285 South

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“285 South”
Roswell episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 6
Written by
Original airdate November 10th 1999
Episode chronology
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"285 South" is the sixth episode of the television series Roswell.

Contents

[edit] Plot summary

Isabel, Liz and Max head to Texas after Michael and Maria, to investigate the geodesic dome from Michael's vision.

[edit] Episode overview

The episode begins in the UFO center, where Michael is breaking in to search for any clues to his vision. He uses the center's computer to look up James Atherton, the author of 'Among Us'. Milton is asleep at his desk nearby. Michael finds the location of the geodesic dome that may answer all the alien's questions about their origins. He prints off two pages, but when the printer bleeps Milton wakes up and Michael is arrested.

At school, Liz thinks about how strange it must be for Max, Isabel and Michael to know nothing about where they come from. The class is given an assignment - to interview a partner on personal questions about their histories, and then write an oral history report, a biography. The pairings are surprising: Liz is paired with Isabel, Max with Kyle, and Maria with Michael. They are all disappointed, especially Max and Liz; Maria calls her pairing unacceptable but is dismissed.

Maria and Liz both complain about their misfortune. Kyle invites Max to the Crashdown after school so they can get started, but it's clear he's scheming. Max gets a phone call in the school office. Back in the classroom, Ms. Topolsky talks with the history teacher. He thanks her for the idea of doing a biography, and for the pair suggestions, revealing that this was all planned by the sly Ms. Topolsky.

At the police station, Max arrives, clearly to bail Michael out. He manages to convince Milton and Valenti's deputy not to press charges, but has to lie to cover his friend in the process. They relent, and Michael is released. Meanwhile, the deputy Owen gives copies of the two sheets to Sheriff Valenti, who is intrigued and suspicious of them. He begins to think they are planning something.

At school, Michael tells Isabel and Max that the dome is in Marathon, Texas. However, both Max and Isabel are more concerned that Michael was arrested. Michael accuses them of being scared because he's found what he believes to be the answers. He demands to borrow the jeep so he can go to Texas. Max says to exercise caution; Michael storms off in anger, saying that he won't wait no matter what they say.

Michael soon runs into Maria, who starts to ask him all the questions he has the answer for the class assignment. He rebuffs her until he realises she has a car. Seeing an opportunity, he tells her that if she gives him a ride to the gas station near the highway, he'll answer her questions. Maria accepts.

At the Crashdown, Max, Kyle, Liz and Isabel are all answering the required questions for their report. Kyle takes cruel pleasure in asking Max personal questions, such as what the best thing that had ever happened to him was. Max replies with getting adopted. When Max asks Kyle the same thing, Kyle says winning the statewide junior rifle competition.

At the counter, Isabel asks Liz in disbelief if vanilla is really her favorite ice cream flavor. Liz says it is and then goes back to sneaking glances at Kyle and Max. Isabel tells her to just take them ketchup or something. The hostility between each pair is so thick it couldn't be cut with a knife.

Liz takes Max and Kyle some ketchup at Isabel's suggestion. Kyle spots a chance to make trouble and asks Max if he's ever been in love. Both Kyle and Liz are very interested in his answer. After a long look at Liz, Max says no. Liz is crushed.

Maria and Michael arrive at the gas station in her old Jetta, arguing about Michael's answers to the questionnaire. While Maria is taking a money order, Michael climbs into the driver's seat. Maria, horrified at the fact he's stealing her car, gets in with him. He tells her to get out, but she refuses. When he sets off for Texas with her still in the Jetta, she screams that he's 'abducting' her like aliens do.

Maria secretly contacts Liz by phone, having a one-sided conversation with her by asking Michael lots of questions. Liz understands what her best friend is saying: she's in her car alone with Michael, nervous, heading south on highway 285. Michael spots her ruse and throws her cell phone out of the car window.

