Resident Alien Season 4, Episode 4 Gives A Perfect Example Of The Alan Tudyk Sci-Fi Show’s Greatest Strength

Resident Alien does two very disparate things incredibly well, and season 4’s “Truth Hurts” somehow finds a way for the show to do them both at once within the same scene. Although primarily a comedy, the Resident Alien cast can’t just get away with making the audience laugh. The scripts are often riddled with emotional moments that hit surprisingly hard alongside the bizarre comedic sequences. In fact, some of Resident Alien‘s best episodes have been more on the dramatic side, but they still find time for laughs as well.

Showrunner Chris Sheridan has a strong connection to Family Guy, so it’s no surprise that Resident Alien has some truly hilarious episodes. Resident Alien season 4, episode 4, “Truth Hurts,” is a lot like its predecessors in many ways, as it is packed with jokes as well as tear-jerking scenes. That said, not many episodes can combine Resident Alien‘s two sides as well as “Truth Hurts” does, even if it was only for one scene.

Harry & Heather’s Breakup Scene Is As Heartbreaking As It Is Hilarious

Resident Alien season 4 shines in “Truth Hurts”

The return of Edi Patterson’s Heather in Resident Alien season 4, episode 3, “Ties That Bind,” set up a romantic reunion between her and Alan Tudyk’s Harry Vanderspeigle. As it turns out, even the reveal of Harry’s new kids in “Truth Hurts” wasn’t enough for them to properly rekindle their lost love. For various reasons, it became impractical for Harry and Heather to remain together, so I was devastated to watch their emotional breakup scene. However, I was also laughing hysterically.

While the context of the scene is obviously very sad, the execution is comedic genius. When Heather makes the romantic request for them to part with one of Harry’s poems, she also asks that he recite it in his native tongue, as she’s always found the language “so beautiful.” What follows is a one-minute sequence of Harry and Heather exchanging emotional parting words in their respective languages, which is quite clearly just improvised nonsense from both actors.

Despite the bizarre exchange, the moment’s beautiful orchestral score remains in place, and both actors still have tears in their eyes as they bid each other farewell. They play it completely seriously, which only makes it funnier. The final shot of the reflection that shows them hugging returns the scene to a wholly emotional one, as Harry is human, and Heather’s reflection reveals her true Blue Avian form. What also contributes to the scene’s comedic elements is its occurrence so soon after the unconventional protest of Heather’s father.

Is Heather Gone For Good After Her Exit In “Truth Hurts”?

It would make sense for Heather to return by the end of Resident Alien season 4

“Truth Hurts” suggests Heather’s farewell is permanent, but I doubt it is. For starters, the pair now have babies together, and although Harry feels incapable of raising them in his human form, I don’t see the point in them being introduced if they’re not set for a return. Plus, the storyline of Harry being human feels like it’s going to last the entirety of Resident Alien season 4, so a specific kind of finale could be on the way. While Resident Alien season 4 could leave Harry as human and end the show, that wouldn’t be very satisfying.

What’s more likely is that Harry will regain his “alien energy” in the season 4 finale and return to his original form. At the very least, this won’t happen until very close to the end of the show’s current run. This would remove the obstacle keeping Harry and Heather apart, allowing them to get married and raise their kids, so it could make sense for Patterson’s character to come back. Again, this could be a nice way to end the entire show, but it could also set up some interesting adventures for a potential Resident Alien season 5.