At one point, Roswell, New Mexico feels like it’s progressed through an entire season the way the plot continues to unfold at such a rapid pace. But at another point, the realization that we’re just seven episodes in and getting this kind of compelling storytelling — and knowing that the best is yet to come — is something that is incredibly exciting. Also, The CW, you need to renew this show. ASAP. This is not a request.
Joining me for this week’s roundtable are Lizzie, Lyra, Gillian and Jasmine, as we discuss Isobel’s decision to take responsibility, Liz’s anger, and how Maria broke all of our hearts in “I Saw The Sign.” Here we go!
Use a GIF to describe your feelings about this week’s episode.
Alyssa:
Lizzie:
Jasmine:
Lyra:
What are your thoughts on the original alien that died during the crash? Who do you think they were? How are they connected to Max, Isobel, and Michael?
Alyssa: My first assumption was Tess because oh how I would pay money to avoid that mess. But seeing as Tess was crushing on Max in high school, it feels like someone else. I have expectations because of the original show. But Roswell, New Mexico is anything but predictable. So, simple answer? No idea.
Lizzie: Can it be this show’s version of Tess so then there’s never a chance we get a version of Tess? Pretty please?
Jasmine: Honestly, I have no idea, none!! I’m just completely clueless! I don’t know how the Alien could be connected to Max, Isobel, and Michael, so I’m not gonna even attempt to guess on this.
Gillian: No idea. A parent? And that’s why Isobel is so protective of the guys. The mythology for the reboot has been so different that it’s hard to speculate.
Lyra: I was going to give a long and eloquent response on how it could’ve been their space mom but then I saw Lizzie’s response. Yes, I hope that the OG alien that died during the crash is Tess. I still remember the pain of her existence during the OG Roswell. Not today Satan, not today!
Liz has been stuck in the second stage of grief — anger — for quite some time. She talked about this rage has been the thing that fuels her, that protects her. What are your thoughts about Liz’s anger and how she can progress to stage 3?
Alyssa: This was the episode that Liz needed in order to start making progress. She understood the fact that this anger was flowing inside of her, and she knew she needed to find a way to start making progress towards step 3. That exchange with Max — realizing that by creating that “weapon” that it wasn’t the person she wanted to be — was the first step. Liz is so afraid that there won’t be consequences for Rosa’s death — and the cover-up that affected her family after– but Isobel confining herself should surely help jumpstart the progress.
Lizzie: I think the step Max took with Isobel is going to help Liz progress to stage 3. It was hard for her to move on from anger while thinking that Isobel was just getting away with it, and also, that Isobel could just turn around and hurt someone again. Now with that sorta taken care of, she can allow herself to process.
Jasmine: I think Liz’s anger is not necessarily fueling her, I actually think it’s clouding her judgment. She’s being impulsive and it’s going to get her into more trouble. I think the only way she will be able to progress to stage 3, is to find out what happened to Rosa. That’s really the only way I think she will be able to move on. Until then, it seems like she may continue to stay angry.
Lyra: I know this anger that courses through Liz. The reason why I kept it around for so long, and why I’m giving Liz lots of slack when it comes to the rage in her, is that anger is comfort. We know what it is, what it costs, and the slight control that it gives us in a world that feels like it’s toppling over every other day. But this anger, it’s not long lasting or forever viable. Unless I want to lose everything, unless Liz wants to lose everything, she’s got to face the reality that there is something past anger. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s uncharted territory. But it’s better on your heart and mind. It means there will be an opportunity for something other than pain into our hearts. Isn’t that something we should all try for?
Isobel began to wonder if the “thing” inside of her might be a danger to those around her, so she decided to take responsibility. What are your thoughts on Isobel’s decision to lock herself up?
Alyssa: Isobel definitely made the right decision here. And while she made it look easy, it was definitely something that I’m sure was incredibly difficult for her. Coming to terms with the fact that she’s responsible for the deaths of three girls — and knowing that she’s a potential danger even now — must be incredibly scary. And now she has to face that fact alone and cut off from the world. (Well, I’m assuming they take visitors, but still.) It would’ve been easy for Isobel to say, “But I wasn’t me when I did those things.” Instead, she took full responsibility for her actions, even if she didn’t remember them. I’m like a proud mama.
