Never been a fan of Katherine Heigl, but she was ok in this. Such a shame though that we have not seen much of Jason Behr in anything much else. Handsome, intelligent actor that nobody seems to want.
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ZinQ25 January 2021
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ajhdettmer19 January 2019This show starts out sweet and tenderly as a coming of age teen drama with a SF undertone to keep things interesting and succeeds in this up to mid season 1,than quickly falls apart into teendrama 101 with melodramatic endless loops. Still season 1,some season 2 episodes - mostly those with a story arc spanning two or three episodes -,and very few season 3 episodes are enjoyable to watch.
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genekirk16 September 2019I have passed up watching Roswell for years now and borrowed the DVD set from my brother. I have been binge watching the show with one episode left. With all the garbage coming out of the entertainment industry these days it is refreshing to step back in time and watch something without all the PC and leftist ideas that we are saturated with today. For that alone I give it high marks, but Roswell stands on its on merits for a great show. The chemistry between the characters was excellent. Brilliant writing and directing, I had tears, laughter and suspense that kept me watching. If I ever wrote a screen play I would sent to Jason Katims.
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robl_al19 August 2006I missed the TV episodes of "Roswell" because I worked nights when it was on television, but my daughter found the 3 season DVD's in a store, bought them, and invited me to watch them. I was hooked on the series from the first episode on, and I regret that it is no longer being produced. I enjoyed the romantic involvements, the comedy, the drama, the many heart wrenching scenes, and loved the final episode. When the last episode ended, I felt a great sadness that I would likely never again see these lovable aliens and their human friends. It was a show that left an indelible impression on my mind. It brings out the youth, dreams, and fantasies in all of us. I can think of no other TV show I've watched that I loved and will miss so much. I hope to see a motion picture come out of this series one day, one featuring the same actors and actresses who starred in the TV series. The series showed the ups and downs of everyday life which we all experience, and showed there is always hope for a new and better tomorrow, if we truly believe in ourselves. It was a great philosophical show. And now, it is gone. I will miss it, but I will never forget it. Thank you 20th Century Fox for giving us the show.
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DarkTimes23 June 2004This show was one of the best on television and always struggled to stay on the air and that is crazy although not surprising. Unique shows like this do not fair well on television. It lasted 3 seasons and this first season was one of the greatest first seasons that any show could ever produce. People might have been turned off by too much sci-fi or romance, but i thought they did a great job of balancing the two and it is a shame not enough people watched this show. The chemistry between Behr and Appleby and Fehr and Delfino was just great. They are all great actors. The romeo and juliet aspect of the show was very unique and rare for this age of TV. I first saw this show in 99 i was 17 and could relate to the characters very well, alien part aside. This show can be enjoyed by people of any age or gender. I highly recommend buying this show on DVD even if you never seen it before its well worth it. People afraid of the sci-fi part should know the aliens are just like humans no green skin or big eyes. They just simply can do things normal humans cant. The first episode Max (behr) heals Liz (appleby) after she is shot and their lives are changed forever. They both fall in love from their and their problems also start because now the sheriff and FBI start to suspect something isn't right about Max.The alien part of the show is what causes a lot of problems that are impossible to have on other teenage dramas, which is why its unique. Katims who is the creator behind the show is just a genius. So again I highly recommend this DVD set. The second and third seasons will be out soon enough.
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mermatt8 October 1999This interesting story of extraterrestrial alienation is a fascinating metaphor of teen angst -- a topic that has often been treated in movies and on TV, but here it is offered with new and insightful perspective.
The show is a way to symbolize common human fears in an imaginative parable. Issues that are woven into the story line include not knowing who you are, the experience of being a foster child, keeping secrets from parents and other authority figures, the danger of making close personal connections with others, and the isolation of being in or from one's own strange world.
