#roswellnm

LIVE

Sothis really great post came across my dash recently and it gave me something of an “aha” moment. I wanted to share it with all of you, because that’s what I do here.
A couple things before I start:
- This is about Noah and his overall arc, especially re the twist in season 1 and Isobel in relation to him. So CW for spousal abuse, mention of non-consensual possession, and violation of consent.
- While this post is talking about something I think is really cool that was done with this character, it is not meant in any way to support his actions, nor is it meant to be a sympathy post.
- I know people have some issues with certain aspects of Noah being revealed as a villain; one in particular being that he is the only main alien character to be a POC. I will not be addressing that angle of the arc for many different reasons, but mostly because I feel unqualified to do so. Feel free to make your own post discussing that issue, it’s an important one.
- This post is going to involve me talking about my personal reactions and feelings to story elements in a way that I don’t normally do to this extent; this is the point where I acknowledge my innate biases as a person and ask you all to please remember that this is my opinion and nothing more.
Anyway. The post in question was lamenting the audience’s loss of “Nobel”, or Isobel and Noah, when Noah was revealed to be the fourth alien in 1x11. More specifically, the loss of Noah as he was when he was pretending to be human: a gentle, kind, loving husband who was supportive and an excellent male character type that we don’t get the chance to see on TV all that often.
Reading it, I found myself agreeing. Before 1x11, I had at least one post I was planning to write about Noah in his position as Isobel’s husband and how wonderful and refreshing it was to see someone like him that wasn’t played for laughs. I remember being surprised and disappointed when he was revealed as a villain, but most of all saddened at the loss of the character he had been which was now tainted by the knowledge it had all been a lie. I caught some small foreshadowing moments in my rewatch, subtle but there, that I had missed entirely my first time through, and I remember feeling that there should have been more obvious signs that he was going to end up as an antagonist. (Mostly because typically there are.)
I couldn’t tell you exactly when the penny dropped, but I was thinking somewhere along the lines of it being so atypical that this show in particular would “betray” the narrative like that. To pull the rug out from under the audience so aggressively is an unusual and daring move, and unfortunately it’s very often a symptom of rushed or just plain bad writing. Now though, I have a different theory.
Because this isn’t about Noah, it was never about Noah. This is about Isobel.
And contrary to appearances, it’s about the audience first and foremost. What does doing something like this accomplish? A complete about-face for a main reoccurring character most of the way through the season with little to no foreshadowing is not a kind trick to pull on your audience for no good reason. So what is the reason? I remember the fandom reaction (among those who did not predict the twist) being shock, anger, disgust, dismay, and sadness. I’ve already said I had those feelings at the time, and my skin still crawls now when I watch the scenes of him with Isobel in “domestic bliss” in the early episodes. What possible logic could there be behind deliberately creating that reaction in the show’s audience?
Again, the answer is simple. Isobel.
What Isobel went through in season 1 is not necessarily an easy thing to really, truly sympathize with. Not if you haven’t experienced it. It goes beyond a betrayal; it’s a violation. In every sense of the word.
As the audience, there’s always some layer of “the signs were all there”. (Again, mostly because typically there are in fact signs for the audience.) We’re removed by one degree from the character’s surprise, shock, horror, and what ever else because usually we’ve seen both sides. We know the upset is coming.
Framing it this way, hiding the foreshadowing in clever camera work and editing as well as limiting scenes with only Noah to ones that could easily have two meanings, means that the audience experiences the betrayal as the character does.We feel the gut-punch just as much as Isobeldoes.
That sudden 180, the unexpectedness of it that leaves us reeling, is crucial for us understanding and sympathizing with Isobel going into season 2. Because we saw the Noah that she loved, and we loved him too. We fell for him as easily she did, and we can hate the truth he was underneath the lie while mourning the loss of the lie itself just as Isobel does. The anger, disgust, and sadness we feel is Isobel’s as well. We didn’t get obvious foreshadowing because Isobel didn’t; the abruptness of the reveal for us mirrors her experience at the gala.
And that thought..I guess just clicked into place for me. Even if it wasn’t the intention, the effect that that move achieved was staggering and notable. And honestly? I give major props for such an inventive way to get the audience on board. Because speaking for myself, it worked.

This is key.

From a personal perspective, one of my younger sisters has been climbing out of the wreckage of her marriage for the past two years. She had fallen in love and dated a charming, kind, and sensitive man. He cared about her needs and did all he could to make sure that he was supporting her in all she needed. Before the wedding.

We found out later that he is a clinical narcissist who manipulated everyone, but most especially my sister. We didn’t see the signs because there were no signs. It’s so easy to think that we would never fall for an abuser because we would know better. But the odds are…we wouldn’t. Sometimes there are no signs.

The audience was betrayed because Isobel was betrayed. And in retrospect, it worked.

#roswell #roswellnm

@fandomwithjoy

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 11:43:17

jumbled-nonsense:Liz Ortecho & Sheriff Valenti in Roswell, New Mexico S2 Promo I did not realize

jumbled-nonsense:

Liz Ortecho & Sheriff Valenti in Roswell, New Mexico S2 Promo

I did not realize that Liz was handcuffed until just now! Why has she been arrested???

Post link

#roswell #roswellnm #liz ortecho

@RWJ

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:18:49

thewildpony:

For anyone who was rightfully like ‘Uh where’s Maria???’ after seeing the season 2 trailer.

Glad to see this. I knew that the trailer was put together by the PR people and that Carina and the writers have no control over it…but glad to see her clarify that there will be Maria!

Post link

#roswell #roswellnm

@RWJ

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:15:51

bisexualaliennerds:

Bad Reputation || Mr. Jones
Mr. Jones doesn’t give a damn about his Bad Reputation
Bad Reputationby JoanJett
by@Bisexualaliennerds / @daughterofelros
Fandom: Roswell, New Mexico (2019)
Characters: Mr. Jones
Content notes: Mr. Jones, in all his melodramatic villainous glory.
I have to admit, I was only kind of so-so on Jones as a villain. But looking at his scenes together? Brilliant. So much old-school melodrama, its almost a shame he shaved his moustache– so much moustache-twirling potential.

#roswell new mexico #roswellnm #rnm fanvid #liz ortecho #nathan dean parsons #bad reputation #villain

@daughterofelros

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:35:31

Bad Reputation || Mr. Jones

Mr. Jones doesn’t give a damn about his Bad Reputation

Bad Reputationby JoanJett

by@Bisexualaliennerds / @daughterofelros

Fandom: Roswell, New Mexico (2019)

Characters: Mr. Jones

Content notes: Mr. Jones, in all his melodramatic villainous glory.

I have to admit, I was only kind of so-so on Jones as a villain. But looking at his scenes together? Brilliant. So much old-school melodrama, its almost a shame he shaved his moustache– so much moustache-twirling potential.

#roswell new mexico #roswellnm #rnm fanvid #liz ortecho #nathan dean parsons #bad reputation #villain #youtube

@bisexualaliennerds

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:34:32

ByElektra

Paring:Malex

Characters:Michael Guerin, Alex Manes

Music:Chasing Fire by Lauv

#rnm fan vids #roswellnm #roswell new mexico #rnmfanvids #michael guerin #alex manes #elektra