Summary
Resident Alienhas had plenty of established sci-fi TV and movie stars show up across the first three seasons, and it’s a trend I hope continues intoResident Alienseason 4. As a huge fan of the science-fiction genre,it’s always a pleasant surprise to spot familiar faces in the irreverent Alan Tudyk-led dramedy, no matter how brief their cameos may be. SomeResident Aliensci-fi guest starshave gone on to become a huge part of the cast, whereas others pay just a fleeting visit to Patience, Colorado. Both scenarios are fun, and they keep the cast lineup fresh.
I’m realistic about what I expect fromResident Alienseason 4 guest stars. Whilethe show has already managed to snag huge actors likeTerminator’s Linda HamiltonandStar Trek’s George Takei, there’s no guaranteeResident Alien’s recent switch from Syfy to USA Network will continue the pattern of big names showing up. However, the cameo trend has quietly become one ofResident Alien’s hallmarks, so the producers can’t let it fall away completely. As such, my list of desired guest stars is a blend of being guided by what the show has done before as well as realistic castings.
9 Burning Questions For Resident Alien Season 4 & What We Think The Answers Will Be
Although Resident Alien season 4 hasn’t yet been confirmed, the next installment of the Syfy show needs to answer questions posed by season 3.
10Robert Duncan McNeill
Best known for: Star Trek: Voyager
McNeill played Lt. Tom Paris inall 7 seasons ofStar Trek: Voyager. He has moved away from acting in recent years and has long been focusing on other facets of the creative process, but I was thrilled when he recently reprised hisStar Trekrole in the animated spinoff show,Star Trek: Lower Decks. Before that, his last credited acting role was in a 2012 episode ofChuck. However,McNeill already has a direct connection toResident Alien,which I think could make the possibility of a cameo much more likely.
The former member of the Star Trek: Voyager cast is a producer on Resident Alien, and has also directed 10 episodes to date.
The former member of theStar Trek: Voyagercastis a producer onResident Alien, and has also directed 10 episodes to date. He has also snagged his very first writing credit on the show for theResident Alienseason 3 finale, “Homecoming.“McNeill has been an incredibly key behind-the-scenes figure forResident Alien, so I’d love him to add to his contributions by appearing in front of the camera for a cameo appearance.
9Seth MacFarlane
Best known for: The Orville
While many may know Seth MacFarlane for his role as the creator ofFamily Guy, his role onThe Orvillemeans he’s recognizable as a sci-fi actor now too. It wasn’t hard for me to work out he’s a huge fan of the genre, what with the endless references to huge sci-fi franchises in bothFamily GuyandAmerican Dad!Although, the most solid piece of evidence came whenMacFarlane created and chose to star inThe Orville.
His take on theStar Trekfranchise has made him a force to be reckoned with in sci-fi, and his performances as Captain Ed Mercer give him a rare live-action character.
His take on theStar Trekfranchise has made him a force to be reckoned with in sci-fi, and his performances as Captain Ed Mercer give him a rare live-action character.Seth MacFarlane has made several cameos in TV shows and movies, but often by making use of his immense voice-acting talents.Resident Aliencould explore this route and bring MacFarlane in to voice an extraterrestrial character, but I think an in-person cameo would align better with his status as a star inThe Orville. It also goes without saying thatMacFarlane’s comedic stylings would blend perfectly withResident Alien’s.
8Nathan Fillion
Best known for: Firefly
Now, I’m aware thatNathan Fillion has already technically appeared inResident Alien, voicing an octopus named 42 in several episodes. Fillion’s casting as 42 created something of a mini-reunion, as Alan Tudyk was also a mainstay in theFireflycast. While Fillion did a great job voicing 42, I’m of the strong opinion that not having the actor himself appear onscreen was a massive waste.
Nathan Fillion deserves the chance to use his entire skill set, especially in a show that suits him as perfectly asResident Alien. While it could be argued that having him appear in person opposite his formerFireflyco-star could be distracting,Resident Alienoften makes use of heavy prosthetics. So, Fillion could play an alien character to keep everybody happy. Although, I’d be fine with him appearing without the makeup too.
7Kate Mulgrew
Another formerStar Trek: Voyagerstar, Mulgrew played Captain Kathryn Janeway throughout all seven seasons. SinceVoyagerended, she has managed to avoid being typecast as a sci-fi actor, although she has returned to the genre several times. Her varied acting history shows how flexible she can be. While I know her primarily as a dramatic actor,watching her as Janeway proves she’s no stranger to breaking a scene’s tension with a well-timed joke. Although, Linda Hamilton’sResident Aliencharacter has already proven that not everyone inResident Alienshow has to be a barrel of laughs to be effective.
While science-fiction hasn’t been the focus of Mulgrew’s career, I was delighted when I saw her returning to the franchise for which she’s most known to voice an animated version of herVoyagercharacter inStar Trek: Prodigy. So, her willingness to take on sci-fi projects despite her varied career is a promising sign for my desire to see her make a cameo appearance inResident Alienseason 4.
6Karen Gillan
Best known for: Doctor Who, the MCU
Of the names on this list,Gillan would probably be the most difficult acquisition forResident Alien. She is still active in one of the biggest movie franchises on the planet, so withResident Alienseason 4 being rumored to have its budget cut, it’s possible her salary would be too high. That being said, she recently appeared in a TV miniseries calledDouglas is Cancelled, sothere is hope yet to see her star alongside Alan Tudyk in season 4.