ROSWELL is a clever idea with a fresh, interesting young cast. The show is an imaginative cross between, on the one hand, THE X-FILES and THE FUGITIVE, and, on the other, the odd perspective of ALF and THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN. This is an excellent show in a time when too many shows are carbon-copies or silly assembly-line junk. I give the show an A+. -
SnoopyStyle18 July 2015Liz Parker (Shiri Appleby) and Maria DeLuca (Majandra Delfino) are teen best friends working as waitresses in a Roswell diner. Alex Whitman (Colin Hanks) is their geeky best friend. Liz dated Sheriff Jim Valenti (William Sadler)'s son Kyle (Nick Wechsler). A shooting leaves Liz mortally wounded. Max Evans (Jason Behr) saves her life with his touch. She discovers that he's an alien. He, his sister Isabel Evans (Katherine Heigl) and best friend Michael Guerin (Brendan Fehr) are all space aliens. They love Tabasco sauce and have special powers. The last few episodes of the first season sees the arrival of new student Tess Harding (Emilie de Ravin).
The pilot is basically Twilight with aliens. A mysterious brooding boy miraculously rescues a girl. They find a deep unbreakable connection. It is teen girl catnip and it's such a great start. Maria is hilarious in the secondary relationship with Michael. Then the struggle begins. There is always a temptation to add more and more sci-fi conspiracy exposition to everything. It doesn't feel well thought out. The FBI stuff is already pushing to the limits but they had to pile on Native stuff. The conspiracy never stops. By the end of the first year, the show is running into problems of being too convoluted. It's not insurmountable but the second season doubles down on it. It becomes mostly about sci-fi mystery thriller. It piles on time travel, interstellar politics, superpowers, alien hunters and spaceship with crystals. The second season ends on life support. The third year is really just a throwaway season and not worth watching after losing a couple of the characters. -
skpn12314 December 2020In between viewings I forget how creative, imaginative, funny and human this series about aliens is.
Season 2 is not my favourite but in the light of the recent garbage I am compelled to view on the screen it is simply superior in every way that matters such as originality, talented cast, (young and old), character development, relatability and a fast enough pace to keep attention.
Fun and engaging viewing -
dollarbillsemail26 May 2011(CAPTIVATING SEASON-1) I've always had a keen interest in the actual Roswell crash. So,for me,the show "Roswell" was a natural. It would be the first prime time sci-fi show to feature teenagers as the stars and they all looked like average kids that you would find in any high school. With any great show,you'll find that the cast members are a perfect fit. "Roswell" was certainly that. With any new show,you need to grab your audience in the pilot episode,which they did. Then,you need to hold that audience for the next few episodes,which they did not. Episodes 1.2 through 1.5 were merely get to know the characters type episodes. Fortunately,things took a turn for the better. Beginning with episode 1.6 and in subsequent episodes,they uncover a number of artifacts and a series of clues in their quest to discover who they are,where they came from and why they're here. Then,with episode 1.17,came the two best additions to the show,the father-daughter team of Ed and Tess Harding. Jim Ortlieb would play Ed "Nasedo" Harding,a quirky,straight forward,no nonsense shape shifter and occasional killer with a deadpan odd ball sense of humor. Emilie de Ravin would play Tess Harding,a gorgeous vixen mystery girl with secrets and agendas,,the fourth alien,having knowledge of the royal four's previous lives and who holds the answers that the others seek. Both actors totally nailed their characters and brought a whole new dimension to the show. The writers created the Tess character to move along the "past lives" alien storyline and to place a wedge between sweethearts Max and Liz. It served to stir things up and bring turmoil within the group,something that had been lacking up to that point. In episode 1.22,the season finale,Max learned that he was,indeed,supposed to be with Tess and not Liz. The Max-Liz fan base was in an uproar. They hated the Tess character. They hated Emilie for playing Tess. They hated the writers for doing it. Those fans were short sighted. Max and Liz were the stars of the show. The show was built around them. No matter what happened,they would be together in the end. Anything that takes place in between is just good drama. I want to mention here that the writing in season-1 was exceptional. All of the episodes were very good or better and the story line had a smooth flow throughout. (ACTION PACKED SEASON-2) If you like action,this was your season. The stories became more dramatic as well,bringing forth the shows best episodes. On the down side,you had the shows first clunkers. Episodes 2.8 and 2.9 were laughable duds. This is also the season where things began to unravel. From episode 2.1 through 2.15,all was well. It was shaping up that each alien would be paired off with a human,Max-Liz,Michael-Maria,Isabel-Alex and Tess-Kyle. Then,In episode,2.16,Kyle tells Tess that he regards her more as a sister and not a love interest and Max drops Liz in favor of