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Unfortunately all things must come to an end.
For Ladysmith its most recent claim to fame, Resident Alien, has ceased to be. We believe that almost everyone, locally, has at least heard about the show. Yes Resident Alien is (was) a TV show that was filmed in Ladysmith. One of the strangest things, about the show, was seeing the old Travellers Hotel turned into a city hall and sheriff’s office or Barnacle Barnies, on the outside, transformed into a saloon called the 59ers.
The story was about an alien whose space craft crashes to earth, in Colorado, near a small town called Patience (Ladysmith). His goal was to wipe out the human race. To start his task he kills a local doctor and takes on his form and identity. During his time and experiences he has to deal with his own moral struggles because of his mission.
Over the 36 episodes, over four seasons, the alien, played by Alan Tudyk, develops compassion for humanity and ends up defending them from other extraterrestrial threats. Episodes showcased elements of science fiction, comedy, and drama, with off-shoot stories of identity, morality, family and human connection.
When choosing Ladysmith, as a location, Ken Brooker the location manager, said “In general, I think it's a good thing to note that we chose over and over again to return to Ladysmith. It's a massive financial commitment to move the shooting unit around...and just crossing the strait is a logistical challenge and the cost is extreme... so there must be a reason to do it. The fact is that Ladysmith offered a great look, and the community a great partner in the process. The support of businesses and residents alike was key to making that whole thing work.”
To find out how residents of Ladysmith feel about the show, featuring their town, being cancelled, the Chronicle went out to ask some opinions. Here are a few.
Krista Aurala: We watched it and liked it. Sorry to hear it is cancelled.
Kara Olson: I am devastated with this news....I love the show! I’m not even a sci-fi type of person.
Jan Christenson: Sorry, never watched it.
Jacquie Chellew: I did start watching the first season of Resident Alien when it first came out and was really enjoying it. Sci-fi isn’t usually my thing, but I was pleasantly surprised — it was light, humorous, and easy to get into. I don’t watch a lot of television in general, and life circumstances put it on hold for me, but I still hope to catch up on it this winter.
Rod Alsop: I actually haven’t seen it. I’ve heard it’s really good, so I’m going to have to try and see some of the episodes.
John deLeeuw: I watched the first couple of seasons and it was funny. Somewhat aimed at a specific crowd and I’m not a sci-fi fan but have heard lots of
folks talk about it.
“From a tourism perspective, the show has definitely had an impact,” was also a statement from Chellew, who is the administrative assistant at the Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Information Centre. "It’s a real draw for visitors. Many ask about it when they come through town, whether just in passing or because they’ve come here specifically due to the show.”
The summer students have created a brochure that highlights filming locations, with side-by-side photos showing how the spots appear in the show versus real life.
“Resident Alien certainly has a loyal following, and people always love hearing what it’s like when filming is happening in town,” Chellew said.
According to the television rating organization Parrot Analytics the audience demand for Resident Alien is 21.9 times the demand of the average TV series in the
United States. Episodes of Resident Alien can be found on the SyFy channel or the first three seasons are available on Netflix.
