'Resident Alien': Alan Tudyk explains why a Harry & Sheriff Mike friendship would be too 'dangerous'

As Resident Alien Season 2 digs more and more into the inner lives of the citizens of Patience, Colorado, we're getting to know more about their pasts. Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk) is an inherently interesting alien, but our human heroes' stories are perhaps even more complicated. Take Sheriff Mike Thompson (Corey Reynolds), whose past is a mighty mystery we're just now beginning to understand.

The good sheriff lost somebody important to him, resulting in his shutting out the world and other people. His friendship with Deputy Liv (Elizabeth Bowen) seems to be bringing him out of his shell, but he's still got a long way to go. In some ways, Harry's got a similar problem. His only "relative" on this planet is an octopus (voiced by Nathan Fillion) and his only friend is Asta (Sara Tomko). When we had a chance to speak with Tudyk and Reynolds about their characters and ongoing journeys in Resident Alien Season 2, we definitely had to ask about their various relationships throughout the series.

Tudyk is especially looking forward to viewers seeing how Harry's relationship with Fillion's octopus plays out, as well as his "romance" with Kate Hawthorne's (Meredith Garretson) cousin Carlyn, played by guest star Alex Borstein. And what of other burgeoning friendships? This week, we saw Asta try to set Mike and Harry up on a friend date. Will anything ever come of that? Read on for our interview with Tudyk and Reynolds, and catch new episodes of Resident Alien when they premiere on Wednesdays at 9/8c on SYFY

What are you guys most excited for people to see with your characters developing in Season 2? Because you're in two very different places.

Corey Reynolds: I think what I'm probably most excited about for this season is exploring Mike's backstory. Bringing his history back, his time in D.C., and some traumatic events that he's kind of running from. But as with most emotional wounds, you can't run from them. They go with you wherever you are. I think it's going to be fun for the audience to get some understanding of why he is the way that he is, and that's going to be fun to unfurl because although the show has got a tremendous amount of comedy, this season, frankly, has some of the most dramatic work I've ever done on camera. It's an interesting shift, I think, for the audience when it comes to Mike. They're going to get a new side – they're going to get the old side, make no mistake. He hasn't changed that much. But you'll get a new side in addition to the old side as opposed to in place of.

The sass is still there. We're never going to lose that.

Reynolds: Yes, absolutely.

Both of your characters have been on these emotional journeys. The Sheriff with his newly minted bestie, Liv, and Harry over here with Asta. How are those two relationships going to affect them over the course of Season 2 as Harry learns how to deal with these new emotions and while the Sheriff is going through this "traumatic journey," as you put it, Corey?

Reynolds: I think the relationship with Deputy Liv is strengthened over the season. I think he's been reluctant to open up to anyone because I think he fears getting too close to someone after losing someone so close to him. And I think she crosses the event horizon of trust with him in a way that he, for a few fleeting moments, lets his guard down to be the person he tries to hide from everyone else. And he lets her in — in a way that doesn't apply to anyone else, so I think that's a testament and a demonstration of the growth of their relationship and how he values her opinion, her investigative skills, and most importantly, her friendship.

What about the Harry and Asta side of things?

Alan Tudyk: Asta continues to be for Harry his lynchpin for the human race. His feelings for her as a friend, but his understanding of love come through that friendship, and the beginnings of his consideration for the human race, all go through Asta. And this season a lot happens with Asta. And Harry needs her a lot, but there's a point where she's going to start to need Harry, as well. There's a lot coming. There's a lot happening.

And finally, will Sheriff Mike and Harry Vanderspeigle ever be friends? Will they ever actually appreciate each other or are they always going to have this contentious "I don't trust you" relationship?

Reynolds: I think there is a camaraderie that is created out of necessity, but nonetheless that does manifest itself. Ultimately, Mike kind of gets played by Harry a little bit. In the way that I think he's open to it because he wants it to be the way that it ends up being, but they find common ground to save Harry's ass and to boost Mike's ego, I think, at the same time. Alan?

Tudyk: I think it would be dangerous if they ever became actual friends because Harry believes, he's so naïve about so many things, that the Sheriff could be like, "Here's the way it is." And when the Sheriff says, "Here's the way it is," he's wildly wrong. He thinks because a dentist wears stripes and has bowlegs that makes him a jockey, because he's short. He must be a jockey. If you were instructing Harry, he would get everything wrong. Everything would be... I mean, he'd get it right as far as Sheriff Mike's concerned, but it would be completely wrong, so maybe it's better they don't get too close as friends.

Reynolds: Probably. You see the advice he gives the Mayor, and none of the advice he's ever given anyone has ever been good.

Unless you have a Liv there to go, "Well, actually."

Alan & Reynolds: Yes, exactly.