Friday, June 7, 2019

Roswell reboot...initial impressions



I just discovered that there's a new Roswell -- or rather, a show called Roswell, New Mexico, which is loosely based on Melinda Metz'  Roswell High and has no connection to the old CW show beyond also being produced by CW.      Obviously, I had to try it, given how much I loved the original book series in middle school, and my affection for the later tv show.  I was largely surprised by the show, and not in good ways.

 The main premise is the same (three aliens' lifelong secret is threatened when Liz is shot and Max is compelled by his love for her to heal her), but in this show it happens during a ten-year high school reunion.   Liz is apparently the only character who left town, and those who remain are in very strange spots given their characters in the previous mediums -- most notably Alex Manes,  who appears as a USAF airman, despite his well established animosity toward the military.   The one nice change is that Liz Parker has been restored to Liz Ortecho, complete with the tragic dead sister.    

Although I'd hoped to enjoy the reboot show more than I did, its tone is fairly obnoxious: in an effort to make itself more relevant,  the writers chose to throw in reference after reference to Trump, the wall, and immigration.  I'm sure the people of Roswell, New Mexico appreciate being tarred as obsessive racists by CW.  Liz' restoration has seemingly only happened not to be more faithful to the books (there are no other similarities) , but to  smack the viewer around and poison what could be an entertaining and nostalgia-inducing show with the vile poision of politics.  Immediately in the first episode there's gratuitous near-sex and forced romantic relationships between characters who have never had an ounce of chemistry before.  Isabel is apparently culpable in the death of Liz's sister  and two children, to boot!

 Although I'm open to trying episode two,  I strongly doubt I'll buy the entire series. 

2 comments:

  1. we've noticed that recent script writers for tv seem bound and determined to drive away and disgust viewers... we long for the days of gunsmoke...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even the well produced dramas (Breaking Bad) are rather sordid..

      Delete

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