' Roswell ' expands universal journey of self-discovery

by DINAH ENG

03/29/2000
Gannett News Service
FINAL
(Copyright 2000)
LOS ANGELES -- Think of the most soulful, mysterious boy in your high
school class. The one whose intelligence shined in his eyes. The one
who never quite seemed to fit in, but had it together more than anyone
else.

Fans of the Wednesday night WB network drama " Roswell " know him as
Max Evans, an extraterrestrial in search of his past. Along with the
show's other characters (both human and alien), Max takes viewers on a
weekly journey of self-discovery that's not your typical angst- ridden
melodrama or sci-fi fantasy.

"Adolescence has such an impact on people's lives," said Jason Behr ,
26, who plays Max. "Teen alienation and self-discovery are things
everyone goes through. In high school, I was one of the little guys
who didn't grow until 11th grade, so for a long time I felt like a
little boy in the land of men with beards, and felt so out of place."

Anyone who has ever been a teen-ager knows something of what it means
to be an alien. Life, after all, is never as confusing as when you
think you know all the answers, only to find out that each new
experience leads to more questions.

Beginning April 10, viewers will find the show on a new night --
Mondays, at 9 p.m. Eastern on The WB -- as the metaphorical universe
of " Roswell " expands with new dangers and new possibilities.

"The first part of the season was made up of a lot of 'what if'
questions," said Jason Katims, executive producer. "What if we knew
where we came from? For the remaining six episodes, the three aliens
(Max, his sister Isabel, played by Katherine Heigl and friend Michael,
played by Brendan Fehr ) come into contact with a fourth alien. A
special unit of the FBI gets closer to them, and they form a deeper
bond with Sheriff Valenti (William Sadler), who will become a defender
and protector. "

The relationships between the alien teens and their human friends
deepen, and the romantic questions we all wish we could answer grow
more complex. For Liz Parker (Shiri Appleby), the human who loves Max,
self-discovery is intertwined with the destiny of her otherworldly
classmates.

This is a show that touches the heart, and one message is clear -- the
power of love shapes everything; who we are, and who we could be.

"Max learns about the idea of action and consequence," said Behr,
sitting in a trailer during a break in shooting. "For a long time, Max
was the level-headed thinker of the group. For every action, there's a
consequence, and he thinks things through.

"But he learns that everyone has to make their own decisions, and they
have to live with the consequences. It's always hard to stand by and
watch the people you love make bad decisions, but Max is still
learning to not be so controlling. And he finds it's important to also
be spontaneous and have some fun. "

So what's the difference between the aliens and human beings on "
Roswell ?"

There are a few extraordinary powers -- the ability to heal physical
wounds, move objects, and listen to CDs without a CD player. But look
past a penchant for putting Tabasco on food, and you find, well ...
beings who are struggling to discover who they really are.

"Max thinks the aliens are completely different from the humans, "
said Behr, "yet in some ways, they're exactly the same. A big
similarity is the potential they don't realize they have. As
adolescents, you don't fully realize what you have in you. Max's
compassion and emotions are all very human. "

As for his own thoughts on the possibility of alien life, Behr doesn't
hesitate to say that he's a believer. "It's a pretty big place up
there, " said the actor. "My grandfather would never have believed
that we'd be walking on the moon. But soon we'll be taking a vacation
at the Holiday Inn up there. We're such a small part of what we know.
Yet we're making so many technological advances, it's scary. As a
human race, I hope we'll be able to keep ourselves in check when it
comes to our morality. "

Thoughtfulness, grounded in a real sense of self, emanates from the
awkward adolescent who grew into a handsome and charming, 6-foot TV
star.