‘Resident Alien’ Season 2 Missed Huge Marketing Opportunity With Alien Phone Number
As Resident Alien Season 2 furthers Harry’s (Alan Tudyk) extraterrestrial TV show storyline, he gets a message from his people. In the second season, Harry receives a message in his alien language that translates to a phone number in New York City. While Harry ponders calling the number in episode 5, fans might be inclined to call the number. Resident Alien Season 2 had a possible marketing gem on their hands with the phone number that went underutilized.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Resident Alien Season 2.]
Harry gets a surprise at the end of the episode ‘Radio Harry’
A lot goes on in “Radio Harry” from fans uncovering what really happened to Dr. Ethan Stone and General McCallister’s tragic backstory. When Asta does not necessarily believe the radio Harry built to call his people is not a bomb, she comes up with a plan. While visiting the reservation, she goes on a hike with her father, Harry, and two cousins, who tagged along uninvited.
The next morning, Asta and Harry hike to a remote clearing away from civilization as a precaution. The radio works until Harry tells Asta the message tells his people to destroy Earth fifty years from now. Angered by his betrayal, Asta stops the radio transmission. At the end of the episode, Harry is shocked to see the radio receiving a message. It is a phone number from his people.
In Resident Alien Season 2 “Family Day,” Harry translates the phone number with a New York area code. Instead of being excited, Harry is afraid and unwilling to call the number. Fans get a full shot of the phone number and it really is a New York area code.
Phone number in ‘Resident Alien’ Season 2 could have been marketing gold
Many TV shows have small easter eggs and jokes when using a phone number in a scene. According to Cnet, in Stranger Things Season 3, Murray Bauman’s phone number is revealed. The comedic part of it all is that fans can call the number and can hear a quirky message by the character. Sadly, Resident Alien fans will not get the same answer if they call the phone number in season 2.
The number is (212) 067-0142 and a quick Google search reveals the are code is from New York. If a fan calls the number, they will hear it ringing until an automated voice message says the number is not in service. Showrunner Chris Sheridan dropped the ball on what could have been a huge marketing plan.
Not only is the phone number in tune with the future New York storyline, but it could have followed the same idea as Stranger Things. Part of what makes Resident Alien and season 2 comedy gold is Harry’s sense of humor and his robotic human voice. It would have been a great marketing plan for fans to call the number and get a message from Harry calling humans idiots. He could also say his favorite curse phrase, “This is some bullsh*t.”
Harry is still learning a few things about posing as a human. There were many ways to play the phone number angle from Resident Alien Season 2. A possible idea could be the caller not answering and Harry assuming it is a prank call. He then proceeds to insult the caller and hangs up.
Will Harry call the phone number in ‘Resident Alien’ Season 2?
In “Family Day,” Asta is all for calling the number and going to New York. Harry does not feel the same and is afraid of being ridiculed for his failure to destroy Earth. Throughout the episode, he experiences new concepts of what it means to be human. By the end, he realizes the person who sent the message is his family and he has an obligation.
The question remains if Harry will call the phone number in the following episode of Resident Alien. Fans are aware from the series trailer that Harry and Asta do venture to New York. But fans have yet to see him take the plunge and call the number. It is important to know that General McCallister is also aware of the alien transmission.
Another possible idea for the phone number in the series could be an unknown caller. Fans could call the number and hear a new voice and have no idea who it is. The voice is only revealed when watching the latest episode. Is it one of Harry’s people or someone else?
