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How to watch Roswell (and Roswell, New Mexico) TV series in order

Make contact with the YA coming-of-age alien drama that is Roswell.

Guides by Chris Arrant, Editor-in-Chief

Published on Fri Mar 07 2025

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Return to where the Roswell UFO crash happened and follow the aliens who crawled from the wreckage and became American high-school teenagers with the hit TV franchise, Roswell. Based on Melinda Metz's Roswell High YA book series, the Roswell TV series (and the reboot entitled Roswell, New Mexico) was an exciting coming-of-age drama mixing conspiracy theories about aliens and teen angst into a potent series as hot as Tabasco sauce (if you watched the show, you know).

Although the franchise is currently on hiatus, it's never not a good time to get into the series - or rewatch it all. That's why we've put together a Roswell watch order - and included some extras you may not have known about.

How to watch (and read) Roswell in release order

Roswell can be a confusing show, as it jumps around in time (and across timelines). While some franchises have a chronological watch order, for this we're opting only for a Roswell-specific watch order - because we care for your well-being.

That being said, the Roswell release order can be confusing once you take into account the 11 tie-in prose novels - not just between the seasons, but four that pick up after the Roswell series finale - to continue the story of these characters and the mysteries. (That's separate from the Roswell High books that inspired the TV series to begin with.)

With that in mind, here's a list of it all - happy watching, re-watching, and reading!

Roswell, season 1 (1999 - 2000)
Roswell, season 2 (2000 - 2001)
Roswell: Loose Ends (2001)
Roswell: No Good Deeds (2001)
Roswell, season 3 (2001 - 2002)
Roswell: Little Green Men (2002)
Roswell: Shades (2002)
Roswell: Skeletons in the Closet (2002)
Roswell: Dreamwalk (2003)
Roswell: Quarantine (2003)
Roswell: A New Beginning (2003)
Roswell: Nightscape (2003)
Roswell: Pursuit (2003)
Roswell: Turnabout (2003)

And while the 2019 reboot series Roswell, New Mexico isn't connected to the original Roswell series, it's definitely worth a watch as well. Simply watch it in this order:

Is Roswell, New Mexico a sequel to Roswell?

Although released after the original Roswell series, the 2019 - 2022 series Roswell, New Mexico is not a sequel. It is a reboot developed by The Originals writer Carina Adly Mackenzie, and was a bit more mature than the original - and was also filmed closer to the actual locations depicted in the show.

Is Roswell and Roswell, New Mexico the same story?

That's a tough one. In some ways Roswell and Roswell, New Mexico are the same story as they have many of the same key characters and storylines. But just as the Roswell TV series diverged from the Roswell High books it is based on, the 2019 - 2022 Roswell, New Mexico series went in its own direction, making it a bit different from the previous TV show and original books.

Should I watch Roswell or Roswell, New Mexico?

That depends on who you are. If you're in it for nostalgia or a love for the original actors, I'd recommend watching the 1999 - 2002 Roswell series. But if you're looking for something more modern and more adult (not quite R-rated, but...) then you should really give Roswell, New Mexico a chance.

Why was Roswell canceled?

The original Roswell came out of the gate in 1999 with a very strong fanbase. The WB, which aired the first two seasons, was hoping for something a bit stronger however, and nudged the creators to tone down some of the romance plots in favor of more science-fiction elements. They even enlisted veteran Star Trek writer/producer Ronald D. Moore to give it more of a sci-fi feel. That unfortunately turned a sizeable portion of fans of the first season sour, while not finding a new audience to replace them - or even grow it. Roswell jumped from the WB to UPN in its third season, as part of a package deal with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That ultimately didn't pan out in our alien teen's favor, and declining ratings led to the show's cancellation in 2002.

The remake series, Roswell, New Mexico lasted for four seasons on the CW before being axed as part of massive cuts at the network as it was acquired by Nextstar.

Is there a Roswell spinoff?

Yes, there is a Roswell spinoff - and we're not talking about the reboot series. I highly recommend reading the 11 books spinning out of the original series; they not only fill in the blanks to some key elements from the three original seasons, but continue the story after the show ends - with the teens ending up in a small Colorado town, and sets up a new love triangle between Isabel, Jesse, and Kyle.

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Chris Arrant: Chris Arrant is the Popverse's Editor-in-Chief. He has written about pop culture for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel, Newsarama, CBR, and more. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. (He/him)