The CW

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. TV issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, which read:

“Carina Adly MacKenzie has departed as executive producer/co-showrunner of Roswell, New Mexico. The third season of the series will return to The CW as part of the network’s 2021 midseason lineup.”

MacKenzie was the creator of ‘Roswell, New Mexico’, an adaptation of the ‘Roswell High’ book series by Melinda Metz.  The books had previously been adapted as the TV series ‘Roswell’, which ran for three seasons starting in 1999.  MacKenzie served as co-showrunner with Christopher Hollier.

In addition to the announcement from WBTV, MacKenzie offered her own statement:

“I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role on ‘Roswell, New Mexico’. I do not take this decision lightly, but ultimately due to fundamental differences, I must depart and entrust ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ to capable hands. I am so proud of what we built over the last two years, and I believe in the heart and soul of the show: asking tough questions, striving to make the world better, amplifying marginalized voices, and fighting the good fight.”

No announcement was made of a replacement.  It seems likely that Hollier will remain in the showrunner position solo.

As for the reasons for this fracture, there is no official word, but according to “sources” tensions have mounted between MacKenzie and Warner Brothers, ITV (which airs ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ in the UK), the show’s other writers, and the cast including lead, Jeanine Mason.

Just weeks ago, MacKenzie went on a Twitter rant against ITV after sex scenes were edited out of an episode.

ITV reacted to MacKenzie’s tweets, by saying:

“During our compliance process on episode two, we edited love scenes featuring the characters of Alex and Michael and Max and Jenna.  Editing is only ever undertaken to ensure content is suitable for scheduling in a pre-watershed time slot when younger age groups may be watching. Scenes involving sexual content were edited in keeping with the regulator, Ofcom’s, guidelines.”

Reportedly, Warner Bros. had to go into heavy “damage control” mode to smooth things over with ITV.

Sources also reported that there was resentment due to MacKenzie spending most of her time on the show’s set in New Mexico, and not in the writer’s room in Los Angeles, which upset the other writers who needed her there.  Due to her absence, reportedly scripts were often turned in late.

Though details are unknown, reportedly, WB’s human resources department had to get involved in a dispute between MacKenzie and Mason.  The reason for the strife is unknown, as is the resolution, as MacKenzie remained in her co-showrunner position after that.

Even without MacKenzie, writing for ‘Roswell, New Mexico’s third season is scheduled to begin soon and new episodes are expected to arrive next year.

Are you a fan?  Are you worried about this behind the scenes change up?