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Alex “Well, when you figure it out, let me know” Manes

for @soberqueerinthewild

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Roswell, New Mexico Reflection

I stay away from American entertainment but Roswell, New Mexico threw me off guard. From the start to the end, I was so drawn in and throughout the seasons I was intrigued. I enjoyed how the showrunners played with so many factors in this show. Race, sexuality, intelligence, and careers. Having a minority play the main character was a nice refresher to see in American shows.

The idea of aliens growing up in a small southern town is fascinating and the way Roswell, New Mexico painted that picture was amazing. I love how Isobel, Michael, and Max grow up normally and stick together through all the troubles they face. Them staying together after high school was a good decision made by the writers. One of my favorite aspects of the show was how eventually everyone in the friend group played a role in all the difficulties faced. It was heartwarming seeing them go from friends to family. When Rosa was brought back to life, I was curious about the role she would play. Later, when I saw how they used her in the storyline, I was in awe. This is one way the writers played with many factors. They gave each character a role in the big picture in such a great way.

However, I did not like how the characters love stories played out. It was too much back and frothiness for my liking. For example, Max and Liz. One minute they were together, and the next they were hooking up with other people. Although towards the later seasons they got their relationship figured, this was not the only couple who went this. Alex and Michael, Isobel, and Kyle. I wish they was one stable couple throughout the series. It was weird to see adults being in such inconsistence relationships who are all friends. I understand the writers did this to keep viewers engaged but it hurt me to see them all suffering in this area. I was really thrown off when Rosa and Wyatt a couple went separate ways instead of getting together. It was as nice touch to the identity of Rosa though.

Roswell, New Mexico kept me entertained and made me look at the American entertainment industry in a new light. Especially season 3 where real-life issues were brought to the surface. As I mentioned, I loved the way the show touched on many areas, this season was well written. The little comments about real-life issues were the cherry on top! I wish there was a season five because I enjoyed this series a ton.

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Is Maria Deluca the Best Friend Anyone Can Ask For?

Imagine being in a huge friend group and not knowing who your friends truly are. Would you continue supporting them or feel outcasted and eventually give up on your friendships? In Roswell, New Mexico, this is Maria Deluca’s reality. Although Maria is the protagonist’s best friend, she is out of the loop on the big picture. Maria can see other people’s futures but can not see through her friends. 

Maria runs the Wild Pony, a bar, and is a palm reader. Maria works hard and picks up extra gigs to make money to take care of her mom, Mimi Deluca, who is mentally ill. As she runs her bar, she reads people’s palms. Although she read people, Maria did not know that the people she grew up with are aliens. 

Throughout the show, Maria’s love for her mother can be seen in many ways. Her mother believes in aliens, but Maria does not think much about it because she believes she is too obsessed with alien movies. Mimi leaves her home all the time to wander through the desert barefoot. Maria does not worry too much because her mother always finds her way back to the Wild Pony. This issues later leads Maria to put her mother in assisted living. Even there Mimi did the same thing, which caused Maria great pain. No matter what Mimi did or said, Maria loves her so much to the detriment of herself.

We can see Maria’s love for her friends as well because she runs a bar, she is able to listen, talk, and support her friends. Her best friend Alex always goes there to drink and catch up with her. As I mentioned before, she saw others’ futures but could not see through her friends. For a long time, Maria did not know Michael is Alex’s love interest even though he was her best friend. This later becomes a problem because Maria ends up sleeping with Michael, not knowing this. After she realizes, she ends things with Michael even though she was developing feelings for him.

At the beginning of the show Max pushes Liz away due to several reason. At their high school reunion, Liz wants to leave the reunion early because she felt she did not belong there, but Maria noticed and turned her whole night around. Maria told the DJ to play a song that reminds Liz of the good times. Liz and Maria dance happily to the song and enjoy their night. Maria is there for Liz was when she is down about her relationship with Max. Maria gives Liz advice and alcohol to soothe her pain.

