ROSWELL TV STORY

**WARNING!! - Episode descriptions contain spoilers!**

#1 Pilot:
While waitressing at her parents restaurant - Crashdown Cafe - Liz gets caught in the middle of a violent argument and is fatally shot. But then Max rushes to her rescue. He puts his hand over her wound and heals her, then makes her promise not to tell anyone. He & Michael escape, leaving Liz in wonder. Once Sheriff Valenti arrives on the scene, he is almost immediately suspicious. Later, Max admits to Liz that he, Isabel and Michael are all aliens, offspring of the aliens who crashed back in 1947. Liz tells her best friend Maria, and the two of them help the aliens shake off the suspicions of Valenti.

My Impression: A very good beginning, though it can get a little "cheesy" (I don't like that word, but it's all I can think of). I have to admit that I was looking forward to watching this show a few weeks before it first aired, and I was not disappointed. The first scene with the shooting was the best. It didn't hesitate too much and the action went along rather smoothly. I also am glad that they're being realistic by having Valenti on their tails right from the beginning, instead of leaving him oblivious. This makes things more suspenseful, and not ho-hum.

#2 The Morning After:
Liz and Maria are still a little freaked about knowing three aliens. In Liz & Max's geometry class, they get a new teacher whom Liz suspects to be a spy, looking for aliens. Max doesn't believe it, but then sees the teacher talking to Valenti. He and Liz decide to spy on her, and discover she is after Michael. Meanwhile, Michael is attempting to break-in to Valenti's office to steal some pictures that might reveal something about his alien heritage. Unfortunately the FBI comes along and takes all of Valenti's files. But Michael is able to recover a key that seems to bear some significance. Liz also discovers that the teacher they thought was a spy was really a guidance councellor.

My Impression: I loved the opening credits sequence. It was wonderfully edited and filmed. The shots are great. Just the right length, too. My compliments to whoever pieced that together. As for the episode, it wasn't too bad. The pressure is still on the aliens, and I like that Valenti is not just giving up. Though it seems like the aliens never get a break from the get-go, that just makes it more "realistic". Not that aliens are real. I also think they're playing the Liz-Max thing really well, also. The eraser-room scene was just right - not too much, but not too little. And I'm glad a little emphasis was put on Michael this episode. His character is starting to come through clearer.

#3 Monsters
Maria seems to be showing signs of bending under pressure, and the aliens are afraid she will spill her guts to Sheriff Valenti at any moment. Isabel does not improve the situation by almost scaring Maria out of her wits by entering her dreams. And though Liz used to be absolutely sure Maria would keep their secret, she is no longer all that confident. But eventually, Maria comes to realize that the aliens aren't really a threat. In fact, it may be the other way around. As a side-plot, the school's guidance councellor is making all the students take a computerized tally that will tell them what they will most likely be when they grow up. Isabel is destined to be a caregiver. The teacher also encourages Max to take the first step away from shyness, so he does by initiating conversation with Liz.

My Impression: Actually, I thought this was a really good episode. Maria has been unsure about the aliens from the beginning, and this episode gave way to new possibilities for her and them. It also implies that she is possibly attracted to Michael. And we also see a little more of Isabel's personality. The conversation between Max and the guidance councellor was also interesting, as it encouraged him to start conversation with Liz (even though his first attempt was a disaster). It was rather cute he way he arranged to meet her in the hallway, and how he "accidentally" pushed her books on the floor in the lab. I'm glad the writers are taking it nice and slow with those two - and with everything else.

#4 Leaving Normal
Right at the beginning, poor Max is beaten up by Kyle's dumb jock pals. He takes it like a man though, and refuses to exact revenge, even when Michael tries to convince him. But Michael decides to take matters into his own hands, as he pulls grade-school pranks on the goons. Meanwhile, Liz's grandmother is visiting, and has a stroke on the first night she is there. Liz becomes very upset, since she and her grandma were close. She calls Max, much to Kyle's dislike, and to Max's dismay since he is trying to avoid her. When Liz asks him to heal her grandma, he refuses, claiming to not have the ability. But he does conjure up an image of grandma so that Liz can say good-bye.

