‘Roswell, New Mexico’ 2×08 Review: “Say It Ain’t So”

This season of Roswell, New Mexico appears to be about finding answers — answers to everything about addiction struggles to kidnappings to alien pasts to alien abilities.

And our characters were certainly searching for answers in “Say It Ain’t So,” which introduced a potential “big bad” for this season. Although, I hate using that term. It only tends to work for superhero shows. And yet, on a show about aliens, the enemy this season is from this planet.

A big tease of this season has been the “alien abductions,” which have taken Mimi DeLuca and Jenna Cameron — and nearly took Kyle Valenti, I think. And of course our minds jumped immediately to alien abductions, which are exactly what these writers were hoping for. We all fell for the trap.

But it turns out, a sinister organization appears to be behind these disappearances — and their target just dropped into town.

Let’s break down episode 2×08 of Roswell, New Mexico:

Exploring This Alien Stuff

It’s a fundamental desire to want to know who you are, where you come from. Which is something that Michael and Isobel — and hell, even Maria — crave amidst the revelations of all of this alien stuff happening around them.

It’s interesting that it started with Michael and has now expanded to include Max and Isobel, but also Maria, whose family was unwillingly caught up in the human-alien experimental trials that have left the DeLuca women with a degenerative brain condition.

Now, there’s more at stake than just knowing your past. People’s lives — in Michael’s case, Maria’s life is at risk. Which only serves to raise the stakes in a situation that is literally going against time.

Remember that necklace that Maria wears? The one that her mother gave her and insists protects her? Well, turns out she wasn’t lying. The necklace — specifically, the flower inside it — has a paralytic effect on alien abilities. Meaning, it inhibits those abilities. It’s not kryptonite, like Maria originally believed, it’s actually preventive medicine. It’s stopping the degeneration process of her mind.

But the only problem is, there’s only one flower — and two DeLuca women. And, by episode’s end, let’s add Rosa into the mix, who is struggling immensely with her abilities coupled with her addiction struggles. So we’re actually in need of three of these things.

Although, Maria is more interested in learning more about these abilities — these abilities that are a part of her — and she’s not going to throw away the chance to learn about them. Which, of course, Isobel can understand. After all, she’s trying to learn about her past, as well. So, we get a team-up I’ve been craving as Isobel and Maria work together to find answers. Maria wants Isobel to help her control her abilities, and Isobel can get some answers in return.

Maria is able to access a past memory — of Isobel’s mother and Walt — and the moment Isobel saw the woman, she knew — that was her mother. Although, for Maria, it wasn’t without a cost. She got a nosebleed, something we haven’t seen before. And she’s not about to slow down.

One of my favorite things about Michael and Maria is how Michael acknowledges that she’s perfectly capable of taking care of business on her own. But he manages to convey that along with his crippling fear about the possibility of something bad happening to her. And, I swear to God, Michael could not get hotter than when he’s protecting or talking about someone he cares about.

Just when I thought we weren’t going to get a big ass reveal, this show drops a complete shocker of a bomb with a stunning revelation. Turns out, Walt — the little boy that knew Michael and Max and Isobel’s mothers — isn’t dead like we thought. In fact, he’s been closer than we thought.

Walt is Michael’s boss at the auto repair shop — and now I don’t know what the hell to think! But I have so many questions.

Has Walt known who Michael is all along? How did Walt escape from the explosion? What did Walt see during his time with Max, Isobel and Michael’s mothers? Did he know anything about what happened at Caulfield? Is he going to die before they get the answers they’ve been searching for?

Michael, Isobel and Maria are all in search of answers to these alien — get it? — questions. And the answers, I’m sure, are going to be shocking and have emotional repercussions.

Meet the Camerons

Remember that time we thought people were being abducted by aliens — the shining lights, the paralysis? Turns out, not aliens at all. But a rogue agency that kidnapped Jenna Cameron to get to someone in particular. And no, it wasn’t an alien.

While there weren’t any alien abductions — at least, I think there are none — there are some bad people out there looking to impose their will on the world.

“Say It Ain’t So” introduced us to the other Cameron — Charlie Cameron, Jenna’s sister that was once being held in prison because of her. Only, there was so much more to that story than just that, as we learned from Jenna and Jesse Manes’ conversation.

Turns out Charlie was working on a classified project — something that could target specific genetic codes in a way that could help save lives. But, as we know, there are always bad people that want to get their hands on something like that and use it for sinister reasons. Hence, the reason why this sinister organization was after Charlie — and why she disappeared after getting released from prison, which was actually a safe place.