Throughout the show Maria’s intentions are clear. She wants to provide for herself and her mom and be there for her friends. Maria is there for her friends without knowing what they were going through for a long time, she is a rock for everyone. She offers comfort, companionship, and booze. 

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“It’s a real bisexual alien blast around here!”

Bi Bi Bi, what a title! Michael Guerin and Isobel Evans from Roswell, New Mexico are displayed in this video by ladycharlotte to showcase their sexuality. I found this video to be very entertaining and engaging because the editor chose great music, clips, and lines from the show to put everything in perspective for the audience.

The editor made this fan edit to show fans the common ground Michael and Isobel shared. They went about doing this by picking a song that correlates to their theme, Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC. This was a clever move to make and portrayed exactly what the editor intended. At the end of the edit, the words “bye bye bye” are sung when Michael says, “it’s a real bisexual alien blast around here.” That tied everything together.

The editor starts the edit with the two in Michael’s trailer while Isobel is telling Michael how she felt about Rosa in her memories. Isobel says, “I don’t know, I think I was in love with her, like I wanted her,” to convey that she is starting to question her sexuality. After this statement, she asks Michael if he has anything to say and clips of Michael’s past relationships start playing. It starts with Alex Manes and him, then switches to Maria Deluca and him. The clips chosen showcase the good and bad times of those relationships. That indirectly tells the audience why Michael ended up in those relationships if you pay close attention to the storyline depicted. In Michael’s portion of the video, both of his past lovers say the same phrase to him, “this can’t happen again.” Those words display the dynamic he had with his past lovers. Michael’s main two love interests, male and female are displayed to show his bisexual experience.

The transition between Michael’s story to Isobel’s was seamless. After Michael’s storyline ended, we were back in the trailer where Michael tells Isobel, “Welcome to the party,” after that, Isobel’s story begins. The editor starts Isobel’s section with Rosa and her. Then, transitions to a clip of Isobel telling Noah that she loves him. The quotes used during this section of the edit are extremely fitting to Isobel’s experience. “I’m not ashamed of you,” “I wish I could be who I am with you all the time.” Words like these are used to portray Isobel’s sexuality in terms of being her true self. 

I enjoyed many aspects of this edit. Like the warmer tone filters and bright lighting, because they made the video more upbeat and relaxed. The song choice took the notch up tremendously because of how well-fitting it was to the theme. The ending was awesome. The the quote, the scene, and the music lined up perfectly to make the statement that these two characters have a similarity in their sexuality.

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How Well Does Roswell, New Mexico Do in Representing Native Americans? 

“I don't believe in color-blind casting. I want characters' experiences to reflect their ethnicity,” states Carina Adly Mackenzie, the creator of Roswell, New Mexico. Although that was the vision, the show does not do a good job representing the races of the characters. Roswell, New Mexico has many Native American characters, but fails to properly display their identity.

The role of Rosa Ortecho was played by a Native American actress, Amber Midthunder. In an interview, Midthunder stated, “she’s put a lot of thought into the question of playing characters with various backgrounds.” The actress also states, “‘This is not my culture’ and getting the blessing of the people who’s culture it is.” Amber conveyed that she is a non-Mexican playing the role of one and how she feels about that. She said that although she feels most in touch with my ethnicity, she is New, Mexico bred and born, so she felt at home in some ways. 

Many characters on the show are not given the opportunity to showcase how Native Americans truly are in modern day. For example, Alex Manes. The show focuses on his disability and involvement in the LGBTQ+ community and never once on this ethnicity. The audience does not even know he is Native American until his brothers, Flint and Gregory, show up later on. Even with his brothers, their ethnicity is barely brushed on. They do later on show the audience that Gregory lives on a Native American reservation.

Towards the end of season one, episode nine, Liz, Max, Michael, and Maria head to Texas to see a faith healer. There they see a Native American woman perform magically healing but come to find out everything was an act. When Max goes to talk to the healer, he was told their acts are fake because people believe Native Americans are capable of healing. The healer and her mother were dressed traditionally to fit the part as well. From this we are able to see that Roswell, New Mexico did try to make things clear in regard to their attire and career. At the end of the day this would have only worked if they used the other characters to portray that their ethnicity is not the only thing one needs to focus on to get a job.

