It’s a close encounter of the canceled kind.
Syfy and USA Network have pulled the plug on “Resident Alien” just ahead of its Season 4 finale, series creator and showrunner Chris Sheridan revealed to TV Insider on Thursday.
The sci-fi comedy follows an alien disguised as a small-town doctor trying to navigate human life while hiding his true identity. It is currently airing its fourth season, which premiered on June 6 and is set to conclude on August 8.
While the cancellation may come as a shock to the show’s most devoted fans, Sheridan, 57, admitted he wasn’t entirely caught off guard.
“I knew going into it that this was likely going to be our final season,” he told the outlet.
In fact, Sheridan said that knowing the show was headed for cancellation actually allowed him to work toward tying things up nicely for viewers.
“Creatively, that was exciting because I knew we could spend the time wrapping up some storylines and driving toward an ending,” he said. “I’m so proud of how good Season 4 is and especially proud that we were able to finish as strongly as we did.”
Sheridan added that the Season 4 finale, now serving as the series finale, is “probably [his] favorite episode of the series.”
“Resident Alien,” based on Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse’s comic book of the same title, stars Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko and Corey Reynolds — each of whom took to social media to react to the news.
Tudyk, 54, who plays the titular alien in human form, Harry Vanderspeigle, wrote on Threads: “It was a hell of a fun playground to play in. Laughter through the tears:))).”
Tomko, who portrays Asta Twelvetrees, a nurse in the show’s fictional town of Patience, Colorado, shared on Instagram that “it will take time for [her] to process and digest this fully.”
The “Once Upon a Time” actress, 41, posted a carousel of photos with her castmates from the set, noting that she “will definitely be sharing BTS photos of [their] many years together in time.”
“For now, I can say with a full heart that this show changed my life completely,” Tomko’s caption read. “Every season we were told how lucky we were to still have a job, and I can say with full certainty that luck had nothing to do with it because this cast, our chemistry, our crew, our circumstances, our strength was always held up by an incredible team of writers, producers and our ever-growing fans whose unwavering loyalty kept us enduring.”
“I will never forget this time in my life nor the effect this show had on all of us,” she added. “Thank you for your love and support.”
Similarly, Reynolds, who takes on the role of Sheriff Mike Thompson, the town’s sheriff, called “Resident Alien” the “best job [he’s] ever had,” offering a special thank you to fans: “The feeling was absolutely mutual 👽🤠😥.”
In his post on Threads, the “All American” actor, 51, described the cancellation as “a disappointing turn of events.”
“Frankly, I would’ve been happy playing Sheriff Mike “Big Black” Thompson for the rest of my life 🤠,” he wrote. “But, if there is an upside here, it’s that we were somewhat prepared for this, so you, the fans, will still get a completely story. A beginning. A middle. And an end.”
Both Tomko and Reynolds wrapped up their posts by teasing that the final three episodes will deliver.
“We have three episodes left, and what an incredible ride it has been,” Tomko said. “Join us as we make our way to the grand finale.”
Reynolds, for his part, wrote: “We’ve still got 3 episodes to go, and they are f—ing great!! So, onward we will go 👽 friends… 🫶🏾🫵🏾.”
Sheridan agreed, telling TV Insider that the finale “gives ‘Resident Alien’ a very satisfying ending while also leaving the door cracked open for any future this world may have.”
“I can’t wait for everyone to see it,” he concluded.
The series finale is set to premiere on USA Network at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, August 8.
