A ‘Roswell’ Reboot Is Coming To The CW, With An Immigration Twist
Things are getting paranormal again at Roswell High. The cult teen TV show from 1999 will be getting a modern reboot at The CW, with an even more timely twist.
This time, instead of following a group of gorgeous and talented — but blindingly white — high school students in the infamous town of Roswell, New Mexico, theRoswellreboot will be given an immigration perspective.
The newRoswellreboot will follow the journey of a daughter of undocumented immigrants who returns to her hometown of Roswell, New Mexico — thereal-life site of unexplained phenomena and reported extraterrestrial sightings.
Here’s the reboot’s synopsis fromVariety:
The new, one-hour drama series would follow the daughter of undocumented immigrants who reluctantly returns to her tourist-trap hometown of Roswell, New Mexico. There she discovers a shocking truth about her teenage crush who is now a police officer: he’s an alien who has kept his unearthly abilities hidden his entire life. She protects his secret as the two reconnect and begin to investigate his origins, but when a violent attack and long-standing government cover-up point to a greater alien presence on Earth, the politics of fear and hatred threaten to expose him and destroy their deepening romance.
Like the original series, theRoswellreboot will be based on theRoswell Highbooks byMelinda Metz.
The originalRoswellseries ran from 1999 to 2002 on the WB and UPN, and starredShiri Appleby(now known for the dark reality-show satireUnReal), a pre-Grey’s AnatomyKatherine Heigl, and a pre-LostEmilie de Ravin. Other familiar Gen-X faces includeColin HanksandJason Behr. The series garnered a cult following over the course of its three seasons for its balance of teen soap drama and paranormal activities — often suitably paired withBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
Although I’m a loyalBuffyfanatic, I never watched a single episode ofRoswell— though I do appreciate it for launching the careers of Appleby, de Ravin, and Colin Hanks of all people. I came into theBuffyfandom late, so never got to experience the one-two punch ofBuffyandRoswellin the early 2000s.
But the time is ripe for aRoswellreboot, which could bring more attention to the original. The CW has produced hit after hit of smart, self-effacing dramas and comedies, including the overwrought and over-written wonder that isRiverdale— which has its own shades ofBuffy. It’s high time they got in on the supernatural game (with a show that’s not namedSupernatural) and broughtRoswellback. And withRiverdalereportedlyintroducing supernatural elements, it would be a nifty new pairing forRoswell.
Carina Adly MacKenziewill write and executive produce theRoswellreboot.Justin FalveyandDarryl Frankof Amblin Television will executive produce, alongsideLawrence BenderandKevin Kelly Brown. No production or premiere date has yet been announced for the newRoswell.
