Aliens in America is an American teen sitcom created by David Guarascio and Moses Port that aired on The CW for one season from October 1, 2007, to May 18, 2008. Guarascio and Port also served as executive producers of the show alongside Tim Doyle. Luke Greenfield directed the pilot.[2] The show is about an American teenager in Wisconsin whose family takes in a Muslim foreign exchange student from Pakistan.
High schooler Justin Tolchuck (Dan Byrd) is a sensitive, lanky 16-year-old just trying to fit in at his high school in Medora, Wisconsin. He lives with his well-meaning mom Franny (Amy Pietz) who just wants him to be "cool" and fit in, entrepreneur dad Gary (Scott Patterson) who is very laid back, and his newly popular younger sister Claire (Lindsey Shaw), who tries to raise her popularity in school. When the school guidance counselor, Mr. Matthews (Christopher B. Duncan) convinces the family to take in an international student, they accept him with the expectation that he will be a good-looking European or Latin American student that will make Justin popular. Although initially dismayed when Raja Musharraf (Adhir Kalyan), a 16-year-old Muslim boy from Pakistan turns up instead, they soon warm up to him and although their cultures are different, Justin and Raja form an unlikely friendship that might allow them to get past the social nightmare of high school. Justin especially feels compelled to stick by Raja when he starts to notice the blatant racist and xenophobic attitudes of his classmates and community.
Produced by CBS Paramount Network Television, the series was officially green-lit and given a thirteen-episode order on May 15, 2007.[3] It premiered on October 1, 2007, and aired on Monday nights at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central on The CW, following Everybody Hates Chris.[4] The show was originally to be produced by NBC Universal Television (now Universal Television). It is filmed around the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area.[5] The high school featured in the show is actually H. J. Cambie Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada with the interiors of later first-season episodes shot inside a studio. Beginning on February 10, 2008, Aliens in America moved to Sunday nights (along with the rest of the Monday night comedies) and aired at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central.[6] On May 9, 2008, TV Guide announced the cancellation of the series.[7] After the show's cancellation, reruns once aired on Universal HD.[8]
Patrick Breen was originally cast as Gary Tolchuck but the role was re-cast in July 2007.[9]
Rating information is from Your Entertainment Now[10] and The Futon Critic.[11] The weekly rating information is from ABC Medianet.[12]
Aliens in America averaged 1.57 million viewers in its sole season.