To go along with seeing the lives of Native Americans, later in season two, Gregory Manes is brought to our attention. Alex takes his friends to see his brother in hopes they gain more information about their history. In episode ten, we can that Gregory lives at the Navajo reservation. This was where his mother grew up, and Gregory knew that Louise Truman was believed to be a healer. Gregory was the main character that lives out his Native American heritage in a way by living on a reservation and knowing information about his ancestors.

         In conclusion, Roswell, New Mexico does not do a good job representing Native Americans. First reason being they have a Native American actress playing the role of another race. Second being one of their main characters is Native American but the show never brings up that part of him. Instead of speaking on Alex’s ethnicity, they bring it up through his brother. Although Roswell, New Mexico tried, they failed to properly represent. 

Work Cited:

Carina Adly Mackenzie February 12, 2019 at 12:47 PM EST. “'Roswell, New Mexico' Creator Talks Reversing the White-Washing from the Original Series.” EW.com, https://ew.com/tv/2019/02/12/roswell-new-mexico-creator-personal-experiences-show-influence/. 

Sarner, Lauren. “'Roswell, New Mexico' Star Amber Midthunder Walks Us through Season 2.” New York Post, New York Post, 30 Mar. 2020, https://nypost.com/2020/03/27/roswell-new-mexico-star-amber-midthunder-walks-us-through-season-2/. 

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Revised Textual Analysis Blog Post

The media is often criticized for their lack of representation and portrayal of members of the Latinx community, but there is a point where the misrepresentation outweighs the lack thereof. Throughout popular television shows, specifically in young adult dramas like Roswell, New Mexico, there is often a character fulfilling the "spicy Latina" trope. This damaging stereotype of a hypersexualized, temperamental Latina women, surpasses the positive connotation of a femme fatale. The poor representation limits the potential of what a Latina character can be. The lack of fluidity is damaging to the developing minds of young girls who see these one-dimensional characters and believe their worth to be their sex appeal. With CW's drama Roswell, New Mexico, the audience is receiving the long awaited variety they deserve. The progressive showrunners have not only created a Hispanic protagonist, Liz Ortecho, but one whose character surpasses her racial identity. Rather than adjusting to the media's "sexy Latina" trope, Roswell, New Mexico leads in the progressive direction by creating a multi-dimensional protagonist and breaking stereotypes to promote better representation. 

According to the media's portrayal, most Latina characters have their defining attributes laid out before any character development or backstory. Debra Merkin presents these traits, "Stereotypical behavioral characteristics assigned to Latinas include ‘‘addictively romantic, sensual, sexual, and even exotically dangerous’’ (Mastro & Behm-Morawitz, 2005, p. 125), self-sacrificing, dependent, powerless, sexually naïve, childlike, pampered, and irresponsible" (Merskin). Some stereotypes include positive interpretations but Merskin strays from any ambiguity that Latina women are given fair representation. Roswell, New Mexico slashes this misconception by revolving Liz's attributes around her occupation as a scientist. Not only does Liz overtly excel at her research and discoveries, but she is constantly credited for her superior intelligence by anyone who knows her.  

Her personality can be characterized as nerdy; alluded to by her unpopularity in high school and socially awkwardness. This differs with that of a "spicy Latina" who is often shown as a failure in school and is excused by her ability to sleep with the right people. Everything she's accumulated job-wise has been credited to her own intellect. Contradicting the sexist and misconceiving trope of "sleeping to the top", Liz never even attempted immorally using her seductive attempts to succeed.  

Though we can applaud Liz's character for her modern persona, other Latinx characters in the show are not represented in the same positive light but rather regress in terms of stereotypes. Liz's sister Rosa is painted as a drub-obsessed teen who is boy-crazy, misbehaves, and spends her free time vandalizing the town of Roswell. These negative qualities all align with the damaging misconceptions about immigrant families living in America. She may not coincide with the harmful "spicy Latina" trope, but her character definitely proves toxic to the Latinx community. 

