Murphy

> Humans are obsessed with pets. If I give Liza this slobbering lump of fur she will become so distracted taking care of the dog that I won't have to take care of her.
>
> Harry Vanderspeigle, thinking to himself, "Family Day"

**Murphy** is a character on the Syfy series *Resident Alien*. She is portrayed by a dog named Cinnamon.

## Character overview

Murphy is a dog walked by the young girl Sahar as part of a dogwalking business. She becomes the center of a conflict between Harry Vanderspeigle and Sahar when Harry kidnaps the dog to use as leverage against her.

## Appearance

Murphy is a small dog, possibly a mutt that is part terrier. She has light brown fur and brown eyes.

## Plot summary

> I'm at least more family than that dumb land seal sitting next to you.*"
> "*Do not talk badly about this beast. When I give him treats, he is happy!*"*
>
> *42 and Harry Vanderspeigle, "An Alien in New York"*

Murphy is one of several dogs regularly walked by Sahar as part of a rather successful dogwalking business in the city of Patience, Colorado. One day, Sahar is out walking Murphy along with her friend, Max Hawthorne, and the two decide to stop at Joe's Diner to get ice cream cones. Sahar leaves Murphy chained to a post outside, but upon returning she and Max find the dog gone and a note in her place: "If you ever want to see your dog again, return my alien ball. -Alien." The alien Harry Vanderspeigle has taken Murphy, angry at Sahar for having hidden his "alien ball," a metal ball with unusual properties that was formed from his spaceship that crashed on Earth.

Max laughs at the note, saying that they win again as Murphy isn't even Sahar's dog. Sahar, however, tells him that they *didn't* win, that Murphy is her responsibility and that a dognapping will ruin her business. She takes Max with her to the trailer where she has hidden the alien ball, but is shocked to discover it gone, as it has been stolen by the government agent David Logan. Meanwhile, Harry Vanderspeigle takes Murphy home to his cabin and presents her to Liza Vanderspeigle, the teenage daughter of the deceased human Harry Vanderspeigle he is impersonating who has unexpectedly entered his life. He hopes that by giving her the dog she will be so distracted that he won't have to take care of her. Liza, however, just laughs off the gift, asking what she's going to do with a dog and if he forgot that her mother is allergic. Harry is then left to take care of the dog by himself.

Sahar eventually pays a visit to Harry's cabin, hoping to get the dog back. Harry, panicking, hides Murphy in the same room where is keeping the octopus 42, over the octopus's protests. He confronts Sahar, telling her that it is a home invasion, even though he left the door unlocked. He says that he sees she has agreed to his terms, but she tells him about the ball being stolen. She then says she'll take the dog. He tells her that she will not have the dog, only for the dog to appear behind Harry, 42 in his mouth. As Harry tells Sahar she should be afraid of what he will do to her, 42 shouts for him to turn around. He does so and races over to 42, freeing him from Murphy's grasp. Murphy then runs over to Sahar and the two watch as Harry attempts to save 42 from death, but is unsuccessful.

Sahar is later out walking Murphy when she discovers the humalien, a human/alien baby hatched from an egg who has assumed the form of a boy named Bobby Smallwood.

## Trivia

* Murphy is referred to as a female dog despite having the seemingly male name "Murphy." In "An Alien in New York," Harry Vanderspeigle refers to the dog as "he," however, he may simply be unaware of the dog's gender. Members of Harry Vanderspeigle's species do not have genders in their alien form, possibly accounting for Harry's confusion.

## References

1. ↑ YouTube - Behind the Scenes of Episode 6: Aliens Hate NYC, Resident Alien (S2 E6), SYFY