Resident Alien Season 4 Already Set Up The Show’s Next Best Sci-Fi Guest Star
Resident Alien has already had several sci-fi stars appear in guest roles, but the show’s next big cameo could come from an unexpected place.
Karen Gillan’s role as Nebula in the MCU makes her almost unrecognizable, but I and many other fans of hers know what she really looks like from appearing as Amy Pond alongside Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor inDoctor Who. A few members of theResident Aliencast often zip between being heavily disguised and showing their true faces. Now thatGillan has proven her acting talents don’t diminish when she’s covered in prostheticsand makeup, this could increase her chances of being considered for aResident Alienseason 4.
5Arnold Schwarzenegger
Best known for: The Terminator
It felt very obvious to me from the season 3 finale thatResident Alienseason 4’s story will be a nod to 1984’sThe Terminator. With Terry Quinn back as the tricked-out Alien Tracker, the aesthetic similarities between his character and Schwarzenegger’s T-800 are impossible to deny. With Linda Hamilton already present among theResident Aliencast,I’d love to see Schwarzenegger brought on board to complete theTerminatorhomage.
Although he’s better known as an action hero, movies like 1990’sKindergarten Copand 1996’sJingle All the Wayprove theTerminatorstar doesn’t shy away from comedy projects either.
Although he’s better known as an action hero, movies like 1990’sKindergarten Copand 1996’sJingle All the Wayprove theTerminatorstar doesn’t shy away from comedy projects either.Resident Alienis at its best when both its comedic and dramatic elements are firing on all cylinders, soan actor like Schwarzenegger would slot in perfectlyanyway, regardless of whether the show chooses to double down on itsTerminatorreference in theResident Alienseason 3 finale.
4Billy Dee Williams
Best known for: Star Wars
Despite his place among the upper echelon of sci-fi royalty,Billy Dee Williams has still popped up in several movies and TV shows throughout his careerthat have no connection to his iconicStar Warsrole. This attitude of not taking himself too seriously is what would make him a perfect guest star onResident Alien, as well as the fact that his presence would definitely tick the box of having a sci-fi legend on board.
Unfortunately, Williams doesn’t have too many acting credits in recent years, so I may not get to see this play out.
I often think of Williams' cameo inScrubsseason 5, episode 10, “Her Story II,” and the fact that he was there at all was almost the entire joke, and yet he played the “part” well. I’d love to see what he could do in a more scripted cameo inResident Alien, and also while playing a thought-out character rather than just a version of himself. Unfortunately, Williams doesn’t have too many acting credits in recent years, so I may not get to see this play out.
3Claudia Black
Best known for: Farscape
Claudia Black’s most iconic role is Aeyrn Sunas part of theFarscapecast. Since the show ended in 2003, Black hasn’t shied away from the sci-fi genre. Not only have I seen her pop up in live-action sci-fi shows likeStargate SG-1andAhsoka, but my ears always prick up when I hear her voice in the countless other sci-fi TV shows and video games in which she’s starred.
Although Claudia Black tends to largely take voice roles more than in-person appearances in recent years, her occasional live-action characters prove she’s still more than capable of traditional acting.
Although Claudia Black tends to largely take voice roles more than in-person appearances in recent years, her occasional live-action characters prove she’s still more than capable of traditional acting.I think I’d love it even more ifResident Alienseason 4 didn’t just bring Black into the fold, but also Ben Browder - who played John Crichton opposite Black’s character throughoutFarscape. The duo make the jump to theStargateuniverse together, so I don’t see why it couldn’t happen again.
2Laurence Fishburne
Best known for: The Matrix
Fishburne is another actor who seems to have made a conscious effort not to be restricted to sci-fi stories. That being said, despite his eclectic filmography, I find it impossible to look at him and not think of his performance as Morpheus in theMatrixfranchise. The actor carries with him an effortless gravitas that could arguably make him a little too intense for a show likeResident Alien, but the show has proven to be very flexible with its tone.
Any character played by Fishburne inResident Alienwould surely be influenced by Morpheus in some way.
I would also find it fascinating to watch a traditionally serious actor like Fishburne share a scene with someone like Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle. Any character played by Fishburne inResident Alienwould surely be influenced by Morpheus in some way, andwatching him interact with an off-the-wall figure like Harry would be effortlessly hilariousfor the disparity alone.
1Katey Sagal
Best known for: Futurama
It can be very easy to forget that Katey Sagal is a long-serving sci-fi actor. Although her live-action roles steer clear of the genre, she’s been part of theFuturamacastas Turanga Leela since the show began in 1999.Futuramasits somewhere in the same category asResident Alienin that both can also don the label of absurdist comedy, soSagal is well-practiced in how to deliver lines in a show likeResident Alien.
Resident Alien’s Season 4 Villain Will Be Alan Tudyk’s Biggest Challenge Since The Sci-Fi Comedy Began
The bad guy introduced in the Resident Alien season 3 finale doesn’t just impact the story but also Tudyk’s role in the Syfy comedy show.
I’ve long been a fan of Katey Sagal’s acting outsideFuturama, but I’d love to see her in a live-action sci-fi show rather than just hearing her voice in the animated Matt Groening sitcom. While some viewers may not recognize Sagal as a sci-fi star at first glance in an episode ofResident Alien, the fact that she essentially lends her own, unaltered voice to Leela would send a few recognition circuits firing in the audience’s brains when she opens her mouth.
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.
