With an episode titled “Sex and Candy,” everyone should’ve been prepared for the sizzling hookups that transpired. While not all of them hit the right mark — sorry, that threesome was a tad awkward for me — there was no shortage of hormones raging in Roswell, New Mexico‘s sixth episode.
I wouldn’t really call this a filler episode — because it served the purpose of bringing Max back, memories and all. But aside from Max, and Maria’s continued search for what happened to Mimi, there wasn’t a whole lot of major plotlines going on.
What we got was a shipper’s dream. Couples I loved, couples I didn’t know I needed in my life until now, and throples I never expected.
Basically, I’m talking ships in this week’s Roswell, New Mexico review. From Liz and Max to Michael and Alex to Michael and Maria to Isobel and Kyle, we’re breaking down the steamy romance from “Sex and Candy.”
“I am not better off without you. I’m not whole without you.”
I’ve been waiting days, weeks, months for Liz and Max to be reunited. And it’s safe to say, I wasn’t expecting this. Honestly, when Max lost his memory of Liz, I thought we were preparing for this long, drawn-out arc where Max had no idea who Liz was — where she would suffer and we would suffer.
Thankfully, I was wrong. And I should’ve known better. This is Roswell, New Mexico, and they don’t do the cliche. Unless there’s a twist.
Look, I know that the whole “Max has amnesia and doesn’t remember the love of his life” sounds corny as hell. But it’s about the execution. And Jeanine and Nathan absolutely nailed it.
It wasn’t about wasting time — leaving us to wonder if Max would ever remember her. Of course he was going to. But it was a celebration of their love. It reminded them — and us — why they loved each other. A reminder that that kind of love can never be erased.
If there’s one thing I realized watching this episode — about Liz and Max — is that it wouldn’t matter if Max didn’t get his memories back of Liz. Because there’s no life where Max Evans doesn’t fall in love with Liz Ortecho.
From the moment of Max and Liz’s exchange at the market, his entire face lit up. And this was from an interaction with a stranger. He was instantly drawn to her, and there was something inside of him that was telling himself to get to know her. Max might not have been in his mind, but he was certainly in his heart.
Max felt the connection, but he didn’t understand it. It was almost like he was falling head over heels for a stranger — although he knew that she meant something important to him. He just couldn’t remember.
Still, you can’t force yourself to pretend to care. Max’s response was pure. There was an undeniable connection, and he wanted to get to know her. To spark those memories of her — because he wanted to know everything that they had shared.
This episode also allowed for Liz to open up to Max in a new way. This was the first time Liz had spoken about Diego, the fiance that she upped and left in Denver. Turns out, Liz realized she loved the work more than she loved Diego. And that’s just not enough. Liz, like all of us, deserves a love full of passion that fills every fiber of your being. Liz never had that with Diego. But Liz has found that with Max.
There was a moment where Liz believed that Max not knowing who she was — having those memories of her, Rosa’s death, and the cover-up — would be better for him. That maybe it was a good thing that he didn’t remember her. A clean slate, no longer a reminder of the worst thing he ever did — covering Rosa’s death up.
But as Max sifted through some of his old stuff, he came across a bullet. The bullet that tore through Liz’s heart the first night she returned home. When he realized he’d rather risk himself than let her die. The moment he realized — truly — that he loved her.
And those memories, those feelings — all of it — came rushing back.
Remember when Liz gave Max the Little Green Man shake earlier in the episode? He hated it. It wasn’t his thing. Which was weird considering he’d ordered it for years. After Max gets his memories back, he goes to Liz and tells her about the first time he ordered a peanut butter smoothie and she brought him the Little Green Man. Liz remembered Max as that guy, and that was good enough for Max. For Liz to know him, to remember him. So he continued ordering the wrong shake.
LIKE. SHUT. UP. How freaking cute.
Max proceeds to disprove Liz’s remark to him earlier — that he’s not better off without her in his life. That his life isn’t whole without her. And my fangirl heart grew five sizes. Cue: Echo sexy times at the top of the Crashdown. Rosa would be proud — or grossed out, I’m not sure.
The morning after, Liz and Max are lovey-dovey once more, and instinctively I was waiting for something to bad to happen. Like a twist that he didn’t actually remember. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.
Instead, we got Liz’s — hilarious, yet heartfelt — love confession to Max. One of Liz’s biggest regrets was that she never got to tell Max that she loved him back. She’s been dreaming of the perfect moment to tell him — and she had her moment when he said his life isn’t whole without her.
So Liz rambled on about missing the perfect moment, and Max reassured her that he knew. He knew the whole time he was gone that she loved him. It was something that never needed to be spoken between them — they could feel it. But still, hearing that declaration of love made my heart happy.
