Resident alien season 2 episode 11 summary sara tomko interview
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Wednesday’s episode Resident Foreigner.
This weeks Resident Foreigner It was all about regret, sadness and weight, and thanks to an emotional conversation with her father, Asta Twelvetrees finally found some comfort.
On Wednesday’s episode, Asta (memories intact now) struggled with the regret she carried for shooting a Galvan/Powell hoodlum. Despite pulling away from Harry a little and leaning on D’Arcy, Asta still barely survived until she found the comfort she sorely needed with her father Dan (Reservation dogs“Gary Farmer).
At the beginning of the episode, Dan remarked that his daughter looked like she was carrying “the weight of the world” on her shoulders, which in many ways she was. Then, seeing that Asta was breaking her breaking point, he threw everyone out of the diner so the two could talk.
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“Dan is a safe place for Asta to go,” Sara Tomko tells TVLine. “He’s always there for her, so it’s nice that in that moment she can really say, ‘I have to tell you everything, and you’re not going to believe me.’ He’s the perfect person to take on. He says, ‘Okay. It’s crazy, but I believe you and I’m here for you.” It’s just further proof of why he was the perfect adoptive father to raise her. He’s always the perfect candidate to be there for her when she needs to pick up pieces.
“I imagine if you saw Asta when the cameras weren’t rolling, she’d just be like, ‘This is insane! Am I alive right now? Is this really happening?’ Dan brings her back to reality and reminds her, “Yes, you’re alive. It happens and I’m there for you, which is really nice.”
Dan even references Asta in sharing his wartime experience; He killed a few people himself while on duty for the country.
Adds creator Chris Sheridan: “[Dan] relates to it in his own way and he is able to find the silver lining, ‘IIt’s okay to feel bad about it. You should feel bad about it because you’re human.” And I love the mood that’s put in here. That was largely why Zach Cannon, who wrote this episode, titled it ‘The weight.’ No matter how difficult it is for you, if you have a good friend or someone you love and you can open high for her, then it always feels better becout that person helps you carry that weight.”
Farmer proved to be just the scene partner Tomko needed to handle such heavy, tender emotions.
“Gary is just so charming and sweet and adorable,” says the actress. “I just love working with him as a person. We just trusted our instincts and listened to each other. When I work with him, I’m not nervous at all. I just feel safe and calm and comforted and that’s what Asta needed that day so it was perfect.”
“I think they both played it so beautifully,” says Sheridan. “Sara and Gary have a lot of great chemistry together. Gary is such a warm, friendly person and such a father figure to everyone [on set]and it really comes across in the scene.”
As our conversation continued, Tomko shared more thoughts Resident Foreigner‘s second season, including what’s to come for Asta and Jay and how Harry is (still) adjusting to humanity. Read the interview below.
TVLINE | After Harry wiped Asta’s memory, we were left with this heartbreaking shot of Jay waiting for an Asta that never came. What can you tease about Asta and Jay’s relationship?TOMKO | When I read that in the script, I was so upset Nick Caruso Chris Sheridan. I was angry! She finally pulled herself together, she finally apologized, she came out to her daughter, and Jay finally says, “Okay, let’s make a move. A baby step in the right direction,” and then Harry wipes Asta’s memory and she’s gone. It’s so annoying!
It’s going to be devastating for Asta more than Jay I would think just because Jay is used to being dumped by Asta. Although she will likely be upset, you get to a point of indifference as to what is worse! So I think Asta doesn’t need to beg or grovel but try to find a way that she can talk to Jay about what happened without telling her exactly what happened where she can hear her. I think there’s still room for an apology and some forgiveness, but whether Jay really wants to let Asta into her life is up for debate. I can understand that she might not want to. I think Asta needs to get to a place of acceptance. Like, ‘I can’t change or fix anything, I can only love you.’ Hopefully that’s enough man, but I really don’t know! [Laughs]
TVLINE | We’ve seen Asta write Jay letters every single year and tuck them away. What did you think about it when you first read the script?They asked me to write some real letters and to write the envelopes. I had so much fun with the prop master making these. This scene where I’m writing right now and you’re hearing my voiceover is really sweet and meaningful, and I remember thinking, ‘I can’t wait to do this voiceover and give it as much heart as I do possible to give.” That’s the only truth Asta has. It’s like diary entries. She’s been telling her daughter how she feels for years, but she can’t say it personally. I hope we finally get to see them in person. It was wonderful to see but she hasn’t given her those letters yet so I don’t know! I think it will be a beautiful moment when it comes to that.
TVLINE | Harry confesses to Asta about the other alien race that is in patience. After the memory wipe and everything that’s going on, does she trust Harry 100 percent at this point?No no … [Laughs]. A certain level of trust has to be built. I think she finally sees through to his heart and that’s why he cares for her so much. She sees the core of what he is as an alien, even just as a being in the world, and she sees that he is ultimately good. Therein lies the whole story between Asta and Harry. Harry may not be trustworthy to other people, and even still untrustworthy at times of Asta because he doesn’t disclose everything he needs to disclose, but at the end of the day, Asta’s gut feeling is, “Yeah, I think I trust him.”
And that’s it! It is a thin thread that holds humanity together! Just that thin glimmer of hope. It’s like roulette. She says, ‘I’ll put it on red. I hope the heart is pumping. I hope it’s on our side. I’ll bet on you,” because as an empath, she really feels his energy and sees through to his heart more than he knows. That’s why they’re so good for each other. He keeps things even and level and reminds them of honest truths. There is no reason for him to lie to her, so there is no reason for her not to trust him. But rob her of her memories? That’s a pretty bold move. It’s invasive! This is scary territory. It crosses a line that they have to deal with emotionally.
