Family Day

**Family Day** is the fifteenth episode of the science fiction comedy television series *Resident Alien* and the fifth episode of the second season. It premiered on February 23, 2022.

## Synopsis

Harry and Asta's trip is interrupted by an uninvited relative as the town celebrates
family.

## Plot

### The partner

It is 5 years ago in Washington D.C. A man is fleeing a police car on foot. He reaches a building and starts climbing the stairs. Mike Thompson emerges from the vehicle. He tells another office to go after the suspect and flush him out, while he covers the other side. "I got it," agrees the other officer. As Mike moves to take the other side, he hears the partner shout for the man to drop the weapon. There is a sound of gunshot. "Shit," he realizes, hiding behind the stairs. He radios dispatch, telling them that he has shots fired and needs backup. "Jesse!" he shouts, drawing his gun. He proceeds up the stairs and gets a horrified look as more patrol cars arrive.

Mike is a now a grizzled man with a beard and mustache, sitting at home with beer on a couch. He takes a sip, haunted by the incident, and there is a knock at the door. The man on the other side shouts that he knows he's in there. Mike opens the door, revealing a man holding a dog, Cletus. He tells the man, Bill, he can't do it, but Bill tells him that Jesse is the only one he would have trusted with him. He hands Mike the dog, telling him to take care of himself. Mike thanks him and closes the door. "Welcome to your new home," he tells the dog.

Harry sits atop a mountain, thinking that he's 1,900 miles from New York City and one of his own kind. He thinks that he's different now, that Asta knows the new version of him, but there's somebody out there who knows the real him. He holds up a paper with a phone number - 212-067-0142. He wonders why he can't bring himself to dial the number. Elsewhere, Asta wakes up, finding herself at Jimmy's place. He greets her with a mug of coffee or tea, saying it was nice to talk with her the night before, that it felt like old times. She gets up, sighing wearily, and he asks why she's upset, saying that nothing happened, that the only talked about Jay. She says she shouldn't have come and leaves, despite his protests that she doesn't have to go.

Deputy Liv Baker greets Sheriff Thompson, saying it was nice seeing him at the restaurant the night before. To this, he only grunts. She says that he left pretty quickly and says that it's no big deal if he ever wants to talk to her. He thanks her, saying that he'd like to know what she's been scribbling in her notebook, if she's doing another solo investigation. She asks if she remembers her dress from the dry cleaners, and he asks she means the one she talks about like a government conspiracy. She tells him that it's weird, that the whole day is a blank. She asks if he remembers and he admits that he can't, but he can't remember what he had for breakfast either.

### The father

Just then, Liv spots something out the window and directs Mike's attention. A girl is outside with a bike. "That's Ms. Taylor's bike!" realizes Mike. "Hell nah!" he shouts, racing outside and chasing after her on foot. He shouts that he can outrun it. Meanwhile, Asta is at the clinic. She shouts for Nurse Ellen, who seems oddly evasive, but when Asta asks if she can cover for her, she readily agrees. After Asta has left, Ellen pulls aside a curtain to reveal D'Arcy Bloom, who is nursing an ice-pack on her forehead. "Close call," comments D'Arcy and Ellen says it's almost as close as she came to having her eye poked out by a tree. D'Arcy notes that she had just had dinner with her parents. Ellen tells her that as a medical professional, she thinks she should drink a little less. But as a single woman living in this dead town, she suggests inviting her out next time.

At Harry's cabin, Asta asks Harry what he means about getting a phone number from an alien. She asks what the alien said. He admits that he didn't call. He says it might be a trap. The octopus 42 tells him it's not, but he counters that if 42 worried more about traps he'd still be in the ocean. Asta asks if 42 has to keep being in her head. 42 says that Harry is worried he will be rejected for being too human. "That is a lie!" shouts Harry. He threatens to withhold food from 42. Asta tells him they don't have any other leads and she'll call the phone number if he won't. Harry calls the number and asks to talk to "the alien." He, of course, gets hung up on.

Asta pulls out her own phone and looks it up as a pizzeria in New York. She tells him to pack his bags, that they're going to New York. He thinks too himself that he is too human to go to New York. "I heard that!" shouts 42. Harry tells him to get out of his head. His phone rings and Asta tells him to answer it, that it might be them. It is not, however. It's Sheriff Mike Thompson. The scene changes and Harry and Asta arrive at the station. Sheriff Mike and Deputy Liv are there with the girl who was stealing the bike. "Hi, Dad!" says the girl. Harry gulps and backs into the elevator they came on.