Tess. In episode 2.17,Alex is killed off. In episode 2.18,they broke the cardinal Romeo-Juliet rule by having Max and Tess consummate their relationship. Now,Liz would have damaged goods. There's no way to fix that. In episode 2.21,they tried to make Nesado and Tess the villains. Nesado could have killed the royal four at any time. Instead,he protected them and saved them countless times,as did Tess. So,none of these radical changes made any sense. Anyway,the show was cancelled. (FORGETTABLE SEASON-3) When UPN picked up the cancelled show for a season-3,viewers were delighted and eagerly anticipated that the aliens,at some point,would return to Antar to do battle with Kavar. Instead,we got the Jesse-Isabel spin off show. Everything that made the first two seasons enjoyable was gone. No longer was West Roswell High the focal point of the show. Nasedo was gone. Except for a couple of ghostly apparition appearances,Alex was gone. Unbeknown to us at the start of the season was that Tess had also been written out of the show. Without Tess,there was no catalyst. No evil aliens this season either. BORING! The one bright spot of the season was episode 3.17,when Tess returned with baby Zan. There was blood,gore,death,destruction,mayhem ..a great episode. Now,we come to the series finale,the episode that should leave everyone warm and fuzzy. Unfortunately,episode 3.18 was a pitiful ridiculous mess. All season long,Max declared,"I have to get my son back". When he finally did get him back,he immediately put him up for adoption. WHAT? Are Max,Isabel and Michael going to return to Antar to rescue Max and Isabel's real mother and free their enslaved people from evil Kavar,as they were created to do? NO! Instead,in an extremely cowardly manner,like draft dodgers heading up to Canada,they're going to go off and do their own thing. WHAT? Isabel tells her husband Jesse,"You're not part of this. Go back to your law practice". He says,"Okay,bye". WHAT? Yet,Kyle is allowed to go along with them on his odyssey of self discovery. WHAT? With Roswell swarming with special agents and the military,the group just drives out of Roswell uncontested in their hippie mobile. WHAT? Max and Liz get married. WOW! Like we didn't know that would happen from day one. The writer of this episode shouldn't be allowed to handle crayons,let alone a keyboard. You can always tell when viewers are frustrated and dissatisfied with the things that go on within a show ..they write fanfics. Well,this show had a gazillion of them. In short,this show stayed one season too long at the dance and took many wrong turns,which lead to it's demise.
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kindofperson10 June 2020I love this show, i just love it. ( in truth season 1 is the best, season 2 started great but kind of took a turn and season 3..pretty bad) It's the first show i ever watched, when I was about 13 or 14. I just fell in love with Liz & Max. I will not be reviewing the "quality" of this show because compared to recent tv productions it's ofcourse far inferior in terms of visual efects. There are mistakes in terms of script too, the plot is often times pushed to extreme and unbelievable, sometimes cringy or too dramatic. In short, yes it has flaws.
BUT
I personally feel the good excedes the bad with this one. I may not be the best judge because I am very emotionally invested here. This show really takes me back to teenage years, to first love, to purity of feeling, to real friendships.. I rewatched it a few days ago (i m now 25) and i just love it. I think i saw a whole other side of the show this time and i understood a lot of things differently:- it painted a very real picture of relationships (ignoring the alien part): the struggles, the problems, the emotional connection, learning to accept the other with flaws and all, growing together - i think the actors did a great job. Liz and Max vs Maria and Michael. A lot could be taken from both. It s really not your usual cliche romance. The characters actually get to know each other, talk, share, lern to trust and not judge. And i really enjoy that they encourage waiting in terms of having intercourse. The girls and the guys are virgins and i think it's a good message for teenagers out there today (when let s be honest everything is sexualized) that the first time (at least) shoud be with someone they care about , that treats them right..
- the child- parent perspective. We have the teenage kids go through different parental issues and it feels very real and relatable. Is not just drama, there are actual real life issues and we are presented with both sides (Parent and teenager)
Also what REALLY surprised me, watching it again, (as a kid i only cared about the romance) was that it touched on : parental abuse, suicide, mindfulness, piece of mind, meditation - budism, and (for a second) on racism too. You just don't expect that from a teenage-alien-romance-drama show. All in all i love this show but i'm really emotionally attached to itso i may be biased. To be objective: it is a good show for teenagers and they can learn beautiful things from it. Xoxo -
Major8627 July 2006I loved roswell and have all three seasons on DVD, unfortunately the main reason I loved roswell was because of season 1, the other 2 seasons got sidetracked and the writers seemed to get lost with all he plot lines that they were trying to envisage on screen.
