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When "Resident Alien" came out, we started watching it and I quipped to my wife, "oh, so this is 'Northern Exposure', but the out of touch, out of towner doctor pressed into small town service, constantly scheming to get out, is more likeable."

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There is a touch of Mork and Mindy to Resident Alien too. But yes, I do see a bit of Northern Exposure in Resident Alien, and in Due South which popped along a few years later...

And a touch of Twin Peaks in Northern Exposure itself.

Due South… now there’s a name I have not heard in many years.

Youth in the 90’s had all sorts of quirky content available and we had enough free time to consume it all while doing a lot of nothing along the way (in a good way).

I was reminded of Due South a few years ago, because I was visiting someone who was watching it. Nowhere near as bizarre as TP or Northern Exposure, but it was there. Twin Peaks definitely opened the way for less formulaic material.

Even Malcolm in the Middle had some quirky Alaskan side plot with one of the brothers going over there and marrying a native woman.

I really wanted to like Resident Alien, but it just didn't do it for me. I like the comparison to Northern Exposure; it's very astute.

But somehow, I really just wanted Tudyk to start killing everyone.

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