"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.
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.