The Ghost of Bobby Smallwood is the twentieth episode of the science fiction comedy television series Resident Alien and the tenth episode of the second season. It aired on August 17, 2022.
Synopsis[]
Asta helps Harry learn how to deal with his newfound fear of death.
Plot[]
Bobby Smallwood[]
It is 81 years ago in Patience, Colorado. A young girl complains to her brother that she's tired and wants to go home, but he shushes her, saying that their mother told them not to come home until they had fetched dinner. He rushes off and she shouts for him to wait, but he charges ahead, into a mineshaft with a sign warning that it is unstable, chasing a rabbit. The girl shouts for him and it shifts to evening, where now an entire group of individuals are desperately calling his name.
Happy Asta[]
Harry Vanderspeigle exits his bedroom, hearing to his annoyance, someone within his house. At first he is worried that it might be Max Hawthorne or Sahar, but is delighted when it instead turns out to be Asta Twelvetrees, who is in a very chipper mood and has made him breakfast. She tells him that she thinks they should check on the alien egg, not knowing that it has already hatched with the baby on the loose because Harry erased her memory. He tells her that the egg is fine and safely in the bunker. He then tells her that he has more good news, that Goliath passed on a message to him and that his people are no longer coming to kill everyone. She calls it the best news she's heard in her life, him leaving out the fact that Goliath also mentioned that there is another alien race on Earth that is planning to do the same thing.
Harry then presents the results of his falsified autopsy on Tanner Corrington to Sheriff Mike Thompson, Deputy Liv Baker, Mayor Ben Hawthorne and Detective Lena Torres. Lena seems skeptical of certain of Harry's claims, calling them "wild speculation." Mike, however, is more than happy, saying that a Patience shooter means a Patience murder. They bicker, but ultimately Lena tells Harry that it all seems very thorough, agreeing that they're partners on this. Back with the body, Harry thinks to himself that he wants it gone, that every time he looks at it he is reminded of the bullet that hit him. He pulls down the cover and has a vision of his alien self. Ellen Cho enters, calling him out for screaming like a little girl. She tells him that Gerard Hundemer needs a house call for pain medication. She has him sign a form to release the body and he happily does so.
He goes into another room and encounters D'arcy Bloom. She asks if Asta is around and he tells her that he hasn't seen her. He tells her that Asta has the day off, asking her to not mention the murder if she does see her. She asks what it was that made somebody want to kill him, saying that if he's dragged Asta into something that might hurt her then she may just have to kill him herself. A man then rushes in with a badly bloodied hand, saying that something bit him. He says that people will think he's a crazy, but that it's a chupacabra and it attacked his cows. Harry realizes that it was actually the alien baby and that with the many having so many cows, it will go back for more.
A public conversation[]
D'arcy and Kate Hawthorne run into each other outside the gym. They discuss what happened at the party. Kate apologizes for what she had said, saying that she knows that she and Ben have things they need to work out. She says that she's been in town a long time yet still doesn't really know anyone, so it was fun when they started hanging out. They agree to bury the hatchet. Meanwhile, Harry visits the man's barn, searching for the alien baby while also partaking of some milk himself. He thinks to himself that he must wait there as long as it takes for the baby to come back. He hears the man shouting at the baby that he's going to teach it a lesson and chases after it as it scuttles away.
Mayor Ben enters Sheriff Mike's office, telling him that he has good news: the resort company has officially put in an offer on the Grady land. He, pleads, however, that if people hear that there's another murder in Patience they may withdraw their offer. He suggests that they let Jessup take the reins on the investigation, but Mike won't hear of it. Ben pleads with him to just think about it, saying that he really needs for something to go right. Mike says that they're now getting to what this is really about, that he's having trouble at home. He tells him that he has to face life head on and Ben replies that sometimes it's just hard to talk to Kate. He then suggests that he and Kate have a conversation in a public place, so that she won't murder him.
Harry tracks the alien baby to the abandoned mineshaft. He stops, however, at the point of following him in, scared, and staring at the plaque staging that "59 died to save one." He wonders what is happening to him, thinking that it is the fear of death and he is not ready to die. He runs away.
Because you were sad[]
Judy Cooper enters the 59 and chats with D'arcy for a bit. Asta then enters. D'arcy complains that she hasn't been able to reach her all day and she explains that Harry gave her the day off and so she ditched her phone and went hiking. She asks D'arcy how her date went and D'arcy is confused, saying that they just discussed it last night. She tells D'arcy she has a good feeling about Elliot, but at the same time has a brief flash of the shooting. Sheriff Mike and Deputy Liv investigate a report of an abandoned boat, which was rented by some out-of-towners. Detective Lena Torres shows up, asking why they didn't call her. Sheriff Mike asks if he's supposed to fill her in on all his cases now and she points out a nearby truck, explaining that it matches the description of the truck that Tanner Corrington entered the night he was killed and it has New Jersey plates.