But season 1 was fantastic, absolutely adored it and even watched the re-run on sci-fi even though I owned the DVD box set. I loved the relationship between max and liz and I thought it was genuinely good on screen, sometimes Jason Behr seemed very boring and sense of humour wasn't his thing until maybe season 2, but I though he was a good lead. The only person I found extremely annoying was Katherine Heigl(Isabel), I think at times she must have skipped acting class because at times you just want to scream at her SHUT UP!! But overall I found the show to be very entertaining and very watchable, season 3 seemed to go by like a whirlwind, but I was pleased with the ending and I suppose they did it in a way the show could only have been ended with liz and max getting hitched AHHHH! Not as good as buffy, but still entertaining enough to be recommended. -
stuiterbal-6533421 June 2020O what i wouldnt give for a chance to be Liz in this situation? I envied her because of Max. I was 16 when i saw the show for the first time and i still watch it now and again for nostalgia. It wasnt quite the same as the books, but i enjoyed every episode of it nonetheless. To me it was the ultimate teen show, with just enough teen drama, mixed in with tragedy and conflict and, even though i adore Emilie De Ravin as an actress, i hated Tess with all my heart. If anyone would ever look at me like Max did at Liz, i would marry that man within the same day:) Just kidding, but Jason Behr was amazing as Max.
The new resurge of the story, true to the books, i might have liked, but i am so stuck on the original i couldnt watch it more then a couple of episodes. -
thu_9411 September 2013I would like to start this review out with saying that I really enjoyed watching Roswell. I'm really disappointed that they were only able to do three seasons. My opinion is that the storyline had great potential.
First off, I would like to praise all the actors' contribution to the series. I think they managed to portray the characters in a brilliant way. Everyone except Shiri Appleby. I think they could've casted a better actor for the role o Liz. I don't know what it is... But Appleby made me want to stop watching the show during it's second season. It had nothing to do with what Liz did, it was because of how Appleby portrayed Liz. Secondly... What the writers of the show seemed to forget often were their age. The characters were portrayed as old and wise. Liz and Max early decided they were meant to be and they rushed to the alter after they graduated high school, at the age of 18. Yes, their love was beautiful and inspiring, but when you realize they're only about 15-16 years old the first season it soon becomes ridiculous. The fact that they rushed off to the alter at the age of 18 makes the end a bit... ridiculous. They were so young at that time and to think they would stick together after getting out to the "real" world seems a bit naive. So, now I'm done with the biggest issues I had with the show.
I would like to praise Katherine Heigl for an EXCELLENT job. She is always excellent as an actress and there was no difference here. I did not always like her character, but she always portrayed Isabel in an amazing way. I would also like to thank the creators and the writers for giving us an amazing show. If only it could've lasted longer... -
Speasha86 January 2008"Roswell" is probably not one of the few shows that really sticks with you. It's not "Buffy The Vampire Slayer", it's not "Six Feet Under" or "Dead Like Me". It's not groundbreaking or brilliant, but it's a very nicely entertaining show with a heart.
While a little bit silly sometimes when it comes to both, relationship and sci-fi-elements, the strength of the show definitely lies in the more grounded relationship-story lines which dominated the show in its first season. Back in the first season, the writers also included a nice storyarc that was very well executed in terms of just revealing a little bit, but enough to make it interesting and suspenseful. (the whole Nasedo/FBI-storyarc) Unfortunately the show was always a show that was on the bubble and since the network wanted the show to be more successful than it was, they insisted on extending the fantasy/sci-fi/action-elements of the show, since "Buffy" and "Angel" were a huge success for them back then. While "Buffy" and "Angel" are definitely superior to "Roswell" and brilliant (although not with every single episode), that's what ultimately led to "Roswell"'s demise since that simply wasn't the show that "Roswell" was and since the writers didn't really succeed at making the sci-fi-elements post season one work. Most of the time, the sci-fi-elements were a huge weakness of the show. Sometimes very silly and not really thought through, they hurt the show more than they helped her. Obviously you can still watch the show and enjoy the sci-fi-elements in season two and three, but only if you switch your brain off and don't think about them.