My Impression: A very fast-paced episode. It starts out with things just the way they were at the end of the last episode. Then suddenly things change after Max is beaten - he thinks he needs to stay away from Liz, ie. not talk to her or spend time with her. But as the end nears, he realizes it's impossible, and the two of them end up in a close embrace. I think their relationship moved very fast in this ep. It also seemed like an episode meant for a later date. The way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole plot wrapped up in just one season.

#5 Missing
In this ep, Liz suddenly finds her journal to be missing and begins to worry, since it contained information on Max and the others being aliens. At first she & Maria suspect Alex, but then Max tells her it was Kyle who stole it. Liz and Max sneak into Kyle's room, but do not find it. Meanwhile we discover that Ms. Topolsky is really working for the FBI after all, and is after the journal herself. We also find out that Michael has an artistic side, since he's been drawing the vision of the silver dome he saw when he touched the key he stole from the sheriff. Eventually Michael visits Liz at the Crashdown and tells her he took the journal in order to make sure she was on their side. He was happy with what he read. So all is well. At the end, Max is reading a book he got from the UFO Center archives, and in it Isabel discovers a picture of the dome from Michael's vision with a man standing in front of it.

My Impression: Not a bad episode. I thought it very sneaky when it was established Ms. Topolsky wasn't a guidance councelor after all. It also adds a little suspense, since the others don't know about her. I also really enjoyed Michael's conversation with Liz about the journal near the end. In this scene, Michael finally accepts her as a friend - I thought it rather touching. And then the discovery of the real dome from Michael's vision at the end left us in a bit of a cliff-hangar.

#6 285 South
Michael sneaks into the UFO Center to get some data on the whereabouts of the dome from his visions, but he is caught by the curator, and Max must bail him out. Michael is determined to find the dome, which is in Texas, and find out about their past. But Max and Isabel are reluctant. So Michael steals Maria's car - with her in it - and they head down the highway. Eventually the others find out and go after them, with Kyle, Sheriff Valenti, and Ms. Topolsky hot on their heels. Partway there, Maria & Michael break down and must spend the night together at a sleazy motel. There they learn a little more about one another. Liz, Max, and Isabel find them, but so does Kyle, who insists upon taking Liz home with him. That doesn't work out, and soon the five teens make their way to the dome. They find a hidden room, but before they can explore they hear footsteps. The episode ends with a "To Be Continued..."

My Impression: I really liked this episode, especially for the scenes with Maria and Michael, though it seemed a little soon to move their relationship ahead so fast (did anyone see the previews for the next ep?). There was also a scene between Liz and Isabel at a gas station I rather liked. And when Liz and Max were alone in the jeep, and Liz was asking about their relationship, I was getting scared they'd actually do something about it. I was relieved when nothing happened, since the show would be more effective if they held off on that relationship for a while longer. I am wondering why Liz isn't getting frustrated with Max, though. I mean, he's sending her all these signals, and yet totally brushes her off when she wants to get close. She must be very tolerant. Can't wait until next week's episode - it looks good!

#7 River Dog
Continued from the previous episode...Max and the others escape from Atherton's basement with a few files, and a necklace Isabel found. Max, Michael and Isabel plan on going through it at home later, without Liz and Maria, to Michael's charinge. Ms. Topolsky is yelled at by her superior, then breaks into Max and Isabel's home to steal back the files. Isabel manages to hang on to the necklace, and discovers it was once seen on an Indian Reservation near Roswell. Max decides they should all lay low, but Liz takes it upon herself to investigate without his permission, and meets a man named River Dog at a Jewelry shop in the desert. Meanwhile, Valenti smugly informs Topolsky her cover has been blown, and threatens to inform her superiors. Max and Liz go to meet River Dog, who takes them to a cave where the mysterious alien from 1959 left some drawings on the wall. River Dog also says he knew the alien and Atherton, and that the alien killed Atherton - he doesn't know why. He warns Liz not to place her trust in Max just before they leave. And at the end, while they're waiting anxiously for Liz and Max to return, Michael kisses Maria just to make her feel better. Oh yeah.

