The Roswell, New Mexico Scene That Went Too Far

The show "Roswell, New Mexico" on The CW is actually a reboot of the 1999 series called "Roswell," which originally aired on The WB and UPN until 2002 when both networks merged into The CW. Despite the fact that the co-showrunner recently stepped down, citing "fundamental differences," the series still remains on the air with a fourth season on the way. The show certainly doesn't shy away from its sexy moments and, in fact, is also known for its LGBTQ+ representation. But in one episode, some fans think the show pushed things too far. 

In Season 2, Episode 6, entitled "Sex and Candy," things really start to heat up, and not necessarily in a good way. The primary focus in Episode 6 is that some of the characters are exploring their sexual orientations, as teens are wont to do. Isobel Evans (Lily Cowles) runs into an unexpected former flame, Kyle Valenti (Michael Trevino), and hooks up with a female bartender at a gay bar. However, one of the biggest issues that fans had a problem with in the episode was a sex scene involving Maria DeLuca (Heather Hemmens), Michael Guerin (Michael Vlamis), and Alex Manes (Tyler Blackburn). 

At this point in the season, fans are fully aware that Alex has been wrestling with his gay identity. Per Den of Geek, it's noted that Alex searches to "find that pride and self-love that he never could growing up in an abusive home or in the military." In this case, the particular scene that went too far involves a three-way that Maria essentially instigates between Alex, Michael, and herself. 

The issue here is that Maria pushes past Alex's own boundaries after he clearly expresses that he wants to leave before going along with it. Most likely, the showrunners wanted to present polyamory as something that could be explored without shame, and without painting Maria as the villain in the situation. But like one user in the PrimeTimer forum commented, the execution was not only problematic but out of character for Maria. "I don't buy that Maria would ever have done this if Alex expressed discomfort ... Alex has repeatedly referred to himself as gay, not bisexual or pansexual or anything else."

Another user Bloga commented, "This whole threesome business was just a lazy way to solve the issues between the three of them." However, in defense of Maria, one user Featherhat commented, "Maria could have legitimately thought this was a good idea for the three of them and it exploded in their faces instead." 

It's obvious to fans that Michael and Alex are soulmates, yet it's Maria and Michael that ended up together in the episode while Alex parted ways with Michael the next morning. "Sex and Candy" really didn't amount to much, and, if anything, left fans feeling upset about Alex's discomfort and confused about the characters' motivations.