Back at the station, Harry considers the girl, thinking that she does look like him. Sheriff Mike explains that he thought she was a hippie, then she showed him a photo. It depicts her and the human Harry Vanderspeigle fishing together. Harry claims to remember it. "The daughter you've been telling me so much about from your first wife before Isabelle," agrees Asta. Asta says that name is right on the tip of her tongue and Liv supplies "Liza." "I'm very fertile," agrees Harry, saying she's his sweet little girl as she gives him the finger. Sheriff Mike explains that Liza has a record and that her mother sent her to a camp for troubled teens. Mike asks if he's even aware of what's happening with his daughter. Harry thanks him for arresting her and throwing her in jail, but he says there's no need for that, not yet. He says he' s okay with releasing her into his custody. Harry says to throw her in jail, but Asta says he's joking and that he'll take her.

### Making friends already

The group goes to Joe's Diner, Harry wondering if humans feel this way about children, angry and resentful. Asta asks Liza why she was sent to boot camp. "Murder," she quips. Asta suggests that they call her mother, but Liza says her mother is in Italy living the high life. "Good talk," comments Asta and Harry babbles that it was a bad talk. Liza asks why he's acting weird, if he's high. "Yes," agrees Asta. Harry tells Liza to go home and she says it's quick, that normally he at least pretends for a few days. She gets up, telling him to have a nice life. She walks out and Asta tells Harry he can't just let her leave, that she wants her father. Harry points out that she wanted to go to New York to save humans. Asta says that Liza is a human and he killed her father, so they're staying until they get her safely home. Harry looks out the window and says that she doesn't need their help, that she's making friends already.

Asta races outside, where she stops Liza from taking off with a biker. "She's 16, so get the hell otu of here," she tells him. She tells Liza she wants to help her. Liza asks if she's his latest boyfriend, then comments that she's too old for him anyway. She tells her that own her mother left her when she was a baby and she knows about being abandoned. "I don't need a therapist," replies Liza. Asta tells her to eat shit, that she's not going to let her get beat up by an asshole biker. She folds her arms and Liza finally comes closer, saying that she doesn't think her mother even wanted to go to Italy and just needed an excuse to ship her off. She says she figured she hadn't seen her dad in a while. "I'm not a thief," she tells Asta, then admits that she does steal a lot of stuff. She says that something's different, that at least Harry once went through the motions of being a father. Asta tells her that he's not the man he used to know and to give him a chance.

Liv stands before the grave of a Catherine Baker, her aunt. She says she really misses her, that she was the only one she ever told about the UFO, except for John, who thinks she's crazy but loves her anyway. She asks her to give her a sign if she's listening. Just then, Mayor Ben Hawthorne sahows up with Max, saying he's bringing him for his first father-son cemetery trip. Max points out a statue, which Ben explains is a monument to the 59 miners who died to save one. Baker says it's more than a monument, that they're all buried there. "Awesome!" shouts Max, running over. Ben tells Liv that the theme of the upcoming Patience Family Day is "Remember when" and they'll be honoring the 59. He says he's trying to rebrand the narrative, that these are heroes. He tells her there'll be mining themed games and even a play. Before they leave, Liv asks Max about the sketch of the alien she had him make. However, he tells her that he made it up, that aliens aren't real.

Asta, Harry and Liza arrive at the cabin. "Looks like she's been here before," comments Asta as Liza climbs the ladder to the attic. Harry tells Asta it's a bad idea, that he does not like children. She says she saw the way he looked at Sunny's baby, but he says that babies are different. She says that every baby grows. She tells him to keep Liza and happy, that if he doesn't, they'll have bigger problems. She continues to try to act normal, keep his alien bunker locked and the talking octopus in his room. Harry thinks to himself that he can be a good father, that he's seen a lot of television. From upstairs, Liza asks what happened to the wifi, saying that it smells like dead people. He tells her to take a shower.

Jimmy is upset when someone takes his parking place, only to discover that it's D'Arcy. She says she's glad to see he got a new truck and he says she could have killed someone. "Now you're pretending to care about other people," she comments. She suggests he show how much he cares with his fists. She tells him she'll lay him out twice, once for herself and once for Asta. He tells her that Asta stayed with him the night before. She calls bullshit, but he gets in the truck and drives off. Sheriff Mike enters Joe's Diner and sits with his father, Lewis. Lewis tells him he has good news, that his biopsy came back negative. Mike asks what he's talking about and Lewis says he's the one who drove him to the clinic. Mike doesn't remember having done this at all. "Two weeks ago," Lewis says. Mike says he didn't tell him, but Lewis says he hasn't been the same since D.C., that he needs to see a psychologist. Mike asks why he should take mental health advice from somebody who stayed holed up for six months when his wife died. Lewis says that he's not the one carrying a deadly weapon. Mike asks if they're just going to fight all the time, that maybe they should go fishing. Lewis tells him he's a young man, that it's not normal to forget stuff.

