Roswell, New Mexico: In the Media

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

[paulvdb]

The CW fall TV 2018 schedule

Quote

Returning shows “Jane the Virgin,” “iZombie” and “The 100” will join the lineup in the second half of the season. So will two more new shows, “In the Dark” and “Roswell, New Mexico.”

[paulvdb]

The CW Network Announces New Six-Night Primetime Schedule for 2018-19
 

Quote

 

ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO (@CWRoswellNM #Roswell)

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 left it all behind 10 years ago, after the death of her beloved older sister, Rosa. But with her father ailing, she reluctantly returns to her tourist-trap hometown to move back in with him. When Liz arrives, she reconnects with Max Evans, 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 siblings, Isobel and Michael. As the two grow closer after a decade apart, Liz finds it difficult to keep the truth from her best friend, Maria De Luca, and her trusting high school ex, Dr. Kyle Valenti. Also hiding their extraterrestrial origins are Isobel and Michael, with Isobel not even revealing the truth to her husband, Noah, and Michael keeping his identity hidden beneath a bad-boy exterior of hard living and casual hookups. Meanwhile, a long-standing government conspiracy spearheaded by Master Sgt. Jesse Manes, along with the politics of fear and hatred that run rampant in Roswell, threatens to expose Max and his family, and could endanger his deepening romance with Liz... as well as their lives. ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO stars Jeanine Mason, Nathan Parsons, Michael Trevino, Lily Cowles, Michael Vlamis, Tyler Blackburn, Heather Hemmens, Trevor St. John and Karan Oberoi. ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO is from Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, in association with Amblin Television and Bender Brown Productions, with executive producers Carina Adly MacKenzie ("The Originals"), Chris Hollier ("Once Upon A Time"), Julie Plec ("The Vampire Diaries"), Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey ("The Americans"), Lawrence Bender ("Pulp Fiction") and Kevin Kelly Brown ("Roswell").

 

[tessaray]

Thanks for the link. I was wondering how on earth the CW was going to fit all those shows in.  So, we have a bit of a wait ahead...

[Chas411]

Disappointed that there was no trailer. Charmed and All American look awful so I'm hoping that it doesn't mean Roswell is even worse if it wasn't picked up ahead of them.

[starri]

On 5/17/2018 at 6:55 PM, Chas411 said:

Disappointed that there was no trailer. Charmed and All American look awful so I'm hoping that it doesn't mean Roswell is even worse if it wasn't picked up ahead of them.

If nothing else, while Roswell: TOS wasn't exactly one for the history books, it's a much stronger template than Charmed.

[tessaray]

[starri]

I like that a lot. 

[tessaray]

If one cares to look on Twitter, it seems that Stephen Amell (Arrow) saw the pilot before most others. Sigh... Now I want an Arrow/RNM crossover. And I'm not even that much of an Arrow fan anymore.  

[Just Here]

Roswell, New Mexico Comic-Con® 2018 Teaser

[starri]

Well, it looks better than Charmed.

[Chas411]

That it does - I'm actually shocked they're leaving this until mid season.

Not sure about the guy who's playing Max though.. He seems pretty weak.

[Myrrhine]

I was prepared to try this and just enjoy it for whatever it is, but wow, seeing the same crashdown uniforms kind of struck me. 

 

I will still check it out, but I think it will be tough not to make constant comparisons to the original pilot at least (which I thought was strong in terms of laying out the show, the characters, the stakes). 

[starri]

14 minutes ago, Myrrhine said:

I was prepared to try this and just enjoy it for whatever it is, but wow, seeing the same crashdown uniforms kind of struck me. 

I actually kind of liked that.  Nice enough easter egg for someone who watched the original, but not too much attention given to it so as not to alienate (so to speak) any new viewers.

I remember liking Nathan Parsons on General Hospital.  If I'm unsure of anyone, it's the guy playing Michael, just because he's so very different from Brendan Fehr.

Still, I think they earned my eyeballs for at least one episode.

[tessaray]

I was kind of iffy on the guy who plays Michael too but liked the rest. Well, the healing scene was a bit over the top. It makes me appreciate how understated the original was in comparison.  

[shapeshifter]

31 minutes ago, tessaray said:

I was kind of iffy on the guy who plays Michael too but liked the rest. Well, the healing scene was a bit over the top. It makes me appreciate how understated the original was in comparison.  

 

1 hour ago, starri said:

If I'm unsure of anyone, it's the guy playing Michael, just because he's so very different from Brendan Fehr.

