‘Resident Alien’ Episode 6 Review: “Sexy Beast”

In ‘Sexy Beast’, the sixth episode of Resident Alien, Harry learns about both human intimacy and human insecurity.

Getting intimate with someone is both a fun and beautiful experience. It’s a getting to know and take in the other in a strange oneness, like a harmonic ensemble or dancing. This subconscious togetherness that you and that other are vibing and understand each other. But when you’re an extraterrestrial alien pretending to be the husband of stolen human identity that was your first murder victim? Well, that’s an entirely different story. One that I’m not sure this episode fully pulls off.

This female human creature was suffocating me with her sexual organs.

Immediately into this episode, we see Harry in a committed relationship with his wife Isabel (Elvy). One that he’s accidentally stumbled into. To complicate matters, Harry mostly just wants to reassemble his ship and destroy the earth, but now has to deal with his live-in wife that always seems to be at home. Naturally, Harry does what first comes to mind: finding ways to knock out his wife, sometimes with alcohol sometimes with pills. Complicating matters even further, Harry soon loses his job at the doctor’s office as Mayor Hawthorne has finally found a replacement doctor. Thus forcing Harry to be home with Isabel even more. 

Things finally come to a head at the bar when Harry and Isabel encounter D’arcy, who reluctantly addresses the two in person. D’arcy is upset how Harry never mentioned he was married. When he goes back home with his wife, Isabel shares that she wants to sell the cabin and go back to New York together. Harry just wants to have sex and goes over the awkward intricacies of the deed from his awkward point of view —  at least, until he knocks her out again to find his ship along with his device’s missing pieces. 

Though funny at first, there is something incredibly cringe-worthy about consistently knocking out your own wife using drugs and alcohol again-and-again after sleeping with her. Yes, Harry is actually an Alien, and yes this is the person Harry is married to, but the alien is also engaging consistently in a sexual partnership with somebody else’s wife entirely here which I think is a problematic issue. If Wonder Woman 1984 could be criticized heavily for Steve Trevor utilizing a surrogate’s body to copulate with his Amazon warrior partner, I think this is probably touching that same borderline of taboo.

His Smile Makes Me Want to love him and strangle him

Harry struggles with the town’s reveal of the new doctor, Ethan Stone. A handsome young physician who worked at Doctor’s without borders. In every way, Ethan proves himself to be both a better doctor and human being than Harry — which irritates him. That evening, Ethan even sleeps with D’arcy, and even nicely makes her breakfast the morning after, which both confuses and disgusts her very much. 

Bad cop and Badder cop

Meanwhile, Big Mike figures out how the prescription pad was stolen and begins working with Asta. It’s a story arc that leads to a funny good and bad cop routine down at the high school. One that ultimately fails. Thankfully, Liv is around to interrogate those at the school and figure it out. Together, they deduce there has to be a connection with Jay, Asta’s daughter. 

For the first time since working together, Mike gives Deputy Liv kudos for doing a good job. I’ll also quickly mention how great the writing is in bringing this episode together, as there is a sweet bowling alley scene with Liv, Asta, and D’arcy’s storylines all converging as one. One where Asta encounters her ex-husband who has picked up a high school teenage girl Beck, that Jimmy is seemingly dating.

The Take

While this episode moves a lot of plots forward, there is also a lot that gets sidetracked. Mainly, in guest star Linda Hamilton who is revealed to be a general in the forces looking for Harry. We learn about their backstory, and in doing so, how they track down Harry’s ship. The episode ends with Harry is finally confronted by the humans looking for him.

I really was not a fan of Harry in this episode but think that the rest of the supporting cast, including Mike and Liv, really pulled it through. I  think that the only thing that really was accomplished was the alien discovery scenes by the Government with Linda Hamilton’s guest cameo. It’s good that the villains have finally closed in and that the truth is on the border of being revealed.