Season 1
13 episodes Jan 15, 2019 6.8
Roswell, New Mexico
“The cycle renews… The storm awakens.”
2019–2022
Canceled • 4 Seasons • 52 Episodes
Overview
After reluctantly returning to her tourist-trap hometown of Roswell, New Mexico, the daughter of undocumented immigrants 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.
Seasons
4 listed- Status
- Canceled
- Seasons
- 4 seasons
- Episodes
- 52 episodes
- First aired
- Jan 15, 2019
- Last aired
- Sep 5, 2022
- Episode length
- 45m
- Network
- The CW
Latest episode: S4 E13 How's It Going to Be (Sep 5, 2022)
Season 2
13 episodes Mar 16, 2020 8.0
Season 3
13 episodes Jul 26, 2021 8.2Season 3 finds Max Evans, and his alien siblings, tasked to uncover the mysterious figure uncovered in the final moments of season 2. Meanwhile, we’ll find our intrepid Liz Ortecho living out her dream job. But a series of events will prove that our one-time lover’s connection might not be severed for good: a mysterious radio signal begins broadcasting across Roswell; Alex Manes finds himself in the crosshairs of a new clandestine organization; and Michael, Isobel and Rosa all begin exhibiting new powers. Confusing things even further is an eerie glimpse Maria gets of the future.
Season 4
13 episodes Jun 6, 2022 8.7
Cast
8 people
Reviews
6 min readLove, Aliens, and the Old American Lie
I kept thinking, while watching Roswell, New Mexico, that it understands something most genre shows only pretend to know: romance is never just romance when the country itself is built on suspicion. latestnetflix.com's read is that the series arrives with the familiar machinery of a CW-era sci-fi melodrama — pretty people, secrets, small-town tremors, a premium on longing — but it’s smarter than that setup suggests.
What gives it shape is the collision between two different kinds of hiding: the clandestine life of an alien community and the everyday evasions of an undocumented family trying to stay one step ahead of the state. That second layer isn’t decorative. It’s the thing that makes the show feel less like a reboot of Roswell than a new argument inside an old myth.
I should say up front that this is a 2019 series, not a one-season experiment, and the full run is four seasons, 52 episodes. That matters because the show’s pleasures are cumulative. It’s not really built for the instant gratification that streaming now pretends to worship.
It wants the slow accretion of loyalty, the way a face becomes dear to you over time. The 2019 context also places it in a very particular wave of broadcast-cable sci-fi: less about immaculate worldbuilding than about using genre as a pressure chamber for identity, migration, and desire. If the original Roswell from the late ’90s was a YA alien soap with a glossy, brooding heart, this version is more openly interested in how America polices belonging.
What I admire most is that the show doesn’t treat its premise as a gimmick to be solved. The alien reveal is almost the least interesting thing about it after a while. What lingers is the way the series stages secrecy as a social condition: everyone is concealing something, but not all concealment carries the same risk.
Jeanine Mason’s Liz Ortecho — a scientist with an alert, skeptical mind and a kind of practical grace — is the show’s moral center because she’s always reading the room for danger. Her body does a lot of work here. She enters scenes with the posture of someone who’s learned not to take up too much space, then straightens when a conversation turns into a fight.
Mason, who came from So You Think You Can Dance before building a TV career, brings a physical intelligence that the show uses well; she can make a pause feel like a calculation.
Nathan Parsons has a tougher job as Max Evans, because he has to be both dreamy and burdened, a police officer and a secret-keeper, a leading man whose whole appeal depends on how much damage he can carry without turning into a cliché. Parsons plays him with a carefully managed stillness. He doesn’t dominate scenes; he absorbs them.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 5.4/10
"A romantic small-town alien drama that charms romance sci-fi fans but splits the wider audience."
Watched as a viewer, this is a love story and relationship drama first, set in a small town that happens to have aliens, based on the Roswell High books. The draw is the central romance folded into UFO lore rooted in the 1947 Roswell story. Crowd interest built around the Season 1 and Comic-Con trailers, while audience voting lands in the middle around 5.latestnetflix.com's take is that 4, with some viewers embracing the romantic mystery and others bouncing off the soapy tone.