I, OTOH, thought the guy playing Michael had the potential of having a much more riveting presence than Brendan Fehr, whose manner of speaking is always annoyingly distracting to me.

I'm less impressed with the actors playing Max and Liz; I hope they weren't chosen primarily for physical resemblance to the original actors.

This "teaser" reminds me of Riverdale with regards to the choice of actors—with the one chosen to play the somewhat less important role (of Jughead) turning out to be the strongest (based on the first 8-10 episodes of Riverdale that I watched).

 

One other thing that's been bugging me is the choice of the show's title. I mean, it's been 20 years and they've learned nothing about SEO (search engine optimization)? Why not give some unique twist to the title to separate it from the web pages designed to attract potential tourists to Roswell, New Mexico? When rebranding the show, there was a great opportunity to fix this problem—but they chose to repeat it. </end-rant>

[tessaray]

Just to clarify, the new Michael doesn't appeal to me but I wasn't a huge Brendan Fehr fan either. I liked him in a couple of episodes but that's about it.  I'm nowhere near the target demo though, so mileage and all that. :-) 

[Chas411]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

'm less impressed with the actors playing Max and Liz; I hope they weren't chosen primarily for physical resemblance to the original actors.

Jeanine Mason was on a few episodes of Greys and she was awful. I was fully expecting her to be the worst in This but to my shock it's actually Nathan Parsons. He's awful. So wooden and awkward. 

[AngelKitty]

Well, the trailer looks more melodramatic than fun, but I like that the story is being retold with older characters, it should change the whole dynamic which could be interesting. The teen scene is what turned me off the series originally, but then I watched the repeats when they started and got hooked. 

[Chas411]

I'm actually gonna say though that this looks soooo much better then the Charmed reboot which I'm predicting is going to be an epic fail given the bad blood between the old show vs new show and how utterly lackluster the trailer was. They should have released this trailer ages ago as I think it would have generated more buzz. 

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, nosleepforme said:

8 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

One other thing that's been bugging me is the choice of the show's title. I mean, it's been 20 years and they've learned nothing about SEO (search engine optimization)? Why not give some unique twist to the title to separate it from the web pages designed to attract potential tourists to Roswell, New Mexico? When rebranding the show, there was a great opportunity to fix this problem—but they chose to repeat it. </end-rant>

I think it was probably a rights issue. They couldn't go for Roswell High, because it is not set in highschool anymore and I suspect maybe Fox has the rights to "Roswell" as a title since they produced the original series, while this one is being produced by WB. I think Crashdown would have made a great title too, but then they would have lost the brand name.

Well, at least fan searches for the new full title won't pull up pages for Roswell, Georgia. 

[mehtotheworld]

Am I missing something, or did Isobel mispronounce Liz’s last name? 

I’ll watch this, but I don’t really think the promo shows any of the magic the original did (no matter that my rewatch a few years after it went off the air left me puzzled as to why I loved it so damn much...)

[phoenics]

On 5/17/2018 at 9:39 AM, paulvdb said:

The CW Network Announces New Six-Night Primetime Schedule for 2018-19
 

Just that synopsis has me super excited.  I have read all 10 of MM's original books and this sounds WAY more like the original.  Especially since they have Alex's dad playing such a character - ya'll... this is gonna be good.  I'm really excited.  About to watch the trailer now... don't fail me Max/Liz chemistry!!

[phoenics]

On 7/21/2018 at 7:14 PM, Just Here said:

Roswell, New Mexico Comic-Con® 2018 Teaser

*screams in roswelllllllllllllll*  OMG I cannot wait!!  *screams, cries, laughs and then screams again*

This looks really good - not sure yet of the chemistry part with M/L, but I like Isabel better than KH's version already, and Michael already stole my heart.  I'm hurt about Maria not getting to be with Michael though - I loved M/L and M/M.  Le sigh.

They BETTER have the connection part - that was absolutely integral in the books.  They HAVE to have that part!

This looks REALLY faithful to the MM books.  That part with someone touching the alien metal?  That's totally in the books.  Michael saying they can erase Liz's memories?  In the books - not him saying it (I think it might have been Iz who said that though).  I think Sgt. Manes might be playing more to the Valenti character in the books - which would be interesting.  I'm about to reread all of the books now!! 

You can also get them on kindle if you don't have them you guys.

Edited August 18, 2018 by phoenics

[tessaray]

I've never read the books. I've heard that the first Roswell series basically only used them as setup for the characters. But if they are going to be used as backstory, it might be worth it.  

