Roswell 2.15: "Viva Las Vegas"
Written by Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts
Directed by Bruce Seth Green
In which Michael talks Max into taking a trip to Las Vegas, and before long, the entire gang is along for the ride, spinning off into their own misadventures…
Status Report
With this episode, the remainder of the second season strikes a different tone, beginning with the opening sequence. Instead of the usual recap, the writers opted for a sequence where Maria DeLuca delivers a classroom synopsis of the current situation for the audience. It breaks the fourth wall, which is something of a drawback, and for that matter, it sugarcoats the real issues with the reception to the season’s plot threads. It’s not that the series has become too complicated and the audience needs help; it’s that the network interference has fostered errors in the writing, and the writers need to clarify a muddled situation.
It’s a minor distinction, but an important one. As the review for the previous episode demonstrated, the writers were dealing with the shifting demands of a network indifference towards the series’ fate. This would be the case for the duration of the series, of course, but this is where the flaws began to undermine the quality in a major way. The first season was retooled at the end, but that was an acceleration of existing plot concepts. The second season involved endless attempts to maintain an open-ended plot structure while also providing a sense of closure at key points of the season. As a result, the series became a mass of dangling plot threads.
The demand by the network for a stronger science fiction tone threw the writers for a loop. Frankly, the science fiction elements were already in proper context in the first season before “Tess, Lies, and Videotape”, and they didn’t need to become more of a factor. The series’ focus on the characters instead of the sci-fi was the initial draw for many fans, and in episodes like this one, that focus makes it a lot easier to overlook logical errors.
The writers crafted the final episodes of the second season as a moment of horrible crisis, a downfall of nearly everyone involved. For that to work, the characters had to begin with a false sense of security. And yet the fact remains that the characters were never given a clear sense of closure coming out of the original second season plot arc; “The Hybrid Chronicles” left a lot of things unsaid and undone.
This episode, and the one to follow, represents something of a healing process. Relationships come to a more comfortable transitional state. To accomplish this, the writers needed to address the psychological issues that have been hanging around since “Skin and Bones”, as much as possible, and then allow the characters themselves to find a sense of stability.
After everything they’ve been through, they have reason to think that they’ve eliminated the immediate threats. The Skins are gone, and in terms of an external enemy from Antar, they were the only ones on Earth. The gandarium from their ship have been eliminated, so that threat to Earth is covered. For now, it looks like the Special Unit is still defunct, so the human element is covered. It looks like life can finally go back to the way it was before the teens were forced into a “wartime” psychology.
Michael was just beginning to deal with living on his own, finding a new way of dealing with the world, when he was forced into the role of a soldier. Ever since the beginning of the series, Michael has watched his role model, Max, deal with his flaws. But once the fight began in earnest and Max found himself making decisions for everyone, Michael felt more and more out of the loop. Max was finding it impossible to trust anyone else, and as a result, it was Michael that felt betrayed. Michael’s dream is all about his fear that Max will abandon him, because subconsciously, that’s how he feels now.
Michael’s trip to Vegas with Max is a test. It’s a typical Michael-style test, which means it’s over the top and reckless as hell, but it’s still just a test. Michael wants to put Max in a position where he can demonstrate how far he’ll go for his “brother”, and a weekend of living on the edge (so to speak) fits the bill. Using the money from the Duprees to that end is irresponsible to the extreme, given what must be a precarious financial situation for his part, but Michael doesn’t think very far beyond the moment. He simply wants to get Max to himself for a while and see if they can still count on each other.
Max effectively fails the test before he gets past Michael’s locker. He completely misses the point that Michael is trying to make (and who could blame him?), so he doesn’t see the problem with letting Isabel come along. And that, of course, starts off the whole domino effect that gets everyone on the same trip. Michael gets more and more exasperated and disappointed because the Vegas trip is turning into a vacation instead of the male bonding moment it was meant to be. (Largely because the others, like Max, don’t recognize Michael’s driving need for validation.)
