Roswell

Bizarre things start happening in the little New Mexico town where UFOs were spotted in 1947. Cut to 1999, when a cute high-school student saves the life of a teenage waitress. Surrounded by cliques of clever, angst-filled classmates, the two form a bond that threatens the survival of a secret universe involving superhuman powers, a yen for hot sauce and an alien gene pool.

Roswell (1999-2002) is an American teen science fiction drama created by Jason Katims for The WB, with a later run on UPN. Max Evans (Jason Behr) and Liz Parker (Shiri Appleby) anchor the series as a high school student and a waitress whose bond threatens to expose a hidden community of teenagers with alien origins. Isabel Evans (Katherine Heigl), Michael Guerin (Brendan Fehr) and Maria DeLuca (Majandra Delfino) carry their own secrets, and each episode pits their powers against the pressures of school cliques, parental suspicion and a town that remembers its 1947 UFO sightings. The engine of the show is concealment: every new encounter risks exposure, so characters keep lying to friends and family while trying to protect what they are. Across three seasons it plays as a serialized mythology wrapped around case-of-the-week style encounters and romantic triangles. Set in present day New Mexico, it has the moody desert atmosphere and sincere angst of a late nineties teen drama. Fans of Smallville and Buffy the Vampire Slayer will find resonance in its blend of adolescence and the uncanny, with a strong romantic pull and an earnest, wistful tone throughout its run.

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its romantic teen drama and the bond between its central trio of young aliens.

• Smallvilleteen drama with alien secret, serialized mythology and romance triangle
• Buffy the Vampire Slayerteen drama with supernatural secret, high school setting and serialized mythology
• Dawson's Creekcoming of age teen romance with fantastical twist and angst-filled ensemble

Created by

Jason Katims

Release Date

1999-10-06

Episode runtime

42 min

Rating

7.5 / 10 (512)

What is Roswell about?

A small New Mexico town with a 1947 UFO past becomes the stage for a teenage romance that threatens to expose a hidden alien community.

What is Roswell like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Roswell as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Roswell violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Roswell as mild.

What did critics think of Roswell?

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its romantic teen drama and the bond between its central trio of young aliens.

Which shows are like Roswell?

Shows with a similar feel include Smallville, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dawson's Creek.

How long is Roswell?

Roswell: 3 seasons, 61 episodes.

Is Roswell still running?

No, Roswell has ended.

Where can I watch Roswell?

In United States, Roswell is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.