Th complexity of Liz's character create a positive representation to encourage future diversity for Latinx characters in the media and serves as inspiration for younger audiences. Every little girl should have ample opportunity to find actresses who look like them and align with their culture. But it shouldn't have to end there; there should be a variety of characters who reach success and prosperity through numerous pathways in life. They should see that they can be anything, a doctor, a professor, and now with Roswell, New Mexico, a scientist. 

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Revised Character Analysis Blog Post

CW's Roswell, New Mexico has presented us with an array of strong memorable leading characters, so choosing a favorite among the dessert cowboys, hard-headed women, and aliens was a challenging feat. One character did manage to stick out to me: Michael Guerin. The complexity of his role as an outsider is intriguing as he goes through a great deal of character development throughout season one. We have been taught that our favorite characters are those we feel most akin to, but I feel rather the opposite. He is my favorite because I am infatuated by the way his past plays a role in his future to mold the person, well alien, he is today.  

Michael Guerin paints himself to be the ultimate outsider in every aspect of his life. To start, he is an alien living on earth in complete secrecy. Michael's own past is completely unbeknown to him as he struggles to navigate a new planet while practically spawning out of a pod at age seven. Roswell, in particular, is rather conservative and filled with prejudice and bigotry. They do not like anyone from another country, let alone another planet. This pushed Michael to live like an outsider, residing in a run-down trailer and scraping together money as a mechanic. Michael's alienation, rocky upbringing, and sexuality have attributed to Michael's life as an outsider.  

When Michael and his siblings Max and Isobel emerged from their pods, all they had were each other. They were blind to where they had come from, who their parents were, and what they were capable of. As young kids, the trio was brought forth in search of a permanent home in the community. Max and Isobel got lucky and were adopted together as twins leaving Michael all alone at the hands of the foster system. This period of his life is barely mentioned; but we do hear references to drunken drug addicts who valued the money from the system over a son. This lack of a real family later came to negatively impact his self-worth and ability to receive love. Michael is often described as "genius" and has the mechanical knowledge to build or fix anything, even another way home. Yet, even after receiving an opportunity for higher education due to his raw intelligence, he turns it down to defend Isobel in her time of need. When Noah had taken over Isobel’s body to kill Rosa when they were all teenagers, Michael never hesitated to take every ounce of blame for the murders of all three girls. This may seem like selfless act, but it is due to his lack of confidence to beileve he deserves any better.  

Michael is also further pushed aside as an outsider due to his identify as a bisexual. Roswell is a conservative town and Michael lacked support from parental figures to allow him to be himself. This further exiled him from the societal norms revealing a more angsty side of him, especially in his teenage years.

Michael's history of poor family relations and the lack of a home environment has bled into Michael's relationships, specifically with Alex Manes. These star-crossed lovers were denied a good chance due to Michael's inability to connect with Alex on a deeper level. He never felt that he deserved true love, only stolen moments in trailers and behind closed doors. Throughout season one, Isobel and Max often referenced the plethora of partners that would frequent Michael in his trailer. His past conflict with being loved has come to haunt his future relationships as he is not without his baggage. All of Michael's characteristics of an outsider can all be traced back to the lack of family and of a decent upbringing in his childhood. 

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REVISED: Character Analysis: Max

Max Evans, in the science-fiction series, Roswell, New Mexico, unites the people of Roswell in various ways and exists to allow comfort for the viewers. With his siblings, Isobel and Micheal, Max serves as the glue. The psychic connection between Isobel and Max allows the two to understand each other's feelings and emotions. The connection of the trio doesn’t falter although Michael does not share the same connection as his two siblings. Not only does Max care for both of his siblings, but also for the town of Roswell. By serving as a police officer, Max enforces the law but also protects the people around him. The most important person to him, however, continues to be Liz. His love for her never falters and he remains protective over her in every situation throughout the show. Due to Max’s selflessness and caring nature, he serves as the patron of the town and safe haven for me during worrisome parts of the show. 