Michael also misses the fact that everyone else is working out their issues at the exact same time, and they need a chance to get away and find themselves again as well. Maria needs to work out the nature of her relationship to Michael and feed her dreams. Sure, she says she wants to spend time with Liz, but Liz has always been Maria’s emotional support, and it’s designed to get Liz to face her personal demons since “The End of the World”. Isabel is still reeling from Grant’s death, and seeking solace where she can find it. Tess comes right out and explains her need to feel like part of the “family”, and there’s the whole relationship with Lyle that’s still in question. The writers never get around to explaining why Alex is there, but it eventually sets the stage for Isabel’s decision in the next episode.
Having established why the characters are on the trip (for the most part, anyway), getting them to Vegas involves some plot contrivance. There’s no way that the gang could gather like that and not be caught immediately, and Max’s little gambit wouldn’t have a prayer of working. After all, wouldn’t the debate team leader realize that there were people on the list that shouldn’t be, and wouldn’t the parents know that their kids weren’t on the debate team? (Then again, these teenagers manage to run around all over the place without their parents realizing it!) Also, how could Max include all the names if some of them, including Liz, decided to join the party at the last minute?
Michael may not have had much time for preparation, but the fake ID names he provides (while displaying a degree of control he seldom has) are ludicrous as they are hilarious. It makes sense that he would come up with mildly problematic alias for himself and Max, because the goal is to cause trouble and cross lines, thus testing Max’s friendship. But the rest almost seem like a concerted effort to get the others in some sort of trouble.
Michael pushes Max from the start, and Max doesn’t let up an inch. He’s clearly reluctant and it’s not doing Michael any favors. Tess and Liz are caught immediately, but predictably, Isabel doesn’t even merit a second glance. Alex loses everything in a heartbeat and ends up being Maria’s support system instead of Liz, which serves the purpose of gaining Maria some last-second musical accompaniment. Kyle, despite the horrible alias, ends up having the best vacation out of the bunch.
A chance encounter gives Isabel a chance to do some good on a personal level, but also to meet a handsome older man with an eye for the young and sexy. Isabel is clearly interested, and it’s fairly obvious that she’s looking for some kind of quick and dirty way to forget about the mess with Grant. She probably thinks that a one night stand is a good way to accomplish that goal, which is a good indicator of just how psychologically challenged Isabel is at this point. She is not a well woman.
It’s always a nice thing when Majandra is given the chance to highlight her musical ability on the series, and an episode like this is screaming for it. It’s nice to see Maria as a character having a logical reason for singing as well, despite the fact that the character trait disappeared after “Blind Date”. It becomes a sore spot between her and Michael, and then a crushing moment when her dream turns sour. Like so much in her life, Maria is caught by the details after she’s already emotionally invested.
Michael’s true intentions finally show up when he continues to cheat at the table, to the point of absurdity, pushing Max harder and harder. Since it’s hardly the most obvious means of communicating a point, Max doesn’t get it, at least not until it’s down to a fistfight. What Michael was looking for, however, was Max’s happy participation in something that Michael seems to value. He’s looking for Max to take him seriously again, and to show him the kind of respect he used to get before Liz Parker changed everything.
Tess and Liz are the last people who should ever be stuck together, and there’s no reason why they would therefore choose to burden one another with their presence. It’s odd, then, for Tess to stick with Liz after being tossed out of the first casino. There’s an awful lot that Tess could do without Liz (Including trying to get into other casinos, if that’s what she wants), so why remain at her side? They hate being with each other, and yet there they are.
Once Michael and Max are in jail, the episode begins to turn in the direction of a resolution, which almost feels too soon. Maria gets to have her moment of revenge on Michael (who wouldn’t have wanted to see his reaction when she hung up?), Maria gets to rain on Kyle’s lucrative parade, and Isabel decides to make a move on her one night stand. But getting Michael and Max in jail has a far more important goal. It forces Michael to vent about how deeply the changes in Max have bothered him, and in turn, that forces Max to admit that he has changed.