Liz tells Isabel about Maria and Isabel tells Max it's time to go. They head out as Isabel tells Max Michael found a car. Liz demands to know what's happening; Max refuses to tell her, but since Maria is involved, she won't back down. Max asks Isabel why Maria is involved; she replies that the car Michael found was Maria's, with Maria in it. Max still only relents and allows Liz to go with them when Kyle, sarcastic and suspicious, interferes. Max, Isabel and Liz drive off in pursuit of Michael as a government agent informs Ms. Topolsky they've just left in a hurry. Topolsky says to find out where they're going, and sends a message to an unknown receiver about the gang: "Special Investigation Unit, Code Name: West Roswell High... Tension in the Ranks. Waiting for them to slip up. Will happen soon."

On the road in the jeep, Liz contacts her mother and lies about where she is. Isabel makes a snide comment about, "the perfect Liz Parker lying to her mother." Liz replies by saying, "At least she knows what species I am!" The tension is thick between them, with Max stuck in the middle.

On the road in the Jetta, Michael tells Maria where they're headed. They argue about going over state lines, the Jetta, and laws. Michael says Maria knows nothing about him or Max or Isabel. Maria says she knows more than she wants to. Michael accuses her of making it all about herself on the most important day of his life. He finally gives Maria an explanation about why he's going to Marathon, Texas, when they get pulled over for speeding and she gives him twenty seconds to explain why he said today could be the most important day of his life. After his explanation, Maria lies to the police officer to cover Michael, which astonishes him.

Back in Roswell, Valenti finds Kyle making lots of phone calls to find out where Liz is. Kyle is beginning to display stalker-like tendencies. Kyle unwittingly tells his father that Max, Liz and Isabel left in a big hurry whilst explaining why Max gets him so riled up. Valenti leaves to locate them, ignoring Kyle's demands to know what his father knows about Max Evans.

At a gas station, Liz tries to make a peace offering to Isabel with a cup of coffee, but Isabel spills it over them both by accident. She is characteristically hostile towards Liz, further shown when she uses her powers to remove the coffee stain on her clothes but not on Liz's. Liz, hurt, comments on how Isabel is, "like the Elle McPherson of the sophomore class". Trying to be kind and understanding, Liz tells Isabel she's not trying to take Max away from her. Isabel tries to brush it off by saying she knows that but it's obvious that issue is at the heart of their tension. Liz then asks Isabel if she would take Max away from her if they find their answers in Texas. Isabel doesn't respond with words but uses her powers to remove the stain from Liz's clothes.

Meanwhile, Max overhears a man heatedly telling the agent following them that he needs to make a very important phone call - the agent is loitering by a payphone so he can phone Topolsky at the slightest change. Max, alert for the enemy, flattens the agent's car tire.

On the side of the road, the Jetta has broken down. Michael and Maria continue to argue about everything. Michael admits he doesn't have much control over his powers. When he tries to repair the engine, he sets it on fire. Humiliated and angry, he takes the backseat so he can sleep. In disbelief, Maria recounts the night's events and then asks Michael if he really expects her to sleep in the same car with him. He becomes angrier and shoves a box beside him. A green inflatable alien head pops up out of the box. Maria defends herself and her mother from his obvious offense. Michael gets out of the car to spend the night in a nearby motel. Maria reluctantly follows.

In the jeep, Liz, Max and Isabel argue about what to do. Liz gets a phone call as the argument escalates - it's Kyle, calling to find out where she is. After hearing a truck, he proceeds to head down 285 after them, determined to find out Max's secret. Sheriff Valenti also works out where they all are after talking to another officer who mentions Michael's speeding citation and goes after them himself.

At the motel, Maria and Michael enter their room. Maria says, "it's like the porno version of Aladdin". Michael calls her a princess. Maria argues back, saying that she's been a good sport, but admits that she just wants to go home now. Michael, realising she maybe isn't so bad, goes out to get food for them.

