Roswell, New Mexico Season 4 Episode 6 Review: Kiss From A Rose
Two of our heroes are left powerless by the end of Roswell, New Mexico Season 4 Episode 6, “Kiss From A Rose,” leaving the group without the defenses it needs against Tezca.
There are aspects of this episode that I enjoy, but it is also the kind of installment that leaves you screaming in anger at your television.
For starters, it is time that the group learns why Alex isn’t answering their calls before Season 4 fails one of its most beloved characters.
I might sound like a broken record, but I will die on this hill. For a group that faces one alien crisis after another, you’d think they’d realize that it is not just bad cell service keeping Alex’s phone from picking up their calls.
It’s frustrating because Michael keeps calling Alex and he makes it clear that all he wants is to use his powers to bring him home, yet he hasn’t caught on to what is happening with his boyfriend?
Only a week has passed on the show, which helps this particular storyline tremendously because the timeline is shorter. However, it feels like the show is forcing this particular absence to fit into the plot when it does not.
I understand writing someone out if an actor needs time off, but there are better, more narratively satisfying ways to write this departure that make sense for the characters involved.
Alex should not have been sucked into the ground two episodes into the season if the show wasn’t going to address it for four or more episodes. It lessens the shock value, and it leaves the audience waiting for weeks for answers that won’t come.
Malex is the heart of Roswell, New Mexico and the couple is continuously underutilized. It’s such a shame that we are losing so much time with them during the final season due to this storyline.
It is insulting to watch a network champion itself for representation when it refuses to give Michael and Alex’s love story the on-screen dedication that it gives to the show’s straight couples.
We know that Michael Vlamis and Tyler Blackburn will deliver to cosmic proportions once these two are reunited, but it saddens me to think that it comes at the cost of screen time.
However, “Kiss From A Rose” has some highlights, particularly when it comes to the episode’s exceptional performances.
Michael Trevino needs to play the lead in a romantic comedy ASAP! It’s heartbreaking to watch Kyle pour his heart out to Isobel when she cannot reciprocate his feelings, but Michael Trevino delivers such a romantic speech that you cannot look away from the television.
Lily Cowles plays Isobel’s conflict beautifully because she does love Kyle, and we see that, but not in the way that he wants her to love him. Thanks to that dynamic, our hearts shatter for both characters.
But it’s sweet that Kyle is left feeling better for having told her because he truly is her soulmate. Even if Isobel isn’t ready to go there with Kyle right now, I think their time will come before the end of Roswell, New Mexico.
More performance nods belong to Nathan Dean and Vlamis. Both actors expertly portray characters struggling with their identities as they lose control of their lives.
Max is terrified of hurting Liz, and Dean’s performance tugs at our heartstrings as his character makes a life-changing decision to protect his love. However, that doesn’t mean I agree with Max’s choice. Now is not the time to lose powers vital to keeping the group safe from Tezca, and Liz deserves a say in this decision.
While Max wants to save Liz from himself, he’s endangering everyone around him as they face Tezca without his blue flame.
As for Vlamis, Michael’s identity crisis is the perfect conflict for his character. It allows him to flex the depths of his acting chops as Michael faces his new reality. Michael’s alien strength has defined him for so long, so it is devastating to have it unwillingly taken as he finally learns more about the Oasis.
“Kiss From A Rose” changes the game for the pod squad as they enter a dangerous battle without their strongest sources of power, creating exciting new forms of conflict for this weakened group moving forward.
However, while the alien lore is intriguing, it should be more evenly balanced and paced with the interpersonal relationships that drive the show.
Roswell, New Mexico refuses to slow down, so the action and exposition precede most of the familial and romantic bonds. Ultimately these flaws impairing our ability to fully connect with the story.
Stray Thoughts
- Tezca’s face reveal is so underwhelming. I am embarrassed for this show.
- Does Rosa Ortecho exist on this show? Asking for a friend.
- Liz and Max being puzzle pieces for Tezca is fascinating. But does she want Liz to leave Earth too?
- I love that Dallas is learning more about his past. The aliens all deserve to get their lost memories back.
- “Accio Alex” is my favorite line.
- Eduardo is a great secondary character, but I don’t think the moments with his daughter are necessary at this point in the show.
- Imagine if they let Alex take care of Michael? I wish.
- We’re at the halfway point, and I am still asking for a classic Isobel and Michael scene.
- I miss when Roswell, New Mexico let music in as a character on the show.
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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 Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Julia Paino
Julia is a TV and pop culture enthusiast who gets too emotionally invested in her favorite characters. She loves making people laugh and is always down for a Taylor Swift sing-along. She is firmly on Team Stefan and has been since 2009. Follow her on Twitter @juliampaino!