Finally, the writers explore why Liz went to Vegas, since her role as Maria’s “gal pal” disappeared in a matter of seconds. As the opening with Maria suggested, it’s all about making Liz despise the moment that Future Max came out of the sky and changed everything. She was supposed to marry Max in Vegas, and quite possibly during a trip just like the one in this episode. And it’s clear that had Liz never taken action, it might have happened. That’s important, because the writers need to remind the audience that the two still love each other, and that sooner or later, the walls between them will wear away.
Just when Maria figures that Michael is beyond hope (and hey, what’s wrong with enjoying the merits of Playstation?), he pulls off a beautiful move by giving her a chance to sing for everyone. For all that he can’t say anything directly without putting his foot in his mouth, he manages to say everything with that grand gesture. Tess gets to show her interest in Kyle some more by dragging him out onto the dance floor, while Isabel ends up running from her date for the comforts of a friend…and ends up dancing with Alex. It took her a while, but she’s finally beginning to see what’s been right in front of her for so long. Even Max and Liz get to orbit one another, even if Liz is caught up again in what she can’t say.
Everyone comes back down to Earth when they find Valenti waiting for them in the hotel room, and he is not happy. For once, the writers take a moment to address how worried and upset the parents ought to be, though it’s hard to believe that only Valenti could figure out that the teens were missing. Whatever the case, Valenti once again shows why it was brilliant to place him on the teens’ side of the equation, because he is a strong father figure when given the chance. (It’s unfortunate that he was never given the chance to serve as a father figure for Michael more often.)
In the end, Max begins to realize how he’s let the burdens of leadership isolate him from his loved ones. More than that, Michael gets to remind him that he’s not supposed to be leading alone. He was sent to Earth with three other hybrids because they were supposed to survive by working together. And indeed, all things being equal, Tess might never have betrayed Max, so long as she felt like she belonged. Her life with the Valentis is a major part of that. Part of the tragedy that is the end of the season is how it all falls apart, and how it could have gone so differently.
While not the best episode of the series, by any means, it does shift the focus from the science fiction elements back to the characters. And in fact, the case was probably made once the season was extended to give the story a proper ending, which meant giving the writers more creative freedom. The second season would end with episodes that were closer in tone to the end of the first season than the inconsistent first half of the second season. There was still a lack of balance, but as the rest of the series’ run would show, the balance was never restored once the network got too closely involved.
Memorable Quotes
TESS: “Did somebody step on your head in gym?”
MICHAEL: “This is low profile?”
TESS: “You know, I’m sure we can find another form of ID in here somewhere…”
LIZ: “We are 17 years old!”
TESS: “Mmm-hmm…good job…”
KYLE: “You took that one in the shorts.”
MARIA: “You will never believe what I’ve found in the spa locker room!”
ALEX: “Oh God…my heart hurts…”
ALEX: “Hey! Who do you think you are? You treat her like a lady!”
FAT MAN: “I’ll treat her like a stripping lady, ‘cause that’s what she’s auditioning for!”
ALEX: “Give me this flyer…new talent, big money…oh…oh! B.Y.O.G-string…”
TESS: ”Great...I’m stuck in the party capital of the world with Liz Parker…”
MARIA: “Wait a minute. If you’re in jail, that means that this is your only phone call.”
MICHAEL: “Exactly.”
MARIA:
ALEX: “Doesn’t Buddhism disapprove of gambling?”
KYLE: “Actually, Buddha himself first coined the phrase: ‘Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run’…”
ALEX: “And yours is obviously a deep and abiding spiritual faith.”
VALENTI: “Missing class is excusable if it involves saving a planet…yours, mine, or any other. It is not acceptable if it is done in the name of under-age gambling. Is that clear?”
MICHAEL: “I’m glad I’m adopted.”
TESS: “Yeah, me too.”
VALENTI: “Tess! Don’t make me come back in there!”