### Family Day in Patience

Back at the cabin, Harry prepares food for Liza, only for her to tell him she's gluten-free. She asks if he's purposely trying to kill her. He asks if gluten would kill her. She says she'll starve, that she'll call her boot camp and tell them she's too sick to go back. He says that lying is bad and he'll punish her by sending her to bed with no supper. She points out that she already told him she's not going to eat what he's cooking. "More gluten for me!" he tells her, eating the raw spaghetti. Late at night, Liv lays back on a lawn chair, listening to a recording telling her that she's different, that she can see what's going on, that aliens are real. She gets a call from Mike saying that her car was supposed to be back an hour ago. She says that she's picking up supplies for the break room at the market. Holding Cletus, he tells her to bring back a lotto ticket as well and for Cletus too.

D'Arcy confronts Asta at the clinic, asking if she really spent the night at Jimmy's. Asta says it's not what she thinks and she asks what's wrong with her. She says that delivering Sunny's baby messed with her friends. "Call your friends," D'Arcy tells her. Asta says that Jimmy understands, and so she wanted to talk to him. She says that she doesn't like seeing her best friend ruin her life. "That's just something for me to do?" asks Asta, saying that she knows that she comes in for hangover IVs. "Sorry, D'Arcy," comments Ellen. D'Arcy says it's weird, that she didn't seem worried until she started helping Jay. Asta asks if this is really what she's doing and D'Arcy says that maybe Jay will listen to her dating advice. "I don't think you're really the best person to be giving Jay advice about men," says Asta. It's a low blow and D'Arcy walks out, slamming the door.

Max and Sahar exit Joe's Diner and discover a note tied to the railing. "Where's Murphy?" wonders Sahar. Cut up from magazine letters, the note reads "If you ever want to see your dog again, return my alien ball. - Alien" Max says he's not even Sahar's dog so they win again. She says that they don't, that the dog is her responsibility, that her owners pay her to walk her. Back at the cabin, Harry wraps a pink bow around Murphy, saying that Liza will become so distracted taking care of the dog that he won't have to take care of her. He presents her the dog, but she asks what she's supposed to do with it. "You know Mom's allergic." He thinks that it's going to more diffficult than he thought as the dog pees on the floor. He tries painting his toenails pink to get her to join. She ignores him. He tries hosting a tea party. He offers her a banana and candy. She starts to walk away, then takes the candy.

At a local park, the Family Day is in full swing. There are plenty of festive stands. Ben, however, is stunned to see Abigail Hodges hosting a face-painting booth. He asks why there's a murderer there. "Innocent until proven guilty," Kayla tells him. Ben says she's holding a weapon, but Kate points out it's a paintbrush. He says to keep an eye on her, as Kayla and Kate look at him like he's crazy. Meanwhile, Harry drives Liza to the Family Day. She calls it stupid, but he says they're a family. She rolls her eyes and he thinks that if she were home he would feed her to his hungry octopus. She asks if she can drive. He asks if she'll stop complaining. "Okay," he agrees. So they trade sides, and he wonders to himself how humans teach driving to the children without being terrified. He ends the drive when she very nearly collides with someone after missing a stop sign. He calls her the worst driver ever and she calls him a jerk, saying she was finally having fun. She walks off.

Max and Sahar approach the trailer once used by the government agents. Max complains that they'll be late for the play and she doesn't want to give the ball back, but she says she has no choice. A kidnapping review would ruin her dog-walking business. She realizes the satellite dish is gone and the door of the trailer is open. "Oh no," she says. They go inside and discover the alien ball, which had been hidden in a teddy bear, is missing. "Who took it?" wonders Max as the scene cuts to a secluded shack with the satellite dish outside. Inside, as David Logan tries to track McCallister on a satellite, he spills a cup of tea or coffee. To his amazement, it glides over to the alien ball and floats above it.

