‘Roswell’ blasts off for the last time

? First and foremost, “Roswell” has always been a love story.

Setting aside aliens in human form, evil FBI agents, evil Air Force personnel, befuddled parents (only Buffy’s mom was denser than these folks), vicious foes in borrowed skins and even all that blither-blather about everybody feeling alienated in high school, the beating heart of “Roswell” is the beating hearts of its teen lovers, especially the doe-eyed duo of alien Max (Jason Behr) and perky Liz (Shiri Appleby).

So when contemplating the big finale, which airs Tuesday on UPN, writer/producers Jason Katims and Ronald D. Moore decided to feel the love big time.

Oh, there’s plenty of danger in the closer with the government hot on the trail of the teen aliens but who cares? The important questions are:

Does Max propose to Liz? (Oh, yes, but as for the answer, you’ll have to tune in.)

Does Maria (Majandra Delfino) hear the “l”-word from her beloved “space boy” Michael (Brendan Fehr)? (Yep, but then he rides away.)

Does Jesse (Adam Rodriguez) reconcile with his alien bride Isabel? (More or less, kinda sorta.)

And, does ex-sheriff-turned-country-music-wannabe Valenti (William Sadler) finally get a job, for heaven’s sake? (Fear not, bills will be paid.)

By the way, if you thought slayer Buffy’s pals were the Scooby Gang, wait’ll you catch the van in this one.

Featuring a return to Liz’s voice-over narration (missed that when it went away), “Graduation” is a big, warm, green alien fuzzy with an ending that could spark a whole new series of teen novels, like the ones the show is based on.

Nothing is assured, nothing is resolved completely, but a good time is had by all and the ending brims with hope. Not a bad way to close a show that beat the odds to even survive for three seasons.

Farewell, “Roswell.” See you in reruns on Sci Fi.