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode is an improvement over the past several episodes, thanks to a renewed focus on character instead of overwrought science fiction elements. Some of the plot elements are contrived, but it helps get the story moving along, and the core moments between Michael and Max are logically intact. This begins the final plot arc of the season by bringing the characters to the necessary starting point.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Directed by Bruce Seth Green
In which Michael talks Max into taking a trip to Las Vegas, and before long, the entire gang is along for the ride, spinning off into their own misadventures…
Status Report
With this episode, the remainder of the second season strikes a different tone, beginning with the opening sequence. Instead of the usual recap, the writers opted for a sequence where Maria DeLuca delivers a classroom synopsis of the current situation for the audience. It breaks the fourth wall, which is something of a drawback, and for that matter, it sugarcoats the real issues with the reception to the season’s plot threads. It’s not that the series has become too complicated and the audience needs help; it’s that the network interference has fostered errors in the writing, and the writers need to clarify a muddled situation.
It’s a minor distinction, but an important one. As the review for the previous episode demonstrated, the writers were dealing with the shifting demands of a network indifference towards the series’ fate. This would be the case for the duration of the series, of course, but this is where the flaws began to undermine the quality in a major way. The first season was retooled at the end, but that was an acceleration of existing plot concepts. The second season involved endless attempts to maintain an open-ended plot structure while also providing a sense of closure at key points of the season. As a result, the series became a mass of dangling plot threads.
The demand by the network for a stronger science fiction tone threw the writers for a loop. Frankly, the science fiction elements were already in proper context in the first season before “Tess, Lies, and Videotape”, and they didn’t need to become more of a factor. The series’ focus on the characters instead of the sci-fi was the initial draw for many fans, and in episodes like this one, that focus makes it a lot easier to overlook logical errors.
The writers crafted the final episodes of the second season as a moment of horrible crisis, a downfall of nearly everyone involved. For that to work, the characters had to begin with a false sense of security. And yet the fact remains that the characters were never given a clear sense of closure coming out of the original second season plot arc; “The Hybrid Chronicles” left a lot of things unsaid and undone.
This episode, and the one to follow, represents something of a healing process. Relationships come to a more comfortable transitional state. To accomplish this, the writers needed to address the psychological issues that have been hanging around since “Skin and Bones”, as much as possible, and then allow the characters themselves to find a sense of stability.
After everything they’ve been through, they have reason to think that they’ve eliminated the immediate threats. The Skins are gone, and in terms of an external enemy from Antar, they were the only ones on Earth. The gandarium from their ship have been eliminated, so that threat to Earth is covered. For now, it looks like the Special Unit is still defunct, so the human element is covered. It looks like life can finally go back to the way it was before the teens were forced into a “wartime” psychology.
Michael was just beginning to deal with living on his own, finding a new way of dealing with the world, when he was forced into the role of a soldier. Ever since the beginning of the series, Michael has watched his role model, Max, deal with his flaws. But once the fight began in earnest and Max found himself making decisions for everyone, Michael felt more and more out of the loop. Max was finding it impossible to trust anyone else, and as a result, it was Michael that felt betrayed. Michael’s dream is all about his fear that Max will abandon him, because subconsciously, that’s how he feels now.
Michael’s trip to Vegas with Max is a test. It’s a typical Michael-style test, which means it’s over the top and reckless as hell, but it’s still just a test. Michael wants to put Max in a position where he can demonstrate how far he’ll go for his “brother”, and a weekend of living on the edge (so to speak) fits the bill. Using the money from the Duprees to that end is irresponsible to the extreme, given what must be a precarious financial situation for his part, but Michael doesn’t think very far beyond the moment. He simply wants to get Max to himself for a while and see if they can still count on each other.
Max effectively fails the test before he gets past Michael’s locker. He completely misses the point that Michael is trying to make (and who could blame him?), so he doesn’t see the problem with letting Isabel come along. And that, of course, starts off the whole domino effect that gets everyone on the same trip. Michael gets more and more exasperated and disappointed because the Vegas trip is turning into a vacation instead of the male bonding moment it was meant to be. (Largely because the others, like Max, don’t recognize Michael’s driving need for validation.)