The characters on the show and their relationships to each other are the heart of the show. At developing these characters and letting them grow over a couple of seasons, the writers of "Roswell" succeeded and were even better than writers of shows that air these days.
The cast of the show is topnotch. Behr and Appelby deliver stellar performances as the star-crossed couple Max and Liz which are the center of the show. The real stars however can be found in the supporting cast. Majandra Delfino delivers wit and beauty in her part as Liz's best friend Maria De Luca, but is still capable to add emotional depth to her character. Brendan Fehr makes Michael to the most interesting and most vulnerable character of the show, while Katherine Heigl plays the sympathetic and spoiled princess among the group. Nick Wechsler, pretty much wasted in season one, becomes a fully fledged character in season two with some of the funniest lines of the whole show. William Sadler however is the show's most talented actor and his performance is just beautiful.
"Roswell" is a show for people who can overlook flaws and just enjoy a very nice show with a heart, despite its silliness at times. -
powellaelvie10 November 2002Normally I do not get so pathetically obsessed with things, but what can I say -- Roswell was and is by far my favourite show ever made. It had angst without being too teen-y, it had passion, idealism and realism, and a compelling storyline. The setting was superb, the plots were for the most part perfect (I have to admit, Season 3 was a bit of a disappointment after Seasons 1 & 2, but not enough to make me stop watching), and the acting was great. A teen show like Dawson's Creek, or Buffy for that matter (I still can't understand why so many people like it -- ick), cannot hold a candle to Roswell. It's unfortunate that it had to end, but all good things usually do before their time.
As for the comment about Katims not being able to pull off sci-fi -- puh-lease. The best sci-fi is that which is realistic enough and embedded enough in everyday life that it is believable. The best thing Katims did was not make it tacky, as-if sci-fi.
There are shows from your past that you thought were sensational (as a kid or teen), and then see them as an adult and wonder, "What was I on?" But watching Roswell as an adult, I can honestly say that it will likely remain my favourite show for a long, long time, considering the kind of mindless crap coming out of Hollywood these days. I love the show so much that even I, a poor pharmacology grad student, made an effort to tape reruns of Season 1, had the foresight to tape Season 3 (even if it was sub-par for the show), and after the Space station here in Canada stopped the reruns, paid way too much for Season 2 on VCD, just so I can watch it whenever I want, whenever the current lineup on TV gets me down. I honestly think that if more of the population had an open mind to realistic sci-fi, and if Roswell had received more publicity (esp. considering how much is devoted to Buffy, an inferior show), the show could have went on much longer, and maybe Season 3 would have been up to par.
I HIGHLY recommend this show, for everyone. -
EugenusRex24 February 2022Firstly, I watched Roswell (or Roswell High, as it was called in the U. K.) when I was a child and greatly enjoyed it. After having not seen it for over twenty years, I recently became curious to see as to whether my memories of the show's quality were exaggerated by the passing of time and nostalgia or whether they held some merit and a place in reality. I am glad to say that Roswell, for at least its first series, is everything I remember it being, in a good way.
Produced at the very end of the 1990's, a golden decade for the long form syndicated T. V. drama, it is perhaps not too surprising that Roswell is probably best described as a direct and blatant cross-pollination between 'The X-Files' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', arguably the two most iconic and influential T. V. dramas of the decade in question. The first series harbours all of the mystery, paranoia, conspiracy and extra-terrestrial intrigue of the early series of The X-Files while combining it, in surprisingly effective fashion, with the tasteful but tragic romance between a young female protagonist and a man not of her world, a motif that itself sat at the very core of the early series of Buffy.
I should note that teen dramas aren't really my thing and haven't been for a long time, but the main romantic plot in Roswell is undoubtedly compelling. The chemistry between the two leading actors is undeniable and some skilful writing alongside an abundant supply of adolescent charm help the love story to very often elevate into a place of the sublime and profound that not only excels beyond the expected limitations of a 1990's teen drama but that also goes far beyond any romantic portrayal on television in the modern day (this review dated February, 2022). I simply do not see romance or sacred love so well or patiently constructed in modern television or cinema anymore as I see it in the first series of Roswell. I am not really sure why that's the case or as to when that change occurred but it's a breath of fresh air to get back to a show that at least tries to confront the reality of love and its consequences rather than painting it as an old-fashioned inconvenience, worthy only of ridicule and ultimate dismissal in the wake of cheaper forms of drama.
