Gail Pennington Post-Dispatch Television Critic

06/21/2000

I thought this one was neat so I'm sending the relevant parts--also
profiled: The West Wing, Once and Again, and Judging Amy
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St. Louis Post-Dispatch
FIVE STAR LIFT
Page E1
(Copyright 2000)


* Feel left out of the loop when talk turns to the tube? Here's the
picture, so far, on those much-discussed network shows.


We've all done it -- meant to catch a TV series that everybody's
talking about, but for one reason or another never managed to tune in.
Before long, we may well decide we're too far behind to figure out
what's what and who's who.

Never mind. That's what rerun season is for. Here, to get you started
-- just as the summer is starting -- are vital statistics on four
series worth watching this summer. All will return in the fall, so
now's the time to get on board.

= = = = = = = = = =


" Roswell "


When: 8 p.m. Mondays on Channel 11


The attraction: The show is based in Roswell , N.M. So what do you
suppose the secret is?


Fun facts: The aliens (code name: Czechoslovakians) can manipulate
molecular structure to change an item's shape or color; that power
also allows them to heal, although they leave a silver handprint on
the body. Their other powers include "dreamwalking," sending
telepathic messages and moving objects by telekinesis. Otherwise,
they're just ordinary teens with an extraordinary fondness for Tabasco
sauce. Campaigning successfully to get " Roswell " renewed, fans sent
bottles of Tabasco to WB executives.


Who's who:


* Shiri Appleby is Liz Parker, a high school sophomore. Liz works at
the Crashdown Cafe, owned by her parents, where the series opener
found her fatally shot in a fracas.


* Jason Behr is Max Evans, Liz's classmate, who mysteriously saved her
life by laying his hands on the wound. Doing so gave away an important
secret -- he's a space alien -- and endangered his life, but Max
couldn't let Liz die; he's loved her since the first time he saw her.


* Katherine Heigl is Isabel Evans, Max's "sister." Ten years earlier,
they woke up in incubator-like pods in the desert, looking like human
6-year-olds. Wandering naked, they were found and adopted by the
Evanses, Diane and Phillip.


* Brendan Fehr is Michael Guerin, a pod-child like Max and Isabel, who
hid when the Evanses found them. Michael, brilliant but rebellious,
wound up in foster care, and who lived with Hank, a cruel alcoholic.
More recently, he got his own place.


* Majandra Delfino is Maria DeLuca, Liz's best friend, who also knows
the aliens' secret. Maria and Michael are a couple.


* Colin Hanks (son of Tom) is Alex Whitman, Liz and Maria's sweet pal,
who eventually learned what's up with his odd classmates. Alex has a
crush on Isabel and she recently reciprocated his affections.


* Emilie DeRavin is Tess, the new girl in town who Max seemed obsessed
with and even kissed. Near the end of the season we learned that she
also is an alien.


* William Sadler is Sheriff Jim Valenti, who's desperate to expose the
truth. Jim likes Maria's mom, Amy (Diane Farr).


* Nick Weschler is Kyle Valenti, Jim's son and Liz's ex- boyfriend.
Kyle is clueless.


Sound bite: "Five days ago I died, but then an amazing thing happened.
I came to life." - Liz, in her journal.


Loose ends: Oh, so many. Throughout the season, the aliens struggled
to stay out of the government's clutches while also learning the truth
about their past. In the last few episodes, Max was captured and
subjected to medical experiments, then learned he was the chosen
leader of his people. The season finale ended with a cryptic message:
"It has begun."


Recommended Web site: crashdown.com, with voluminous episode
summaries and character profiles.