Pilot (6 Oct. 1999)

Liz Parker is an average teenager, until one day she is shot during an altercation at the Crashdown café, where she works. A fellow classmate named Max Evans rushes to her side and ... See full summary »

Director:

David Nutter

Writers:

Jason Katims, Jason Katims (developed by)

Stars:

Shiri Appleby, Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Shiri Appleby	...	Liz Parker
Jason Behr	...	Max Evans
Katherine Heigl	...	Isabel Evans
Majandra Delfino	...	Maria DeLuca
Brendan Fehr	...	Michael Guerin
Colin Hanks	...	Alex Whitman
Nick Wechsler	...	Kyle Valenti
William Sadler	...	Sheriff Jim Valenti
John Doe	...	Jeff Parker
Michael Horse	...	Deputy Owen Blackwood
Wendle Josepher	...	Jennifer
Kevin Weisman	...	Lawrence 'Larry' Trilling
Vance Valencia	...	Mayor Sandler
Joe Camareno	...	Paramedic
Yolanda Lloyd	...	Ms. Hardy (as Yolanda Lloyd Delgado)

Storyline

Liz Parker is an average teenager, until one day she is shot during an altercation at the Crashdown café, where she works. A fellow classmate named Max Evans rushes to her side and miraculously saves her from death. Liz later learns that Max, along with his sister Isabel and their friend Michael Guerin, are not really from around here. To be exact, Max, Isabel and Michael are aliens, who are survivors of the 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico. But, Max, Isabel and Micheal's secret is not totally safe, as the local Sheriff, Jim Valenti is beginning to suspect something is amiss.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

6 October 1999 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the unaired original pilot, the character Alex was a native American and not played by Colin Hanks.

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Goofs

When Max heals Liz at the Crashdown Cafe he does so using his left hand, thumb facing upwards towards her chest, however, when we see her looking at the hand print at home the thumb print points downwards.

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Quotes

[Liz and Maria are walking back to the cash register together]
Maria: You are sooo bad girl. Oh, and Max Evans is staring at you again.
Liz: No way. Maria, that is so in your imagination.
[Liz looks at Max who is sitting at a booth with Michael at the far end of the restaurant. He looks at her and then quickly away]
Liz: Max Evans? This? No, un uh... it's not...
Maria: And with those cheeks! Preciosita tan linda!
Liz: Maria!
Liz: And, and even if it weren't I'm going out with Kyle. I mean, he's steady and loyal, and he ...
[...]

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Soundtracks

"I Think I'm Paranoid"
Performed by Garbage

User Reviews

Irresistible cast and eclectic characters, timeless love story but cheap sci-fi

I'm hopeless. With Shiri Appleby in Life Unexpected and Colin Hanks in The Good Guys I couldn't resist watching Roswell's pilot again. The last time was probably in 2003 ! I thought the tides of time would have blurred my memories but Liz Parker and her friends never left my side. Indeed now that I'm a bit more experienced the connection she has with Max Evans took an other dimension. There's still something cheesy about it but I think exchanging souvenirs just by touching someone is a beautiful ability. Of course in real life it would be a lazy way to know someone but on screen it allowed their relationship to instantly blossom and touch our heart at its core. The way he saw her in his eyes, his first look at her when they were children… All these moments remain some of the best I've ever seen on TV. Time can't make them obsolete or less memorable because Liz & Max love story is timeless. There's also something quite romantic about it as they didn't even kiss. These days it's sex at first sight but I prefer when the characters take it slow, like in Smallville with Lois & Clark for example.

As for the rest Roswell is full of good surprises. First it's funny to see Katherine Heigl as Isabel Evans because nowadays she's one of the most glamour woman on Earth. There's something almost pagan about her poetic beauty. Her maturity also contrasted with the cast, specially the fragile and pretty Appleby. Second William Sadler is quite convincing as Sheriff Jim Valenti. In fact now I realize that William Fichtner reminded me of him as Tom Underlay in Invasion. I let you pair the other performers and characters even if such a game is a bit disrespectful… Third Jason Behr is both irresistible and weird. I mean there's something strange about his facial attributes, specially his ears, and he definitely plays in the same league as Donnie Darko's protagonist. Fourth Hanks character, Alex, is interesting because his awkwardness should help most teenagers to relate to him, like for Xander in Buffy the Vampire Slayer even if Nicholas Brendon looked less geeky than Hanks. But of course a few issues tainted such an ideal portrait. For example the story itself is not really original and some sci-fi elements like their special abilities are a bit cheap. However I think the writers found the right balance between fantastic romance and inside conspiracy. Indeed for once it's the aliens adventure we follow and not the good guys who try to catch them.