Now, this hour was a total banger.
While there were still many different storylines happening, everything felt much more in sync. All the moving parts were all going after the same thing, finding a way to stop Jones.
Roswell, New Mexico Season 3 Episode 10 pulled Dallas into the mix in an organic way that, while a bit rushed, still hit all the emotional beats. And Roswell gave us some more romance! Hallelujah!
While the early parts of Roswell, New Mexico Season 3 were framed around Maria’s vision, the final installments are all about Jones and putting a definitive end to his reign of terror. There’s no placing him in a pod anymore. Jones has to go for good, and everyone appears to be on board with that.
Because it’s going to end up being them or him, as Jones has allegiance to no one but himself.
Getting to the science first and figuring out what will defeat him means Liz and Max are off on one side searching for Heath. And Isobel and Michael are on the other side, trying to figure out what message is buried inside the Lockhart Machine.
We don’t know much about Dallas, outside of the fact he’s a preacher. And now we know his bestie is Heath. But we don’t KNOW him. We don’t know his likes and dislikes. We don’t know what kind of person he is outside of our perceptions of him being a man of God.
And often, that lack of character knowledge makes it extremely difficult to connect with a character. But Roswell makes it work with Dallas by giving him a beautiful arc here.
From young Dallas confiding in the one person he trusts to help him deal with an incredible amount of pain to Dallas and Michael sharing a tender moment where they got to connect over the loneliness they felt throughout childhood.
All the emotional moments just work, and that’s not always the case on this show or any. So give kudos where kudos are due, and credit the writing this hour for making a character that’s been dropped into our laps a few weeks ago already feel like family.
Finding a way to approach Dallas was an excellent avenue for both Isobel and Michael to do some soul-searching of their own.
Isobel has embraced her role as mentor, and that’s lovely. She’s ready to welcome Dallas and bring him, while Michael is a bit more standoffish and borderline rude because Dallas’s story is like stepping back into a time machine for him.
Michael has come such a long way from his childhood, and he’s continuing to grow and shed a lot of that anger that still festers inside of him from all those years he was alone and wishing on a star that someone would come to take him home.
Dallas: How’d you find me?
Michael: I spent a lot of time at the place that made me feel safe as a kid, too.
Dallas: Well, I wish you hadn’t wasted your energy cuz I’m not going back with you.
Michael: I get it. I was an ass. My only excuse is that when I look at you, I feel like I’m looking at a mirror.
Dallas: Black and beautiful?
Michael: Something like that.
It’s hard for him to look at Dallas and not be reminded of a lot of that pain. But when he allows himself to talk to Dallas, you can immediately sense a camaraderie forming between the two. And add in Isobel, and you can quickly see a great triad take shape.
Finally getting to the crux of what the Lockhart Machine was built to do, felt like a giant weight was lifted off the whole crew, as well as the audience. We’ve been fiddling with this machine for so long, it’s become a recurring guest star.
Theo being Dallas’ father was not surprising, but it was a really gorgeous scene seeing Dallas’ eyes light up and take in the wonderment that was seeing his family for the first time. Considering all the bombs that were dropped on him in a matter of hours, he took it all in stride.
And now everyone knows what needs to be done, though they still have an uphill battle to climb.
Jones is strong as hell, and he continues to prove that every time we see him. His powers are polished, and they seem pretty damn unstoppable. But if they can figure out how to separate Jones and Max and get the chemical weapon that will stop Jones forever, they win!
Easy peasy, right?
Please. Nothing is ever easy on Roswell, and Jones is murderous as ever.
Liz and Max are continuing their road trips together, and this time they venture out to Heath’s cabin (of course, Heath Tuchman has a cozy little cabin in nowheresville) and then eventually make it to a random university as well.
We already know Jones and Heath are working together, but we get to watch Liz and Max put things together in real-time, and we get to see them make some MAJOR inroads in their relationship.
The Max and Liz romance has been majorly sidelined thus far, but there was some forward progress made, as Max started to slowly spiral over and Liz did her best to reassure him. And then roles switched, and Liz spiraled a bit, and Max was the one with the right words.
Max shouldn’t blame himself for Jones’ actions. For starters, Jones is very clearly a master manipulator. And it’s not as if he was the only one slightly blinded by Jones and his fancy tales. Plus, there’s no point now with all the carnage that’s happened to be having a pity party about what you should have seen in the past.
Every time he used his energy to get mad about things he couldn’t change, he was wasting time trying to find a solution.
Liz and Max have been dancing around each other, and I still maintain they have more to discuss, but they both love each other, and that’s always been apparent. Liz making that very clear to Max and telling him she’s ready can only be good for them moving forward.
