My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988)

A Cosmic Comedy of Questionable ChoicesWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guest Robert Fata to dive into the 1988 sci-fi rom-com My Stepmother is an Alien, starring Kim Basinger, Dan Aykroyd, and a scene-stealing debut from Alyson Hannigan. When scientist Steve Mills accidentally sends a signal to another galaxy, he inadvertently attracts the attention of gorgeous extraterrestrial Celeste, who arrives on Earth with a mission—and a magical purse named Bag. What follows is a whirlwind of awkward romance, questionable parenting, and enough '80s excess to power a small planet.The trio explores how this film—written by approximately everyone in Hollywood—manages to be simultaneously charming and deeply uncomfortable. Robert, who loved the movie as a child, confronts it with adult eyes and discovers layers of subtext he definitely wasn't picking up on at age seven. Kim Basinger's committed performance shines as she navigates everything from eating cigarette butts at parties to learning about intimacy through instructional videos provided by her alien AI companion. Meanwhile, Dan Aykroyd plays a widowed scientist who somehow seems less concerned about his daughter's emotional wellbeing than about getting remarried within 48 hours of meeting someone.The conversation delves into the film's bizarre pacing, where a three-day romance feels like both a lifetime and five minutes simultaneously. They discuss Alyson Hannigan's powerhouse crying scenes, John Lovitz's relentless commitment to being turned up to 300%, and the film's curious decision to spend entire minutes on sequences that could have been trimmed while rushing through major plot points.The hosts also grapple with how this movie might be viewed through a modern lens—particularly its treatment of relationships, consent, and the uncomfortably enthusiastic daughter who tracks her father's romantic activity like a sports statistician.Additional Highlights:

• The scientific accuracy (or lack thereof) of brass buttons creating intergalactic signals
• Kim Basinger's inexplicable obsession with Jimmy Durante as the pinnacle of human achievement
• Why pre-pubescent Seth Green was already fully formed Seth Green
• The film's journey from a pitch about "a dark allegory for child abuse" to... whatever this became
• Robert's ratings: 10/10 as a child, 6.5/10 as an adult; Nathan's more critical 4.5/10; Krissy agrees with the 6.5

Ultimately, the hosts land on My Stepmother is an Alien being an enjoyable, if deeply flawed, time capsule of '80s comedy excess. It's a film that asks the important questions like "What if rom-coms were made exclusively by and for men?" and "How many writers does it take to make a box office bomb?" The answer to both: probably too many.Deep Cut Recommendations: The hosts share their picks for films that echo themes from My Stepmother is an Alien—from the disturbing art film Under the Skin to the Mike Myers comedy So I Married an Axe Murderer, plus the late '80s TV gem Out of This World.Want more? Become a member at trustory.fm/join for early, ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content!Connect with the show on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. Learn more about the hosts at Neighborhood Comedy Theatre and Squishy Studios.Looking for your next '80s rewatch? What forgotten sci-fi comedies from the decade deserve a second look?
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