I am really not too sure what was happening in the U. S. television industry at the turn of the millennium. Perhaps there was a general feeling of 'out with the old, in with the new' which led to an emphasis on finding shows fit for the 21st Century at the detriment of shows already in existence. Regardless, I am well aware that most top tier U. S. television shows saw a drastic decline in quality in the year 2000 and that while a number of those shows have continued on for some time in a lesser form of existence, namely 'The Simpsons' and for some time, a decent but uneven final few series of Buffy, many other shows, such as The X-Files would never be able to recover in form and would ultimately decline further into cancellation. Unfortunately, Roswell belongs to that latter group of television shows.
The rot is clear to see even by the end of the first series in which a new character is introduced who is neither likeable nor interesting and whose very presence badly disrupts a very well-constructed core group dynamic. Furthermore, the second series makes a rather bizarre and perverse effort to separate the two romantic leads, an act that damages the narrative and the integrity of its characters badly. Characters have their intentions and allegiances reshuffled, leading them to feel inconsistent and shallow in a way that they did not in the first series. Added to that, the protagonists seem to go missing for numerous episodes at a time. Altogether, it paints the picture of a show that is increasingly unfocused and at odds with itself while running out of ideas and chasing all the wrong ones.
In summary, the first series of Roswell is a criminally underrated and enjoyable drama of its time with charismatic performances from its principal cast, an honest and heartfelt love story that is hard not to root for and a complex but sympathetic antagonist in the form of William Sadler's Sheriff Valenti.
It was good while it lasted. -
Tweekums13 November 2019Liz Parker is an ordinary high school girl living in Roswell, New Mexico. Her life is changed when one day a customer at the restaurant where she works fires a gun and she is hit by the stray bullet. It should have killed her but classmate Max Evans comes over to her, places his hand over the wound and miraculously heals her. It turns out that Max, his sister Isabel and their friend Michael Guerin are aliens! They look human and have managed to keep their true identity secret all their lives, even from their adoptive parents. Soon after Liz learns the truth her friend Maria finds out to, later a small number of other humans learn the truth. They determine to help their alien friends keep their secret. This won't be easy as Max's actions haven't gone unnoticed. Things get more complicated when they learn ow they came to be on Earth and that there are other aliens who would like to kill them. If that weren't enough Max and Liz and Michael and Maria develop relationships.
This series was a lot of fun; it is just a pity it was cancelled after three seasons... put at least we still have those and it was given a decent ending. It nicely combines science fiction with high school romance thanks to solid story lines and good characters. The sci-fi elements are obviously important but it is the way the characters interact and develop which makes it so gripping. The cast may be a little old for the characters they play but it is rare that actors playing high school children are the right age. They do at least do an impressive job making us believe in their characters and the situation. Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl and Brendon Fehr starring as aliens Max, Isabel and Michael and Sheri Appleby and Majandra Delfino as Liz and Maria. Overall I'd certainly recommend this series to fans of the genre. -
tect-0356428 August 2020First season was kind of slow, it started to annoy me when the two main actors just kept on staring at each other. Then the second season became more interesting. Then the third season, everyone suddenly turned goth?!?
I never did get to like the main actress, every time she showed up in a scene, it was like everything would suddenly stop and then go in slow motion. Plus, when she screamed her voice became so squeaky that it became annoying. The main actor was also kinda slow and monotonous for my taste.
With that said, they completely fixed it in the last three episodes when they finally told their parents and their parents were so supportive. Plus, I appreciate that they gave it a proper ending.
My favorite characters were Maria, Michael, and Olivia. Also the cop and his son. The son did a pretty good job playing the side-kick. -
peterx-369878 September 2019I have swear off TV a long time but I watched this drama at a low point of my life. Yet it is strangely and hauntingly captivating. Stylish and heartfelt poetry in motion even for a sci fi. Truly a unique and surreal experience. It makes me believe in romance again. It makes me feel forever young.