We still have a long wait for the premiere, though hopefully we'll get some spoilers while they are filming. 

[shapeshifter]

10 hours ago, phoenics said:

*screams in roswelllllllllllllll*  OMG I cannot wait!!  *screams, cries, laughs and then screams again*

LOL! Quietly inside I reacted the same way. The actors playing Max and Liz have really similar voices to JB and SA—at least in the trailer. And there was one shot where she looked like Liz/Shiri. And there was a quick shot of a man's face who looked so much like Colin Hanks.

 

 

7 hours ago, tessaray said:

I've never read the books. I've heard that the first Roswell series basically only used them as setup for the characters. But if they are going to be used as backstory, it might be worth it. 

I read them them several times, LOL. 
I do like children's books and young adult books, as well as Jane Austen, because they aren't nightmare inducing, but the Metz books were also just well written within their genre.
 

Edited August 19, 2018 by shapeshifter

[phoenics]

2 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

LOL! Quietly I nside I reacted the same way. The actors playing Max and Liz have really similar voices to JB and SA—at least in the trailer. And there was one shot where she looked like Liz/Shiri. And there was a quick shot of a man's face who looked so much like Colin Hanks.

I thought so toooo!!  That guy - he was in a sheriff's uniform, wasn't he?  I think that might be Kyle Valenti or Jesse Manes - Alex's father, but now I'm unsure.  But yeah I got total Colin Hanks vibes.

And there is a shot of Liz in the trailer when she looks up and over at Max and it's very reminiscent of Shiri's Liz - I think they were in the pod chamber? Well, it probably won't be called that on this iteration of the show.

[phoenics]

7 hours ago, tessaray said:

I've never read the books. I've heard that the first Roswell series basically only used them as setup for the characters. But if they are going to be used as backstory, it might be worth it.  

We still have a long wait for the premiere, though hopefully we'll get some spoilers while they are filming. 

Yeah - the 1999 tv show really only used the characters to set things up and then things diverged from there.  The show had a heavy Native American influence in the beginning that they kinda only used to set up Nacedo and then they dropped it.  The books allowed for a deeper connection with their home world and eventually answers why they were sent to Earth.  

I think what will be really interesting is Liz's family's immigration status and how that parallels Max alien status.  I hope that doesn't get dropped totally.  I also saw some alien symbols on that piece of alien metal - maybe they will have something interesting come of it.  I think what both the books and the show never addressed was "why Earth"?  There was excellent fanfiction that delved into why, but the show nor books ever got into it and  think it's a missed opp.  Hopefully the show this time goes deep into that.

[shapeshifter]

6 hours ago, nosleepforme said:

I think this show will have a bigger mythology to it. The original series was very much a relationship-centred drama with aliens, which makes sense given that Jason Katims was involved. He himself always said that he gravitated more to the relationship drama and that he was so new to the sci-fi-elements that the network actually brought in Ronald D. Moore to help him out with the sci-fi-elements. But in this day and age, they don't have typical WB style relationship dramas anymore, so I think this show will lean more heavily into alien mythology and have more fantastical elements and on-going plot lines. It will probably take something out of the Vampire Diaries/Originals handbook, given that the writer and director come from this universe. 

Also, it seems the CW is more action oriented now, with a lot of gratutious sex and violence, albeit not R-rated, like on some cable networks. I guess this is why I don't seem to be watching any CW shows anymore. I watched a couple of seasons of Arrow and The 100 and then bailed for this reason. Fox's Gotham was the same for me. I tolerate violence if it's necessary to the story, like in Breaking Bad, or Fargo, or True Detective, but these shows targeted to younger audiences seem to assume the sex and violence are just there to entertain and/or grab eyeballs. And fight scenes or chase scenes are just boring filler to me.

A recent CW exception is Kristen Krueks's new summer drama—but it's all tedious and boring, IMO. The best part is Kristen's hair, LOL.

Regardless, I'll give anything Roswellian a chance, just like I did Riverdale (because of my passion for Archie comics as a kid), but I don't think I even got through the first season of Riverdale. 

[phoenics]

On 8/25/2018 at 1:20 PM, shapeshifter said:

Also, it seems the CW is more action oriented now, with a lot of gratutious sex and violence, albeit not R-rated, like on some cable networks. I guess this is why I don't seem to be watching any CW shows anymore. I watched a couple of seasons of Arrow and The 100 and then bailed for this reason. Fox's Gotham was the same for me. I tolerate violence if it's necessary to the story, like in Breaking Bad, or Fargo, or True Detective, but these shows targeted to younger audiences seem to assume the sex and violence are just there to entertain and/or grab eyeballs. And fight scenes or chase scenes are just boring filler to me.