Michael also misses the fact that everyone else is working out their issues at the exact same time, and they need a chance to get away and find themselves again as well. Maria needs to work out the nature of her relationship to Michael and feed her dreams. Sure, she says she wants to spend time with Liz, but Liz has always been Maria’s emotional support, and it’s designed to get Liz to face her personal demons since “The End of the World”. Isabel is still reeling from Grant’s death, and seeking solace where she can find it. Tess comes right out and explains her need to feel like part of the “family”, and there’s the whole relationship with Lyle that’s still in question. The writers never get around to explaining why Alex is there, but it eventually sets the stage for Isabel’s decision in the next episode.
Having established why the characters are on the trip (for the most part, anyway), getting them to Vegas involves some plot contrivance. There’s no way that the gang could gather like that and not be caught immediately, and Max’s little gambit wouldn’t have a prayer of working. After all, wouldn’t the debate team leader realize that there were people on the list that shouldn’t be, and wouldn’t the parents know that their kids weren’t on the debate team? (Then again, these teenagers manage to run around all over the place without their parents realizing it!) Also, how could Max include all the names if some of them, including Liz, decided to join the party at the last minute?
Michael may not have had much time for preparation, but the fake ID names he provides (while displaying a degree of control he seldom has) are ludicrous as they are hilarious. It makes sense that he would come up with mildly problematic alias for himself and Max, because the goal is to cause trouble and cross lines, thus testing Max’s friendship. But the rest almost seem like a concerted effort to get the others in some sort of trouble.
Michael pushes Max from the start, and Max doesn’t let up an inch. He’s clearly reluctant and it’s not doing Michael any favors. Tess and Liz are caught immediately, but predictably, Isabel doesn’t even merit a second glance. Alex loses everything in a heartbeat and ends up being Maria’s support system instead of Liz, which serves the purpose of gaining Maria some last-second musical accompaniment. Kyle, despite the horrible alias, ends up having the best vacation out of the bunch.
A chance encounter gives Isabel a chance to do some good on a personal level, but also to meet a handsome older man with an eye for the young and sexy. Isabel is clearly interested, and it’s fairly obvious that she’s looking for some kind of quick and dirty way to forget about the mess with Grant. She probably thinks that a one night stand is a good way to accomplish that goal, which is a good indicator of just how psychologically challenged Isabel is at this point. She is not a well woman.
It’s always a nice thing when Majandra is given the chance to highlight her musical ability on the series, and an episode like this is screaming for it. It’s nice to see Maria as a character having a logical reason for singing as well, despite the fact that the character trait disappeared after “Blind Date”. It becomes a sore spot between her and Michael, and then a crushing moment when her dream turns sour. Like so much in her life, Maria is caught by the details after she’s already emotionally invested.
Michael’s true intentions finally show up when he continues to cheat at the table, to the point of absurdity, pushing Max harder and harder. Since it’s hardly the most obvious means of communicating a point, Max doesn’t get it, at least not until it’s down to a fistfight. What Michael was looking for, however, was Max’s happy participation in something that Michael seems to value. He’s looking for Max to take him seriously again, and to show him the kind of respect he used to get before Liz Parker changed everything.
Tess and Liz are the last people who should ever be stuck together, and there’s no reason why they would therefore choose to burden one another with their presence. It’s odd, then, for Tess to stick with Liz after being tossed out of the first casino. There’s an awful lot that Tess could do without Liz (Including trying to get into other casinos, if that’s what she wants), so why remain at her side? They hate being with each other, and yet there they are.
Once Michael and Max are in jail, the episode begins to turn in the direction of a resolution, which almost feels too soon. Maria gets to have her moment of revenge on Michael (who wouldn’t have wanted to see his reaction when she hung up?), Maria gets to rain on Kyle’s lucrative parade, and Isabel decides to make a move on her one night stand. But getting Michael and Max in jail has a far more important goal. It forces Michael to vent about how deeply the changes in Max have bothered him, and in turn, that forces Max to admit that he has changed.