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danieldwilkinson18 March 2021While I did quit this show for sometime because it starts slow and feels way to focused on JUST romance, it does become more, and I got a bit invested in it.
My 2 biggest gripes was S3E1, the start of that season and the entire episode just felt so rushed, like it didn't build up to and I didnt like the back and fourth from future to present. My other gripe was in the same season(I forget which episode) but it was when liz saw max at the boarding school after everyone thought he died? The next episode didn't even show their reaction to his return which just felt underwhelming.
I didnt get too invested into any of the characters, but they all grew on me at the same time over the course of the show and I was happy with the ending :) -
jmbwithcats30 July 2006Yet another show destroyed by the networks. Seems all the teen paranormal dramas get smothered by control freaks, it's really sad. We saw it recently with Point Pleasant. These shows have the potential to be great, but are never allowed the sky to spread their wings and take flight. But, that's the description of a crime, and this is supposed to be a review, so let's get to it.
Wow, what a pilot. I watched it back in 1999, and watching it now it's even better.
Working at a diner, Liz is shot by 2 men who are caught in a scuffle over money. When Max uses some kind of power to bring Liz back from near death, leaving only a lambent hand print on Liz's stomach, the story begins to unfold.
Enter Max, Michael, and Isabel. Three aliens who were brought to Earth by parents they either don't know or don't remember. Max and Isabel are adopted into the Evans family, while Michael is adopted by a man he can't stand.
They have pretty cool powers that Isabel uses for recreational purposes all the time, from melting the cheese on her taco lunch, to playing a music CD without a player. Saving Liz goes over the line, but telling Liz the truth even more so.
It isn't long before more people know, everything becomes entangled, maddening, and more than a little confusing.
If only the networks had allowed them a bit more wiggle room, the show could have been great, instead of being a tiny ripple in a forgotten pond somewhere.
What a treat to see Richard Schiff in episode one of Roswell, after loving him for so long on The West Wing, I totally forgot he played any character on Roswell. If you don't know him, he's terrific. He plays Agent Stevens, the impersonal paranormal investigator whom the sheriff brings in near the end of episode 1, and who takes the dress with him in his briefcase to study in the lab later.
"So, where are you from?" (points up) "Let's just say I'm not from around here." "Up North..." (Points higher) -
I'm gonna make this short to start, and maybe I'll add to it later, but this short run series appears to have been cut short too early...
It's premise is that three alien hybrid live in Roswell, descendants of the 'visitors' from our most famous UFO conspiracy incident...BUT it is not about aliens per se', but the emotional characterizations while they live among us in Roswell...
Ok, that's it for now, I'm still on the first eppie on Netflix... -
cineasten8925 May 2005I have to admit I boycotted Roswell when it first aired on TV. I was just not interested. I had just started to watch Buffy and thought Roswell would be kind of a copying show. But hey, I was wrong. I didn't hesitate to buy the DVD and I am happy I did, because those lazy nights are great to be spent with such a TV show like this.
This is filled with all good stuff and good characters. Valenti, whom is supposed to be the bad but instead is fun and great. Kyle, whom is hilarious but it was first by the episode when he and Max were drunk that got me to like him. Max, because he is the guy in my dreams. Good-looking, blue-eyed, shy, quiet, thoughtful and wise - and most of all - sexy to women. Michael, because he is the ordinary rebel who actually is very intelligent and kind in his gold heart, but is rebel because of his parent situation. He feels lost in his world. Isabel, because she is always lovely and says smart lines and is very intelligent. Maria, who is the one who helps whoever whenever needs to be. Liz, who is very faithful and believes the best of other people. Alex, who is the ordinary nerd guy who falls in love with Isabel, very different his personality.
In some way I am more drawn to this than Buffy, The X files and other science fiction TV shows, as this finished after only three seasons. Smart done by the producers, I think, because it would have lost its charm after the third season. And it is the more reason to keep this in mind, when everything has just been great. And the more reason to re watch the three seasons when you haven't something to do or when it is bad TV shows airing on TV... Just re watch this and enjoy your memories.. I will for sure never be tired of this TV show.
Evertything starts with Liz being shot. Max heals her with his alien power, but after that their lives, and the others's, change forever. Things went weird. The secret has to be told. And so starts the hunt for the truth...