Prepare for the slow-burn
There are ships that are worth waiting for. And Malex is one of those ships. I’m not going to lie, it’s been a rough season for Michael and Alex. But it’s reinforced my belief, more than ever, that they’re endgame.
With all of the discussion about thinking they were meant for each other — and all of the damn past tense being used — it’s obvious that timing has been an issue for them. Michael and Alex aren’t right for each other, right now. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t be right for each other in the future. In fact, I think we can all agree that they will be.
Sometimes, people need to be apart. To discover themselves as individuals — what they want, what they need — before they can grow together. And I think that’s where we’re at with Michael and Alex.
We’ve seen that with Michael, who’s giving things a shot with Maria. And we got a tease of what could happen with Alex and Forrest. Dating other people isn’t sacrilegious. Most people have dated someone else before eventually meeting — or coming back to — their soulmate. It’s all about timing.
There’s a lot to digest with Michael and Alex right now. Michael seems determined to leave the past behind him — as in, the person he was in the past. That doesn’t necessarily mean Alex, but Michael seems to have a hard time differentiating the two. It doesn’t help that Alex feels the guilt of his family’s brutal legacy — and how they were responsible for Michael’s mother’s suffering. Alex just wants the best for Michael, and vice versa, which speaks volumes.
The one thing that I’ve been surprised by is how supportive Alex is with both Michael and Maria. That doesn’t mean he’s accepting — or okay with the love of his life dating his best friend. But Michael and Maria are two people that Alex loves most in this world. Why wouldn’t he want for them to be happy?
All I know, is that Michael and Alex are the stuff made of endgame. The good times, the hard times, and the times that make it all worth it. That’s what encapsulates their relationship. And when the time is right — when we see things align as they should — it’s going to be beautiful.
And don’t even get me started on that threesome. It was awkward all around.
But Michael and Maria are right — for “right now”
Sometimes, certain love is right at the right time in your life. I mean, we’re constantly evolving and growing into the person we’re meant to be. We’re never stagnant. There are different stages of our life where we realize we certain things at one point.
Which is why I can’t help but feel Michael and Maria are right for each other…right now. Michael and Alex are totally endgame — duh! — but Michael and Maria could be good for each other in the present.
Maria is still struggling with how to forgive Michael for lying to her. But we soon learn that it’s not about her forgiving him — she might’ve already done so — but it’s about what happens when she does. Where does that leave Maria and Alex?
Maria has owned up to her actions — knowing after the fact that Alex loved Michael, but knowing she couldn’t help herself. And Alex understands that. For all intents and purposes, Alex has given his blessing to both of them. Not that he’s okay with everything — Michael was the person he thought he’d spend forever with — but he’s okay with the two people he loves having each other to lean on. What. A. Fucking. Guy.
Michael is undergoing a reformation of sorts. After his declaration that he wants to be better — he wants to be someone worthy of being loved and loving someone else — he’s trying to be that guy for Maria.
That doesn’t mean that they’re “forever.” But it means they’re “right now.” And “right now,” they’re good for each other.
Give me Isobel and Kyle
I didn’t know that I needed Isobel and Kyle — Kyobel ? — in my life until this episode. There’s so much freaking chemistry on this show, and Lily Cowles and Michael Trevino have it in spades.
Isobel and Kyle have a lot more in common than they might know. Both are trying to get over old flames — while also simultaneously trying to avoid the less-than-welcoming Wild Pony environment.
So when you get some booze in them — with that chemistry — there were sparks. All. Over. The. Place. When they started dancing together, it was obvious.
Honestly, I don’t know if this is an actual thing that’s going to happen — or if it was a one-time fun thing. Especially considering Isobel was making out with a girl. But, if that was a seed that was being planted, I felt it.
While Isobel certainly doesn’t need a man to make her whole, everyone deserves someone that loves them and treats them right. Noah wasn’t that guy. And, naturally, Isobel is going to be more cautious.
But you could tell, Isobel felt safe with Kyle, who despite his past mistakes, is a good guy. Isobel didn’t have to put up any fronts. Their conversation flowed, their chemistry was electric, and that sex in the bathroom would’ve been fire.
Kyle was six drinks in and ready to take Isobel up on his offer, but something told him otherwise. He said there was someone else. Was it Liz? Or was it Stef, the mysterious daughter of the Chief of Surgery, who happened to be going under for surgery.
Call it a gut feeling, but I believe that we haven’t seen the last of Isobel and Kyle. And I don’t care how long I have to wait for it to happen. I’ll be here.
Roswell, New Mexico airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.