Finally, the writers explore why Liz went to Vegas, since her role as Maria’s “gal pal” disappeared in a matter of seconds. As the opening with Maria suggested, it’s all about making Liz despise the moment that Future Max came out of the sky and changed everything. She was supposed to marry Max in Vegas, and quite possibly during a trip just like the one in this episode. And it’s clear that had Liz never taken action, it might have happened. That’s important, because the writers need to remind the audience that the two still love each other, and that sooner or later, the walls between them will wear away.
Just when Maria figures that Michael is beyond hope (and hey, what’s wrong with enjoying the merits of Playstation?), he pulls off a beautiful move by giving her a chance to sing for everyone. For all that he can’t say anything directly without putting his foot in his mouth, he manages to say everything with that grand gesture. Tess gets to show her interest in Kyle some more by dragging him out onto the dance floor, while Isabel ends up running from her date for the comforts of a friend…and ends up dancing with Alex. It took her a while, but she’s finally beginning to see what’s been right in front of her for so long. Even Max and Liz get to orbit one another, even if Liz is caught up again in what she can’t say.
Everyone comes back down to Earth when they find Valenti waiting for them in the hotel room, and he is not happy. For once, the writers take a moment to address how worried and upset the parents ought to be, though it’s hard to believe that only Valenti could figure out that the teens were missing. Whatever the case, Valenti once again shows why it was brilliant to place him on the teens’ side of the equation, because he is a strong father figure when given the chance. (It’s unfortunate that he was never given the chance to serve as a father figure for Michael more often.)
In the end, Max begins to realize how he’s let the burdens of leadership isolate him from his loved ones. More than that, Michael gets to remind him that he’s not supposed to be leading alone. He was sent to Earth with three other hybrids because they were supposed to survive by working together. And indeed, all things being equal, Tess might never have betrayed Max, so long as she felt like she belonged. Her life with the Valentis is a major part of that. Part of the tragedy that is the end of the season is how it all falls apart, and how it could have gone so differently.
While not the best episode of the series, by any means, it does shift the focus from the science fiction elements back to the characters. And in fact, the case was probably made once the season was extended to give the story a proper ending, which meant giving the writers more creative freedom. The second season would end with episodes that were closer in tone to the end of the first season than the inconsistent first half of the second season. There was still a lack of balance, but as the rest of the series’ run would show, the balance was never restored once the network got too closely involved.
Memorable Quotes
TESS: “Did somebody step on your head in gym?”
MICHAEL: “This is low profile?”
TESS: “You know, I’m sure we can find another form of ID in here somewhere…”
LIZ: “We are 17 years old!”
TESS: “Mmm-hmm…good job…”
KYLE: “You took that one in the shorts.”
MARIA: “You will never believe what I’ve found in the spa locker room!”
ALEX: “Oh God…my heart hurts…”
ALEX: “Hey! Who do you think you are? You treat her like a lady!”
FAT MAN: “I’ll treat her like a stripping lady, ‘cause that’s what she’s auditioning for!”
ALEX: “Give me this flyer…new talent, big money…oh…oh! B.Y.O.G-string…”
TESS: ”Great...I’m stuck in the party capital of the world with Liz Parker…”
MARIA: “Wait a minute. If you’re in jail, that means that this is your only phone call.”
MICHAEL: “Exactly.”
MARIA:
ALEX: “Doesn’t Buddhism disapprove of gambling?”
KYLE: “Actually, Buddha himself first coined the phrase: ‘Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run’…”
ALEX: “And yours is obviously a deep and abiding spiritual faith.”
VALENTI: “Missing class is excusable if it involves saving a planet…yours, mine, or any other. It is not acceptable if it is done in the name of under-age gambling. Is that clear?”
MICHAEL: “I’m glad I’m adopted.”
TESS: “Yeah, me too.”
VALENTI: “Tess! Don’t make me come back in there!”
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode is an improvement over the past several episodes, thanks to a renewed focus on character instead of overwrought science fiction elements. Some of the plot elements are contrived, but it helps get the story moving along, and the core moments between Michael and Max are logically intact. This begins the final plot arc of the season by bringing the characters to the necessary starting point.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 7/10
posted by John Keegan | 17:17
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