Resident Alien’s NYCC panel reveals pilot footage and a release date

The highly anticipated Resident Alien series — starring Alan Tudyk — is coming to Syfy in the new year. Fans of the series were treated to the first 10 minutes of the pilot, as well as several clips, at the NYCC panel.

SYFY’s Resident Alien delayed production for the first season because of the global coronavirus pandemic, but the show’s New York Comic Con at Home panel demonstrated that the series, which based on the Dark Horse comic, is coming to Syfy in January 2021. The series will star Alan Tudyk as the alien who disguises himself as a human doctor in a quiet Colorado town. Besides the clip, the other big news revealed was a major guest star in the form of an alien hunter (ironically): Linda Hamilton of Terminator fame!

Additionally, the NYCC panel included Resident Alien cast members Sara Tomoko (Once Upon a Time), Corey Reynolds (The Closer), Alice Wetterlund (Silicon Valley), and Levy Fiehler (Mars), as well as showrunner and executive producer Chris Sheridan (Family Guy). Tudyk, as expected, really, is hilarious as the alien Harry, who doubts his original mission to kill humanity after getting involved in a local murder mystery. Fans were treated to the first seven minutes of the pilot.

Watch the seven-minute clip of Resident Alien here:

“We were very close when we stopped,” Tudyk said during the panel, referencing how the pandemic affected Resident Alien production. “We only had, one episode? One and a half?” Thankfully, they have been able to forge ahead to get it ready for release early next year.

I screened the entire pilot, and trust me when I say that Tudyk is absolutely terrific on Resident Alien. I am eager to watch the rest of the season.

“Everything is new to him, so as an acting challenge, it’s a lot of fun,” said Tudyk about his oddball character. “Just walking. Using the body that he’s now occupying, he’s not very coordinated in the beginning. He doesn’t have emotions. He doesn’t care like other people care, and so it comes off very strange.”

Harry has every indication of being one of Tudyk’s greatest characterizations. The Resident Alien pilot will premiere on Syfy this January. To watch the show’s NYCC panel in its entirety, click here.

What did you think of the Resident Alien sneak peek? Have you read the comic? Are you excited the series will finally air in the new year? What did you like most about the panel? Stay tuned here for all your NYCC news.