TVLINE | How aligned is Harry with humanity at this point?The more he listens and gets to know the people of Patience, the more he begins to understand that being human is complicated and multifaceted and that there is no box that we as people fit into. While for another species it might be overwhelming to meet us and say, “You guys are complicated, there is a lot of start here!’ [Laughs] I think he also builds confidence by getting to know us. It’s nice to see Alan learning to be Harry and Harry learning to be human. It all happens at the same time. He realizes (or at least Asta will be able to teach him) that pain is an inevitable part of being human, but it is necessary. You can’t have the good without the bad. Without pressure, you can’t feel relief.
TVLINE | Episode 3 ends with General McCallister getting a drink at The 59. Is there anything you can tease about what’s to come in the last five episodes of the season?I love Linda Hamilton. I finally got to know her on one of the last days I was on set. She came and I went, and we finally got to meet after doing the show for three years. She is so beautiful, welcoming and warm. I think you’re starting to see General McCallister turn around a little. She was kind of a villain in Season 1, but because there’s this other alien race and because there’s people behind her too, I’m hoping that the reason Asta and McCallister are dating is because they’re on the same team. This is my hope! I really don’t know where it’s really going. Due to COVID protocol, we couldn’t see each other’s work like we did in season 1. Half of the show I was glued to the TV like the audience was going, ‘Oh my god! I didn’t know that happened!’ I hope she becomes one of us, but I don’t know.
I can tell you there are a lot of ups, a lot of downs, lots of laughs, definitely some tears, but as always just loads of fun with our cast. It’s worth seeing through to the end. I think you’ll have some beautiful connections coming back together since the start of the season and there will also be things that make you want more because that’s what we do best.
TVLINE | We’ve seen Asta write Jay letters every single year and tuck them away. What did you think about it when you first read the script?They asked me to write some real letters and to write the envelopes. I had so much fun with the prop master making these. This scene where I’m writing right now and you’re hearing my voiceover is really sweet and meaningful, and I remember thinking, ‘I can’t wait to do this voiceover and give it as much heart as I do possible to give.” That’s the only truth Asta has. It’s like diary entries. She’s been telling her daughter how she feels for years, but she can’t say it personally. I hope we finally get to see them in person. It was wonderful to see but she hasn’t given her those letters yet so I don’t know! I think it will be a beautiful moment when it comes to that.
TVLINE | Harry confesses to Asta about the other alien race that is in patience. After the memory wipe and everything that’s going on, does she trust Harry 100 percent at this point?No no … [Laughs]. A certain level of trust has to be built. I think she finally sees through to his heart and that’s why he cares for her so much. She sees the core of what he is as an alien, even just as a being in the world, and she sees that he is ultimately good. Therein lies the whole story between Asta and Harry. Harry may not be trustworthy to other people, and even still untrustworthy at times of Asta because he doesn’t disclose everything he needs to disclose, but at the end of the day, Asta’s gut feeling is, “Yeah, I think I trust him.”
And that’s it! It is a thin thread that holds humanity together! Just that thin glimmer of hope. It’s like roulette. She says, ‘I’ll put it on red. I hope the heart is pumping. I hope it’s on our side. I’ll bet on you,” because as an empath, she really feels his energy and sees through to his heart more than he knows. That’s why they’re so good for each other. He keeps things even and level and reminds them of honest truths. There is no reason for him to lie to her, so there is no reason for her not to trust him. But rob her of her memories? That’s a pretty bold move. It’s invasive! This is scary territory. It crosses a line that they have to deal with emotionally.
TVLINE | How aligned is Harry with humanity at this point?The more he listens and gets to know the people of Patience, the more he begins to understand that being human is complicated and multifaceted and that there is no box that we as people fit into. While for another species it might be overwhelming to meet us and say, “You guys are complicated, there is a lot of start here!’ [Laughs] I think he also builds confidence by getting to know us. It’s nice to see Alan learning to be Harry and Harry learning to be human. It all happens at the same time. He realizes (or at least Asta will be able to teach him) that pain is an inevitable part of being human, but it is necessary. You can’t have the good without the bad. Without pressure, you can’t feel relief.
TVLINE | Episode 3 ends with General McCallister getting a drink at The 59. Is there anything you can tease about what’s to come in the last five episodes of the season?I love Linda Hamilton. I finally got to know her on one of the last days I was on set. She came and I went, and we finally got to meet after doing the show for three years. She is so beautiful, welcoming and warm. I think you’re starting to see General McCallister turn around a little. She was kind of a villain in Season 1, but because there’s this other alien race and because there’s people behind her too, I’m hoping that the reason Asta and McCallister are dating is because they’re on the same team. This is my hope! I really don’t know where it’s really going. Due to COVID protocol, we couldn’t see each other’s work like we did in season 1. Half of the show I was glued to the TV like the audience was going, ‘Oh my god! I didn’t know that happened!’ I hope she becomes one of us, but I don’t know.
I can tell you there are a lot of ups, a lot of downs, lots of laughs, definitely some tears, but as always just loads of fun with our cast. It’s worth seeing through to the end. I think you’ll have some beautiful connections coming back together since the start of the season and there will also be things that make you want more because that’s what we do best.
https://tvline.com/2022/08/24/resident-alien-season-2-episode-11-recap-sara-tomko-interview/ ‘Resident Alien’ Season 2 Episode 11 Summary – Sara Tomko Interview
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