Roswell is just one of those shows that you can’t help but love, thanks in large part to some pretty great moments in season 1!

Full disclosure: I’m currently watching Roswell for the first time and I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s just one of those iconic shows that a lot of people seem to enjoy and love talking about, so I knew I had to give it a try. Though it starts off a bit slow, there are definitely some moments in there that really propel the series forward and make it something I don’t want to stop watching.

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Now that I’ve finished Roswell season 1, I thought it’d be a good idea to go back and pinpoint the moments that resonated most and really added a lot to the series. These scenes are ones that really stuck in my mind while watching the rest of the season and had a large impact on the show’s narrative and characterizations. As far as first seasons go, Roswell‘s is chock full of memorable moments. (Hopefully the ones I choose are some of the show’s favorites as agreed upon by its biggest fans!)

So, without further ado, here are the best moments of Roswell season 1!

Michael and Maria’s (short) heart-to-heart in the motel room

Michael and Maria are, hands down, my two favorite characters in Roswell. They have such strong, distinct personalities and really steal the show in every scene they’re in. However, it wasn’t until the scene in 1×06 where Michael and Maria are forced to share a motel room together (after he hijacks her and her car) that I realized how much I loved them. Their conversation is so simple and yet speaks volumes. I especially love how vulnerable they become without meaning to. Honestly, if the rest of the episode were to have been these two characters chatting in a motel room, I would’ve been ecstatic.

Max’s drunken escapades

Okay, so maybe this was more like a series of moments, but Drunk!Max is the best. From palling around with Kyle (my other favorite character) to climbing up the sides of buildings to trying to sweep Liz off of her feet while she’s on a pretty (relatively) high-profile date. My favorite of Max’s drunken escapades, however, has to be the little speech he makes when they’re running down the street. The speech about them running away together. Max’s face is just so cute because he’s being so earnest. I wish Max would get drunk more often so we could have more Drunk!Max.

Max healing Liz

How could this moment not make the list? It’s what kick-starts the events of the series, for goodness sake! It’s also unexpected for a show like Roswell in that shootings don’t usually happen in these types of shows until the characters have been established (and you actually care about them). And yet, the scene was not only emotional but actually really sweet in the way that Max comes to her help and the two have to trust each other right off the bat. It was the perfect start to such a strange and heartfelt series.

Liz walking away from the 4

Anytime a show uses its theme song in a scene, that scene has to be included in a list like this. Dido’s “Here With Me” is just so iconic and breathy that it’s hard not to sing along and totally lose yourself in it. So then, when it’s combined with such an intense gesture like Liz walking away from Max’s destiny, it makes for quite an iconic moment. It’s heartbreaking to see Liz decide to leave Max and her friends in order to let them fulfill their destiny. It was the right decision in the moment, but that doesn’t make it any less painful to watch. What a great season finale closer.

The trio’s confrontation with Michael’s dad

The scene in Michael’s home where Max and Isobel come busting in to protect and shield their friend is one of the best this show has done. Hands down. The emotions are so intense that it’s almost impossible not to feel the fear that the kids feel. Then to see Michael stand up to his abuser (albeit without much control) is really cathartic. It’s rich character moments like this one that make Roswell season 1 great.

What is your favorite moment of ‘Roswell’ season 1?

(And no spoilers for the rest of the series, please! :) )