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"There are moments that define our lives and there are moments that divide our lives. Incidents that separate us into two people: who we were before, and who we will be after... forever."
―Max

Smells Like Teen Spirit is the sixth episode of the re-imagined series Roswell, New Mexico on The CW. It first aired on February 26, 2019.

Synopsis[]

Official episode synopsis:[1]

FLASHBACKS TO 2008 — In a series of flashbacks to 2008, secrets are uncovered about Rosa's final day, Isobel's mysterious blackouts, and Alex and Michael's relationship in high school.

Plot[]

Opening: In 2004, Max, Michael, and Isobel go camping on their birthday. Isobel is attacked, Max kills the attacker, and Michael buries the body.

Act 1: At Max's place, he tells Liz that Isobel started having blackouts after the attack.

In a flashback to April 2008 at Sanders' Auto, Max and Michael talk about their plans after high school, but Isobel walks off. A series of scenes at New Roswell High School show their lives in high school: Alex and Liz and Max being friends, Kyle and Liz being together, and Max wondering about Isobel acting strangely. Kate Long and Jasmine Frederick push Rosa to deal to them for prom. At the Crashdown Cafe/2019, Rosa and her father get into a fight and Rosa goes up to the roof to find Isobel up there. They sit together under the sign and Isobel shows Rosa her favorite constellation: Ophiuchus.

Act 2: In May 2008, Alex confronts Michael about taking his guitar. He sees that Michael's living out of his truck, so he tells Michael he can go to a tool shed out by his house. At the Crashdown, Isobel has forgotten several things, which concerns Max. Rosa talks to Isobel, but Isobel acts like she doesn't know her. On prom night, Kyle picks up Liz from the Crashdown. At prom, Isobel, Michael, and Max take prom photos, but Isobel walks off upset when Max reminds her that high school is almost over. Later, Alex and Kyle get in a fight over something insulting Kyle said. Liz goes with Alex and tells Kyle to grow up. At the Crashdown, Rosa is packing a backpack when Isobel arrives and apologizes about the other day. Rosa says she might take off to get clean, and Isobel asks her to run away with her instead. After prom, Max finds Liz crying and they talk. Michael arrives and asks Max to look for Isobel with him. The next morning, they find Isobel at Sanders' Auto, but she doesn't remember what happened. They fight and Isobel walks off, saying she can handle her own problems without them.

Act 3: In June 2008, Alex visits Michael in the tool shed and brings him his brother's guitar. Alex leans in to kiss him, but Michael turns away. At the Crashdown, Rosa's car has been vandalized by Kate and Jasmine. Isobel sees her, but Rosa leaves, saying she's too much. Max tells Michael that he thinks Isobel is having blackouts. Rosa and Liz have a fight about the car because Rosa won't loan it to her now. Max offers to take Liz to the desert for their bio project, but Liz says, "Forget the bio project. Let's go on an adventure."

Act 4: Liz and Max are out in the desert. Liz has gotten them a six pack using a fake ID she got from Rosa. She shows him how to dance, and they slow dance to the radio. Liz says she doesn't want to kiss him and leave, but Max says he could change his plans and go with Liz, and they start planning. At the UFO Emporium, Alex is working when Michael asks to talk to him in private. They go in the back and Michael kisses him. They go back to the tool shed and have sex. Afterward, Alex's father Jesse Manes catches them, and in the confrontation, he crushes Michael's hand with a hammer.

Act 5: Max leaves a note on Rosa's car for Liz, but Rosa makes him leave and takes the note. In his truck, Michael drinks acetone to ease the pain of his broken hand. Separately, Max and Michael both get a psychic call from Isobel, and they go out to the turquoise mines. Michael gets there first, and finds Kate and Jasmine already dead. Rosa is alive as Isobel holds her, then Rosa collapses dead. Isobel passes out as Max arrives, and Michael tells him that "Isobel killed them all."

Act 6: Max tries to bring Rosa back to life but he's not strong enough. They decide they'll protect Isobel and cover it up. As they're putting Rosa, Kate, and Jasmine in Rosa's car, Isobel wakes up but doesn't remember what happened. Michael says he accidentally killed the girls with his telekinesis. The three of them stage the car accident.