In the jeep, a radio announcement informs Isabel, Max and Liz of an accident blocking the road. Isabel is horrified at the idea of sleeping out in the jeep. Liz and Max share smiles about that. In the motel, Maria and Michael truthfully answer each other's questions and realise that they do have some things in common when they both admit that they each think that there must be something better for them than Roswell, New Mexico.

Waiting for the roadblock to clear, Liz and Max are alone in the jeep. Max apologizes for everything, like Isabel's behavior and Michael's behavior; Liz apologizes for Kyle's behavior and for how her life has gotten the aliens into trouble. Liz then asks if maybe they could rethink their mutual agreement not to feel a certain way about each other. Max leans forwards as if to kiss her, but instead fixes a hole in the jeep's cover with his powers. Liz is disappointed, but he tells her he wanted to keep her warm. Liz realizes the answers to his origins are just as important to Max as they are to Michael. Isabel unknowingly interrupts the tender moment, and spots the Jetta outside the motel nearby.

Outside Michael and Maria's room, Isabel unlocks the door with her powers. The three enter. Maria, who was asleep on the bed, wakes up and in surprise rolls over onto Michael on the floor. The lights come on just as Maria is on top of Michael, making it look like something it's not. The other three are disbelieving when Maria says it's not what it looks like. However, when Michael teases Maria by calling her 'honey', Isabel believes her. Max asks Michael what he thought he was doing, coming out here.

Just as Michael starts to explain, Kyle walks in. Angry, Michael tells him to leave. Kyle winds Michael up, making him even angrier. Michael throws Kyle across the room, enraged. Kyle, confused and maybe a little fearful, tries to protect Liz by saying he'll get her out of there. Max confronts him. Liz stops them, finally losing it with them both, and tells Kyle firmly that she is not his girlfriend anymore, and that he doesn't belong there. Kyle leaves.

When he's gone, Liz demands to know the full truth of this whole trip. She and Maria have been made a part of this and they deserve to know what's happening. Michael tells her no. Maria tells him to try stealing someone else's car and expect to get away with it. Surprisingly, Isabel is the one who breaks down. Concerned for the two humans, she says that answering their questions will make them accomplices. Liz tells her to go ahead. Isabel asks what they want to know. The three aliens reveal everything that they know about the dome, and Liz accepts their explanation. They head to the dome in Marathon.

When they arrive at the dome, Max unlocks the door with his power, and they wander about inside. Concentrating hard when they find nothing, Michael receives a vision of a hidden room from the key. He find the secret lock and uses the key to unlock the underground room. They head down the steps and begin to look around - they've hit the jackpot. However, they suddenly hear footsteps creaking on the floorboards above them.

Frozen beneath the floor, they listen as Sheriff Valenti walks around above them. On the verge of discovering them, Valenti is abruptly hit over the back of the head and knocked unconscious. It's Ms. Topolsky. The five teenagers remain frozen in the underground room as the episode ends.

To be continued...

[edit] Cast

Jason Behr as Max Evans
Shiri Appleby as Liz Parker
Katherine Heigl as Isabel Evans
Majandra Delfino as Maria DeLuca
Brendan Fehr as Michael Guerin
Colin Hanks as Alex Whitman (doesn't appear in this episode)
Nick Wechsler as Kyle Valenti
William Sadler as Sheriff Jim Valenti
Julie Benz as Kathleen Topolsky
Steve Hynter as Milton Ross

[edit] Powers used

  • Isabel uses her powers to remove the coffee from hers and Liz's blouses.
  • Michael receives a vision from the key in the geodesic dome.
  • Max uses his powers to open the first door of the geodesic dome.
  • Michael tries to fix the Jetta with his powers and ends up setting it on fire instead.
  • Max uses his powers to fix a tear in the jeep's cover.
  • Isabel uses her powers to unlock the door to Maria and Michael's motel room.
  • Isabel uses her powers to light a lamp in the secret room inside the geodesic dome.
  • Max uses his powers to flatten the tires of the government agent's car.
  • Isabel uses her powers to read Among Us in a matter of seconds.