In the very first episode, “Pilot”, Max protects Liz in the diner when shots fire through the window. Not only does he risk his own life by using his powers to save her, but also his siblings who would later be exposed due to Max’s decision. Although this causes tension between Max and his siblings in the first couple of episodes, he did the right thing by saving Liz, his one true love. Max religiously gives his all to Liz, however, Liz fails to see how much Max loves her in the first few episodes. She assumes very quickly that since Max is an alien, he killed Rosa, Liz’s sister. Even though this is not the case, she resents Max due to her wrong assumption. Max proves his care for Liz when he trusts her with the information about his family’s past. He gives her this private information about himself, deals with the rage from his siblings, and then is faced with the fact that she ran to tell Kyle his secret. Even after being disrespected in this way, Max still continues to care for Liz. Similarly, Max also goes through another difficult point of forgiveness when he finds out that Isobel sent Liz away when Rosa died. Not only does Max quickly forgive Liz for telling Kyle his secret but then has to quickly forgive his siblings for keeping a huge secret from him for almost ten years. 

Since Max “cared too deeply” for Liz, his siblings decided to use Isobel’s mind compulsion to send Liz away so that Max did not have to see Liz in such a depressive state of mind. Additionally, they both hid this fact from Max for years, making him believe that Liz abandoned him. Although this broke Max when he found out, he forgave his siblings and continued to protect them especially when Isobel lost sight of her own identity. Being the protective big brother that he is, Max continued to prove his love for Isobel in every possible way. At her darkest point, Isobel sought help, and Max, of course, was there for her. Growing up with only Isobel and Michael as family, Max was required to step up as the “father figure” and provide comfort for his siblings. In season one, episode eight, viewers see Isobel get violently ill. As soon as Isobel injected herself with Liz’s serum, Max felt “cold.” Isobel, believing that she diminished her powers for good, began to feel ill causing this “cold” feeling in Max. As soon as he knew something was wrong with his sister, he came to her rescue. Despite making himself sick, Max continued to try to heal Isobel with all the power he contained. In this process of attempting to save Isobel, the viewers undergo every emotion that Max also endures. Although this moment leaves viewers stressed, Max’s presence provides a sense of security because of how loyal he remains to others in the show. In this, we are constantly relieved to see Max on the screen because he continuously helps with his powers instead of hurting. 

Born to heal, Max continues to use his power only to assist others, proving his loyalty to the town of Roswell and its inhabitants. In order to protect his family, however, Max would have to take things out of his comfort zone. In episode six, “Smells Like Team Spirit”, glimpses of an overwhelmed and heartbroken Max appear when he is forced to use his powers to cover up “Isobel’s” murder of Rosa and her two friends. Not only does Max express immense regret but also floods his mind with thoughts of Liz and how badly his actions would one day hurt her. Although we see quickly how Max goes above and beyond for the people he loves, he continues to do the most for his family. While experiencing intense and heavy blackouts Max remains by Isobel’s side and risks it all to provide her comfort and security. In the episode “Songs About Texas” when Isobel is in the pod and Liz is working hard to provide an antidote for her symptoms, Max goes daily to read to his sister. In times of despair, I find Max in order to feel better about the situation at hand. Although Max’s loyalties lie with his siblings, Isobel and Micheal, as season one progresses, the stress of finding out “the killer’s” identity consumes Max, causing him to act out towards his siblings. 

