Leaving Normal (Roswell)

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“Leaving Normal”

Roswell episode

Episode no.

Season 1
Episode 4

Written by

Jason Katims

Directed by

Chris Long

Guest stars

John Doe
Jo Anderson
Carroll Baker

Production no.

1ADA03

Original airdate

October 27, 1999

Episode chronology
← Previous	Next →
"Monsters"	"Missing"

Leaving Normal is the fourth episode from the first season of the short-lived television series Roswell. It aired on October 2, 1999.

1 Plot Synopsis
- 1.1 Summary
- 1.2 Expanded overview
2 Cast
3 Powers used
4 Trivia

[edit] Plot Synopsis

Although Max has decided he must stay away from Liz, he helps her say a final farewell to her comatose grandmother.

[edit] Summary

Max is attacked after leaving the Crashdown Cafe by four jocks that point back to Kyle Valenti. Liz's grandmother comes to town, but is soon hospitalized after a stroke. While Liz is busy seeing her grandmother, Maria enlists Isabel's help as a waitress at the Crashdown due to an orthodontist convention. As Kyle finds out what his friends have done, he lets Liz know he had nothing to do with it. She, however, did not know about the attack and uses it as one of the main reasons to break up with Kyle. Liz asks Max if there is any way he can save her grandmother, but Max tells her he can't play God. In the closing moments, though, Max is able to use his powers so that Liz can see her grandmother one last time.

[edit] Expanded overview

In the opening moments, Max is beat-up by some Roswell High jocks after being seen flirting with Liz at the Crashdown. Michael wants to use their powers in retaliation, but Max tells him no. Max avoids Liz the next day because of his talk with Michael about how they don't need any extra attention, even if it is from the high school jocks. Michael has his own ideas when he uses his powers to make one of the assailants itch uncontrollably.

Max after being beat up.

Upon arriving home to the Crashdown after school, Liz's grandmother shows up a week earlier than expected. She and Liz proceed to gossip about Kyle and discuss soulmates, when Liz obviously alludes to Max. Maria arrives a short time later and blabs about Max. Isabel confronts Max, now working for the UFO Center, about his wounds, and he is forced to reveal the truth to her about his attackers. Liz is shown returning from the video store with Kyle to see an ambulance taking away her grandmother, who had a stroke. Liz phones Max to inform him because she wanted to hear his voice. When Max shows up at the hospital, the Parkers had just found out that there was hope that Liz's grandmother would recover well from the stroke. Kyle sees through Max's cover story for why he is at the hospital and talks to him in the parking lot about staying away from Liz. Kyle then has a discussion with his father at home about Liz and how she is seemingly different. When Kyle voices his thoughts that someone else may be on her mind, Sheriff Valenti tells his son not to get mixed up with Max Evans. The next day, Michael again uses his powers to get back at the jocks that assaulted Max in a secret fashion. This time, he waves his hand over a test to change the answers on the football players test. Max becomes flippant towards Liz, though he doesn't want to be. Michael sees and understands Max's frustration and let's Max know that he has been getting back at the jocks for him. Max grows angry because he doesn't want to be exposed, though Michael points out they are already exposed from Max having saved Liz. Maria tries to console her friend who feels spurned by Max, though they are not together, and is relieved of her waitressing duties that evening. This ends up not boding well for Maria since there is an orthodontist convention in town, heightening the work load at the Cafe. Surprisingly, Isabel pitches in and helps Maria out in her pinch "temporarily".

Liz's grandmother (Carroll Baker).

Liz's grandmother takes a turn for the worst. Isabel expresses to Max, even against her own feelings, that Max should be there for Liz, no matter what. As Isabel is coping with customers at the Crashdown, Liz pays Max a visit at home and asks him if there is anything that he can do to save her grandmother. Max tells her that Liz would have died an unnatural death and that is why he was able to save her. He can't save her grandmother because he isn't God.

The next day while palling around with his friends, Kyle finds out what his buddies had done to Max and becomes infuriated. He goes to Liz to assure her that he had nothing to do with what his friends had done. This actually was a revelation to Liz, who had not known Kyle's friends had attacked Max. The two argue about Max, to whom Kyle mentions his father is keeping an eye on, and Liz breaks up with him before returning to her grandmother's hospital room. There, Max helps her to communicate with her grandmother one last time before she passes away, but not before she gives her the advice to follow her heart. The episode ends with Max and Liz sharing a hug outside of the Crashdown Cafe.

[edit] Cast

Jason Behr as Maxwell 'Max' Evans
Shiri Appleby as Elizabeth 'Liz' Parker
Katherine Heigl as Isabel Evans
Majandra Delfino as Maria DeLuca
Brendan Fehr as Michael Guerin
Colin Hanks as Alex Whitman
Nick Wechsler as Kyle Valenti
William Sadler as Sheriff Jim Valenti
John Doe as Jeff Parker
Jo Anderson as Nancy Parker
Carroll Baker as Claudia Parker

[edit] Powers used

Michael touches one of the jocks on the chest and induces rash-like symptoms, such as itching.
Michael waves his hand over one of the assailants tests, changing the answers.
Though not shown, Michael also used his powers to melt the hinges on Kyle's locker, preventing him from opening it.
Isabel "flash fries" a customers burger at the Crashdown Cafe. She also heats up a cup of coffee for Maria.
Max is able to let Liz see her grandmother one last time, even though she is in a coma. This may be similar to inducing a vision, but with another party involved.