James Dittinger/SyFy
SyFy’s “Resident Alien” is a show that, while being about extraterrestrial life, is rooted in breathtaking terrestrial landscapes. Starring “Firefly” veteran Alan Tudyk as Harry, an alien who crash-lands on Earth with an initial mission to exterminate humans, the plot takes an interesting turn. Harry ends up becoming a medical examiner, forms a close bond with local human Asta (Sara Tomko), and ends up battling formidable aliens known as the Greys.
The narrative unfolds in the picturesque small town of Patience, Colorado, brimming with scenic vistas and wilderness. However, the real-life filming locations for Patience are far from Colorado. As the series gears up for its fourth season, to be aired on USA Network, it’s fascinating to explore the stunning locations that add a unique charm to “Resident Alien.”
The Scenic Charm of British Columbia, Canada in Resident Alien
James Dittinger/SyFy
If you’re captivated by the Rocky Mountains’ scenic beauty in “Resident Alien,” you’d be surprised to know that the actual filming location is a thousand miles further north. The series, like many other forest-rich TV shows (such as “The Killing,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Harper’s Island,” and most CW shows), is primarily filmed in and around Vancouver, Canada. Several notable locations in British Columbia serve as the “Colorado” backdrop, including Britannia Beach, the Sea-To-Sky Corridor, and Capilano River Regional Park, as per Atlas of Wonders.
The North Vancouver park, famous for its stunning yet intimidating river bridge, features in the show’s second season finale. Rainbow Mountain and its surrounding areas serve as stand-ins for the Rockies in pivotal scenes. Alan Tudyk, in a 2023 Instagram post, shared a photograph from the glacier where they filmed, humorously suggesting a fourth season where Harry suddenly develops a preference for beaches. While a fourth season is in the pipeline, Tudyk had the opportunity to film on the Pemberton Ice Cap, a location that, according to location manager Ken Brooker, required a helicopter to reach.
Other noted Vancouver locations used for the show include The Polygon Gallery, the Rogers Building, and the Vancouver Art Gallery, all of which served as stand-ins for New York City locations. Most of the series’ sets were also constructed on a Vancouver studio lot.
Patience, Colorado: A Small Town on Vancouver Island
James Dittinger/Syfy
The first three seasons of “Resident Alien” also made use of a few small towns outside Vancouver for filming. The most frequently used stand-in is Ladysmith, a picturesque yet tiny island community formerly known as Oyster Harbor. Ladysmith doubles as Patience, Colorado in the series, and while some town sets exist only on a Vancouver soundstage, several storefronts and town locations shown throughout the series are actually in Ladysmith. The town reportedly has less than 9000 inhabitants, but as Nanaimo Now News reports, the “Resident Alien” shoot has become a significant part of the local community.
Series creator Chris Sheridan told the outlet that crew members were excited to return to shoot and visit their favorite local spots. As production sometimes necessitated shutting down streets in town, the showrunner decided to include a reference to the location in the first season as a token of gratitude. He mentioned a building in town with ‘Ladysmith’ written in large letters, choosing not to erase the letters in post-production as it would reveal this was Ladysmith, B.C. and not Patience, Colorado.
Other filming locations outside the greater Vancouver and North Vancouver area include a studio backlot in Burnaby, B.C., and the Indigenous district municipality of Squamish, which substitutes for Colorado’s Southern Ute Indian Reservation, according to Atlas of Wonders.
Oregon Hotel Makes an Appearance in Resident Alien Season 3
James Dittinger/SyFy
While “Resident Alien” is primarily set in Colorado and filmed in the icy north, the series does manage to incorporate a touch of the Pacific Northwest in season 3. The third episode of the season sees Harry journey to Yellowstone National Park, where he stays at a lovely log cabin-style hotel with the Hawthorne family. The hotel’s exterior shots are reportedly from The Lodge at Riverside, located in Grants Pass, Oregon.
If you’ve ever traveled up the West Coast via I-5, you’d likely recognize Grants Pass as a must-stop for travelers weary from driving through the region’s endless winding mountain passes. Grants Pass is a major hotel town and a hub for outdoor adventures, thanks to its proximity to the popular Rogue River. While “Resident Alien” doesn’t showcase much of Grants Pass, it is remarkable how the show’s location team transformed a chilly Oregon town into the arid landscapes of Montana and Wyoming.
The first three seasons of “Resident Alien” are currently available on Netflix. There is no set release date for Season 4, but it will air on USA Network after three seasons on the Syfy Channel.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