Lizzie: I’m honestly, so fucking proud of her. I didn’t think she was going to do it, I thought she would have taken the easy way out, because both Max and Michael were trying to find that for her – but she didn’t. She took responsibility for her actions and she did something that might be the different between her never actually living a full life and having the possibility of doing just that.
Jasmine: I admire Isobel for making that decision because I know how hard it was. By choosing to lock herself away, she’s making the choice to so something for herself. She’s spent so much time protecting Max and Michael, that she hasn’t taken care of her own mental health. It made me see her in a different way because she realized that something is wrong with her and rather than let it continue to rule her life, she chose to get help.
Gillian: I think she made the right decision. It’s true that she hasn’t really had an incident in a while but since she has gotten extremely violent before, it’s important to monitor that. I think this also shows that having another person, aside from Liz, know about them because it puts Kyle in the position to protect them while also figuring out why his dad was so obsessed with the aliens.
Lyra: Kudos to Isobel for recognizing that there was a problem again and actually doing something about it. I expected her to push it off and keep herself on edge, waiting for time to slip away from her and waking up in the desert. But that didn’t happen. Isobel wouldn’t allow it too. She’s not in control and if it means she has to lock herself up to protect others then so be it. Hell, if I were in her shoes I would do the same thing too.
What are your thoughts on how Maria handled her mom? Also, what do you think is going on with Maria’s mom?
Alyssa: My heart absolutely broke for Maria and watching the internal struggle she faced when it came to deciding how to handle this situation with her mom. This mental illness has essentially taken away the person that Maria loves, and she’s helpless to do anything about it. There are glimpses of the woman she used to be, and then there are reminders of who she is now because of it. But this episode was a reminder of just how strong Maria DeLuca is. She is a badass. She is a fighter. She’s strong. But she’s also allowed to be vulnerable. She’s allowed to feel the emotion of the situation. I can’t imagine having to make the decision that Maria made. I’d like to believe, like Lizzie said, that it’s a fake out. No more pain for my sweet Maria!
Lizzie: I think there was a lot of mental health issues going on in this episode, and that’s an important topic to raise, but I feel like at least one of them has to be a fake-out, and I got the sense it’s Maria’s mom. She knows more than she’s capable of saying, and I’m now worried someone – maybe even Alex’s dad – messed with her head so she would forget a few things, leading to her current state.
Jasmine: My heart broke for Maria seeing everything with her mom. Watching her mom go through what appears to be some sort of mental illness was so devastating. I think Maria’s mom doesn’t have a mental illness though, I think it really is some sort of psychic ability and it could actually lead to helping Liz figure out what happened to Rosa.
Gillian: Realizing that you cannot take care of a parent and that they cannot take care of themselves is one of the hardest decisions a person can make. Especially when you’re going through your 20s. She made the right decision as it is rooted in love but it was painful to watch. I don’t know what’s going on with her. Is it possible Isobel messed with her head but something fought back? I think that’s a decent explanation as she was aware of Isobel in Rosa’s orbit.
Lyra: Maria, oh my sweet angel of a DeLuca. We haven’t had enough of her and I am so glad that we got to spend time with her in this episode. She is a force of nature, a pillar of strength, and one of the characters I want to see MOST OF when it comes to Roswell, New Mexico. Part of it is due to OG Maria DeLuca being my favorite. The other part of me just loves this strong, effervescent, and genuine woman. Seriously, everytime Maria DeLuca is on I am in awe of the strength and poise that she carries herself. It has doubled, maybe even tripled, when her mom came around. Maria has been trying so hard to keep it together for her mom. This episode and the support from her friends made it possible for her to admit that she can’t do this on her own and she shouldn’t have to. And even taking that step back and looking out for yourself, it matters and makes me love Maria even more. As for her mom and what’s going on with her, I think it has to do with the original crash. Maybe she encountered it in one shape or another. A crash/event like that seems like something that would definitely leave a mark.
There’s been a lot going on with the revelation surrounding Rosa’s death that the mystery involving the reason why Max, Michael, and Isobel are here in Roswell. But now that the question has been brought into the light again, what are your thoughts about why they’re in Roswell? Is it coincidence? Or is it intentional?
