RESIDENT ALIEN Recap: (S04E09) Tunnel Vision

Geek Girl Authority

a day ago

Resident Alien Season 4 Episode 9, 'Tunnel Vision,' delivers an action-packed, deeply funny penultimate outing replete with emotional heft. This one requires a box of tissues on hand. It feels like the overarching narrative is organically coming to a close, and folks, I'm not ready to say goodbye to the good folks of Patience. However, with that cliffhanger ending, I need to know who 'they' are.
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We open with a flashback to Patience — 138 years ago. The 59 miners attempt to save one man, and, as we all know, they die. 59 died to save one. In the present, Harry (Alan Tudyk) and Mike (Corey Reynolds) search that same mine for the Mantid. Harry carries a flashlight; Mike a gun. Mike hopes to lure the alien into his trap in the elevator shaft, which garners a laugh from Harry. RESIDENT ALIEN — 'Tunnel Vision' Season 4 Episode 9 — Pictured: Corey Reynolds as Sheriff Mike Thompson — (Photo by: James Dittiger/USA Network)
Initially, Harry urges Mike to wait outside — and play on his phone — while he kills the Mantid. However, Mike refuses to abandon ship. They can track down the formidable creature together, even though neither has much experience in killing Mantids. Eventually, Harry sneaks away from Mike and takes a different tunnel. You know, to cover more ground. Help Is on the Way
Outside the mine, Asta (Sara Tomko) learns from Max (Judah Prehn) and Sahar (Gracelyn Awad Rinke) that Liv is the Mantid. She also followed Mike and Harry into the mine. Asta urges the kids to stay put while she ventures inside to warn Harry. Meanwhile, Kate (Meredith Garretson) asks Ben (Levi Fiehler), who's neck-deep in festival duties, if he's seen Max. Sahar informs them both that the Mantid is in the mine. Max is champing at the bit to be the hero and help Harry.
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Sure enough, Max doesn't listen to Asta and rushes headlong into danger. He warns Harry about Liv being the Mantid. Harry shoos him away, claiming he won't hear the end of it from Mayor Snowflake if Max dies on his watch. After he and Max part ways, Harry runs into Liv (Elizabeth Bowen), aka the Mantid. The Mantid steals Harry's bottle of Sahar's patent-pending Manticide.
Mike reunites with Harry, his gun pointed at the latter. Harry tries to persuade the sheriff that Liv is the Mantid, not him. Suddenly, Mike fires his weapon, but we don't see where the bullet goes. Elsewhere, D'arcy (Alice Wetterlund) gets giggly with Bella, Kate and Ben's baby. It's a brief respite from the action. RESIDENT ALIEN — 'Tunnel Vision' Season 4 Episode 9 — Pictured: Gracelyn Awad Rinke as Sahar — (Photo by: James Dittiger/USA Network) Weird Walk
As it turns out, Mike shot the Mantid. However, as quickly as the bullet pierces the Mantid, the wound closes. Harry is stuck on something Mantid Liv said — apparently, Mike thinks he has a 'weird walk.' Harry acts as if this is the worst thing anyone can say to, well, anyone. Mike continues firing on the Mantid as she scurries away.
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Meanwhile, Ben and Kate are also in the mine, searching for their son. Ben is hung up on Kate paying for full service at the gas station. Not the priority right now, bud. Thankfully, they reunite with Max. But Max is still hellbent on assisting his alien BFF. He reminds his parents that he's the only one who can see aliens. He wants his alien tracker taser back.
Kate refuses to give it up, though. She decides that if Max insists on helping Harry, she and Ben will accompany him. How embarrassing for him. Ben points out a spider behind Kate's head. She zaps it with the device, feeling a surge of adrenaline as she does this. Now Kate is thoroughly unwilling to part with it. Who's the Mantid Now?
Elsewhere, Asta searches for Harry through the mine's tunnels. She hears Dan's (Gary Farmer) voice, followed by D'arcy's. However, both voices are actually courtesy of the Mantid, attempting to lure her into danger. After this, Asta spies Mantid Liv hovering on the rock wall above her, looking utterly terrifying. Asta screams.
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Harry hears her scream and runs toward it, but Asta appears behind him and Mike. Then, a second Asta appears on the other side of the pair. Both Astas accuse the other of being the Mantid. Mike struggles to decide which one to fire at. Thankfully, Max swoops in to save the day, pointing out which Asta is actually the Mantid. RESIDENT ALIEN — 'Tunnel Vision' Season 4 Episode 9 — Pictured: (l-r) Gracelyn Awad Rinke as Sahar, Sara Tomko as Asta Twelvetrees — (Photo by: James Dittiger/USA Network)
Unfortunately, Mike firing the gun one too many times sends a ripple through the mine as debris tumbles all around our heroes. While moving through the mine, they encounter the skeleton of the one miner the 59 attempted to save. History right before our eyes, folks. Harry to the Rescue
Suddenly, the Mantid, in his true alien form, zooms into view. He tosses Harry down a dark tunnel. Harry emerges in his alien form, though, and kicks Mantid ass. At one point, the Mantid grabs Asta and casts her aside, knocking her unconscious. No one hurts Asta and gets away with it. Harry launches himself at the Mantid and the two duke it out once more.
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Finally, Harry grabs a pickaxe and burrows it into the Mantid's head. Kate shocks the alien with the device. Take that! Then, the Mantid, now dying, transforms back into Liv. The Mantid weakly informs Harry that Liv's life hangs precariously in the balance … wherever she is. This version of the creature might be on death's door, but more will come.
The real Liv wakes up in the boiler room of a storage facility. The Mantid bound her wrists and ankles to a chair. Liv sees Mantid eggs in a sac fixed to the wall behind her. The Aftermath