In the present (2018) at Max's place, Max tells Liz that after that night, he and Michael both stayed in Roswell with Isobel, and that he and Michael stopped being friends. At Sanders' Auto, Michael has also told Isobel the truth. She's concerned that she's dangerous since she's having the blackouts again. At Max's place, Liz leaves, saying she never wants to see him again.

Cast and characters[]

Starring:

Guest-starring:

Co-starring:

  • Kayleigh Maes as Kate Long
  • Olivia Taylor as Jasmine Frederick

Additional characters:

  • Tess (mentioned), a classmate

Powers[]

  • Telekinesis
  • Electromagnetic Energy Manipulation

Trivia[]

  • The episode is named after the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, released in 1991.
  • Alex is supposed to be a big fan of the band Panic! At The Disco, but the show couldn't get the rights to include their posters. So the tool shed that Alex uses has posters for the fake band Danger! At The Picture Show instead.[2][3]
  • Isobel mentions a classmate named Tess, saying she likes Max and suggesting Max go out with her. This is a homage to the character Tess Harding from the 1999 series Roswell, who will not be appearing in the re-imagined Roswell, New Mexico series.[4][5][6][7]
  • Maria DeLuca is not around in any of the flashbacks in this episode because actress Heather Hemmens had prior work obligations and was unavailable during shooting.[8]
  • The high school gymnasium is named Jared Parsons Memorial Gymnasium. This is in honor of actor Nathan Dean Parsons's younger brother Jared Parsons who committed suicide in February 2018.[9]

Quotes[]

  • Michael (to Max): "You only get to impersonate a human high school senior once."
  • Arturo Ortecho (in Spanish): "If you put your hands on my daughter, I will chop your body into pieces so small vultures will eat you like potato chips."
    Kyle (in English): "I, uh... speak Spanish."
    Arturo: "I know."
  • Isobel (speaking to Rosa): "But I did it for you. Everything I did was for you."
    Michael: "What did you do?"
    Isobel: "She couldn't be trusted."

Gallery[]

Promotional stills[]

Videos[]

Navigation[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. KSite TV: Roswell New Mexico Photos: “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. February 13, 2019.
  2. Tweet by showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie (@cadlymack): We couldn't get permission to use a Panic! At the Disco poster in a flashback scene for @CWRoswellNM so keep your eyes peeled for Danger! At The Picture Show. Because I'm an asshole like that. November 24, 2018.
  3. Entertainment Weekly interview: Roswell, New Mexico creator takes us inside that game-changing flashback episode. Showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie explains: Panic! At the Disco would not let us use their poster on the wall so the poster on the wall of Alex’s room says: “Danger! At the Picture Show” because I was determined. I was like, “No, he listens to Panic! That’s who this guy is!”
  4. Showbiz Junkies: ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ – Carina Adly MacKenzie Discusses the New Sci-Fi Series. January 14, 2019. Regarding Easter Eggs in the show, MacKenzie says: "We have a Tess mention in episode six. It’s funny because I keep getting asked about Easter eggs and I am less familiar with the details of the original series and the books than people might think."
  5. Tweet by showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie: There won’t be a Tess on our show. Legally, we can’t use her. February 5, 2019.
  6. Tweet by showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie: No, we’ll never see Tess. (Sorry!) January 18, 2019.
  7. Collider: ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ Creator Carina Adly MacKenzie on Making the Reboot Personal. January 16, 2019. Regarding mentioning Tess, Carina says, "We slipped that mention in."
  8. Tweet from showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie: P.S. -- Heather had a prior work obligation (watch her on If Loving You Is Wrong!) that overlapped with the schedule of this flashback ep, which is why Maria isn't in it! Instead... we have a BIG Maria backstory episode next, with all the stuff we'd have put in 106 and more. February 26, 2019.
  9. Tweet from @CarolMWilcox: A sincere THANK YOU to the team @CWRoswellNM for the tribute to my son, Jared, who died by suicide Feb 2018. Episode 106. Jared would have loved this! @cadlymack @julieplec @afspnational @Nathan_Parsons. March 3, 2019.
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