Syfy Orders ‘Resident Alien’ Series Adaptation to Pilot

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Syfy has ordered a pilot for a drama based on the Dark Horse comics series “Resident Alien.”

The story centers on a crash-landed alien named Harry who, after taking on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor, slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth, ultimately asking the question, “Are human beings worth saving?”

The comics series was co-created by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. It was adapted for television by Chris Sheridan, who will also serve as executive producer. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment will also executive produce, with Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin Television also executive producing. Universal Cable Productions (UCP) will produce.

UCP is producing as part of their first-look deal with Dark Horse Entertainment. UCP is also producing an adaptation of the Dark Horse property “The Umbrella Academy” for Netflix, which stars Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, and Mary J. Blige.

recently renewed its DC Comics series “Krypton,” which joins fellow returning Syfy shows “Happy!,” “The Magicians,” “12 Monkeys,” and “Channel Zero” among others. The NBCUniversal cable network also recently announced the cancellation of “The Expanse” after three seasons, though that series will continue on Amazon .

Upcoming new originals include “Nightflyers,” based on author George R.R. Martin’s novella, and “Deadly Class,” based on the Image Comics graphic novel of the same name.