They just aired the pilot for this last night, and honestly it was one of the best pilots/shows I've seen in a long long time. It features Alan Tudyk as an alien trying to fit in a small human town to complete a secret mission. Won't say more than that.
It's well written, well acted, all of the characters, even the smaller roles, are well defined and appealing. I've seen so many shows where things feel really forced in the beginning, but the character interplay works really well here, particularly with the lead actress. It's just a really well done show all the way around; I hope they can maintain the quality and most importantly don't get prematurely cancelled. If you are any sort of fan of Tudyk, I suspect you'll love this as it seems like the role he was born to play, he is just fantastic. While this type of show has obviously been done before, they've added enough quirks and twists to make it a really unique and enjoyable experience.
I have seen the ad's as well and I am a huge Alan Tudyk fan, have enjoyed him in everything I have seen him in, who doesn't love Steve The Pirate and of course Wash There was an article on NPR about the show as well, they were able to pre-screen 6 or 7 episodes and very much liked it. Fun fact I did not know till I read the article, Tudyk was the voice for Sonny in I, Robot.
"Don't touch my stuff when I'm dead...it's booytrapped!" - Bender Bending Rodriguez
i recommend the original comics this was based off of - strong on character development and the allegories are well done. glad this got optioned for a series.
This show is an absolute delight. I can’t recommend it enough. Tudyk was born to play this character, I agree.
I think changing it up from the source to make the alien ruthless was a good call. It takes it more into dark comedy as you know he’ll kill anyone around him to protect his secret...but he’d rather not.
And making his arch nemesis a 10 year old child? Inspired.
hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 9:24 pm
I think changing it up from the source to make the alien ruthless was a good call. It takes it more into dark comedy as you know he’ll kill anyone around him to protect his secret...but he’d rather not.
It gives the show a path forward as Harry learns to like humans...or at least not want them all dead. I never read the comic, but I know it’s well regarded. However, I don’t think it would have worked as a tv show. The change they made in this adaptation gives it the edge it needs to keep the story going.
Plus, Tudyk is hilarious when his character gets annoyed with humans.
Copying Zim would still be inspired. It was an interesting dynamic.
I don't think we ever got around to learning just how old Zim was - or anyone else of his species, for that matter. I got the impression that they had "conquered death" and just played out infinitely long idiotic lives with technology doing 98% of the thinking for them.
Black Lives Matter
2021-01-20: The first good night's sleep I had in 4 years.
I think that's going to be the driving force behind the show. We've already seen Harry get angry at someone who hurt someone he's been forced to get to know (who would have thought Tudyk could do "badass angry hero" so well?). They've already stated in not so many words that
Spoiler:
he's been taught that humans are dangerous killers by his people.
So it's not unreasonable to assume he believes we're the bad guys.
Tudyk really is the reason this show works. Well, that and couching it all in a police procedural that ends up parodying the genre in many ways.
I think my biggest laugh came from the town sheriff though. He keeps insisting everyone call him Big Black*, but no one wants to because it makes them uncomfortable.
Paingod wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 9:06 am
Copying Zim would still be inspired. It was an interesting dynamic.
I don't think we ever got around to learning just how old Zim was - or anyone else of his species, for that matter. I got the impression that they had "conquered death" and just played out infinitely long idiotic lives with technology doing 98% of the thinking for them.
I wish Netflix would do another Zim special...or better yet a reboot or continuation with the same voice actors/animators.
* No LordMortis, that is not a Steve Albini reference.
Last edited by hepcat on Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
hepcat wrote:
I wish Netflix would do another Zim special...or better yet a reboot or continuation with the same voice actors/animators.
Zim is soooooooo good.
Doom doom doom, doomdie doom doom.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein "I don't stand by anything." - Trump “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867 “It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
rittchard wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 1:35 pm
Glad you all are liking it!! I recommended it to some other friends and got a tepid response so I was wondering if it was just me.
OO is clearly the right audience for this kind of show. Laughed a lot during last night's episode.
Right after I finished Episode 2 last night, DirecTV wanted to start Episode 3 - which I didn't understand. It seemingly downloaded it from outer space and it's now sitting on my DVR.
Seeing him laugh in the bar while making murder jokes was fantastic. He really does a great job of being awkwardly creepy. The whole bowling scene (on the lanes) was hilarious.
I did manage to watch Ep3 and things...get interesting. Still enjoying the show tremendously. I love when stuff comes out of nowhere and just delivers the goods.
hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:15 pm
“While I’m in there, why don’t you go shopping for a four foot coffin.”
I really hope it keeps this level of entertainment going.
The stitches scene...
The kid has a good acting gig.
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 10:50 am
The whole bowling scene (on the lanes) was hilarious.
The bartender and the bowling clerk were priceless. As much as Tudyk is doing a good job the supporting cast around him are floating the show. Anyone who gets more than 10 seconds of screen time carries their time great and adds something.
...
How did ya'll get episode three? It that some sort streaming special?
Yes, the Sheriff in Ep3 has some scene-stealing lines, but I'm enjoying all the characters - even the kid.
DirecTV grabbed it from space for me when Ep2 ended, but I think you can stream it on SyFy as well. I enjoyed watching it, but I didn't enjoy being unable to skip the commercials, which I guess is the price of watching it early.
I read...somewhere??? Somewhere on the internet, no clue where, that that scene was entirely improvised.
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
There was an article on NPR about the show as well, they were able to pre-screen 6 or 7 episodes and very much liked it. Fun fact I did not know till I read the article, Tudyk was the voice for Sonny in I, Robot.
I stand corrected and am ashamed I forgot about the great Zim the Invader. 