Outside the 59, Asta is approached by an angry Jay. "You couldn't do it, do you?" she asks Asta, upset with Asta about not attending her birthday dinner and not realizing that Harry erased Asta's memory of promising to meet her there. She tells her that she waited two hours for her to pick her up, but Asta is just confused. "Are you kidding me right now?" asks Jay, walking away angry. Realizing something of what must be going on, Asta finds Harry in his office, asking just what he did. "I only glued the yogurt to the shelf because somebody keeps stealing it." She, however, says that he erased her memory and he tells her he only did because she asked him to. She asked why he would erase her memory of Jay asking her to take her out for her birthday and he says she was sad and she wanted him to take it away. "Why was I sad?" she asks him.
Harry takes her into his mind-space, showing her what happened. "I killed him," she realizes. He tells her that she did it to save him. "But I killed a human being," she replies. He tells her that this is why he erased her memory. Meanwhile, Detective Torres arrives at the Patience sheriff's office. She reports that both of the men from the van served time and have ties with the mob. She tells him that she pulled in some favors for her time with the NYPD. He says that she didn't mention she used to work in New York, telling her he was once in D.C. himself. "Look at us. A couple of big city cops playing in a tiny town," they realize. They trade some names of people they both knew and finally seem to come to an understanding, though Liv makes sounds of a lovebird.
Back in the Clinic, Harry asks Asta why she's still angry with him, given that he gave her memories back. He says that they are the same, that they are both murderers and should start a club. Asta tells him that he can't just go erasing people's memories willy-nilly. He points out the hypocrisy of this, given the erasure of Sheriff Mike and Deputy Liv's memories, but she tells him the grief was hers to deal with. He says she was happy, that he even saw her teeth, but she replies that life is not all happiness. He says that he smiles when he thinks about Season 5 of Law and Order. She asks if he doesn't feel anything about having almost died and when he claims that he doesn't, she realizes that he is in denial. She tells him that he may not plan on dealing with his feelings, but she does plan on dealing with hers.
Bobby Smallwood's "ghost"[]
Sahar is out walking the dog Murphy when she notices a boy, Bobby Smallwood, out wandering about, looking lost. "Bobby?" asks an old woman, Dr. Smallwood, in wonder. "Grandma, Bobby went missing 80 years ago." "I know my own brother," says the woman, approaching "Bobby," but the boy hisses and runs away. Sahar has a flashback and comes to a realization: the boy must be the alien baby, having taken a human form. She races after him.
D'arcy is out walking with Elliot, her new boyfriend. He shows her something of his work: that he is part of an agency that is working at a dig-site, preserving and cataloging Native American artifacts. He tells her that studying the artifacts makes him feel connected with something that he thought was gone forever. She tells him that she thinks it's incredible that he's doing something important with his life. She says that she used to think she could do anything before her accident and he tells her that we are who are because of our history, not in spite of it. She says it doesn't make it right, but he continues that it doesn't mean we're stuck either. He tells her he's getting her unstuck and has her drive the tractor used for the dig. They then share a passionate kiss inside.
At Joe's Diner, Ben tries to talk with Kate, but says that it's hard. She asks if he's afraid to tell her something and he says that he thinks maybe he's afraid to tell her anything. She says that's horrible, asking if he understands how that makes her feel and if he brought her there for public protection. He tells her that it's not just her, that he's afraid of everything and she happens to be a thing he loves very much. She says it's probably the most he's said to her in a long time and that she's not hungry anymore, that she's going to meet him at home.
Sheriff Mike shows Judy pictures of the two suspects, asking if she recognizes either. She agrees that she recognizes both. Lena then tries to ask a question, but Judy, still wanting to flirt with Mike, makes him ask the question instead. As Liv comes in, Lena leaves, saying that she's going to go fill in my team. Liv then teases Mike some more about his budding romance. Lena then returns, saying that they're heading to Jessup, as her team found medical records stashed in the vehicle belonging to Sam Hodges.
Strength through the hard stuff[]
At the Hawthornes', Ben pleads with Kate to not be mad. She tells him that it's not and that it's not just him. They agree that it didn't used to be this way, that there was a time when they could just get on the phone and talk about nothing. They wonder if this is just the way they are now, with a kid and a baby on the way. Ben then gets up and calls Kate's cell phone. He asks her what's up and what the weather is like where she is. She asks just what he's doing and he tells her that he couldn't stop thinking about her ever since he saw in the living room. They end up chatting for hours.
