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Roswell Stands 'Four Square' for Alien Weirdness
By Scott O'Callaghan
Special to SPACE.com
posted: 04:16 pm ET
25 April 2000

X-Originating-IP: [169


Isabel and Michael dream of a romantic future together while Max confronts Tess, seeking an explanation of what she's done to them.

(original air date: April 24, 2000)

Where's Kyle Been, Anyway?


Liz: Tess could be using you.

Kyle: That's exactly what I had in mind.

Isabel: You can never have too much sunshine, don't you think?

Isabel: Alex, you know how I said I wanted to take things slow?


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Alex: The word 'glacial' comes to mind.

Isabel: Maybe it's time to melt the ice.

Written by Thania St. John
Directed by Jonathan Frakes

GUEST STARS

Mary Ellen Trainor -- Diane Evans
Jim Ortlieb -- Ed Harding
Emilie De Ravin -- Tess Harding

WHAT HAPPENED

As Isabel sleeps, she dreams of opening up to Alex. However, Michael, standing over her, makes her attention wander.

The dream continues, mixing images of Michael and Isabel standing among the alien symbols in the desert.

She wakes in front of Alex's spy rig to see Tess leaving for school. Isabel calls Maria, who is in a car outside Tess's house.

At school, Liz and Max are ready to follow her. Max is concerned that Tess is Nacedo, and therefore, dangerous.

Liz follows Tess into the women's room, where Tess confronts her and asks, "Why is everybody following me?" (more spoilers)

ANALYSIS

Liz and Tess present us with two very different views of identity.

For Liz, it's all a matter of choice. You are who you want to be, you date the person whom you want to date, you control your own destiny.

Tess, however, thinks destiny controls you. You are who you're supposed to be, and you love the person you're supposed to love.

Max is about to be caught in the middle. If Michael and Isabel were meant for each other and are now following What Must Be, perhaps Tess is really meant for Max.

Then again, maybe not. We've seen how much influence Tess can assert on those around her, especially when she touches them. If Nacedo can change shape, perhaps Tess can read minds or even affect a person's beliefs.

Perhaps she is behind all of the recent dreams and psychic flashes.

Presence of authority

Sheriff Valenti's presence in this episode, along with Ed Harding's, is a small but important one. If last episode showed the teens on the offensive -- looking for information about Tess and her father -- then this is when Tess strikes back.

She is a step ahead of everyone, knows exactly what is going on, and has resources from her father she is not even using here.

Harding's brief appearance reminds us that he's still here, and he has more work to do before he's done.

Just who is he? What is his connection to Tess?

Four in a square

If the alien square symbol marks the union of the four alien teens, where does this leave the humans? Little by little, Liz, Maria and Alex fade into the background as the aliens take center stage.

How will Liz react to Tess's insistence that she is meant to be with Max? While Tess claims that all is well, we know that she has said otherwise to Isabel, and there’s the matter of a small kiss.

We can also wonder about Alex. He seems to be the most vulnerable here -- as the poignant final Eraser Room scene demonstrates, Isabel is stepping up their relationship only to push back at her flashes.

What will Alex do when he finds out the truth? And what if Isabel really is pregnant?

WHAT WE LEARN

Mrs. Evans finally has a first name: Diane.

The aliens can use a glowing handprint as a lock and reach into it to open it.

DANGLING PLOT THREADS

Tess' version of the crashdown differs from the one we've heard up until now. Whose version is correct?

If Tess is telling the truth, why was she left in the ship? Where did she go?

Is Isabel really pregnant? Do the aliens procreate through dreams?

Are any of the aliens truly "meant" for another? Could they be breeding pairs?

What's in the alien book? Who wrote it? Who hid it in the library? How did Tess know about it?

WHAT'S COOKIN' AT THE CRASHDOWN?

This week's menu includes a Galaxy Melt.

REALITY (OR ROSWELL) CHECK

If, as Liz suggests, one of the "stars" of the V-shaped constellation is Venus, then wouldn't it only appear there at certain times?

Does Isabel have sufficient computer skills to crack into the West Roswell High system?

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK

"She loves him. She trusts him. Just when everything seems so right, one thing is terribly wrong." Liz has a brush with Nacedo in "Max to the Max".


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