How Streaming Saved Resident Alien from Cancellation and Brought It Back for Season 4

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Resident Alien is a series that seems tailor-made for a dedicated fanbase. Originating from the Dark Horse Comics series by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, this show brings a witty, occasionally endearing twist to its original, more tranquil content. The talented Alan Tudyk delivers an eccentric portrayal of an alien disguised as a doctor in a quaint Colorado town, striving to fit in.

Initially, “Resident Alen” was broadcast on Syfy, achieving a level of success that led to two renewals, resulting in three seasons from 2021 to 2024. However, the network appeared to lose confidence in the series during the third season, reducing the episode count from 12 to eight. When it came to deciding on a fourth season, Syfy hesitated, giving the impression that the show might be getting canceled. Fortunately, some behind-the-scenes maneuvers enabled the series to carry on, and a fourth season is now in production. In other words, “Resident Alien” managed to avoid the fate shared by many other shows due to a clever rearrangement of creative elements.

NBCUniversal’s Network Hopping

Initially, it appeared that Syfy wouldn’t renew Resident Alien for a fourth season. In response, NBCUniversal, their parent company, decided to transfer the series to one of their related networks, USA Network. Historically, USA Network was a significant force in cable scripted series; however, its focus has changed over time, with a recent shift away from such programming. Currently, USA Network doesn’t have any running scripted shows following the cancellation of the jointly-broadcast Chucky series. It remains to be seen how Resident Alien will perform on its new platform, but it seems to be part of an effort to revive scripted content on the network once more.

Following the popularity of some of USA Network’s classic shows on streaming platforms, reports from outlets like Deadline indicate that the network is aiming to recapture the success it enjoyed during its “Blue Sky” period. This era produced popular and enduring cable procedurals such as Monk, Burn Notice, Suits, Psych, and Royal Pains. Notably, Suits performed exceptionally well on Netflix, prompting NBCU to finance the spin-off series Suits LA, although it didn’t achieve the same level of success. It appears that the longevity of Resident Alien might also be due to a similar boost from streaming.

In February 2024, Netflix began airing the first two seasons of the show, right before the release of Season 3. This timing allowed the series to find a new group of viewers who hadn’t watched it when it originally aired on cable. At that point, Season 3 was already produced. However, the surge in streaming views likely influenced NBCU’s decision to transfer the show to a different network instead of ending it. Essentially, having multiple TV networks under a few large media corporations provided them with this advantage.

The Decline of Linear Cable

The relocation of “Resident Alien” to a different broadcast network is yet another indication of the challenges that linear cable channels have been encountering for quite some time, as conventional cable subscriptions decrease annually and competition from streaming services intensifies. This shift unquestionably provides a reprieve for the show, but it also underscores how many cable networks have been gradually losing their unique identities in recent years, transforming into mere resources to be utilized by an ever-shrinking number of consolidating media conglomerates. In the past, Syfy and USA Network had distinctive characters, but over the years, they, along with numerous other networks, have largely been stripped of their original content.

Although the total number of cable subscribers has decreased, many individuals continue to watch TV in the conventional manner through cable subscriptions, making it financially beneficial for companies like NBCU to preserve the worth of their networks. The current television scene is quite distinct from USA Network’s “Blue Sky” era, a time when there were significantly fewer cord-cutters and more revenue to be generated from basic cable.

Nevertheless, it’s evident that there remains a significant audience for the lighthearted and engaging content USA Network is recognized for. It’s only hopeful that their efforts to revisit those prosperous times will prove successful. Additionally, this strategy appears shrewd on NBCU’s part, as these series, similar to Resident Alien, are expected to debut directly on Peacock following their cable broadcasts, thereby preserving the valuable streaming rights within the company.

The show “Resident Alien” is an engaging and captivating series that should continue airing, and moving to a new network could potentially prolong its existence. Its future largely hinges on the success of USA Network and whether NBCU considers it worthwhile to keep producing. The television industry is undergoing significant transformation as traditional viewing habits evolve while still maintaining some enduring appeal (streaming services are even adopting weekly releases). Here’s hoping shows like “Resident Alien” and the upcoming adaptation of John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker” will mark a resurgence for USA Network, but in this modern TV landscape, anything could happen.

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2025-05-15 02:02