Due to Max’s desire to keep him and his sibling’s ultimate secret, Micheal feels as though “hiding” from the truth of who they truly are suppresses his identity. This tension between the brothers causes Max and Micheal to lash out at one another as we see clearly in episode eleven, “Champagne Supernova”. Max says, “No one made you follow my rule Micheal. I’m not your dad.” This line indicates passive aggression towards his brother and proves that Max feels hurt by Micheal’s unappreciativeness towards him when he simply meant to protect his family. Micheal then follows Max’s aggression with, “You sure as hell been acting like it all our lives.” This interaction highlights the ongoing resentment that Micheal has developed for Max over the years following Max’s lead. As the scene continues, Max finally breaks and expresses how he has always felt guilty for being adopted and having a real family. Finally, Max confesses how he continuously pushed away his mom and resented her for not also adopting Micheal. The sad and long-awaited truth comes out when Max tells Micheal that he has always been his top priority. On top of all the family stress, Max endured he also has not stopped searching for the killer. This breakdown shows Max falling into an overwhelming state of anxiety as he tries to mend the bond with his brother while also managing to solve the mystery of the unknown killer. Ultimately, in an attempt to kill Noah, the “unknown” killer, the tension between Max and Micheal will be their demise. 

Not only does Max grow more confident throughout the season, but also more aware of his own identity. As he becomes more conscious of the danger he and his siblings are in, he takes control of his emotions and uses his anger toward Noah to take revenge. The toughest version of Max comes out in episode twelve, “Creep”, when Isobel, Liz, and Max interrogate Noah. Instead of having the “nice guy” act on, he turns into someone Noah fears and this is exactly Max’s plan. In the end, Max proves to be the hometown hero and essentially saves Roswell from Noah and his malicious intentions. Max not only uses an excessive amount of power to kill Noah but also to bring back Rosa. This action clearly indicates his immense love for Liz and is proof of his selflessness. He does both of these things for the people he loves and ends up killing himself. 

Throughout the entirety of season one, Max stayed true to his morals and is loyal to his people. Although this immense love for others killed him, he died doing what he knew was right. In dying, he saved someone special to the person he loved most, Liz. Potentially not having Max is a terrifying thought for the future season but his character will always live on in the viewers’ hearts. Max served as a comfortable character for many and viewers always could count on him to make the right decisions for others. 

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REVISED: Representation of the Mentally and Physically Disabled in "Roswell, New Mexico"

A personal connection with the characters in a television show allows viewers to learn from the fictional personas they look up to. In the television industry it is common for the mentally and physically disabled to be dubbed as the “problem” of the series or someone who slows the other characters down in their own personal journeys. These depictions are harmful to viewers with and even without disabilities by making it seem as though certain types of people are not good enough to be main characters in television. Bonding with various characters in TV shows is common and important to many viewers, so when a certain group is looked down upon in a show this leaves viewers in an uncomfortable position.  Stereotypically characters with disabilities are usually shut down in most ways, however, in the series “Roswell, New Mexico” the directors and show runners portray multiple different characters with disabilities as not only essential to the show but also capable, strong, and determined individuals. 

Alex Manes serves as the best example of mental and physical disability in Roswell, New Mexico. Not only did he lose part of his leg in battle and then receive the purple heart for his service, but he also has dealt with an abusive father and psychological trauma from serving in war. Although Manes suffers great loss and humiliation from his father, he remains strong-willed throughout the show and always remains true to himself. He continues his relationship with Michael after his father finds out and even in being a war hero, Manes remains loyal to his friends by protecting the alien race in Roswell. Viewers hear in the first episode Jesse Manes, Alex’s father, say “for the past 70 years, your ancestors and mine have led an operation to protect this town, this entire planet.” (“Pilot”) Alex Manes grew up believing that his purpose in life was to impress his father and do right by his country, however, throughout the show viewers see progression in Alex’s character when he starts sticking up for himself against his father and keeping his friend’s alien secret. In having a disability, Manes remained unable to put energy into defending himself against his father. This sad but realistic portrayal of at-home abuse shows viewers that there is hope in getting out of a situation like Manes’. "Viewers may not have a disability themselves, but it does not matter." (Nuwer) In this post, Nuwer describes the magic in connecting with characters in TV shows. Although seeing someone who looks or acts like you in your TV show is exciting and reassuring, viewers can relate to characters no matter if they have a disability or not. Having a character like Manes allows viewers to resinate with who they truly are and know that they are not alone in their struggles and can ultimately perservere through. 

