Warning: Spoilers ahead forResident Alienseason 4, episode 7, “Daddy Issues.“Resident Alienseason 4, episode 7, “Daddy Issues,” opens with a sequence that’s strange even for the quirky sci-fi dramedy, and it pairs off two characters who don’t really make sense together. The figures in question have been part of theResident Aliencastsince the beginning, but they never cross paths in any significant way.
Shows likeResident Alienare often very character-driven. So, the show’s stars are often combined in various ways to form duos that are suited to certain storylines.Resident Alienhas always done this very well, but some duos remain unexplored. The weird pairing in “Daddy Issues” doesn’t involve any ofResident Alien’s best characters, but it’s still a headscratcher.
The Meaning Behind D’arcy’s Weird Cold Open In “Daddy Issues” Explained
Resident Alien chooses an interesting way to depict D’arcy’s loneliness
The opening scene in “Daddy Issues” is never properly explained in the episode, but it’s pretty clear that the choreographed dance sequence is all happening in the mind of Alice Wetterlund’s D’arcy Bloom. Whether it’s a dream or some sort of conscious rumination is unclear, but they’re the two main possibilities.
The point being made is that D’arcy feels everyone in Patience has someone, whereas she feels isolated.
Either way,the scene is an artful depiction of D’arcy’s state of mind. Specifically, it’s a visual representation of how alone she feels. The point being made is that D’arcy feels everyone in Patience has someone, whereas she feels isolated from anyone who truly understands her.
The scene is perhaps a little unfair to Asta(Sara Tomko), who is D’arcy’s best friend and is always there for her at the drop of a hat. However, D’arcy has been pointing out more and more that Asta often just tells her what she wants to hear rather than offering honest advice, which isn’t what Wetterlund’s character always needs.
Judy & Jay Being Paired Off In D’arcy’s Dream Sequence Makes No Sense
These 2 Resident Alien characters lack a proper connection
The dancing couples in D’arcy’s mind are primarily composed of romantic pairings. Some of the characters are unnamed, so it’s difficult to tell if they share that connection or not. Asta and Harry (Alan Tudyk) are arguably excluded from this pattern, but they at least have a very close Platonic friendship.
The dancing partnership that caught my eye was Judy (Jenna Lamia) and Jay (Kaylayla Raine). The two characters share almost no connection beyond both living in Patience. So, it’s strange that D’arcy would pair them off in her dream sequence. That said, as prominent members of the show’s cast, they kind of needed to be in the scene for it to be as impactful as possible.
This is especially true after the inclusion of unnamed extras already taking some of the vacant spots.The core cast ofResident Alienis pretty small, and the scene needed as many bodies as possible for it to be worthwhile. It was an interesting way to open “Daddy Issues,” so I suppose the odd pairing of Judy and Jay was worth it.
Judy’s Presence Actually Hurts The Point That “Daddy Issues” Is Trying To Make About D’arcy
Judy’s feelings of isolation were brought up in Resident Alien season 3 (& then ignored)
Harry lending D’arcy a much-needed earinResident Alienseason 4, episode 6, “Soul Survivors,” resurrected the storyline of her ailing mental health. The dream sequence at the start of “Daddy Issues” does a good job of highlighting her loneliness, but Judy being there kind of distracts from the issue.
Judy also had a loneliness arc inResident Alienseason 3, when it was revealed that her comically intense approach to her brief dalliance with Mike (Corey Reynolds) was actually a symptom of being alone for so long. The show has never really revisited this hidden side of Jenna Lamia’s character.
Therefore, by having Judy in D’arcy’s dream sequence, it implies that Wetterlund’s character sees Lamia’s as someone who isn’t lonely anymore, when there’s no reason to believe she still isn’t. Jay, at least, was dating someone inResident Alienseason 3, although that was an incredibly brief storyline.
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