Roswell question

[chicken]

Questions about Roswell from this brand new fan, fresh off the Buffy bus.



I never really got into Roswell when it first aired, but Buffy and Angel are over and I've re-discovered Roswell. I watched a few episodes of each season when they aired, out of order, confusingly, so starting from the beginning seemed best. I really like it so far, but one thing is bothering me.

Answer me this, anyone who's actually watched the show through to the end. I've watched through "285 South," and I keep thinking about how Liz took a cell sample off Max's pencil in science class, and saw that his genetic makeup was all weird and non-human. Why has no one else ever noticed this before?

[Poll #361012]

Add more hints (no outright spoilers, please) in the comments, if one or more of these choices is not sufficient. Thanks!

Comments

[maryavatar.livejournal.com]

I don't know about the US, but in the UK a doctor would never take a blood sample from a child unless they were ill. I know the only time my kids had blood taken was before surgery. It's a painful and stressful proceedure for a child, so there would have to be a very good reason for a doctor to need their blood. Since Max and Isobel don't get ill, I don't see a reason for anyone to have noticed.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

No xrays? No medical tests of any kind? I know some medical treatments and/or examinations are required in the U.S. Even our hearing was tested.

Why don't Max and Isobel ever get sick? Is not getting sick one of their powers, or do they heal their own common cold in the same way they heal a bullet wound? I thought 'natural' things like strokes (the grandma) and the common cold were not fixable with their powers? Or are their immune systems resistant to Earth diseases?

[maryavatar.livejournal.com]

Ear and eye tests are mandatory, as Max and Isobel are structurally identical to humans, I don't think a hearing test would turn up anything abnormal. Again, I can't speak for the US, but X-rays are a known carcingen, and also only used if there's a real need for one. I've been X-rayed, and so has my oldest daughter, but my youngest daughter, my son and my husband haven't.

I think the only real worry they'd have was blood tests, or tissue samples. Which is a little odd really. If the people who designed them managed to make them identical to humans on the macro level, why didn't they make them identical on the micro level too? It can't have been that much harder.

Max and Isobel are both resistant to Earth germs. I can't remember which ep it came up in, but someone asked Isobel what happened when she or Max got sick, and she said that they'd never been sick.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the information. It doesn't seem spoilery, so double thanks.

I have personally had a ton of xrays for various medical reasons, and was afraid of them until the year we lived in China, where they had ancient x-ray machines left over from the 1930s, which were totally unshielded and massively unsafe. My parents barely managed to convince the doctors not to use the machine on us.

[medelle.livejournal.com]

Growing up there wouldn't really be much reason for them to have had blood drawn and/or looked under a microscope unless they contracted a very serious illness.

As far as xrays go, IIRC this came up in an ep and it was explained their skeletal and body structure looks human on an xray.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

P.S., your icon is hilarious!

[medelle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I just made it last night.

Feel free to use it if you like. :)

[karenor.livejournal.com]

hey, i got here randomly...i think from eliza_daily....i'm a Roswell FANATIC. yes, SOME of this will be answered. however, probably not to your satisfaction. how to say this without being spoilery...well, with a little suspension of disbelief, we must go with the idea that their blood was never taken as children. tho this isn't ever stated directly.

but maybe that's not so hard to believe. nowadays they test blood for every little thing, so you'd think they'd do a full work up on kids found out wandering when they were 6. but maybe back then, and in a place like Roswell, they'd only do it if the kids seem otherwise unhealthy. after all, vaccinations and stuff don't require blood to be taken. as far as i know, in california, at least, blood typing or otherwise having blood drawn isn't necessary for school, but otherwise, that would probably be my answer to the poll (the second choice).

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input. I did eventually get to watch the hospital episode. One word: Alex! And Netflix just got the S2 DVDs, so we have just finished the first disk of S2 and are waiting for the next three disks. Season 1 was amazing, I loved it! I will buy it all some day.

[karenor.livejournal.com]

yay, another roswell convert! yay. season two is great. enjoy! :)