Of course, that will have to wait, again, since Jones has taken Liz hostage.
I’m a big fan of Liz knowing immediately that she wasn’t kissing Max, even though Jones is in Max’s body. Does Jones not moisturize his lips the same way Max does?
Also, can we discuss the ridiculousness of Max and Jones in the same identical outfit, equipped with the same radio galloping around town? It was so obvious that they were going to switch at some point.
Also, also, the fact that Heath even hesitated when talking to Liz, as if working with Jones was somehow comparable no matter what he promised you. He’s smarter than that.
We touched on the Echo of it all, and the reunion that sort of was, but not exactly. But there was a lot more romance this hour, and quite frankly, it’s been missed this season.
Yes, this is a series about aliens in small-town America, a true sci-fi show. But the characters and relationships keep you coming back, and this season has been devoid of some of that in favor of the alien craziness.
Isobel and Anatsa had a speedy date, which was sweet, and you can see the chemistry from a mile away, but the show started to hint at Kyle and Isobel in a BIG way.
Side note, Kyle Valenti, first of his name and doctor extraordinaire, was once again the MVP. Twice his quick thinking saved his friends, and will he be thanked enough for it? Never!
But anyway, that little look at Isobel and Anatsa at the Pony, coupled with him getting himself arrested before bringing harm to Isobel, was not even remotely subtle. And if I’m wrong, I will fade into obscurity because there just no way that longing look outside the station was anything but an, ‘I like you! Like really like you!’ look.
Whether or not anything happens between them this season remains to be seen because Isobel and Anatsa are adorable and seem very into each other. But could they be planting seeds for the Kyle and Isobel ship to set sail in the future?
That seems like a definite possibility.
Our other main ship, Malex, continued to find their footing as a new couple. And that meant opening up more and gently pushing one another when they needed moving.
To think about the crazy amount of miscommunication that has plagued them for so long, to now see them have such a greater understanding of what the other needs has been lovely to see. They get each other now, and instead of shrinking away, they’re moving forward.
Michael admitting to Alex his genuine fear of Dallas and their similarities and exposing himself like that is such a significant step for Michael. He was vulnerable, and Alex understood that, and he helped him.
There was a time when Michael would have kept that all inside, but these are new versions of Michael and Alex. You can tell how badly they want this to work.
Their conversation on the couch is probably the most beautiful Malex scene we’ve ever gotten. And yes, Michael did most of the talking, but it was a talk that was over ten years in the making.
Michael: We’re not the same kids we were back in high school. In the back of a pickup truck. Wishing on a shooting star. Feels different now between us.
Alex: Yeah, it’s better. But it’s still, um…
Michael: Cosmic?
Alex: Yeah.
Michael: You sang to me in a crowded cowboy bar. So I am here to tell you, Alexander Manes, I’m home.
The two boys giddily exchanging kisses under dangling spaceships and neon stars? They’ll never be those kids again. But this Michael and Alex have the ability to be so much better if they trust in themselves and their feelings for one another.
That’s why it’s so important for Michael to tell Alex that he’s come home. No one is running. No one is looking for an out. They’re both on the same page of the same book at the same time.
And it’s about damn time these two cosmically lovesick boys got their act together!
Loose Ends
- The Dallas and Heath flashbacks had no business being as sweet as they were. Anytime you spend considerable time on characters the audience is unfamiliar with, you take a risk, but everything about them works.
- Assuming everything eventually is copacetic again, and Max is okay and yada yada yada. How will the pod squad be affected by the new knowledge that Michael, Isobel, and Dallas are a triad? There have to be three. So, where does that leave Max?
- Dallas being able to hear people’s prayers and becoming a preacher sounds sweet but complicated.
- It was nice of someone to acknowledge Kyle had almost died, again.
- Sheriff Taylor is questionable, but she nailed everything when it came to Max. She’s not stupid, and she had Max dead to rights. Also, who else thought Jones was going to have her shoot herself? I’m glad he didn’t, but he kills everybody, so why did he keep her alive?
- Not sure where Rosa and Maria were, but hopefully, every single main character is in the rest of the episodes this season because you can tell things are about to get crazy, and we need everyone fighting together. I’m not even sure we’ve ever gotten all eight main characters in a scene together, which is a travesty.
Attention, people, we only have three episodes left! And that means anything can happen, and we should probably be scared.
No, but seriously, what else could they possibly throw at us?
Drop all your comments and predictions down below, and let me know what you thought about this installment!
Where is Jones headed next?
Are you a fan of Dallas?
Are you here for all the romance?
Remember you can always watch Roswell, New Mexico online via TV Fanatic so you can join the conversation!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.