My Impression: I really liked this episode. Though Michael and Maria's relationship seems to be moving at light speed, I find it rather cute. It also adds humor. I'm enjoying the suspense of the hunt for the mysterious alien, and the fact they don't know if he's a good guy or bad guy. It makes the aliens a little more real, since not all of them are good guys. I kind of felt bad when the files Max, Isabel and Michael had were stolen, since it could have given them answers. But then again, we don't want them to find out too much too fast. All in all, good ep.

#8 Blood Brother
Since their teacher is absent, Max and Liz skip class to go for a drive along the old gravel highway. They are enjoying themselves until a horse wanders onto the road, and Max swerves to avoid it. Moments later they are sitting in a ditch, and Max is unconscious. They are rushed to the hospital, where the nurses take samples of Max's blood. Michael and Isabel come to help. They must substitute Max's blood for a human's blood, so they call on Alex to help them. Alex agrees to help Liz, even though he has no idea why. So once they get his blood, Michael switches it with Max's, and all is well. But they discover FBI agents at the hospital, going through Max's room after he is discharged. So the five teens do some spying of their own, and discover Ms. Topolsky's true identity. Meanwhile, Alex is having a very hard time dealing with the secrets Liz is keeping from him. He thinks she is covering for Max because he's a druggie, and she lets him believe it. By the end of the episode, Alex is completely alienated (no pun intended) from Liz, and tells her he can't be friends with her anymore. Liz is hurt.

My Impression: A suspenseful episode. It was very touching when Liz met Max's mother for the first time, and he introduced them. I also enjoyed the Michael-Maria moments; the two of them argue like an old married couple. I also thought it was about time the five teens clued in on Ms. Topolsky's little secret, although I did sort of feel a little sorry for her - her boss won't be too happy. I also felt really bad for Alex. I wished Liz would have told him the truth, because we all know he'd be a good ally. But then again, I knew it wouldn't happen. But hopefully they'll reconcile in the near future. Sheriff Valenti was strangely absent in this episode, as he's been a strong presence in the earlier ones.

#9 Heat Wave
This episode opens with Maria and Michael making out at the Crashdown, and Liz sees them. It seems that everyone in Roswell is pairing off - Kyle & Vicki, Valenti & Amy DeLuca, not to mention countless others. Liz is feeling a little left out, and wonders why Maria and Michael can have their fun, and she and Max can't. Max is starting to feel those urges as well. They almost kiss a couple times, but are interrupted. Also, Alex seriously considers telling Valenti everything he knows, so Isabel goes into his dreams, only to find out he is dreaming of her. She wonders if they should tell him the truth. The gang then goes to a party at an old soap factory, where Isabel talks to Alex, and Michael rejects poor Maria. And before Max and Liz can "go for it", Valenti comes and arrests Liz and Alex. Liz ends up telling Alex in jail about the aliens, and he isn't sure whether to believe it or not. But they are friends again, and that's what counts. At the end, Max visits Liz on her roof, and they finally kiss - a lot.

My Impression: All I have to say is "WHEW!". This episode fit its title perfectly. It was all romance and drama and little action, as opposed to the earlier eps. The scenes between Maria and Michael were pretty steamy, as we see a side of him never before seen. I also enjoyed the "dream" scene with Isabel and Alex - I loved the look on her face as she watched Alex and herself dancing. It's also interesting how Valenti and Maria's mom have kind of hit it off. Their relationship may add tension to the six teens later in the series, not to mention how Maria will react to it. And I am really glad Liz finally told Alex the truth - I was beginning to feel really sorry for them both. It seems right that he's in on it, and I look forward to seeing him interact with the others. And finally, the scene at the end between Max and Liz. It was very touching, and very well done. It just seems so unbelievable to me that they actually kissed - it still doesn't seem real, even though I've watched it twice. I look forward to seeing how things go from here for all six of them.