A recent CW exception is Kristen Krueks's new summer drama—but it's all tedious and boring, IMO. The best part is Kristen's hair, LOL.

Regardless, I'll give anything Roswellian a chance, just like I did Riverdale (because of my passion for Archie comics as a kid), but I don't think I even got through the first season of Riverdale. 

Not all shows on CW are violent though - The Flash isn't and I love that show.  Maybe try that?

But I hope the show doesn't 100% sci-fi - KKB wasn't great with that himself and we had all of those hanging chads from S2 while he was there.  And to be honest, the human-alien relationships are what makes Roswell Roswell.  Without that, the humans just become props to watch the aliens and prop them up.  It's why S2 and S3 failed compared to S1.  They have to find a balance so that the story doesn't fall into the alien abyss with nothing human to ground it.  The whole point that launches this story is because an alien boy/guy loved a human girl/woman so much that he risked EVERYTHING to save her.  And it's the connection with humans that makes the aliens feel more grounded and real.  That's the point that the books make too.  It's not just sci-fi.  It's how the aliens ARE human in every sense of the word except their physiology and that's their central conflict.  They belong but really don't because of what they are - not who they are.

I'll say this though - I just watched a few Max/Liz centric episodes and WHEW.  This new show is going to have its work cut out for it coming close to that.  I'm slightly worried that they show nuMax/nuLiz kissing in the teaser trailer so early - it kinda sucks the angst out of them that make them so utterly compelling.

BUT that's not to say I don't want to see a much deeper mythology and world-building done for this show.  I just don't want bad sci-fi in place of a good compelling story to ground it all.  It doesn't make sense to have deep sci-fi but characters that aren't well defined and relationships to drive the drama.  We need both.

Also - I thought Julie Plec was only directing, not writing?  If she's writing, then I'm worried about this show - specifically Maria, who was cast as a black woman.  Given JP's racial problematic-ness with black characters, I don't trust her with Maria.  AT all.

Edited August 28, 2018 by phoenics

[Chas411]

I don't think she is writing. I think she's busy with Legacies.

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, phoenics said:

Not all shows on CW are violent though - The Flash isn't and I love that show.  Maybe try that

I did like the first season of The Flash, but…IDK. I'm way more fickle now than when Roswell was on. 

[phoenics]

26 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I did like the first season of The Flash, but…IDK. I'm way more fickle now than when Roswell was on. 

I'm more antsy, lol.  I drop shows that look like they might betray me.

[paulvdb]

‘Titans’, ‘Legacies’, ‘Riverdale’, ‘Manifest’ & More Lead WBTV New York Comic Con Lineup

Quote

The back-to-back Saturday panels will also feature the world premiere pilot screening of Roswell, New Mexico (midseason on The CW)

[shapeshifter]

17 hours ago, paulvdb said:

‘Titans’, ‘Legacies’, ‘Riverdale’, ‘Manifest’ & More Lead WBTV New York Comic Con Lineup

Quote

The back-to-back Saturday panels will also feature the world premiere pilot screening of Roswell, New Mexico (midseason on The CW)

 

I wonder if it will just get "leaked" or if they'll realize they might as well officially release it behind a paywall?

[phoenics]

On 9/6/2018 at 4:00 AM, nosleepforme said:

Yes, the creator and showrunner is Carina Adly MacKenzie, one of the writers of The Originals. And she herself is apparently a fan of the original series. However, I still think this version of Roswell will involve mythology much more heavily than the original series even if she tries to keep the relationship elements at the core of the show. It's just not that time anymore where a series like the original Roswell would work.

As long as the humans don't become props to the alien characters then I'm fine with that.  I actually liked the harder sci-fi parts of Roswell - I just thought it was hollow without the human-alien connections that made all of it worthwhile.  I've been following Carina on twitter and she seems like she gets the heart of it - and at least they have the Liz role as the lead of the show - she's top billed.  So at least we have that - maybe this time around they'll keep it balanced.

And I'd love to see a deeper more interesting mythology - I'm so hungry for that kind of show!

[phoenics]

You guys!! Shiri Appleby will be directing an episode of Roswell, NM!!!  When they debuted the pilot at NYCC, they made this announcement and everyone apparently lost their minds.