Towards the end of season one and throughout season two viewers see the change in Manes’ attitude toward his disability and his father. In sticking with his friends and by the sides of others who brought him up instead of tearing him down, Manes realized that even in dealing with something traumatic, he could still find happiness within himself and the humans around him. For example, it took Manes a while to fully accept himself with his disability and also his sexuality. When Forresst, a new love interest of Manes’, shoots Manes in the leg playing paintball, Alex reveals to him that he lost his leg serving and does not usually tell people right away. (“Say it Ain’t So) He then goes on to deny a public kiss from his love interest, Forresst, because of his father’s voice in the back of his head telling him not to. At the end of the season, however, viewers see Manes show signs of being okay with publicly displaying his sexuality. Throughout his childhood, Alex masked his true sexuality and feelings. His father made it more than difficult to be himself and live life the way he wanted to. Not only was Alex’s father verbally abusive but also physically abusive towards him and even his partners. For example, when his father catches Michael and him together and smashes Michael’s hand. This torment broke Alex and throughout the show, as viewers we see his outlook on life become brighter. Ultimately the directors do an incredible job portraying Alex Manes’ disabilities while keeping him relevant and strong-willed. 

In contrast, writers and directors did put in a scene where we see Manes run normally with his prosthetic. This was not a realistic depiction of what it would be like to run with a prosthetic leg and this left viewers concerned and frustrated. Although this was not the best moment for Rosewell, New Mexico, one mistake does not trump all of the other scenes in the series where they do a meaningful job at representation of the disabled. If the show had more situations like this it would be a different story, however, it provides a good contrasting moment. 

Another important character who struggles with well-known disabilities is Rosa Ortecho. Rosa struggles heavily with alcohol, drug abuse, anger issues, bipolar disorder, and depression. Rosa seems, at some points, to fall into the stereotypical mentilly ill teenager, however, there are big moments where she overcomes her illness and shows others how much meaning she has in the lives of others around her. In season two, episode four, “What If God Was One Of Us?” viewers see Rosa reunite with her father and how meaningful it was to him to see her again. She was his miracle. Not only did this moment prove that Rosa meant more than she knew to her father but it also proved that despite the torment she put both her sister and father through, they still loved her the same and only wanted what was best for her in the end. Viewers recognized how poorly Rosa judged life and other people, leading her to make the worst decisions for her health. Rosa was her own worst enemy, "people are the worst drug. They hook you and then they make you believe that they care and they leave or they fail you or they hurt you on purpose... There's a reason that God put a cage around your heart. People don't need other people. We need armor." (“Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?”) This quote exemplifies how all Rosa really needed was love for herself. She did not need anyone else to tell her she could get past this moment in her life, she needed to believe it herself. 

Another major struggle in Rosa’s life is her fractured relationship with both of her parents. The bond she shares with her mother is almost non-existent. Rosa lives in fear that her mother will return and convince her younger sister, Liz, to trust her again. This leaves Rosa with more and more issues, finally resulting in her relapse. Once Rosa goes through her own death and revival, this pushes her to realize that her sister and father are all she needs. Love from them was what she was not accepting into her life when she needed it most. At the end of season two, Rosa decides to go back to rehab in order to get better for herself and those around her. She takes a step forward in her life just as Manes did. Both of these main characters continue to be well represented throughout the show and prove that no matter the disability, you can overcome the strain it puts on your life and fight for true happiness. 

The show Roswell, New Mexico does an excellent job of portraying main characters with disabilities as “normal” and important human beings throughout the series. Through this representation, viewers are able to relate to these characters and not feel alone or unaccounted for. In a TV series, it is important to account for all humans and their feelings. Love from others and love for themselves are what brought both Rosa and Alex out of their despair which gives viewers an example of a healthy way to go about hopelessness in their own lives. Roswell, New Mexico does a good job displaying true versions of the world around us. Although there are moments when the show slipped up, in the grand scheme of things they did a nearly perfect job. Having real and relatable characters like Alex and Rosa, provide comfort and security in viewers' lives. 