Elsewhere, Asta helps Kate walk into the clinic. Kate has a twisted ankle from their misadventure in the mine with the Mantid. Asta applies an ice pack to Kate's ankle before hunting for a wrap. During her search, she discovers a nasty gash on her forearm, with what looks like black poison — courtesy of the Mantid — surging through her veins. Uh-oh.
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Then, Mike tells Harry that he called Liv's husband, John, to ask about Liv. Lena (Nicola Correia-Damude) barges into Mike's office to tell her about Jules. Her breakdown of her experience discovering Jules' cocooned corpse is hilariously horrifying. But her newfound belief in aliens and her reaction to Harry being an alien is even funnier. RESIDENT ALIEN — 'Tunnel Vision' Season 4 Episode 9 — Pictured: Corey Reynolds as Sheriff Mike Thompson — (Photo by: James Dittiger/USA Network)
Harry explains to the duo that the Mantid mated with Jules, since Jules had a hole in her abdomen. And when the eggs hatch, those baby aliens will need sustenance. Usually, they'll eat the mother; however, a deputy might do in this scenario. So, the babies will eat Liv if they don't save her soon. Alien Food
Meanwhile, Liv discovers an unconscious Robert (Paul Piaskowski) bound to the chair beside her. Liv wakes him up by screaming his name. Robert explains the egg situation and how they're basically food for when those extraterrestrial kiddos inevitably hatch.
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John (Trevor Carroll) arrives at the sheriff's office, joining Harry, Mike and Lena as they make a beeline for the storage facility. Mike knew Liv had taken Robert there earlier. At the clinic, Kate finds Asta unconscious on the floor, the wound on her arm looking worse. D'arcy and Ben arrive to help out. D'arcy admits she's tried calling Harry multiple times, but he hasn't answered.
At the same time, Harry, Mike, Lena and John search all the storage units after discovering that Liv and John's unit was empty. While there, Harry sees what looks like the spirit of Asta. It dawns on him that Asta is dying, and her spirit is attempting to leave her body. Mike reminds Harry that he needs him. After all, Harry is the strongest person in town. Now, it's time to use those alien powers to find our fave deputy. Help Yourself
Asta's spirit urges Harry to save Liv first. Harry honors her wish. Meanwhile, D'arcy sits with an unconscious Asta. She delivers a moving monologue about how jarring it is to see Asta in this position of needing help. She urges Asta to take care of herself now. D'arcy also has a series of epiphanies, starting with that she uses humor to avoid feeling those hard feelings. Wetterlund absolutely nails these kinds of emotional scenes.
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Mike and Harry find Liv and Robert. Unfortunately, the Mantid's eggs are hatching. Harry and John start stomping on the alien babies as they scurry across the floor. However, it's Peter Bach's (Terry O'Quinn) flamethrower that truly does the trick. He burns the sac to ashes and destroys all the little Mantid critters. Huzzah! Even better, he reunites with his son. Lena isn't even fazed by the robot man. She's seen and learned so much today.
Later, Harry gives Asta a transfusion at the clinic, offering his blood to counteract the effects of the Mantid's poison. If you recall, the Mantid tossed Joseph around like a ragdoll, but he was immune to the Mantid's deadly attacks because he's half-alien. Harry reassures the group that his blood should eradicate the infection. However, it could kill her, too. Her Choice
After this, Harry sits in the waiting room with D'arcy and Dan. He tells them that Asta is sleeping. Dan makes everyone cry (and me) with a story about his dying father, and that the decision to live is in Asta's hands. He reminds us that life is a gift; it's not guaranteed. Oof. It's her choice now. Beautiful performances all around tonight.
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Next, Ben and Kate chat about Max. Perhaps they need to let his talents flourish. He's right; the government or someone in that sphere will recognize his gift for seeing aliens. He'd be incredibly useful. They've tried to make Max 'book report' smart, but that's not where his abilities lie. Kate adds that using the alien tracking taser was quite exhilarating. She's tired of being afraid. She would like to live life sans fear.
Finally, Asta wakes up. Harry's transfusion was a success, and she's feeling much better. She tells D'arcy that she heard everything D'arcy said to her. Asta could see everything, too. The past, the present — she was everything, everywhere, all at once. RESIDENT ALIEN — 'Tunnel Vision' Season 4 Episode 9 — Pictured: Judah Prehn as Max Hawthorne — (Photo by: James Dittiger/USA Network) Parting Ways and Moving Forward
After this, Mike and Liv chat with Peter and Robert. As it turns out, Peter turned on his tracker so the 'government people' could find him and lead him to Robert. In return, he'll help them out from time to time. Peter and Robert part ways with our duo. Liv embraces Peter, thanking him for everything.
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Liv tells Mike and Lena that she never wants to hear the word 'alien' again after her experience with the Mantid. This is a new color for our Liv, but she's been through alien hell.
Elsewhere, Harry and Asta eat at the diner. Asta is ravenous. She asks Harry for his pie, which he refuses to part with. Asta's brush with death has given her a new lease on life. She wants to be adventurous. To truly live life. So, she's leaving Patience. Harry reassures her that he's okay with this. Why? Because he's leaving, too. Harry feels his time here is done. He wants to be with Heather.
That night, Asta sleeps in her bed. Suddenly, she wakes up and whispers, 'They're here.' Uh-oh. That can't be good.
The Resident Alien series finale (sob) premieres on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 10 pm ET on Syfy and USA Network.
Syfy Renews THE ARK for Season 3 Contact:
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