Alyssa: I’d like to say that it’s all coincidence. That was my initial reaction. But with television everything’s usually intention. After seeing just how complex this story is — already — makes me believe that there’s a very real possibility that there could be a reason that they’re in Roswell. Obviously the fact that Max, Michael, and Isobel are completely unaware of where they came from doesn’t help matters.
Lizzie: On a TV show almost nothing is coincidence, but the real question for me is, is it jus the place or the people that matter?
Jasmine: I think it’s pure coincidence. But it will be beneficial in the long run because Max, Michael, and Isobel may start to remember things from the past that can potentially help them figure out that Isobel actually never had anything to do with Rosa’s death.
Gillian: Even with all these revelations, I still feel like we don’t know much about their alien race yet. It’s probably coincidence but it could be that they’re from a violent race of aliens who wanted to destroy Earth. I don’t know, it would definitely be interesting if that was the case.
Lyra: Honestly, I’ve got no fucking idea. I just keep going over all of it in my head and I’m left with a big ol’ blank, which is kind of nice. I’m used to predicting and being on point about what I think is coming. Right now, I have no clue. And that feels brilliant and like I’ve got good writing working for me.
Mimi talked about how Alex and Kyle’s fathers’ were exposed to darkness in relation to their involvement with poking around aliens. Do you think Alex and Kyle might be headed down a similar path?
Alyssa: My gut tells me, “Absolutely not, they’re better men than their fathers ever were,” but then there’s a part of me that understands it’s a very real possibility. The fact that this show has made it a point to highlight the darkness that their fathers have experienced — and so soon — just feels like they’re planting the seeds for something down the line. Now, I fully expect them to be tested in this regard, as they’ve both started to be. But I also fully expect them to come out of this on the other side.
Lizzie: I think that’s obviously a possibility, but this show has so far done a really good job of talking choices and how we aren’t what people expect us to be or what our parents want us to be, we are who we decide to be, so the answer to this question is entirely up to Alex and Kyle.
Jasmine: I do unfortunately think they could be headed down the exact same path. The only difference is, I would say because they know where it led their father’s, they may make different choices that won’t lead to the same consequences.
Gillian: I want to believe no. Kyle already knows about the trio and is handling it better than expected. As I said above, I think having him know and trying to help Isobel by letting her stay in the hospital is an interesting storyline. And let’s be real, Alex already has a lot of darkness without knowing that his love is an alien. But I feel like he might not react well when he finds out. Still, I feel like their relationships with the trio could help them stay on the right side.
Lyra: I want Alex and Kyle to bond, grow, and surpass the expectations of this town, the people in it, or their backwards views on things. (Looking at you, Alex’s dad!)
So, that ending! What are your thoughts on Cameron’s decision to give Max’s name to Manes to save her sister? And how do you think it’ll affect Max?
Alyssa: I was shocked. But I also wasn’t shocked. I was shocked more so because of how quickly the storyline appears to be unfolding — I expected more discoveries to be had on Cameron’s part because she went to Manes. But I’m not shocked because, as we’ve seen, everyone on this show is willing to go to extremes to protect those they love. Max and Michael did it with Isobel. We’re seeing how far Liz is going. It’s really no surprise that Cam is willing to give Max’s name to Manes in order to get her sister back. But I also think she doesn’t realize just how bad these guys are that she’s giving in to.
Lizzie: I’m not at all shocked. The whole theme of this episode is what we would do for love, and that’s not even just romantic love. I wish she hadn’t done it, though, because this just complicates everything and I don’t think she’s going to come out of this getting what she wants out of the deal.
Jasmine: I was shocked. Then I just thought to myself this is like the Max/Michael saving their sister type situation all over again. It seems the running theme for this show is siblings willing to do anything to protect their siblings. I think it will affect Max in a really bad way. Project shepherd is going to come down hard on them and that scares me. I really hope Max and his siblings don’t get hurt because of Cameron’s decision.
Lyra: I don’t even really get along with my sisters, but if something like this was coming my way and I had an opportunity to help my family, I would. It’s hella messed up but who wouldn’t do something like this for someone you love?
Roswell, New Mexico airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