### Finally connecting

Harry arrives at the Family Day and meets up with Asta and Kayla. Kayla thanks him for helping with Sunny's birth, saying he was amazing. Harry replies that they're easy when their babies, that they cannot run away or almost kill you in a car accident. "Did Liza leave?" asks Asta, but then Harry is splatted with a water balloon, thrown by Liza. "Uh, found her," says Asta. Harry retaliates, throwing his own balloons. He says that she's as bad at throwing balloons as she is at driving. She replies that she must be a pretty good driver as he's soaking wet. Ben comes to break things up, saying they only have a limited supply of balloons. Eyeing each other, they splat him with a bunch of balloons. "Not okay!" he shouts.

As Abigail sits reading and watching, Asta approaches her and she look troubled. Asta sits and tells her that she knows she didn't kill Sam Hodges. Greatly pleased, Abigail tells her she has no idea how much it means to her. Asta hands her a ticket. "Bird or butterfly?" she asks, referring to the face-painting. Asta says she was thinking more of a Ziggy Stardust kind of thing. Everyone settles in to enjoy the Family Day, Harry and Liza sitting down to eat. Harry asks her if her food ever gets caught in the metal in her lips. She shakes her head, saying he's head-injury different. She says that he ghosted her for three years and she thought he hated her. He asks why she came and she says she was afraid to, that she's changed to. She says he's not the little girl he used to take fishing, but she was hoping the fact that they're family would be enough. She says if it wasn't, she would have had to gone back to the hellhole camp. He tells her to dial their number. She does and hands him the phone. He tells the person on the other end that Liza won't be coming back to their stupid camp. He says if they contact him again, he will find them and their family. She takes the phone, saying it's enough.

Liza stares at the games booth, telling him to win her a prize. He says he will win himself one and consider giving it to her. "Fair enough," she agrees. A man announces that it's tie for the hot chili pepper eating contest. D'Arcy stands with Jay eating ice cream. Jay tells her that she needs to have more, but D'Arcy tells her that it's just about lining the stomach and that she's won the contest every year since the was 13 but one. Among the other entrants are Judy Cooper and Nurse Ellen. Suddenly, Asta joins the contest as well. D'Arcy asks what she's doing, telling her that what they're eating is the stuff they put in food to make it spicy. She says she's afraid that Asta's going to die as Judy shouts she's going down. They begin, but Judy is out on the very first food, a mild banana pepper.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Mike takes Harry aside. "Nice alien," comments Liv, referring to the plush that Liza is holding. Liza says that Harry stole it for her. "That's a little big illegal," points out Liv. Sheriff Mike takes Harry inside a tent. He tells him about his memory loss. He asks for Harry's help. Harry realizes that this is a result of his intervention and it's bad for him if Mike is asking questions. Sheriff Mike continues that Liv also has gaps, asking if Harry can come by his office. Harry promises to help him with his memory. Mike continues that Lewis thinks it's all in his head because he lost a friend. He tells him that Lewis is all he has left. Harry then tells Mike to sit down. He places his hands over his head, placing a new memory in his head.

The spicy food contest continues and is clearly taking its toll on Asta. She grimaces in pain, her face paint nearly all gone from sweat. D'Arcy asks why she's doing this, but Asta tells her she feels great. Asta bites in and D'Arcy tells her it's not the way to eat it. When Asta starts choking, they both go out, with Ellen being declared the champion. Up next is Mayor Ben's play. It is a truly odd affair, in which the boys are dressed as the miners, with Sahar narrating. The audience is shocked as a couple of kids appears as boulders, saying all must die. The kids collapse to the ground, one shotuing that his organs are hemorraghing and another holding up a severed leg. They then sing a song, "Where Have All the Daddies Gone?" Harry and Liza crack up laughing. Others aren't sure what to think and at least one just walks out, taking her child with her and calling Mayor Ben terrible. Ben leads a round of scattered applause and Liza has to keep Harry from clapping too long.

### A good day

Back outside, D'Arcy brings Asta ice cream. Asta says she's going to need about six or seven more. She tells D'Arcy that she shouldn't have said what she said about her and Jay, that she didn't mean it. D'Arcy replies that she did and Asta agrees that she did, but she was mad and wrong. D'Arcy says she wasn't wrong, that her parents took her out to dinner and her response was to get blackout drunk. "Your parents are assholes," Asta tells her. D'Arcy says she should be better at dealing with them, that she's not 15. She says that she's a mess, but Asta replies that she's the one who's the mess. D'Arcy says they can't both be messes, that it's chaos. Asta admits that going to Jimmy was dumb. She says he's an asshole, but he was there when Jay was born and he was there through the freakouts after she gave her up. She says she's just used to being sad with him, that it feels normal. D'Arcy says it shouldn't feel normal and she's there now and always will be. Asta says that she woke up with Jimmy and saw the picture of them with her wearing a stupid football sweatshirt, that it's still in her trunk. D'Arcy tells her to go get it. "Why?" wonders Asta. They then burn it on the barbecue.

