More than 20 years after it was saved from cancellation before being unceremoniously cancelled a second and final time, an iconic three-season sci-fi show just started streaming on Tubi in full. The free streaming platform boasts an impressively deep catalog of science fiction titles ranging from hit shows like The 4400 to modern classics like High Life. That lineup was bolstered in April with the arrival of every episode of a ‘90s sci-fi hit show.
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When it comes to fan activism, Roswell is a landmark example. Based on Melinda Metx’s Roswell High book series about three human/alien hybrids hiding in Roswell, New Mexico, the iconic sci-fi show originally debuted on The WB in 1999 and was canceled in 2001 after two seasons, sparking an intense “Save Roswell” fan campaign that famously involved sending Tabasco bottles to producers. UPN ultimately picked the show up for a third season before it cancelled the series for a final time in 2002, with Roswell ending after 61 episodes. Fans can now revisit the iconic show after all three seasons of Roswell joined Tubi’s free streaming library on April 1st.
Roswell Is One of the Most Iconic Teen Sci-Fi Dramas of the WB Era
Debuting at the height of The WB’s popularity, Roswell blended the network’s signature elements – intense teenage drama, high-stakes sci-fi, and a moody, romantic atmosphere – to become a defining WB teen sci-fi drama. The series combined high-stakes sci-fi like government conspiracies and alien destiny with relatable teen drama, including the typical high school experience and teenage romance, anchoring the sci-fi premise and helping to pioneer shipping culture with the supernatural Romeo and Juliet alien-human relationship of Max Evans and Liz Parker. The show also did a pretty great job at developing its own mythology and character relationships rather than just relying on superficial plots, and its moody, suspenseful atmosphere added to the otherworldly nature of the story.
The series averaged a high 89% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes across its three-season run and developed a deeply loyal, fan-driven following that famously saved the show from early cancellation. Decades later, the series remains a staple of the early 2000s teen genre, and it even spawned a reimagined series, Roswell, New Mexico, which debuted on The CW in 2019 and ran for four seasons through 2022 and maintained the central, romantic sci-fi premise of the original. The show was a solid successor to the original, averaging a 77% critic score and 64% audience rating.
Other Sci-Fi Titles Now on Tubi
April is a great month for sci-fi fans on Tubi. The streamer kicked off the month with the arrival of dozens of fresh titles, including a long roster of sci-fi movies that are now streaming completely free. Tubi viewers can now stream sci-fi films like Gemini Man, I Am Number Four, Sunshine, Timecrimes, Transcendence, and Under the Skin.
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