This is it, I've finished watching the entirety of Roswell. Wow. What a series.I think the first thing that comes to mind is that Roswell really manages to stand out above a lot of its contempories. This is a show that manages to mix a lot of humour, self-parody and realism to create a show that has a very distinctive feel of its own.
I would definitely classify the third season as the best in the series. Where the second season tried too hard to become more like Buffy and Angel, season three sets up its own tone and feel, and does a stand out job of it too.
Something that truly impresses me is how much the series successfully refers back to previous seasons - things that you noticed very early on in the previous seasons eventually come back in the third season, sometimes in very unexpected ways.
The tone of the series takes on a much more realistic and gritty tone. This isn't the angsty sixth season of Buffy nor the campy noir of Angel - Roswell manages to mix the tone to feel more realistic. Happy couples fight, families don't just work things out at the end of an episode, some issues have taken an entire three seasons to be resolved.
Furthermore, old mistakes have continuing consequences that are slowly resolved - we see all the characters change and grow over the course of this series. By the final episode, not one character is unchanged. But not only that, the changes are fully believeable and solid - sold by the performances of a truly talented ensemble cast.
There are many stand-out episodes in Season Three, my favourite is possibly "I married an Alien" where the episode flips between a sitcom alternate reality version of Roswell in the theme of Bewitched, and the harsher real world. Much like Buffy's musical episode, this is an experimental story. Unlike Buffy, it does a much better job at showing the stark differences between real life and that of a sitcom.
I initially wasn't sure how to feel about the last episode. While some storylines are tied up, some things are left unfinished, and other new issues arise. Yet the ending feels very satisfying. What later struck me was just how much this show has tried to be hyper-real. Before many of the hyper-realistic shows of today, Roswell remains true to real life when dealing with the characters' emotions and decisions. (For the most part, there are some questionable episodes...) The series ends just like real life - the story isn't over, it's just reached the point where we can part company with the characters.
Having said that, there is plenty left open for a spin-off or a return to Roswell - which I like. It keeps the illusion of realism for that fact.
Over the course of the series I have grown to really like the characters. To the point that I would be hard pressed to name a favourite. I love them all for each of their little quirks and personality traits.
If you haven't yet started looking for this show - DO IT! Roswell is one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. It may not have the polish and cool of Dead Like Me (Which I still rate higher as a show) but it has a real heart that has made me keen to watch it again at some point. Just so that I can revisit those very cool characters and their lives...
Conan
Currently Reading: Hordes Primal
Currently Playing: Exalted: Nexus of the Sun; Orpheus: Shades of Gray
Mood: Sleepy, but good.
3 comments:
It is worth noting, by the way, that the latter parts of Season Two and Three were developed with the help of the same man who went on to write and develop the new Battlestar Galactica.
It particularly shows in many of the episodes for Season three - with their darker, realistic and gritty tone.
The whole season in three days! I'm impressed :)
Well to be fair, the Third season is only 16 episodes long. :D
Conan
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