandably freaks her out).

As Harry begins to settle into his new role, he's also forced to hide his true identity. He battles with his own moral compass as he becomes involved in the personal lives of his patients and must decide how much to interfere. Meanwhile, a young boy named Max (played by the adorable Judah Prehn) takes a liking to Harry and becomes determined to uncover his secret.

The episode also introduces us to some of the other quirky residents of Patience, including Sheriff Mike Thompson (played by the always excellent Corey Reynolds) and Deputy Liv Baker (played by the talented Elizabeth Faith Ludlow). A major theme throughout the episode is the tension between the townspeople and one resident, Asta Twelvetrees (played by the fantastic newcomer, Levi Fiehler), who is viewed as an outsider due to her "otherness." This serves as an interesting parallel to Harry's situation as an alien attempting to blend in with humans.

Overall, the first episode of Resident Alien is a promising start to the series. It sets up an intriguing premise with plenty of room for character development and humor. The ensemble cast is fantastic, with Alan Tudyk giving an impressive performance as the titular alien, Harry. Whether you're a sci-fi fan or just appreciate a good fish-out-of-water story, Resident Alien is definitely worth checking out.