If Roswell was a new show in 2007.

[erinkatie]

I don't know... I mean I agree with that S1 was written well and well as most of S2 but I think they could have done things a lot better S3... and I think many RFans would agree.

I think they would have to rethink a lot of the story lines and rewrite them to get to survive today... and the fact that it was cancelled it proof that it lost viewers.

I also think the main story line needed work and also the history of the Aliens... there was so much the writers could have done with it but didn't.

[Spiletta42]

I don't know... I mean I agree with that S1 was written well and well as most of S2 but I think they could have done things a lot better S3... and I think many RFans would agree.

I think they would have to rethink a lot of the story lines and rewrite them to get to survive today... and the fact that it was cancelled it proof that it lost viewers.

I also think the main story line needed work and also the history of the Aliens... there was so much the writers could have done with it but didn't.

I'm inclined to cut them some slack, because they did create lasting characters, and they did leave room for fanfic. As for whether it would survive in 2007 as opposed to 2002 -- I don't think anything has changed so much that it matters. In my opinion, the same writers would have done basically the same things -- mistakes or not -- and different writers would give us an entirely different show. Which we have, more or less, in fanfic.

I liked the third season, and while I understand most of the complaints regarding it, I'm still satisfied with what the writers did. Especially since they left us with that all-important ficcability. Flawed enough to fix, but good enough to be worth the effort -- that's what I want in a fandom.

The whole television industry is facing strange new issues now. Reality shows, the American Idol juggernaut, torrents hitting the 'net the instant a show airs anywhere in the world . . . it's had to say what would survive, or even what will survive as the industry readjusts.

[xmag]

I'm inclined to cut them some slack, because they did create lasting characters

In fact, Melinda Metz and Laura J.Burns created those characters and the concept of aliens in love with humans. Katims bought the rights so that he could develop a tv series with those characters.

[Spiletta42]

I'm inclined to cut them some slack, because they did create lasting characters

In fact, Melinda Metz and Laura J.Burns created those characters and the concept of aliens in love with humans. Katims bought the rights so that he could develop a tv series with those characters.

The concept of aliens in love with humans is nearly as old as sci-fi. This particular version of the premise, and the characters, would not have reached many of us without the television show, and also the characters differed.

Perhaps looking at the similarities between the show and the original books will shed light on the original question -- how would Roswell differ if it were new in 2007 (or possibly written by JJ Abrams)?

[Alien_Friend]

gosh this is such an interesting topic hmmm context wise when Roswell first aired in 1999 on the WB shows like Dawson's Creek and Buffy were popular and those shows were kind more based in my opinion more on relationships, romantic ones more than anything else. If Roswell were to air now in 2007 i think focus of the relationships in the show probably would change get away from the romantic theme and concentrate more on other dramatic accepts. Whether it's the abuse with Michael suffered by Hank or Evans family and dive more into generally how Max, Michael and Isabel has to keep their secrets and how they lived their lives trying to blend in and at the same time trying find out about themselves. I definitely agree with some that there would be a lot more extremes of people dying and people kept in the dark for longer periods than they were on the show. Seems like a lot of the 'popular' shows today deal a lot with shock value. Anything that can grab people's attention drastically or keep people guessing seems to be appealing to audiences. I think it would totally lose the Roswell feel we all know and love if it were air now as opposed to when it originally did. I think they would put the characters through a lot more hell and trauma and lose the heart and special connections we all can relate to in different ways.

[Chrisken]

In fact, Melinda Metz and Laura J.Burns created those characters and the concept of aliens in love with humans. Katims bought the rights so that he could develop a tv series with those characters.

I don't think Metz and Burns take much credit for the concept of 'Roswell High', though they did bring the characters to life. (Metz was one of several authors asked to write an 'audition scene' based on the idea of the shooting by people at Pocket Books.)

I also don't think I would say that the tv series characters are quite the same, though obviously they owe a lot to their predecessors in the books.

[Roslover39]

Now this is a wonderful discussion.

In my humble oppinion, Tv has become less art and entertainment and more commerce. Which reminds me of the Colloseum in ancient Rome.
the Emperor had to bring out bigger, more exotic and brutal forms of entertainment. Why, because the audience was easily bored.

Is that why tv has lost its soul and become more calculated these days?
I would love to believe that Roswell would not only survive but flourish in 2007, but the way shows are developed today would I actually want to watch what was brought to the table?

[Spiletta42]

Now this is a wonderful discussion.

In my humble oppinion, Tv has become less art and entertainment and more commerce. Which reminds me of the Colloseum in ancient Rome.
the Emperor had to bring out bigger, more exotic and brutal forms of entertainment. Why, because the audience was easily bored.

Is that why tv has lost its soul and become more calculated these days?
I would love to believe that Roswell would not only survive but flourish in 2007, but the way shows are developed today would I actually want to watch what was brought to the table?

I don't want to watch most of what is brought to the table these days. <i>Stargate SG-1</i>, <i>Battlestar Galactica</i>, and <i>Bones</i> are the entirety of what I personally find watchable. The first has been around for ten years, the second is a remake of a show from the 1970's, and the third is based on a novel. Interesting.

[LairaBehr4]

One of the things that always bugged me about the show was, the parents really don't play that big of a role, apart from Valenti. Maybe my parents were the exception, but it was really hard for me to get out of the house without telling my parents exactly where I was going and who I was going with. Spur-of-the-moment road trips were absolutely out of the question. I think a part of it was just me, because my younger siblings got away with much more than I did, but in that aspect the show always seemed very unrealistic to me. So when T says that the parents would have played a bigger role if the show aired now, that is definitely something I agree with.

[Spiletta42]

One of the things that always bugged me about the show was, the parents really don't play that big of a role, apart from Valenti. Maybe my parents were the exception, but it was really hard for me to get out of the house without telling my parents exactly where I was going and who I was going with. Spur-of-the-moment road trips were absolutely out of the question. I think a part of it was just me, because my younger siblings got away with much more than I did, but in that aspect the show always seemed very unrealistic to me. So when T says that the parents would have played a bigger role if the show aired now, that is definitely something I agree with.

My stepsister once climbed out her second story window, went to a party, got drunk, and then put her foot through my parents' bedroom window while climbing back in at 5am. She managed to be in her bed feigning sleep by the time they got up and outside to look at the window, and also managed to convince them that the 17 stitches she needed in her ankle later that morning were from an accident in the high school pool. Since Liz and Maria probably have about 100 IQ points on my sister -- each -- I never found their antics particularly implausible.

Also, we did see at least some of the hurt that secrets can cause, from some of the various parents, and their reactions to the truth post-Graduation would make for good fic.

I think that keeping the parents in the dark was a good creative choice -- it put more responsibility on our protagonists young shoulders, and that made for good drama. Sure, there are plenty of sources for drama, so it wasn't the only choice, but I liked it. On Smallville, in keeping with the Superman tradition, the Kents know the score. I can't really compare and contrast, because I don't watch Smallville, but would Roswell emulate it if made in 2007?

*stops rambling, returns to fic*