Roswell, New Mexico Review: So Much For The Afterglow (Season 1 Episode 2)

It is challenging for any show to follow-up a five-star pilot episode and the sophomore showing of the sci-fi political romance drama (it does a lot of things) indeed falls short of the debut’s excellence.

Roswell, New Mexico Season 1 Episode 2, “So Much For The Afterglow,” is dark and moody, without the moments of levity that kept the pilot episode balanced. 

This is not necessarily a bad thing as an ebb and flow of heavy and light episodes is a positive for a series. Still, the episode would have benefited from some fun.

There is plenty of time to course correct on the balancing of tone for Roswell, New Mexico and there was still much to appreciate on “So Much For The Afterglow.”

God of Wine

The Third Eye Blind song “God of Wine” is peppered thematically and literally throughout the episode. It’s an interesting weaving that adds a lyricism and heart for music to the series. 

The song becomes twisted in the plot when Liz sees a lyric written on Rosa’s hand,  but I prefer how the song illuminates the relationship between Michael and Alex. 

The two men seem to be waxing and waning like the moon about whether they can fall fully into each other. 

Pardon me for being extra, but this song does that to me! And it does it for this couple too. It gives their very dramatic postures and words a safe place to land. 

We hear “And the siren’s song that is your madness/Holds a truth I can’t erase/All alone on your face/Every glamorous sunrise/Throws the planets out of line” and it gives us a sunrise colored frame to view their passion. 

The song and the colors in the shots are especially important because we don’t have much exposition about the characters and their history. We learn that they had a moment on a field trip (flashback please!), and they have been together at least once before. 

But we don’t know what “been together” means, we don’t know if they are out to their families and friends, and we don’t really know what is actually preventing them from being together if anything. 

We don’t have much data about them, but the song helps to carry us into their romance anyway. 

Also, Michael’s admission, my favorite line on the episode, helps too. 

 MICHAEL: I never look away. Not really. 

It’s an odd thing to say.  But, Michael Vlamis’s delivery where he softens the second part, “not really,” turns the meaning of the statement into one about being there for someone, never abandoning them, rather than a scary “I’m always watching you,” message. 

We know that Alex has in his mind this idea that maybe home is more a person than a place, and maybe that person is Michael.

So, Michael’s confirmation that he is always looking at Alex, never leaving him, shows Alex that maybe he is home for Michael too. 

And then they bang in the trailer and it is HOT! 

To circle back to “God of Wine,” the tone and lyrics of the song reflect and enhance the madness of a love moment. It captures that mix of terror and elation that you feel when you get exactly what you want.

Alex and Michael coming together is nicely showcased by this musical bed that was made for them on the episode. 

The Kiss

Not going to lie, I want that kiss.

I am an absolute sucker for the lying about not being madly into you trope. But, it is “just a kiss,” as Liz says, so can’t we have both?

They can kiss and THEN Liz can lie her face off, saying that she’s not actually feeling it. 

I do realize that Liz’s lie is coming from a place of caution and fear. But, still. I was promised a kiss once the handprint faded, dang it!

Overall, the development of the relationship between Liz and Max, Echo is their ship name, is far too muddled and convoluted.

The tension could have been amped up by any one of the mysteries and conflicts in the episode, but it presents all of them.

There is Max’s strange anger, brought on by saving Liz, Rosa’s murder, the town’s ever-growing animosity towards the Ortecho family, Michael and Isobel’s threats of violence and mind control, Michale supernatural science glass bowls, the implication there are other aliens out there, and the town’s aggressive anti-immigrant situation. 

These are too many conflicts for one season of a show to cover, much less one episode. And the problem with all of these dark clouds over Roswell, New Mexico is that they drown out the chance for subtle character development. 

The amount of plot makes it necessary for characters to shout over all the action, and it leads to a cacophonous result. 

Echo, the characters I’m most invested in at this point, other than Michael and Alex, would benefit from a stripped down plot (and from stripping down in general).

We don’t need Rosa to have been murdered for Liz to distrust Max. It would have been enough for him to lie about having seen her on her last day. We don’t need Michael and Isobel acting like mobsters in order for Liz to be spooked and distance herself from Max. 

I like the strange issue with Max’s violence, but it doesn’t need to happen just yet.

It could simmer for another couple of episodes before coming to a boiling point. It takes up too much time on the episode and it waters down the potency of the emotional anchor on the episode: Liz’s quest to forgive her sister.  More on that below. 

The kiss-less Echo episode frustrates because of the almost make-out, but even more because of the swamp of plot viewers have to wade through to be able to feel the moment’s impact. 

Fraudulent Zodiac

Jeanine Mason continues to shine as Liz on the episode, especially as tries to let go of her anger and blame so she can grieve her sister. The moments in the church when Liz talks about her floundering faith are bordering on powerful. 

Mr. Ortecho, in a rather gringo-like accent, gives really interesting insight into how he views this town.

The memories he holds are more sunshine than dark days, and Liz is an attentive listener. She absorbs what he has to say and adjusts her approach. 

The episode has some really interesting and provoking things to say about memory, pain, and forgiveness. Liz at one point hopes science can give her something to blame, so she can cleanly forgive her sister. 

Kyle presents another bit of wisdom about memory and forgiveness. 

KYLE: If you’re gonna forgive her, don’t focus on the science, focus on the memories. 

The message about forgiveness, pain, and memory is not that clear.

This is another area where the cacophony of conflicts suppress the more quiet explorations of identity and character the episode presents. 

It does keep my attention and I want to continue on this journey of forgiving by not forgetting that Liz has started. 

Community

The episode doesn’t show us where, how, or if the Mexican American community in Roswell is. It is unclear why Liz and her dad aren’t connected to a network of other Chicanx families or if that is even a possibility. 

The dirth of other Mexican American characters is a problem, mostly because it doesn’t make sense.

I want to see far more of Liz’s culture represented and I want to hear a lot more Spanish. I think more attention to the character of the Latinx part of this town will add a richness and accuracy to the storytelling. 

Michael Trevino, who plays Kyle, is Mexican American. Heather Hemmens, who plays Maria, is Latinx.

I am not sure yet if they are Latinx canonically. 

Clarifying that they are all Latinx would be a great way to connect these characters and root them in the culture and realities that the political messaging on the show is aimed at. 

I do adore Cam’s introduction on the episode and her shoot off with Wyatt is the one fun romp on the episode.

However, I am reticent to give it a full thumbs up because it is a heavy focus on the beliefs and culture of white men, without a balanced look at the culture of the brown families.

We need more than just Liz and her dad as representations of the discriminated against for the show to really make its point. 

I do look forward to seeing that and I trust this show to try very hard to be inclusive and culturally competent. 

Also, more kissing. I look forward to lots more kissing. 

Diner Dish

• Someone from 1947 isn’t an ancestor. In fact, there are people who were adults in 1947 who are still alive today. 
• There is no way kissing Liz could ever be “just a kiss” for Max. I love that about him. 
• “Ruggedly handsome garbage,” is an A+ descriptor and an even better band name. Max also has really nice handwriting? He’s my kind of cowboy.
• The autopsy report is visually confusing. Is it a rainbow handprint over Rosa’s mouth? 
• Cam is super sexy and I it doesn’t make sense that Max would just be holding out for Liz for ten years. I need more explanation for why he isn’t with Cam. Also, more kitchen sex, please. 
• I am not feeling the makeup for Alex and Kyle. I think a less heavy hand would benefit them. They can stand to look a little older and a little more flawed. 
• I’m glad we got more Maria. I want way, way more Maria. 

What did you think of this episode of Roswell, New Mexico? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Roswell, New Mexico airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

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