Product Description

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 08/22/2006 Run time: 968 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30326 in DVD
• Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
• Released on: 2004-02-17
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 968 minutes

Amazon.com
Opening with a Dido theme song and featuring character-driven, sweet-natured melodrama, Roswell was a show with a surprisingly dedicated fandom, who twice won it reprieve from cancellation. One of its main strengths was, of course, the extent to which its premise--alien teenagers trying to sort out their identities while emotionally involved with their human contemporaries--was a free-floating metaphor for race and sexuality issues. Another was the strong ensemble that its cast developed: you believed in the strangeness of the alien trio and the well-intentioned normality of their three human friends. Jason Behr gave the alien Max a quiet authority and Majendra Delfino took the sidekick role of Maria and gave it both intensity and fine comic timing. It was also a show in which you were never sure which adults you could trust--William Sadleir trod a fine line of ambiguity as the local sheriff and Julie Benz was silkily sinister as an FBI agent. Anyone who ever loved this show will want these DVDs--and many others may want to find out what the fuss was about.

Roswell is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The special features include commentaries on six episodes by writer Jason Katims, the directors, and various cast members as well as a featurette on the making of the show and another on its adaptation from the original Roswell High series of young adult novels. The commentaries are unusually insightful on the casting process, and the discs also include the auditions for the part of Tess as well as a deleted scene and a music video. --Roz Kaveney

Customer Reviews

Roswellians Rejoice!!
I won't even try to persuade people to purchase this dvd set because I personally believe that if you watch the first episode of the show (try Sci-Fi channel) you'll most likely either become a life-long "Roswellian" or pass it off as boring television.

In my opinion, Season 1 is the "premier" season in Roswell's three year run on television. The sci-fi audience that is enamored with Buffy The Vampire Slayer & Angel (both decent shows) should look more to Season 2 & Season 3 when they are released. Season 1 has often been characterized as "slow and boring" by this particular segment of the Roswellian population.

Be aware that there are some dramatic music changes that were made to make the dvd affordable. And yes (as a previous reviewer mentioned), it does have a negative impact on a couple of very important scenes. It was a tough compromise that will probably anger quite a few fans.

BUT, it is still Roswell and to give it a one star rating merely for that is just petty.

5 STARS (even with serious music tampering done) - Watch & understand why this show has a fanatical fan base that spans across age, sex, race, and class.

Roswell, a fresh calm in Iraq
My name is Chris, and I am currently serving the Marine Corps in Al Fallujah, Iraq. I work the front-lines of 2nd Battalion 1st Marines. And here, life kinda sucks. But the one thing that I found peace and calm was watching whenever I could the incredible development of characters and events in the first season of Rosewell. Immediately I fell in love with Liz,Max and the rest of the gang. No other television series has portrayed the realities of what it like to be a teenager with secrets and those who share the same. Roswell captures the heart of being in love, the struggles a couple must face; heartbreak, betrayal, hope, and breath-taking 180's that leave you winded. yet wanting more. I strongly recommend anyone to become a Roswell fan. Because you will definitely see yourself in one or more of the characters, and then you will relate in ways you would never have imagined.

"Max, what ARE you?"
So I was over at a friend's house last night, telling her all about the brilliant and woefully underrated show "Roswell", when she suddenly says: "Roswell. I think that's out on DVD." I nearly fell off my chair, recovering long enough to check. Yes, it's true! One of the all-time greatest teen shows, and a magnificent sci-fi show to boot, is finally out on DVD.

Based on the terrific book series, "Roswell" chronicles the lives of a group of teens living in Roswell, New Mexico. Some of them are human, some of them are not. You see, it turns out that a spaceship really did crash-land in the New Mexico desert in the 1950's, and after a period of incubation, three kids popped out: Beautiful, head-strong Isabel (Katherine Heigel), proud, rebellious Michael (Brendan Fehr) and quiet, gentle Max (hopelessly gorgeous Jason Behr). One day Max saves the life of Liz Parker (the radiant Shiri Appleby), setting off a chain of events that will change their lives forever. Rounding out the cast is Liz's best friend Maria (Majandra Delfino, providing much of the comedy relief) and geeky Alex (Colin Hanks, son of Tom Hanks). There is also a semi-evil Sheriff and assorted parents and schoolmates.

The strength of this show is two-fold: Excellent, heart-felt writing and spectacular chemistry between the leads. The first season is easily the best; later seasons became painful to watch as the characters we had come to care about were tossed about in all the wrong ways. The show always stayed compulsively watchable, though, never losing its poignancy. The first season's the only one I'll be buying, but if you're a newcomer you'll probably be totally hooked and want to see the whole thing through to its satisfying conclusion. Favorite episodes this season include "Blind Date", where Max sets impossible-to-match standards for boyfriends everywhere, and "Independence Day", which has a wonderful scene of intimacy between a teenage boy and girl that for once isn't all about sex. The rest of the episodes are equally grand, making the set worth every penny, and yes, worth the wait. If you've already seen the show, you've probably got this on order already, but if you're a newbie, take a deep breath and buy the whole first season. You won't regret it.

GRADE: A+