Hard Time on Planet Earth
Season 1
Jesse, an alien exiled to Earth, finds himself in Los Angeles. His only companion is a floating, orb-shaped robotic parole officer named Control. Doomed to stay on Earth until Jesse can show compassion, Control helps him lead as normal a life as possible, but not knowing Earthly ways Jesse often finds himself in trouble.
Where to Watch Season 1
13 Episodes
- Losing ControlE3
Losing ControlJesse and Control go to Disneyland. While there, Control tries to play several arcade games at once and short circuits. A child finds the unconscious Control and takes him home. When the police prove unwilling to help, Jesse enlists the help of a female reporter. The child's father investigates Control's strange properties using a computer. Eventually the U.S. government gets involved over fears that Control is part of some sort of nuclear warfare. The child receives a message from Control about Jesse and runs away to try to find him, but is caught by his father and the police. Jesse sneaks into the government lab where they are experimenting on Control and rescues him. He takes Control back to Disneyland where he uses the electricity from the arcade games to revive him. - The Way HomeE4
The Way HomeJesse defends an old man from some local toughs and is rewarded with a job mowing lawns. He meets a young girl who has been kicked out of her parents' house in an attempt to show her "tough love". Jesse soon learns that she is involved in a criminal teen subculture where two crooked police officers help the kids rob from rich people. Jesse sees that she's in over her head. He tries to mediate between her and her parents so that she can come home, but she's still unwilling to abide by their rules. Angered by her parents' refusal to loosen their rules, the girl informs the corrupt policemen that her father is carrying industrial grade diamonds. Jesse, bearing a peace offering from her parents, finds the young girl and she realizes what she's done. Jesse intervenes, saving the family and the diamonds, and helping to catch the corrupt officers. - All That You Can BeE5
All That You Can BeUnable to find a job anywhere else, Jesse joins the United States Army. Control has misgivings, but agrees so that he'll have something positive to report. The recruiter, Sergeant Striker (Marshall Bell), eager to take some time off, fabricates a false history for Jesse and assigns him to take his place at Fort Drake. To help Jesse acclimate more quickly, Control shows him videos of John Wayne, whom he identifies as an ideal warrior within Earth culture. At Fort Drake, Jesse is put in charge of the under-performing Bravo Team. He inspires the Bravos to perform better as soldiers and as a unit. When Corporal Curtis Tillman runs into trouble with his old street gang, the Striders, Jesse intervenes. In the midst of a military exercise, the Striders break into Fort Drake with Tillman's help in order to steal weapons. Jesse diverts Bravo Team and saves the day. At the end of the episode, he is given an honorable discharge. - Battle of the SexesE6
Battle of the SexesJesse is working at a restaurant owned by Frank Russo, which Frank's daughter Connie wants to help run. But Frank refuses to take any of her advice because he feels women aren't as good at business as men. Frank's son Mike isn't interested in the business, as he's a musician. Connie discovers that the sons of an old friend of Frank's named Caretti, who he's done business with for many years, have been cheating them. When Connie threatens to tell their father about this, they threaten her, but Jesse defends her. Frank refuses to believe his friend's sons did what Connie says, and he fires Jesse. Meanwhile, Mike invited Jesse to a club to hear him play and also to meet women. Jesse met a woman named Danielle who later turned out to be from his homeworld, sent to find out where his followers were hiding in exile, and then to terminate him. They fought, Jesse won, and said that on Ondarius he would have killed her, but on Earth he'd learned the value of life. Eventually Frank and Caretti l - Death Do Us PartE7
Death Do Us PartWhile delivering sandwiches to a TV studio, Jesse is asked to fill in as bachelor #3 on The Dating Game, and is chosen by Jane to be her date. It turns out that after she had agreed to be on the show, she had met someone named Michael through a matchmaking magazine ad. But Jane still wanted to be Jesse's friend and help him meet the right woman for him. It turned out that Michael and a partner were behind a string of thefts from single women who'd answered their ads in the magazine, and Jane was their latest target. Jesse thwarted their initial burglary attempt, but when Michael found out a large trust fund of Jane's had just matured, he decided to marry and kill her. He also framed Jesse as the thief, to get rid of him, and was going to blame him for murdering Jane. But of course he failed. - Jessie's Fifteen MinutesE9
Jessie's Fifteen MinutesJesse uses a fire hydrant to rescue a woman, Donna (Rebecca Staab), who is a model, being carjacked. She takes him to a party where they photograph him as a joke, but he ends up getting a job as a model. Thus he is introduced to the concepts of fashion and advertising. Jesse's ascension angers another model, Zack (Brad Lockerman), who is trying to make a comeback. Some goons try, unsuccessfully, to take Jesse's life. Jesse investigates by breaking into Zack's apartment and discovers photographic evidence that Zack is blackmailing Fred (Sandy Simpson), the man who murdered Donna's brother and stole his designs. Fred sends four men to kill Jesse and Donna, but Jesse thwarts them and goes on to catch Fred and Zack. - RodeoE10
RodeoAfter helping to stop a runaway stagecoach at a cowboy-themed car dealership, Jesse gets a job cleaning stables at a local rodeo. He rides a bronco and gets in a barfight. One of the cowboys, Travis (Grainger Hines), is getting old and doesn't feel like he can perform, anymore, so he quits and takes a job at the car dealership. Travis and Jesse discover that the owner, Buck (Michael Alldredge), has been stealing cars with a towtruck and selling them. Travis confronts Buck and accusing him of being no different than a horse thief. Buck tries to escape, but Jesse and Travis chase him down and Jesse lassos him. - Not In Our StarsE11
Not In Our StarsJesse has a dream in which he's told his vice commander ordered the assassination of the Council's Grand Elder. So he wants to send this message home. He reads a book that was written by a professor at a nearby university, goes there, and gets involved in a project to transmit messages to other worlds. He designs a microchip that will enable faster-than-light communications, but the professor steals it, and ultimately Jesse is forced to destroy the chip, because humanity isn't prepared for extra-terrestrial contact. - The All AmericanE12
The All AmericanJesse met Bill Mitchner, a young man in high school who turned out to be an exiled former member of his world's ruling Council. All leaders of a failed coup attempt had been executed, except this one, whose name was erased from the histories, and he was exiled to Earth in the body of an infant 17 years ago. He now planned to rise to power on Earth, despite the rule against exiles drawing attention to themselves. He was also willing to hurt others in pursuit of his goal. Jesse helped him see the error of his ways, and Bill and his own Control unit were recalled to their homeworld.
