Asta's mother is just like me. She would abandon Asta in the Ice-Wind Desert and never think of her again, but Asta does not need to know that.
Harry Vanderspeigle thinking to himself, "Harry, a Parent"
Mary-Ellen Taylor is a character in the science fiction comedy television series Resident Alien. She is portrayed by Karina Logue.
Character overview[]
As a doctor... smoke more.
Harry Vanderspeigle to Mary-Ellen following her dismissive treatment of Asta, Harry, a Parent
Asta holding an envelope bearing the address of Mary-Ellen Taylor
Mary-Ellen Taylor is the biological mother of Asta Twelvetrees of Patience, Colorado. She abandoned Asta to Dan Twelvetrees when she was still an infant, feeling that she never actually wanted to get a child. Years later, Asta would discover a letter that Dan attempted to send to Mary-Ellen with a picture of her as a young girl. The envelope bearing the letter was returned to Dan with the message in red ink "NOT at this address! RETURN TO SENDER." Asta was upset with Dan for never having shown it to her, but he did not wish to get her hopes up. Despite this, since Asta was heading to the area of the address on the letter anyway, along with her friend Harry Vanderspeigle, she decided to pay the address a visit on the off-chance her mother might still be living there.
The two of them proceeded to the address on the envelope, 2307 Camino De Tio Alberto, El Prado, NM 87529-6016. There, they discover to Asta's delight that Mary-Ellen Taylor is still living there. Mary-Ellen, however, turns out to be a deplorable woman. Living in squalor and chain-smoking, she barely gives Asta the time of day, telling her that she abandoned her to Dan because she never wanted to be a mother and was never suited to be one. She takes a phone call in the presence of Asta and Harry and is generally dismissive of them. Harry thinks to himself that Mary-Ellen is like him as an alien, as she would abandon Asta to the Ice-Wind Desert without a second thought.
Some months later, Mary-Ellen comes to pay Asta a visit in Patience. She apologizes for how she was before, telling Asta that she was in a bad place at the time. She asks if she wants to know about her family and her history, saying that they could grab some food and talk. However, when they meet at the 59, it quickly becomes clear that what Mary-Ellen really wants is money. She claims to have put together a folder with information about Asta's family, but in exchange she wants $750, ostensibly as compensation for the time spent tracking it all down and making the trip to Patience.
Despite her disgust over the situation, Asta is tempted to pay, even over the objections of her cousin Kayla, who warns her that if she does, Mary-Ellen will just keep coming back to her for more money. She presents Mary-Ellen with a check for $750 and then takes the file folder. She asks if there is any information within it about her father, but Mary-Ellen tells her that she didn't really keep in touch with that side of the family. Asta asks if she could perhaps at least have her father's name. Mary-Ellen tells her that her father left behind a desk, suggesting that she could write down her name and place it in there. "And sell it to me?" asks Asta, realizing where things are going. She then takes back the check and shoves the file folder back over. Mary-Ellen objects, saying that she thought she wanted to know where she came from, but Asta replies that she already does. Mary-Ellen then takes one last shot at her, trying to claim that the two of them are the same because of Asta having given up Jay for adoption, before leaving.
Trivia[]
- The address on the envelope, 2307 Camino De Tio Alberto, El Prado, NM is a real address. However, the zip code provided, 87529-6016, actually returns to either 1316 or 1318 Camino De Tio Alberto.
- According to Resident Alien showrunner Chris Sheridan, Harry's line to Mary-Ellen Taylor, "As a doctor... smoke more," was ad-libbed by Harry Vanderspeigle's actor Alan Tudyk.[1]
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