At the Hawthorne house, Kate tells Ben that she and Max will only be gone a couple of days. She asks if he's okay alone. He says that of course he is, that surely nobody cares about how everyone hated the play and him for writing it. Kate tells him that not everyone hated it and that the screamer is a complainer mom. Max comes down the stairs, singing the song from the play. Ben is surprised and Max replies that the song is the best ever, that the play was awesome and the blood looked so cool. He exits, saying he'll see him in a couple days. Ben reflects that Max loved it and Kate says he got worked up over nothing. She tells him that by next year everyone will have forgotten about it and he can make a new play. "No way," he tells her, saying that she heard Max that the play works. He says they're going to do it even bigger next year. "Great," she deadpans, kissing him. They all bid each other goodbye.

Harry and Asta stand outside with Liza as she prepares to board a bus. Liza thanks them and Asta tells her to take care of herself. She tells her that at the end of the day, she can't depend on anyone but herself. Liza says that her mother would never say something like that, but she's right. She turns to Harry and hugs him. Harry hugs her back and Asta stands aside to give them space. Liza tells him he's a better father than she remembers and that she's glad they got to spend time together, that she might even miss him a little. He tells her he's glad too, thinking to himself that he misses his own family as she boards the bus. He thinks that he's also changed, but that the alien in New York is his family. He waves goodbye to Liza, thinking that the alien is also his family and maybe they will help him. He thinks that he has to try. He tells Asta he's ready to go to New York now. He thinks to himself that he is not worried, that he knows he's much more alien than human.

At the downtown office, Deputy Liv meets with Sheriff Mike. She asks if she can tell him something and he agrees. She asks him about the day the FBI guy came, the day that neither of them can remember. She blurts out that she thinks an alien erased their memory. He tells her that he can't speak for her, but he remembers exactly what he was doing, that it was a good day. A very good day. "Okay," she says and walks away. Mike chuckles to himself as Harry narrates that only an alien would have been able to put a memory in the sheriff's head. Mike recalls himself fishing at a lake with his father. Harry says that if the memory gave him a good day, it's just a coincidence.

## 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

* Meredith Garretson as Kate Hawthorne
* Gary Farmer as Dan Twelvetrees
* Alex Barima as David Logan
* Taylor Blackwell as Liza Vanderspeigle
* Gracelyn Awad Rinke as Sahar
* Jenna Lamia as Judy Cooper
* Diana Bang as Nurse Ellen
* Sarah Podemski as Kayla
* Ben Cotton as Jimmy

with Nathan Fillion as 42

Co-starring:

* Terry O'Quinn as Peter Bach
* Kaylayla Raine as Jay
* Deborah Finkel as Abigail Hodges
* Alvin Sanders as Lewis Thompson
* Klarc Jerome Wilson as Jesse
* Paul Lazenby as Bill
* Corvin Mack as Stanley
* William Budijanto as Boulder Kid #1
* Dominic Good as Miner Kid #1
* Cooper Bibaud as Criminal
* Justin Lacey as Contestant
* Kaelynne Zairah Tangonan as Crying Kid #1
* Mela Pietropaulo as Crying Kid #2
* Paula Burrows as Mother
* Marcello Barros Guedes as Boulder Kid #2
* Eric Halliburton as Boulder Kid #3
* Valen Peyton as Boulder Kid #4
* Leah Park as Miner Kid #2
* Caelum Woodcock as Miner Kid #3
* Haven Grace Neufeld as Miner Kid #4
* Fleur Delahunty as Miner Kid #5
* Derrick Su as Miner Kid #6
* Jason Bell as Biker
* Eli Zagoudakis as Driver

## Gallery

### Videos

Resident Alien Episode 205 I The Honor of My LifeThe Most Iconic Resident Alien Duo Ever - Resident Alien After Show (S2 E5) - SYFYHarry Meets His Human Daughter - Resident Alien (S2 E5) - SYFYWhat's Up with Mayor Ben's Disturbing Play? - Resident Alien (S2 E5) - SYFYResident Alien Season 2 Episode 5 RECAPPED! - Resident Alien (S2 E5) - SYFYBehind the Scenes of Episode 5- The Importance of Family - Resident Alien (S2 E5) - SYFY

## External Links

* Family Day on the Internet Movie Database
* Transcript @ TV Show Transcripts
* Transcript @ Forever Dreaming