Abigail Hodges

**Abigail Hodges** is a character in the science fiction comedy television series *Resident Alien*. She is portrayed by Deborah Finkel.

## Character overview

Abigail Hodges is the widow of Sam Hodges, whose murder becomes a major mystery in the town of Patience, Colorado. Due to people passing the buck, she is not informed of her husband's death and only learns of it when she walks in on Harry Vanderspeigle, an alien assuming a human identity, who had just finished conducting the autopsy. She works at the local beauty salon. She is later implicated in her husband's murder, but is apparently a victim of circumstance or even a possibly a frame-up, the real killer being the real Harry Vanderspeigle at the direction of the Galvan/Powell Group.

## Plot summary

Abigail Hodges is arrested for her husband's murder after it is discovered that her diabetic husband's insulin was poisoned with Botulinum toxin, which is used in cosmetic treatments at the salon where she weeks. Sheriff Thompson discovers that she has been having an affair with another man, Thomas Hoffman, weeks before her husband's death. In actuality, however, it was the human Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle who poisoned Dr. Hodges's insulin for unknown reasons.

Sheriff Mike Thompson and Deputy Liv Baker eventually correctly track Harry Vanderspeigle as the correct killer of Sam Hodges, largely due to the keen detective insights of Baker. They pay a visit to Vanderspeigle's cabin, not realizing that Vanderspeigle has been killed and replaced by the alien. Thompson discovers a cooler of Botulinum toxin stored under a loose floorboard and declares Vanderspeigle to be under arrest. Vanderspeigle, however, uses his alien powers to evade arrest and then erases the memories of both Thompson and Baker, replacing them with a fictitious memory of then having met an Agent Fisher with the FBI, who tells them that the FBI is taking over the case and that Vanderspeigle is not the killer. Afterwards, Asta Twelvetrees, who knows the alien's secret, remains worried about Abigail Hodges, who remains in jail, but is pleased to learn that there likely is not enough evidence to convict her.

As there is not enough evidence to keep holding her, Abigail is released from prison. She is present at Patience's Family Day celebration, where she hosts a face-painting booth. Mayor Ben Hawthorne is stunned by her presence, calling her a murderer and saying that her paintbrush is a deadly weapon. Kayla, however, reminds him that she's innocent until proven guilty. Upon seeing her, Asta Twelvetrees goes over to the booth. Although Abigail looks worried at first, Asta immediately tells her that she knows she didn't kill her husband. Hearing this, Abigail tells her that she has no idea how much that means to her. Asta then surprises her by handing her a ticket. She asks her "bird or butterfly," but Abigail tells her that she was thinking of more like a Ziggy Stardust kind of thin, so Abigail paints the band's logo on her face.

Sheriff Mike and Deputy Liv encounter Abigail as she is hosting a yard sale, trying to sell off some of her husband's old possessions. It turns out that they have been called by a neighbor, who is upset with what she's doing and declares it to be a "murder sale." Sheriff Mike tells off the neighbor for wasting police time, telling him that Abigail is currently awaiting trial on the crime she is accused of and has every right to hold a yard sale. Abigail thanks him and he tells her that he's just an impartial administrator of the law.

Abigail tells him that she's probably going to just box everything up to take to charity, that nobody wants to buy stuff from a murderer. He tells her to hold on and tries to buy a hat from her, only for her to change her mind and say she can't sell it because it reminds her too much of Sam. He then offers her $50 for a set of mystery novels that Sam had previously tried to give him, but she tells him not to pay, that if Sam wanted him to have them, then he should. He thanks her. Back at the sheriff's car, he asks Deputy Liv if Abigail really seems like a woman who killed her husband to her. Liv agrees that she doesn't and he agrees in kind that it looks like grief to him, that somebody who kills her husband doesn't hang on to a hat to remember him by.

After investigating further, Sheriff Mike and Deputy Liv discover that Harry was actually murdered by a man named Tanner Corrington of the Galvan/Powell Group, who were attempting to hide the fact that the water in Patience's Hawthorne Creek was poisoned by a shell company held by them. Abigail asks Mike how he's going to get justice for Sam and he tells her that Patience's involvement in the case has ended, that it's being kicked up to the FBI. He laments being kicked off the investigation and she comments sarcastically that she's sorry he's not going to get any credit. He then offers her a "limited edition Patience County Sheriff's Department baseball cap," telling her it's been worn by a sheriff and this makes it more special. Liv comments that she doesn't have to take it and she asks if she's really supposed to want a baseball cap when she was arrested and lost her home. Mike tells her he was trying to help but Liv says he probably should have just said sorry, pointing out that she had given him the hat last Christmas.

## Quotes

"*Well, if he committed suicide, his insurance claim would be null and void. So I'm counting on you, Doctor, to do the right thing. You know, you could use a haircut. Why don't you come down to the salon? I'll cut it for you.*"

"*I cut my own hair.*"

"*I see that.*"

"*What was that about?*"

"*She's pro-murder.*"

- Abigail Hodges regarding Dr. Sam Hodges, Harry Vanderspeigle and Asta Twelvetrees

"*You see, I went through your phone records and I found repeated calls, and I mean a shit ton of them, to one number. You know who it belonged to? Thomas Hoffman.*"

"*Okay, fine. We are casually seeing each other. But are you going to arrest me for having a social life? Can't a widow move on?*"

- Sheriff Mike Thompson and Abigail Hodges, "Welcome Aliens"

"*I know you didn't kill Sam.*"

"*Oh. You have no idea how much that means to me.*"

- Asta Twelvetrees and Abigail Hodges, "Family Day"

"*A baseball cap? I was arrested and I lost my home.*"

- Abigail, expressing disgust at Sheriff Mike Thompson attempting to placate her with a baseball cap, "The Alien Within"