But when it comes to family, there’s nothing you won’t do to protect your loved ones — or make sure they’re okay. Which is exactly what Charlie is doing. She never wanted to be found, but when she heard her sister pop up on a missing persons list, she had to find her.

Ultimately, Charlie, Max and Liz’s investigation leads the two formers to a site where Jenna is being held. They want Charlie in exchange for Jenna, and Charlie was willing to go in guns blazing to save her sister. Just like Max would do if it were Isobel.

While Jenna was banged up, she was alive — and reunited with her sister. I barely knew Charlie, and yet all I wanted was for the Cameron sisters to be happy and together again. And I was ready for an emotional reunion at the hospital…until Charlie bolted, which saddened Jenna and pissed off Max to the point where he tracked her down. Just in time to experience what we thought was an alien abduction — but learned was a kidnapping.

Surely they had no reason to take Max, but they were targeting Charlie, after all, and they finally got what they wanted.

Everyone Needs Help Sometimes

As I discussed last week, Rosa’s continued struggles with her addiction is a season-long — at least — storyline that’s going to be complete with its share of ups and down. Addictions aren’t linear — they’re different for everyone, including factors that could contribute to relapses.

And considering Rosa was resurrected from the dead and now has alien abilities, yeah, that’s a lot for anyone to handle. Especially someone that struggles with mental illness and addiction.

Rosa is searching for inner peace that she thinks might never come. It’s a daily struggle for her. She’ll wake up every day determined to do better, to be better. But before the end of the day, she finds herself falling right back into the darkness.

There’s a lack of calm in her life — something she needs to center herself. Instead, she’s busy focusing on all her imperfections and thinking about how she’s messed everything up. That was evident in this episode, where she blacked out and had this realistic dream, where she’d made a friends in Iris — who I wish, more than anything, was a real person.

Rosa made a friend — who accepted her for who she really was. Rosa got to create art — the kind of art that reflects her inner pain but tells a beautiful, tragic story. Rosa caught a glimpse of what her life could’ve been like.

So when she wakes up in the hospital with Liz, she’s reminded that she’s not living the life that she wants for herself. She saw all of the things she could’ve done, could’ve had. And it’s enough to drive anyone to the breaking point.

To make matters worse, she has these alien abilities that she doesn’t know how to control, and there’s nowhere for her to get help. She feels helpless. She wants to do better, but she honestly doesn’t know how. Which is when Liz hands her Maria’s necklace, which Maria is lending to her until she gets better. It’ll suppress her abilities, and it’ll keep her safe.

Liz reminds Rosa that, believe it or not, there will come a time when things get better. Everyone needs help sometimes, but there’s no weakness in asking for it. There’s no weakness in wanting to be better but struggling to accomplish that. When you give up, that’s when you’ve failed yourself.

And the one thing Rosa hasn’t done during these struggles — relapse and all — is give up. And that’s what will get her through it all.

Other Thoughts

Max working at the Wild Pony as a bartender is something I can 100 percent get behind.
Is it just me, or has Max gotten hotter since he returned from the dead?
Or maybe it’s the fact that he finally looks alive again.
Or definitely hotter.
Michael bending down to kiss Maria as he greeted her was such a couple thing to do, and it made my heart flutter.
Charlie Cameron was on my screen for less than 2 seconds and I was already in love.
Is there anyway we can make the Cameron sisters a permanent fixture on this show? Because I absolutely, 100 percent need that in my life.
The moment in Maria’s “past” vision when Isobel saw her mother…LORD. The emotions.
Again, I’m conflicted here because Michael & Maria = HOT but Alex & Forrest = ALSO HOT. But Michael & ALEX = ALSO, ALSO HOT.
God, I’ve missed cutesy Liz and Max. Seriously, they’re needed during a time like this.
Jesse Mane says he’s turned over a new leaf since the stroke, where the anger and hate have left him. Why don’t I believe that shit?
Because I’m smart, that’s why.
Imagine my disappointment upon learning that Iris — who was looking to be an actual friend for Rosa — was merely a figment of Rosa’s imagination.
I JUST WANT ROSA TO BE HAPPY…AND AT PEACE.
That damn flower necklace is going to be the cause of my anxiety for the duration of this series…or until they find more. Or a cure. Whichever comes first.
Because all it takes is one person losing it for shit to blow the up.
Which you know is inevitable at this point.
So, not alien abductions, but a secret government conspiracy? Color me disappointed. I liked it better when it was alien abductions.
Michael’s boss at the car shop is ADULT WALT!!!!!!
I ACTUALLY SHRIEKED.
Like, sorry neighbors. But, you should know better by now, it’s Roswell, New Mexico Monday.