#10 The Balance
Michael finds a sketch Max drew of the cave drawings, and becomes upset that Max hid it from him. He then goes out to the Mesaleca(sp?) Reservation to find River Dog, and ends up participating in a spiritual cleansing ritual. He soon finds he can't deal with it, however, and runs out. Meanwhile Isabel and Alex are talking about the 'alien issue', and Liz and Max are out on an unofficial date. But Maria interrupts when she, Isabel and Alex find Michael is sick. But Michael soon tell them he is OK and leaves. Later, Alex almost gives away their secret, then Michael collapses in the UFO Centre. They take him to Liz's. Liz and Max go to find River Dog, while the others care for Michael. Isabel is very protective, but eventually admits she knows how much Maria cares for him. When River Dog shows up at the Reservation, they bring Michael to him, then perform a ritual of some sort using energy crystals from Max, Isabel and Michae's home planet in order to heal Michael. We also find out why Michael was separated from Max and Isabel when they were kids - he ran away when they saw the headlights. In the end, Michael is saved by all five of his friends. And Max decides that he and Liz should take a breather.

My Impression: Not a bad ep. I felt kind of bad for Alex when Isabel yelled at him, twice. Again, I enjoyed the scenes between Maria and Michael - they're quite a pair. And Max and Liz's date was kind of nice. I was actually kind of surprised when he asked her to dance, because I didn't think he liked dancing for some reason. And I'm glad to finally know why Michael didn't end up with Isabel and Max when they were kids. 'Little Michael' was cute. Michael's vision of the star map at the end was kind of cool. I keep wondering what other secrets River Dog has up his sleeve. I'm sure we'll see much more of him.

#11 The Toy House
Max and his mom are hanging out at home, when suddenly a grease fire erupts and Max must use his powers to save his mother's life. At first she doesn't realize it, but then she starts to have her suspicions, especially when Sheriff Valenti starts voicing his own opinion. Max thinks ignoring the issue will make it go away, but Isabel wants to tell their mother the truth. Max and Michael are both reluctant. Meanwhile Liz starts hanging out with Kyle more, especially after he has his accident that sprained his ankle. Max sees this and is jealous, but tells Liz it's OK with him if she and Kyle get back together. Then they argue a bit. Michael and Maria also do their share of arguing. Michael revoices that he can't get close to anyone. Maria tells him he doesn't think about anyone except himself, Isabel and Max. After a while, though, they kind of make up. As for Max's mother, Max admits to her there is something strange going on, but that she needs to trust him and not ask anymore questions. She agrees. Isabel is disappointed that he didn't tell her the all-out truth.

My Impression: I wasn't quite sure what to think of this episode, to tell the truth. I liked it, especially the arguments between Maria and Michael over the napkin-holder. I also liked how Liz finally stood up to Max and told him off a little (though not nearly enough, in my POV). I also liked how Max and Isabel's mom got some more attention. I rather like her. And I wish that they could have told her the truth, for Isabel's sake, but I'm also glad she doesn't know, so there are less complications (there are enough as it is). I'm also glad Liz and Kyle made up and are friends. It might make Max realize what he's missing. Maybe.

#12 Into the Woods (airs 01/26/00)
There is a sighting in Roswell that has everyone in a buzz. Liz, Maria, Max, Isabel and Alex and Kyle all go on a school camping trip with their fathers in the woods where the sighting was. Max and Isabel want to find out if it was real, but so does Valenti, who keeps a close eye on them. River Dog comes to Michael to tell him about the sighting, and Michael suspects that River Dog might be the fourth alien. But he is proven wrong on their trip into the woods. Max and Isabel meet them by the cave, while Liz and Maria head off the police. Max, Isabel, Michael and River Dog find a symbol burned into the ground that matches the symbol on the pendant Isabel found at Atherton's. They manage toi hide it before Valenti shows up, but not before they realize that the fourth alien is somewhere close-by.

My Impression: Another good ep, I really enjoyed how the group's fathers got involved in the story, finally. Alex's dad kind of disappointed me - he's not what I expected, especially after reading the book series. And Max and Isabel's dad is different from the one they showed at the beginning of the series. But all that isn't really relevant anyway. I found it nice to see Valenti has a soft spot, for his son and for his father, whom we finally get to meet. Now I'm looking forward to seeing who this fourth alien is, and what his relationship is to the others.

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