Roswell, New Mexico: Season 1 | Episode 1 “Pilot” Review

Synopsis

“A reimagining of Roswell, which centers on the residents of New Mexico, where aliens live undercover among humans.” – IMDb

“In The CW’s new series, Roswell, New Mexico, more than maybe anywhere else on Earth, Roswell, New Mexico is ground zero for those who seek proof that aliens exist. Roswell native, Liz Ortecho (Jeanine Mason), left it all behind 10 years ago after the death of her beloved older sister, Rosa. But after the government cuts funding on her biomedical research, she reluctantly returns to her tourist-trap hometown to move back in with her father. When Liz arrives, she reconnects with Max Evans (Nathan Parsons), her teenage crush, who is now a Roswell police officer. Their chemistry is instantly electric. But Liz soon discovers a shocking truth: Max is an alien who has kept his unearthly abilities hidden his entire life, along with those of his otherworldly sister, Isobel (Lily Cowles), and their friend Michael (Michael Vlamis).” – comicbook.com

What Intrigued Me

Full disclosure, I’ve never seen the original Roswell. I didn’t even know the show was about aliens until shortly after this reboot was announced. I guess you could say that I’m coming into this with a fresh, un-biased mind. I mean that in the sense that I have no idea what happened on the original show, how the characters were or anything. So, I don’t really have any expectations for it to live up to, if that makes sense.

Typically, aliens aren’t really my thing. Vampires and werewolves? Count me in, but not aliens. There are a few reasons why I was interested in giving Roswell, New Mexico a shot. One, Carina Adly MacKenzie (show creator, writer, executive producer) has worked on some of my favorite shows, and I follow her on social media because she’s actual career goals. Two, you can’t really go wrong with anything Julie Plec (executive producer) is a part of – even though she’s shattered my heart on multiple occasions with her shows. Three, casting piqued my interest because a good chunk of the actors are from some of my favorite shows. So, thank you, Carina Adly MacKenzie, for that.

Hit or Miss

The thing about reboots (or remakes, whatever you want to call it) is that they can either be a hit or miss. Original fans might not like the remake because they’re so attached to the original. New fans, however, don’t have that attachment, so it’s easier for them to enjoy. From what I’ve seen on social media so far, though, even fans of the original Roswell seemed to enjoy this pilot episode. They loved the callbacks and even the differences that Roswell, New Mexico is bringing to the table. It was fresh and nostalgic all at the same time.

On the other end of the spectrum, I think a new generation will end up falling in love with the show for a multitude of reasons. The diversity, the political and social awareness, the inclusiveness, the storylines, and of course, the romance. While Roswell, New Mexico is obviously about aliens, it’s also relevant as it represents real world issues like government funding, the wall, and getting rid of those who apparently don’t belong. It’s a very modern and important revamp of a show that might not have tackled such issues. That’s why I feel this reboot will be a hit with original fans and new fans alike.

The Relationships

Aliens aside (it’ll take me a bit to get into that), what captured my attention the most in the pilot episode of Roswell, New Mexico are the character dynamics and relationships. There’s the alien family of Max, Isobel and Michael – each with their own secrets and demons to fight. They’ve been carrying this secret of what they really are for twenty years to protect themselves. So, when Max decides to revive Liz and reveal his truth to her, it puts a big hurdle in this family’s way. Can they survive it?

One relationship that seems to be a surprise to everyone is Michael and Alex. Apparently, this relationship wasn’t in the original show. But I knew from their first interaction that there’s some sort of history between these characters because chemistry like theirs doesn’t just pop up out of nowhere. Something happened between them ten years ago, before Alex joined the army, that we don’t know about yet. This should be an interesting story to unravel, and I can’t wait.

You know how when you first watch a show and you just know within a single interaction that certain characters are just meant to be? Even if they aren’t initially together, you just know, deep down, that they’re endgame. Liz and Max are that couple on Roswell, New Mexico. From the first look, I knew. The history. The CHEMISTRY. The, “It’s been 10 years. If I could have, I would have.” The sharing of memories. The almost kiss. The, “Fine. I’ll kiss you then.” Man, did I feel all the feels for these two. I’m already in love with their love.

Grade It

Overall, I give the series premier of Roswell, New Mexico a B+. I still need to get used to the alien aspect of it all, but I loved everything else. I’m excited to see the history of these relationships and characters play out. I need to know what Isobel, Michael and Max are hiding about Liz’s sister. I have a feeling it will only implode Max and Liz’s relationship, which I don’t want to happen. I also wonder if/when the town will find out that aliens do live among them, and how that will affect everyone.

Roswell, New Mexico airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW!

GIF Credit: doctorkylevalenti