Alien Nation (1988): Underrated gem or just... weirdly dated?

Okay, international film buffs, Priya here! I finally got around to watching 'Alien Nation' (1988) – you know, the one where the aliens, the 'Newcomers,' are trying to integrate into human society in LA? I'm always drawn to films that explore societal tensions through sci-fi, and this one definitely had some interesting things to say about immigration and prejudice. The makeup effects were pretty impressive for the time, those bald heads and freckles were instantly recognizable. I liked the buddy cop dynamic between James Caan’s character and Mandy Patinkin's Sam "George" Francisco. But sometimes the script felt, I don't know, heavy-handed? Like they were hitting you over the head with the message rather than letting it unfold naturally. And some of the jokes haven't aged well at all, I cringed a few times if I'm being honest! It got me thinking, does anyone else feel like 'Alien Nation' is a bit of a mixed bag? There are moments of genuine cleverness and social commentary, but they're often buried under some clunky dialogue and 80s tropes. The whole milk-sensitivity thing was a good plot device for the first 40 minutes, then it kinda wore out its welcome. So, my question is: Are we giving 'Alien Nation' too much credit for its progressive themes because it was relatively early to the game, or is it a genuinely good sci-fi film that still holds up today despite its flaws? What did YOU think when you watch it?