In the morning, D'arcy wakes up to find herself in bed next to Elliot. She grimaces and makes ready to leave, but something stops her. She puts down her stuff and lies back down with Elliot, who cuddles her. Meanwhile, Max arrives at the secret government RV and knocks on the door. Sahar opens it and he asks her where she's been, that he kept calling her on his walkie-talkie. "I lost it," she tells him and he points out that it's sitting right on the kitchen counter. He asks what's going on, seeing Bobby's feet. She tells him that she didn't want to show him, but she has no choice. She shows him a newspaper article about Bobby Smallwood's disappearance, saying that she found him. "You found a zombie?" asks Max, incredulous, but she pulls aside a curtain to reveal the humalien, whom, of course, Max can see in its alien form. He asks her why she didn't tell him about this and she calls him Harry's puppet, saying that he'll just tell Harry. She says that Harry is raising alien babies to be evil but she's going to thwart his plan by teaching this baby to be good.
Asta finds Harry at Joe's Diner, plates filled with food in front him. She asks him if he ordered all the comfort food on the menu. She tells him he's just using food to make himself feel better about his fear of death. "It works for humans," he argues, apologizing for having erased her memory and not letting her feel her own pain. She tells him that life his hard which is why you have to deal with the hard stuff, like the alien baby she remembers is now on the loose. She tells him that hard stuff will make him stronger like it has for her, and he has to figure that out.
Harry is with the old man, Gerard Hundemer, in his home. Gerard tells him that every morning his wife Elaine would make him tea and that he's glad she's gone because she would hate to see him in so much pain. Harry tells him he will soon not be in any pain when he is dead and Gerard agrees that it will be nice to see his wife again. "Will she be waiting for you in hell?" asks Harry. Gerard replies that he hopes it's in heaven and Harry says that he gets fairy tales mixed up.
Harry tells Gerard that he is afraid of death. Gerard says that he shouldn't be. Harry asks him how he can not be, that he will be dead soon. Gerard replies that things got better for him when he found he was dying, that it reminded him that life isn't forever and he began to appreciate every moment. Harry agrees that this is like when there is only one slice of pie left, that it tastes better. "Exactly," replies Gerard. "Thank you for doing this for me," Gerard tells Harry, as Harry gives him a lethal injection. "Killing you... is not running away," says Harry. "Goodbye, Gerard," he tells him. "What is it like?" he whispers to Gerard, who has already slipped away.
Sitting alone at the Clinic, Asta writes a letter to Jay. "How can it be 18 years since I held your little body close to mine? I'm sorry for the way you found out I was your mother, but I'm also grateful it happened no matter how hard it was because now you know. And sometimes the hardest things in life create light and hope and take you one step closer to happiness. Happy birthday, my beautiful Jay. I love you more than anything. Your mom." She takes the letter, seals it in an envelope and places it within a box already containing 17 envelopes, one for each of Jay's other birthdays.
Cast and characters[]
Starring:
- Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle
- Sara Tomko as Asta Twelvetrees
- Corey Reynolds as Sheriff Mike Thompson
- Alice Wetterlund as D'arcy Bloom
- Levi Fiehler as Mayor Ben Hawthorne
- Elizabeth Bowen as Deputy Liv Baker
- Judah Prehn as Max Hawthorne
Guest starring:
- Special Guest Star Linda Hamilton as General McCallister
- Meredith Garretson as Kate Hawthorne
- Nicola Correia-Damude as Detective Lena Torres
- Gracelyn Awad Rinke as Sahar
- Jenna Lamia as Judy Cooper
- Diana Bang as Ellen Cho
- Justin Rain as Elliot
- Robert Moloney as Tanner Corrington (flashbacks)
- Kesler Talbot as Bobby Smallwood / Humalien in Smallwood's form
Co-starring:
- Kaylayla Raine as Jay
- Eleanor Walker as Dr. Smallwood
- John Innes as Gerard Hundemer
- Aggie Bell as Suzy Smallwood
- William MacDonald as Farmer
- Gerry South as Boat Rental Manager
- Hailey English as Brenda
- Teagan Vincze as Waitress
- Sara Bynde as Young Woman
Trivia[]
- The previouslies for the episode include a scene from "Homesick" in the first season of Harry telling Gerard Hundemer to celebrate Christmas before June in order to re-establish the character, who had not been seen since the first season.
Quotes[]
"We're safe!"
"No, the Earth is doomed. But at least I do not have to clean crying snot off of your face."
- Asta Twelvetrees and Harry Vanderspeigle, thinking to himself
"80 years ago, a boy went missing in Patience. I found him."
"You found a zombie?!"
- Sahar and Max
Gallery[]
Still images[]
Videos[]
External links[]
The Ghost of Bobby Smallwood on the Internet Movie Database- Transcript @ TV Show Transcripts
- Transcript @ Forever Dreaming