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S.4 E.13

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S.4 E.12

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S.4 E.11

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RNM s4e13

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RNM s4e12

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RNM s4e11

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RNM Reflection

Roswell, New Mexico ended up having much more complexities than I could have imagined when we started the show at the beginning of the semester. This show wasn’t one that I would normally pick for myself; however, I frequently found myself enraptured by the characters and conflicts Roswell offered. Each episode created a story of diversity and identity that I had not considered while watching other TV shows I had seen before. Even if there were times of exceeding frustration because of some characters, I think the show was well written, and the characters always brought out a reaction in me. 

Throughout my experience watching the show, I loved how my opinion of characters changed as they revealed themselves to be more complex than I had previously thought. For instance, Isobel Evans was far from my favorite character in the first season of Roswell, New Mexico. However, as time progressed, I found myself loving her more and more because of her strength, unbreakable spirit, and witty charm. Throughout the four complete seasons of the show, I believe that each character grew in some way, which was nice to see. Instead of staying the same, the characters changed because of the trouble they faced and became better and learned from their conflicts. Furthermore, each of the characters in the show, whether it be an alien or an immigrant or a resident in the town of Roswell, contributes to the question of identity and home that the show presents. 

The diversity in Roswell cannot go unnoticed, even by the untrained eye. The show did its best to create an atmosphere that not many other TV shows have been able to create. In the process of representing diversity in their show, the writers may have fallen into a few harmful stereotypes. For example, Maria’s, being the only African American in the cast at the time, role in the first season was as a mystic barkeep that wasn’t seen outside of the bar, and characters only used her to get advice. However, Roswell, New Mexico tried to give us something that not many other shows have even attempted. Despite slight stereotypes and misguided attempts, the show does a good job representing a wide range of people. 

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RNM Final Thoughts

Overall, I had a great time watching and analyzing every episode in Roswell, New Mexico. Although I would not have picked to watch it on my own accord, it opened my eyes to a new genre of TV shows that I will definitely be watching in the future. In Roswell, the characters discuss many real-world issues that help modernize the show itself and reflect the current state of society. Also, some of the characters in the show exhibit many characteristics that I am learning in my other classes, including Social Psychology and Criminology.

For instance, Isobel and her two brothers—Max Evans and Michael Guerin—are aliens from an unknown planet, and they have to conceal their true identity from the community and regulate how the rest of the town perceives them. In doing so, Isobel frequently engages in impression management and masking to ensure that her alien identity is hidden from the rest of the town and to protect the rest of her family from the scrutiny of the people and the government. These two concepts, impression management and masking, are primary topics in social psychology, where we delve into topics like self-presentation and self-knowledge. In class, therefore, I was able to associate these two terms with Isobel in Roswell, which solidified its applicability to my life and learning.

While there were times when the show leaned into its sci-fi genre a little too much, I nonetheless enjoyed the moments that allowed the characters to demonstrate their passions and intelligence. Honestly, my least favorite part of any show is when there is a character who is permanently helpless or reliant on other characters. In Roswell, however, each character had a compelling arc that demonstrated their growth and prevented their helplessness, and, for that, I'm grateful.

In retrospect, my favorite characters were probably Michael, Kyle, Dallas, and Isabel (in that order) simply because they had a balance between going through really tough times, having great emotional depth, and bouncing back stronger than ever. Since this show depicted such resilient characters, I was able to admire them more as a viewer, often rooting for the decisions they made throughout the show (except Rosa for the whole second season),

The themes that echo throughout the show provide clear examples of how they relate to current social systems and behavioral expectations. Talking about race, bioethics, and many other topics, Roswell does a great job of incorporating a wide variety of perspectives and identities that allow the audience to relate to at least one of the characters. As a result, I really appreciated the cast of Roswell because I could see parts of myself in the different characters and watch an engaging, action-packed show simultaneously.