'Roswell, New Mexico' Season 2 Episode 3: Isobel makes life-altering choice by mirroring realities of other women
Spoilers for 'Roswell, New Mexico' Season 2 Episode 3 'Good Mother'
This episode, most appropriately titled 'Good Mother' sees Isobel Evans (Lily Cowles) making a difficult life choice that has grave consequences. We also see Alex Manes (Tyler Blackburn) and Michael Guerin (Michael Guerin) get some screen time together as they try to unravel the mystery that was the spaceship crash back in 1947.
The crash that brought trio Max Evans (Nathan Dean Parsons), Isobel, and Michael (Michael Vlamis) to Roswell, took us back to a time where Jason Behr was intent on taking in the aliens. The episode compelled us into understanding how Michael's mother made it to earth while in the present aliens were inhabiting the town of Roswell, New Mexico. There is a lot of habitual normal day-to-day struggles of political and moral issues that the show speak on.
This episode was particularly jarring as Isobel chooses to end her child's life as she grieves for the death of her brother Max and the life she knew with her late husband Noah.
The abortion storyline was brought to the forefront of the episode, bringing to light a conversation of a moral stigma associated with it in the present world. The episode didn't hold back on women's empowerment as we see Isobel come into her own, grappling with grief that she has suffered. It seems as though the narrative involving Isobel this season will speak on her independence as she moves forward with her life.
If you take out the whole alien aspect of things - who knows, maybe one day this would make sense in our world - you'd notice how the series emphasizes on relatable issues for many around the world. Isobel is still reeling from a marriage that was physically and emotionally abusive. Her marriage to Noah, a serial killer was a huge misinterpretation of love. He had used her body to commit murders by going into her mind - that's a lot to take on for Isobel.
Isobel may be an alien, but the struggles she's faced from abuse to abortion is not something that isn't real in the world we live in. While the story may seem off charts for people to comprehend with the whole extraterrestrial aspect, we're sure many women relate to the emotional aspect of women having to come out of fears that hold their autonomy back.
Women reserve the right to do with their bodies whatever they please, as politics aims to restrict actions on something they don't consider a woman's fold. Reproductive health is a huge topic of morality affecting thousands across the globe - with both viewpoints. This episode took a viewpoint on women's autonomy from reproductive decisions to consent and medical assistance. It was a huge leeway for further shows to take it upon themselves to address issues that affect real women and not characters - be it alien or not.
Isobel in this episode decides to end the life growing inside of her as it serves her as a reminder of a life where she was taken advantage of. While her act was extremely risky we think that this episode, although heartbreaking, will allow Isobel to move forward with herself to depend on.
“The only person who will always love me and come to my rescue is me. That’s what this is about," Isobel told her hallucination of Max.
'Roswell, New Mexico' Season 2 airs on Monday nights on The CW at 9/8c.
