The Greys inResident Aliencome with a shocking amount of pre-existing and original lore, making them one of the most fascinating aspects of the sci-fi dramedy. Most members of theResident Aliencasthave had a firsthand encounter with the nefarious extraterrestrial species, and by theend ofResident Alienseason 3,the Greys' threat to Earth has been made painfully clear. Since debuting inResident Alienseason 2, the Greys have become fully integrated into the show, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. If they did, the show would be far poorer for their absence.
Alan Tudyk’s Harry Vanderspeiglehas had several run-ins with the Greys so far, and despite them also originating from beyond Earth, he hasn’t seen eye-to-eye with them.The Greys boast a huge amount of power and impressive technologythat they implement for their own selfish needs. The diminutive antagonists may look very familiar to vast portions of theResident Alienviewership, and there’s a very good reason for that. In another show, the Greys may seem incredibly unoriginal, but showrunner Chris Sheridan has very much leaned into that fact.
The Grey Aliens Are Based On A Common Description Of Extraterrestrials In Popular Culture
Resident Alien’s showrunner has paid close attention to UFO folklore
Resident Alien’s Greys are presented pretty much exactly how they exist in modern folklore and popular culture. The show essentially canonizes everything that has been reported by those who claim to have been abducted.They’re even referred to simply as the Grey Aliens outside the showand have been since long beforeResident Alienbegan. All the stereotypical descriptions of the race from decades gone by have been applied to their counterparts in the show, leading to a blurred line between sci-fi and reality. Even their behaviors and preferred methods of human study have been carried over intoResident Alien.
As in folklore concerning the Greys,Resident Alienalso has the race plant tracking chips in the humans they abduct.
As well as the show’s villain race being shown to abduct humans,the Greys' traditional propensity for anal probing also rings true inResident Alien, which leads Harry to accuse them of having a fetish for that region of the body. Interestingly, showrunner Chris Sheridan isn’t just relying on the testimony of others regarding alien encounters, as he has spoken about his own experience of seeing a UFO. A piece fromSyfy Wiretalks about Sheridan catching sight of a UFO on his honeymoon in the Bahamas, so he approaches all alien matters in the show with an authentic, “reverence.”
The Greys Can’t Survive In Earth’s Atmosphere For Very Long
Resident Alien’s take on the Greys means they’re ill-suited to life on Earth
Some in the real world believe the Grey Aliens are not lifeforms in and of themselvesbut are rather used as avatars for various extraterrestrial species to visit Earth and pilot spaceships, with the implication being that many alien lifeforms are usually non-corporeal.Resident Aliendoesn’t adopt this particular piece of speculated lore, but the show does give the Greys certain limitations. In short, they can’t survive for very long on Earth, as the gravity is too strong, and the atmosphere is difficult for them to breathe. So, this explains why they spend the majority of their time in orbit.
One ofResident Alienseason 3’s biggest twists involves the Greys' plans to terraform the Earth.
However, the Greys aren’t content with brief Earthside visits, and so they’ve formulated a number of schemes to counteract this facet of their alien biology. InResident Alienseason 2, it’s revealed thatthe Greys have been developing Grey/human hybrids to infiltrate the planet’s population. The hybrids appear to the naked eye as 100% human, but they are agents of the Greys and share some of their DNA. Even more terrifyingly, one ofResident Alienseason 3’s biggest twists involves the Greys' plans to terraform the Earth, making it inhabitable for their species, and by extension, uninhabitable for humanity.
The Greys' Technology Is What Makes Them Truly Terrifying In Resident Alien
The species is far more powerful than Harry & the others initially assume
As well as their genuine potential to take Earth,the Greys boast other forms of technology that surpass anything developed by humans. The fact they can travel from planet to planet goes without saying, but their abilities go much further than their interstellar adventures.Resident Alienhas often included references and even scenes that show the Greys stealing babies from the wombs of unsuspecting mothers, and they can even freeze time around their target to allow them to do this without resistance. Plus, theResident Alienseason 3 finale revealsEarth’s moon has always been a huge Grey ship.
Why Only Certain Resident Alien Characters Can See Harry Vanderspeigle’s Real Face
Alan Tudyk plays Harry Vanderspeigle in his human and alien forms, but some Resident Alien characters don’t have the option of seeing him both ways.
As well as all their advanced devices,the Greys' alien physiology allows for telepathic communication, and not just with members of their own species. Granted, this isn’t unique to the Grey Aliens within the world of the show, but it does separate them fromResident Alien’s other fictitious species, as the Greys don’t generally tend to communicate verbally. Some aliens, like Harry, can converse both mentally - as proven by his exchanges with Nathan Fillion’s octopus character - but tend to speak more often than not when imparting information or asking questions.
The Greys Are One Of Resident Aliens' Longest-Running Villains
Harry first encounters the Greys onscreen in Resident Alien season 2
The Greys were first mentioned inResident Alienseason 1, but the inaugural run of episodes didn’t focus on them in any meaningful way. Instead, the main story placed Harry as the primary villain and documented his struggles with trying to decide whether or not to spare Earth’s population. Once Harry changes his mind and refuses to carry out his mission,Resident Alienseason 2 introduces the Greys, and they have been the show’s primary, overarching antagonists ever since.
Resident Alienseason 3, despite consisting of a record-low 8 episodes, paid more attention to the Greys than ever.
In fact, rather than just remaining present,the Grey Aliens have become more and more of a threat as the show has progressed.Resident Alienseason 3, despite consisting of a record-low 8 episodes, paid more attention to the Greys than ever. Not only were they on the verge of transforming the planet to make it uninhabitable to humans, but the storyline of Meredith Garettson’sKate Hawthorne being continually abducted to care for her stolen baby was one of the show’s darkest turnsyet.
Star Trekstar George Takei voices a Grey’s telepathic voice inResident Alienseason 2, episode 13, “Harry, a Parent.” He reprises the role twice more in season 2.
Resident Alienseason 3’s finale initially appears to end in a victory for Harry and his friends, but it quickly becomes apparent thatthe threat of the Greys is far from being dispelled. After suffering a huge defeat, the Greys will surely be much angrier and more determined than ever to make sure they succeed in their next scheme. To put it another way,Resident Alienseason 4 will almost certainly bring the Grey Aliens back for another faceoff.
Resident Alien
Cast
A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk’s character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.