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-pilot-of-roswell-new-mexico-landed-at-nycc-shiri-appleby-will-direct-an-episode

I'm so bummed I didn't go - I had a chance to go with my job for recruiting purposes and I didn't find out until it was too late!  Aargh!

It's getting some great reviews... I'm starting to get excited.

https://www.tor.com/2018/10/09/roswell-new-mexico-reboot-pilot-television-review-nycc-2018/

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, phoenics said:

It's getting some great reviews... I'm starting to get excited.

https://www.tor.com/2018/10/09/roswell-new-mexico-reboot-pilot-television-review-nycc-2018/

Quote

. . . Isobel (Lily Cowles) brings both gravitas and levity to their precarious identity, frustrated that she must keep their secret from her human husband yet also determined to make this reunion the best it can be, dammit. . . .

 

It sounds like this Isobel might be a cross between Roswell 1999's Maria and the Isabel of "I Married an Alien."
At least I hope so.

[phoenics]

47 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

It sounds like this Isobel might be a cross between Roswell 1999's Maria and the Isabel of "I Married an Alien."
At least I hope so.

I imagine she's not like Maria but more like if 1999 Isabel had never told Jesse she was an alien.  And it sounds like Lily has some gravitas which is great.  I feel like Isabel could hit her stride on this show.  Kinda bummed we won't get her side story with Nikholas though - unless she divorces her husband?  Or he dies?

I'm intrigued about Alex though - but sad that it looks like he's not close to Liz/Maria?

Maria - as I feared, appears erased from the narrative.  Her importance has definitely been diminished.  The fact that she's a non-factor in the review is telling.    

Edited October 11, 2018 by phoenics

[starri]

6 hours ago, phoenics said:

Maria - as I feared, appears erased from the narrative.  Her importance has definitely been diminished.  The fact that she's a non-factor in the review is telling.    

It's only a single episode.  And unless this show was going to be an absolute carbon copy of the original, she wasn't going to be the exact same character anyway.

6 hours ago, phoenics said:

I'm intrigued about Alex though - but sad that it looks like he's not close to Liz/Maria?

He's a vet and suffering from PTSD.  I wouldn't be surprised if he's isolated from everyone in his life, at least until he and Michael hit it off.

[phoenics]

On 10/11/2018 at 6:48 AM, starri said:

It's only a single episode.  And unless this show was going to be an absolute carbon copy of the original, she wasn't going to be the exact same character anyway.

He's a vet and suffering from PTSD.  I wouldn't be surprised if he's isolated from everyone in his life, at least until he and Michael hit it off.

About Maria - in the review that I posted, the author says that this pilot follows the same beats as the 1999 pilot - where Maria definitely had a presence, even if she wasn't the main focus - but I do remember people finding her hilarious ("Liz, we're in a JETTA") from the pilot.  I'm simply mourning that in this, black Maria appears to be nonexistent.  It's a persistent problem in shows with black and black racebent characters - especially black women - so I think it's a legitimate fear/concern on my part.  Maybe she'll become more prominent in later episodes.

That's a great point about Alex and PTSD.  I'm probably going to warm up to him and Michael - I think my concerns about him not being close to Liz/Maria is more from the review mentioning that he's connected more with his dad as a threat to the nuPodSquad. 

[shapeshifter]

NYCC panel interview: 

[tessaray]

Claudia Black as Max and Isabel's (adopted) mother? This might have made my day. 

https://tvline.com/2018/10/25/roswell-new-mexico-spoilers-claudia-black-cast-the-cw-reboot/ 

[starri]

Day?  That made my week.

[paulvdb]

The CW Network Sets Initial Midseason Moves for January 2019

Quote

New Series "Roswell, New Mexico" Premieres Tuesday, January 15, 2019

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, paulvdb said:

The CW Network Sets Initial Midseason Moves for January 2019

Also, the time: "9:00-10:00pm ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO (Series Premiere)"

*such a weird feeling typing that into my TV schedule 20 years later*

[Just Here]

"Hold Me" Trailer

[Chas411]

Very excited for this. Think they’re finishing up filming on it at the moment.

[tessaray]

IMDB has all the episode titles posted, though no descriptions are available.  Makes it feel real.  A month isn't that far away now. 

[ellieart]

I was semi-excited about this, but each promo has been worse than the trailer.  I also learned that this version won't be any closer to the books than the original show was and that's disappointing.  I had hope that this would be decent, but I think I'll just keep sticking with the original version.  

Edited December 18, 2018 by ellieart