Resident Alien Just Released Harry Vanderspeigle’s Darkest Scene Of The Entire Show & It Perfectly Reflects Season 4’s Themes

Spoilers ahead for Resident Alien season 4, episode 6, "Soul Survivors."

Resident Alien season 4, episode 6, "Soul Providers," features a sequence built to be dark and incredibly emotional, which allows Alan Tudyk's Harry Vanderspeigle to conduct himself in a brand-new way. As the leader of the Resident Alien cast, Tudyk's irreverent performances as the show's main character are often what the show is built around.

However, "Soul Providers" includes one of the most concentrated examples of a Harry scene that effectively shelves Resident Alien's comedic elements. Sharing the moment with another of Resident Alien's best characters, Harry's reaction to something for which he is not prepared perfectly reflects his current storyline.

Resident Alien has always been great at examining the human condition, even through the lens of an alien who was originally sent to Earth to erase its native species. Season 4's approach to this analysis has been particularly on-the-nose due to Harry being made human, but it still works incredibly well.

I've Never Seen Harry Act More Human Than Talking D'arcy Down From Her Suicidal Thoughts In "Soul Providers"

Alan Tudyk Plays Harry Very Differently In This Scene

As admitted by showrunner Chris Sheridan, the larger plan for Harry in Resident Alien is for him to become human. Since the show began in 2021, Alan Tudyk's character has been slowly following this trajectory. Beginning with no emotions at all, just like the rest of his species, Harry has gradually taken on various human traits, including the expression of emotions.

The twist of Harry being made a full-blooded human in Resident Alien season 4 is a major step toward him completing the arc laid out by Sheridan, but the show's main character still has several alien traits. His behavior is often still a little strange by human standards, but "Soul Providers" offers him the opportunity to truly put into practice everything he has learned so far.

HARRY: "I wanted all humans to die. Even you. But I have changed. I see the value in human life. Even yours."

D'ARCY: "What's the value? Every dream I ever had is dead. Sometimes, at night, I just walk around for hours. I look up at the sky and I just feel so small. So worthless."

HARRY: "If you were worthless, Mr. and Mrs. Mayor would not have their baby. You are not small. You are part of that sky that you are looking up at."

– Resident Alien season 4, episode 6, "Soul Survivors."

When Alice Wetterlund's D'arcy Bloom approaches Harry with suicidal thoughts, Alan Tudyk's character is initially confused by her choice of words as she understandably dances around the difficult and upsetting subject. When Harry finally realizes what D'arcy means, he slips into the role of a sympathetic listener surprisingly well, and the scene essentially transforms around them both.

I almost expected Resident Alien to make Harry completely blind to D'arcy's turmoil throughout the exchange, but Tudyk's portrayal of an alien in human skin trying his best to talk D'arcy down is beautifully executed. Furthermore, it's the most human moment I've seen from Harry in the show's history, and he has had several previous scenes that have shown very effectively how he's changed.

Why Harry Acting So Human With D'arcy Isn't Out Of Character

Resident Alien's Main Protagonist Has Changed A Lot Since The Show Began

Harry says some very profound things during the scene, and the way he speaks is very level and lacks his signature zaniness. While he still tries to disarm the exchange by awkwardly injecting humor into the situation, that isn't entirely un-human behavior, either. So, at this point in his development, it makes sense that he would be able to comfort D'arcy like this.

Perhaps the biggest reveal that explains his demeanor in "Soul Survivors" is that he has grown a soul. Therefore, he's no longer apathetic about other people's problems, which he has been in the past. He still doesn't particularly like D'arcy, as he even admits during their emotional exchange in "Soul Survivors," but he is able to put that aside to help save her life.

The bumpy dynamic between Harry and D'arcy has been one of the longest-running storylines in Resident Alien, which makes the fact that she goes to him for help all the more poignant. They don't end the scene any closer as friends, which perhaps would have made it all seem a little forced. In short, Resident Alien doesn't make either of them act out of character.

Harry is even a little mean to D'arcy. Of course, once he realizes that she is in crisis, he ceases making fun of her, listens carefully to what she has to say, and even offers some sage words of wisdom and support. If not for the groundwork put in by Resident Alien to this point, it wouldn't have seemed like Harry at all.

Resident Alien Continues To Get Better & Better At Emotional Scenes

The Sci-Fi Dramedy Thrives When Tudyk & Company Make The Audience Cry

Resident Alien's primary goal is to make the audience laugh, but it has always had the ability to make the audience emotional, too. As such, the sci-fi show has often split its time between comedy and drama, although the emphasis has usually been on the former. While the emotional moments were initially rare and sometimes felt shoehorned in, that's no longer the case.

The show has retained its ability to instill laughter while also improving on its more heartfelt scenes. There have even been times when Resident Alien has been funny and emotional at the same time. Harry's talk with D'arcy is just one example of this hybrid approach, and his breakup scene with Heather earlier in season 4 is also equally divided.

Still, while Resident Alien is great at its tear-jerking turns, the show has started to favor them to an extent that perhaps places them in the story a little too often. The ratio between sadder moments and comedic sequences has been pretty good in Resident Alien season 4 so far, so hopefully Chris Sheridan can maintain that balance going forward.