Star-Crossed

Star-Crossed is an American science fiction romantic drama television series created by Meredith Averill and premiered on The CW on February 17, 2014. A meander through the complex world of love, alienation, and high school drama, it is a series that weaves romance and conflict with social commentary. The show stars Aimee Teegarden, known for her role in Friday Night Lights, who brings her characteristic charismatic performance, offering viewers an emotional journey into humanity, extraterrestrial existence, and the intricate web of adolescence.

The premise of Star-Crossed is built around a society where humans and an alien species known as the Atrians coexist on Earth. The Atrians, who crash-landed on Earth ten years before the show's timeline, live in a heavily-guarded community called the Sector. The human authorities have allowed a group of Atrian teenagers to join a human high school as part of a integration program, and among them is Roman, an Atrian boy who harbors a secret past with a human girl - Emery, portrayed by Teegarden.

The series' title, Star-Crossed, is a nod towards Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, with Teegarden's Emery and Matt Lanter's Roman being star-crossed lovers from two different worlds. Emery and Roman share an extraordinary bond which began when they were children, a secret friendship that was cut short when the human forces found Roman. Now in high school together, their bond rekindles, challenging the existing societal norms, prejudices and the politics around human and Atrian co-existence.

The show delves into many themes such as prejudice, integration, and secrecy, unraveled in a high school setting. It explores the contrast between the humans' fear of the unknown and the Atrians' struggle for acceptance. Emery and Roman's developing relationship is the crux of the storyline, accompanied by the secondary characters each adding depth, progress and different perspectives to the narrative. This high school environment, dotted with both human and extraterrestrial teenagers, offers a unique platform to highlight teen issues on a backdrop of larger socio-cultural concerns, establishing Star-Crossed as a distinct entry in the realm of science fiction drama.

While the show is based around a science fiction premise, it does not shy away from depicting poignant, real-world issues. The series showcases a spectrum of perspectives, exploring how diverse groups of people respond to change, difference, and acceptance. It invites the audience to question - what does it mean to be different? How far is society willing to go to accept those who are different from them? And, most critically, at what cost does this acceptance come?

Aimee Teegarden's performance as Emery is both compelling and emotionally charged. She is a compassionate, level-headed, and resilient protagonist who is unafraid of standing up for what she believes in. Her dynamic relationship with Roman, portrayed with depth and complexity by Matt Lanter, forms the emotional heart of the show. The chemistry between Teegarden and Lanter drives the narrative forward, capturing the complications that come with forbidden love and providing a compelling hook for the viewers.

The high school backdrop provides a vibrant canvas for the narrative to play out, with its chaotic cocktail of friendships, rivalries, love triangles, and extracurricular activities playing a pivotal role in the plot development. Not to forget, the underlying continuous tension between humans and the Atrians that is cleverly infused throughout the show.

The production quality of Star-Crossed is notable, with its unique vision of a near-future world where alien and human societies coexist. The design language for the Atrians is intriguing, as is the visualization of their technology and culture. The series employs a melancholic color palette, sophisticated visual effects and a memorable soundtrack to create an atmospheric ambiance, making the viewing experience immersive.

Star-Crossed utilized its 13-episode season to craft a captivating show that balanced romantic drama with the thrill of science fiction. It encapsulated the charm of adolescence, the bitterness of prejudice, and the mystery of alien existence. Viewers of this show undoubtedly find themselves entwined in the high stakes drama that is Emery and Roman’s star-crossed love, deeply invested in their journey and the trails of school, societal and extraterrestrial tribulations they navigate, offering them not just entertainment but reflections on acceptance, individuality and belonging.