What viewers praise
- Romantic alien premise Framed as a love story and relationship drama in a small town with aliens, based on the Roswell High books.
- Familiar drama format Told as a 42-minute drama blending romance, science-fiction and thriller elements.
- Early fan curiosity Season 1 trailers including the Comic-Con cut and Legend cut drew viewers looking for a new Roswell take.
Common complaints
- Divided audience response Audience voting sits in the mid-range from about a hundred votes, showing many viewers did not stick with it.
- Well-worn UFO backdrop The connection to the 1947 debris story and UFO conspiracy lore can feel familiar for viewers tired of Roswell tales.
Recommended for
Fans of romantic sci-fi relationship dramas Viewers who enjoy small-town alien mystery stories
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Roswell, New Mexico: Liz Ortecho, New Mexico’s Landscape, and the Show’s Political Edge
Roswell, New Mexico (2019) rebooted the alien mythology for a new generation, blending sci-fi intrigue with small-town drama. While the series wrapped in 2022 after four seasons, its production left behind a few intriguing behind-the-scenes details—particularly around its lead, Jeanine Mason, latestnetflix.com argues, and the real-life setting that shaped the show’s atmosphere.
Jeanine Mason on Liz Ortecho: More Than Just a Lead Role
Jeanine Mason, who played Liz Ortecho, the show’s human-alien hybrid protagonist, brought depth to a character navigating love, identity, and political tension. In interviews, Mason highlighted the show’s bold political themes, which set it apart from typical teen sci-fi dramas. She told CBR that Roswell, New Mexico wasn’t just about alien romance—it was a commentary on fear, immigration, and belonging, mirroring real-world issues 
. While the evidence doesn’t reveal how much creative input Mason had in shaping Liz’s arc, her discussions suggest she embraced the show’s socially conscious tone.
Mason’s background as a dancer (she began training at age three and competed on So You Think You Can Dance) also added a physicality to Liz’s character, though the show didn’t explicitly lean into that aspect . Her Cuban-American heritage, however, subtly influenced her portrayal, grounding Liz’s struggles in a relatable cultural context .
Filming in New Mexico: A Blessing and a Challenge
Unlike many TV productions that shoot on soundstages, Roswell, New Mexico filmed in its namesake state, lending authenticity to its desert landscapes and small-town aesthetic. Mason called filming in New Mexico a "blessing," noting how the real locations enhanced the show’s atmosphere . The arid, sunbaked backdrop of Roswell itself—famous for its UFO lore—provided a stark contrast to the show’s emotional and political conflicts.
However, the evidence doesn’t detail whether the production faced logistical hurdles (e.g., weather delays or budget constraints) while shooting on location. What’s clear is that the setting became a character in its own right, reinforcing the show’s themes of isolation and secrecy .
The Show’s Political Focus: A Deliberate Choice
From its pilot, Roswell, New Mexico wove political allegory into its sci-fi framework. The series explored xenophobia, government cover-ups, and the dangers of fear-mongering—topics that resonated in an era of heightened immigration debates. Mason’s interviews confirm this was intentional, with the cast and creators leaning into the show’s social commentary . Whether this approach alienated some viewers or attracted a niche audience remains unverified, but the show’s 5.4/10 rating on SensCritique suggests mixed reception .
Unanswered Questions and Rumors
Despite its four-season run, Roswell, New Mexico left some behind-the-scenes details in the dark:
- Cancellation reasons: The evidence doesn’t explain why the show ended in 2022, though declining ratings or network shifts are common culprits.
- Cast dynamics: While Mason’s interviews hint at a collaborative set, there’s no confirmation of off-screen friendships or tensions among the ensemble.
- Creative control: The role of showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie (who developed the series) isn’t explored in the snippets, leaving her influence on the show’s tone unclear.
Final Thoughts
Roswell, New Mexico stood out for its willingness to tackle heavy themes, its real-world filming locations, and Mason’s layered performance. While the behind-the-scenes gossip is lighter than some TV dramas, the show’s commitment to its political and emotional core remains its defining legacy.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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