All 18 episodes of “Roswell” Season 3 (2001-02), ranked, John Hansen, Nov. 6, 2019
“Roswell” Season 3 (2001-02, UPN), episodes 1-11 — For superior characters and storytelling than “Smallville,” and pop music selections that are even better, check out “Roswell” (8 p.m. Tuesday, UPN). The show has some of the most loyal fans you’ll find (they voted “Roswell” the Most Anticipated Returning Show in an Entertainment Weekly poll), and they are being rewarded with the best season yet (although low ratings will no doubt make it the last). After dodging the FBI and assorted evil aliens, Max Evans (Jason Behr) and company now face their most fearsome opponent: their parents, who are starting to get suspicious of their kids. It’s shaping into a compelling arc: the fact that good parents and good kids could end up as enemies is more powerful than if we were dealing with standard dysfunctional families.
“Roswell’s” strength is characters. Among the best are Liz (Shiri Appleby), the perfect girl-of-any-alien’s-dreams; Max, who broods with the best of them; Michael (Brendan Fehr), the brash lay-about with a heart of gold; Maria (Majandra Delfino), the bouncy blonde with a great singing voice; and Kyle (Nick Wechsler), the wry outsider. Sheriff Valenti (William Sadler) has dabbled in leading a bar band this season after losing his job; and Isabel (Katherine Heigl) and Jesse (Adam Rodriguez) started off as a cute couple but they’ve essentially devolved into the eye candy of the cast.
After the grimness of the first two seasons, the writers have added more humor, individual character arcs, and subtle emotional storytelling. In a crackerjack season premiere, we found that Max and Liz are together again and cuter than ever (and pretending to rob a convenience store to find the alien spaceship in the basement).
Subsequent episodes saw Maria break up with Michael and Kyle begin to have feelings for Isabel. Upcoming stories will probably be more challenging, as Liz and Kyle might have to deal with alien-like attributes after being healed by Max. With the looming possibility of the series coming to a premature end, the writers will have to balance good plotting with the need to wrap things up. I’m still holding out a shred of hope that “Roswell” will have for a fourth season. “Save Me” may be the “Smallville” theme, but it’s “Roswell” that needs to be saved from cancellation. A-
— John Hansen, “Alien TV: ‘Smallville’ not as super as ‘Roswell,’ ” NDSU Spectrum, Feb. 1, 2002
FOND FAREWELL
“Roswell” (1999-2001, WB; 2001-02, UPN), like “The X-Files,” was alien-themed, although its greatness had little to do with the fact that four characters were aliens (with two more acquiring alien powers in Season Three). The cult favorite was alternately giddily funny and intensely moving. The fact that it was the only teen show in recent memory to feature a happy couple was all the more powerful when stacked against the grim storylines of government pursuit and rival alien factions.
Guys wanted to date Liz (Shiri Appleby, who stars in the new film “Swimfan”) and they wanted to be Max (Jason Behr) — and vice versa, I assume, for the ladies. Although they had their bumps in Season Two (their breakup was creatively set up in “The End of the World” so that neither party could really be blamed for it), Max and Liz ended up getting married in the bittersweet finale “Graduation.”
“Roswell” will also be missed for its excellent pop music — the show launched Dido’s career long before Eminem recruited her, and discovered Remy Zero before they were hijacked by “Smallville.”
— John Hansen, “TV RIP: Five shows that will be missed,” NDSU Spectrum, Sept. 13, 2002