This is not too much romance. Not either too much science fiction. It is just an ordinary TV show, except from the fact that it is about three aliens and three humans in the center. They are looking for the truth of the three aliens's past and origin - why they came to Earth and how they can come back there. But before they are able to do, they fall in love with each other. Max in Liz, Michael in Maria and Alex in Isabel. They have to handle everyday troubles - love troubles, friend troubles, parent troubles, alien troubles and so on. But the most problem they are handling every day - to keep their secret from the world outside... FBI must not know their secret. Neither must their adopted parents.
The chemistry between Behr and Appleby and Fehr and Delfino was just great. The chemistry between Colin Hanks and Heigl was also good, but they were not such in love as Max/Liz and Michael/Maria were, and anyway Colin Hanks dropped off this TV show after his character Alex Whitman's death in the 2nd season.
It is unusual for such a TV show to have great actors, but this have.
First watching this TV show when I was 14-turning-to-be-15, I am happy I didn't check out this when I was ten. If I did, it had been difficult to relate to the characters and the story, alien part aside.
In fact, I am absolutely sure this can be enjoyed of people of all ages, as it is kinda of a teen story with "moralic aspects", which turns to label this TV show not only as a "sci fi romantic teen drama" but also a "family TV show". -
dennis-reynolds-662-4390929 April 2012I remember watching this series back when it aired in 1999, or maybe it was early 2000, after all I live in Norway. I was also attending my last or second last year of elementary school and uncertainty was a subject regarding next year would bring at middle school was prominent. Anyways, this was during the times of the great Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and of course Roswell.
(Warning with some major spoilers which also are minor, strange but true.) The main story is about three teenagers that are connected to the crash in Roswell, New Mexico all the way back to 1947. If you enjoy(which I still do) Buffy then you will most likely enjoy this. The characters, the music, the storyline, the ups and downs of these teenagers are incredible. The relationship between Max and Liz rivals the relationship between Buffy and Angel. Its one of the most beautiful love stories I can think of, and I promise you after you see the pilot and hear "Crash into Me" by Dave Matthews Band play at the end while these two starstruck teenagers connect you will be hooked. Not to forget Sarah Mclachlan fear playing while Liz lays dying. Another song that will be forever indistinguishable is Dido's intro-theme. To contrast their relationship we have Michael and Maria, whom totally are irregular and funny, and pretty intense, and almost even more charming than Max and Liz(!) Also Alex and Isabel brings some certain charm to this show. Even Kyle and his father sheriff Valenti, whom both are very annoying are also extremely fascinating and unique.
While some of us fans find season 1 the absolute best, the remaining two seasons are entertaining but they are a shift from the more personal and exciting drama/mystery/science fiction of season 1. For reasons you have to find out yourself, I give this serious a 7 out of 10. While first season deserves 9 out of 10, its what comes after that somewhat destroys the scoring. However you look at it, this show is a legendary show that should only be compared to its likes, like Buffy and Angel.
If you are looking for a show to fill the gap that Buffy gave you, this is the show, and it will make you reminisce back to the earlier seasons of Buffy. The mood, the chemistry, the feeling is marvelous. This seriously will feel like something larger than life. And you will feel that you died and just came back to life five days ago. So come on, you will be starstruck, for a while at least! -
superamazonbabe9 August 2007I'm astonished at the amount of positive user comments for this show. Apparently a lot of people like very jejune shows with melodramatic acting and a hefty dose of teen angst, poorly-developed story lines and insignificant character development... If that's your thing, you'll LOVE this show. Initially the kitschy quality of the weird sci-fi elements coupled with coming-of-age conventions appealed to me -- however, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a contemporary of Roswell, accomplishes this about a gazillion times better. This show takes itself too seriously, there is not enough humour (another thing Buffy had pined down perfectly, the combination of clever pop culture references and snappy wit that this show sorely lacks), the characters become quite unlikeable as the series progresses, the story-line is overblown and contrived without being interesting, there are too many details that are not resolved / explained properly, and it's hard to tell if the actors are decent or not, since the script is so crappily written. If you like stuff about aliens, watch X-Files; if you like high school shows, watch Freaks & Geeks; if you like cheesy crap, watch Roswell.