CW offers close encounter with 'Roswell'

Los Angeles

Some basic similarities exist between the new CW series "Roswell, New Mexico" and The WB/UPN series "Roswell" that aired from 1999-2002. Both series were adapted from the books in the "Roswell High" series by Melinda Metz.

In the new version, which was to launch Tuesday, Max (Nathan Parsons), Isobel (Lilly Cowles) and Michael (Michael Vlamis) are aliens who came to Earth in the spaceship the United States government denies crashed just outside Roswell in 1947. Liz (Jeanine Mason) splits her time between dealing with her feelings about Max while working at her family's Crashdown Cafe.

The biggest difference between the two series is the players in the current tale have been out of high school for a decade.