“It’s a weird goodbye”: Resident Alien star Alan Tudyk gives an update on the future of Season 5

When a show like Resident Alien grabs attention, builds a loyal fanbase, and consistently delivers strong ratings, you’d expect it to stick around, right? That’s why the announcement of its cancellation after Season 4 hit fans hard. Even Alan Tudyk, who plays the lovable alien-in-hiding Harry Vanderspeigle, admitted:

“It’s a weird goodbye because the show’s very popular. By all metrics from a different time, that would assure another season. It’s just in this climate, the TV world is changing in a big way, and I feel like because we’re canceled now, we will become an existing IP, which then could be revived. So the quickest way to get a next season is to be canceled, oddly."

So, what happened?

Resident Alien was no flop. From its debut on Syfy, the show earned high praise for its mix of comedy, sci-fi, and surprisingly touching moments. Fans tuned in week after week, and online chatter around the show never slowed.

In the past, a show with such popularity would've been guaranteed another season. Alan Tudyk even pointed this out, by old standards, the success of Resident Alien should have been enough to greenlight Season 5.

Chris Sheridan mentioned -

I think just hopping into a fifth season somewhere else doesn’t feel right for the show.

Despite strong fan support, Syfy officially announced that Season 4 would be the last. No clear reason was provided, which only added to the confusion.

Fans took to Twitter, Reddit, and beyond to express their disappointment. Many were shocked. Tudyk and show creator Chris Sheridan, while not surprised, shared heartfelt responses about the show's ending.

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Alan Tudyk’s perspective on Resident Alien's cancellation

Tudyk didn’t hide his mixed emotions. In his words, “It’s a weird goodbye.” On one hand, he’s proud of what the team created; on the other, it’s tough to walk away from something still thriving.

The cancellation feels out of sync with the show’s performance. It’s like pulling the plug while the party is still going.

Tudyk expressed hope that Resident Alien might live on. Now considered an “existing IP,” it could be revived later, maybe as a special, a spin-off, or even a full season somewhere else.

Sheridan saw the writing on the wall before the official announcement. He designed Season 4 to wrap up major plotlines, just in case.

Most character arcs have reached a natural conclusion. Questions around Harry, the alien threat, and the human townspeople have mostly been answered.

When asked about shopping the show to other platforms, Sheridan hesitated. He admitted it wasn’t something actively discussed. To him, jumping into a fifth season on a different network didn’t feel right.

In theory, yes. Other shows have jumped from one network to another. But Sheridan doesn’t seem eager to pursue that, unless there’s a strong reason.

Because Season 4 already provides a satisfying conclusion, a sudden continuation might feel forced or awkward.

From alien conspiracies to personal growth journeys, the show wrapped things up nicely. It didn’t end on a dramatic cliffhanger, on purpose.

There are a few loose threads, mostly minor ones, that fans might wonder about. But nothing major is left dangling.

Some believe the show could return as a movie. Others hope for spin-offs focusing on specific characters like Asta or D’Arcy.

With the show available on streaming platforms, it could gain a second life as more viewers discover it.

As Tudyk said, being an existing intellectual property opens doors. Maybe we’ll see Resident Alien again in a new form.

Resident Alien might be ending, for now, but it’s far from forgotten. It delivered four seasons of smart, funny, and heartfelt sci-fi TV. While it may not return immediately, its impact is lasting. Whether it finds new life down the road or remains a fan-favorite cult classic, Resident Alien gave us a journey worth remembering.

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