Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Damn you, HERCULES THE STRONG. I'm sick. Real sick. Like I can't breathe and my nose is running and when I cough it feels like I'm being stabbed. That kind of sick. And you made me laugh out loud reading this week's ROSWELL review. Twice. I'm going to go pass out from the pain. Everyone else... enjoy.
ROSWELL 2.9 FAQ
WHAT’S IT CALLED?
“Max in the City.”
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE?
Teleplay is credited to co-executive producer Ronald D. Moore (one of the chief architects behind “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and late-era “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” as well as co-screenwriter of the motion pictures “Star Trek: Generations” and “Star Trek: First Contact”). Moore also crafted this season’s second “Roswell,” which introduced Brody Davis and saw Maria pummel a self-inflated Max with a large textbook.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Max and Tess attend a summit of the “five planets” in New York City at the invitation of Michael and Isabel’s evil dopplegangers (who last episode murdered Max’s doppleganger).
THE BIG SURPRISE?
The Royal Four aren’t the only ones with duplicates. The alien congresswoman’s alien kid brother Nicholas (whom I assumed perished two weeks ago at Tess’ hand) is back.
THE OTHER BIG SURPRISE?
Back in Roswell, Ava reveals that if Max healed Liz (as he did, way back in 1.1), Max also “changed” Liz. “You’re different now,” Ava tells Liz.
HOW WAS LIZ CHANGED?
Well, Liz might kinda have a superpower.
WHAT?! DO WE GET A DEMONSTRATION OF LIZ’S SUPERPOWER?
We do.
YIKES! IS LIZ’S SUPERPOWER THE ABILITY TO HURL DEVASTATING OPTIC BLASTS?
No.
CAN LIZ LIFT VERY HEAVY THINGS?
No.
CAN SHE FLY?
Let’s move on.
YOU GRECO-ROMAN BASTARD! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT LIZ?
At 3 a.m. a sleepless Liz tells Maria everything about the FutureMax episode, that she still loves Max, that she didn’t really sleep with Kyle, and that she’s only trying to save the planet here.
ANY BIG NON-LIZ NEWS?
Yes. Brody Davis, Max’s new boss, gets abducted by aliens again!
DO THE “FIVE WORLDS” REVOLVE AROUND THE SAME STAR?
Apparently. “These are the five worlds of our star system,” Rath says at one point.
HOW FAST CAN THE ALIENS TRAVEL?
Not so fast. “Space is what we call very very big,” hints Rath. “You know, it’s not easy to get places. People don’t just zip around the galaxy like on ‘Star Trek.’”
ANY MORE DETAILS ON THIS KIVAR GUY VILANDRA BETRAYED EVERYONE FOR?
Yes. Kivar, we learn, has usurped Max’s throne. Also, according to Rath, “people hate his ass!”
DO RATH, LONNIE AND AVA SURVIVE THIS EPISODE?
They do.
FUNNIEST LINE IN THIS EPISODE?
As is often the case, it comes out of Maria’s mouth: “Frigid!!”
ANY SIGN OF SERENA?
Nope.
IS “ROSWELL” NOW AS GOOD AS “BUFFY”?
Team Roswell is doing a spectacular job this season, and I am loathe to skip even one episode for fear of missing something vital; it has evolved into true appointment television. But better than “Buffy?” Decidedly not.
HERC’S RATING FOR “ROSWELL” 2.9?
***1/2
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
**** better than most motion pictures
*** actually worth your valuable time
** as horrible as most stuff on TV
* makes you quietly pray for bulletins
I begged you not to defy me!
