Shell Game

by Kate Ancel copyright May 2, 2000

In a tense game of cat and mouse, the stakes have been raised in this episode penned by Toni Graphia and directed by Patrick Norris. Nacedo has finally revealed himself and proven to be just as dangerous as Max had feared, at least to the humans. He seems to be willing to stop at nothing to draw his enemy out, but the result may prove unexpectedly tragic.

Random Thoughts:

So Mr. Harding is actually Nacedo. That would explain the creepiness factor. I also find it fascinating that he can shapeshift into inanimate objects. That would certainly be a handy talent.

Why do you suppose Nacedo made sure Liz got safely out of the fun house instead of going back to get Max? Max is supposedly the one that he’s so desperate to protect and yet he just left him there for the Feds to grab him. He claims to have their safety at heart, and yet all his actions put them at risk.

If Harding just transferred from Alabama, why did the school records for Tess show her last residence as Chicago and her records transferred from the Illinois school system?

The fact that they were engineered would explain why they are all so beautiful, although it’s a little strange that Max, Michael and Isabel all have a similar look in spite of the different coloring and Tess looks very out of place. The former are all tall and have brown eyes, while Tess is significantly shorter with blue eyes.

The force field previously in place around the Jeep to prevent blown hair, seems to have been transferred to the convertible for the night.

Anyone else notice that the precipice where the cave was located is the very place Isabel and Michael had their dream sex?

I noticed that Isabel used the past tense when talking to Alex about her feelings for him and her declaration to him. That doesn’t bode well for their future.

Michael seemed genuinely disappointed to learn there was no baby. He’d already wrapped his mind around the idea and seemed ready to run with it. He seemed reluctant to give up the idea that his destiny was to be with Isabel. Maybe it’s a case of seeing the future and the future making him happy.

Isn't it interesting that Liz could tell the difference between Max and Nacedo by the visions conjured up while kissing? What does that make her…some kind of human satellite dish? If she can pick up signals from any old alien who kisses her, I guess that blows the theory that they have to be emotionally connected in order to get good reception. Also, the fact that he didn't seem to realize she'd had a strange vision puts a few dents in the school of thought that he was causing them in the first place.

The hostility between Max and Michael seems to have cooled a bit in this episode. They were still having the same arguments, but there seemed to be less heat to them.

The funhouse mirrors were a great analogy for the theme. Nothing and no one is what they appear to be.

I guess we know now why no one has just happened upon the discarded pods if they were buried within the mountain.

I’m glad the writers remembered that Max’s birthday was in March, therefore making him 17 now.

That gas station must be doing better business than it appears to be if they can afford surveillance cameras that produce such high resolution pictures.

Anyone else wonder where Nacedo’s breath mints were?

I did have to wonder why Liz kept flashing on Sheila Hubble whenever she would kiss evil Max. Nacedo’s killed many people since then, by all accounts. It seemed strange that she would be the one Liz would see.

• The whole idea of the alien baby didn’t seem to freak out much of anyone except Isabel, and neither did the idea that Michael and Isabel were sleeping together. They were the only two that knew they hadn’t been and everyone else immediately jumped to the logical conclusion that they were. But everyone just kind of took it in stride as something new and alien to deal with. Even Max was more concerned that they had kept it from him. He practically assaulted Michael over the fact that Michael wasn’t listening to him about Tess, but the idea of Michael sleeping with Isabel doesn’t inspire hostility? Please.
• Just who did they leave in charge of the Crashdown this time when they went tearing off to rescue Liz?
• I had to wonder why the real Max didn’t do something to differentiate himself to Liz so she would know which was the real Max and which was Nacedo. Seems like it would have been easy enough to just take off his coat or something.
• Just for the record, you don’t get a dial tone when a cell phone hangs up on you either.
• How were they planning on convincing the sheriff that Max is really a good guy once he caught up with him. Assuming he arrested Nacedo, the real Max would have to stay in hiding for as long has evil Max was in custody. Although it was a good way to get Valenti involved in a way that Michael could accept.
• Where were Alex and Maria when the pod squad ran off to rescue Liz? We’re supposed to believe that they just stayed quietly behind after reporting Liz’s kidnapping to the sheriff? That doesn’t sound like the Maria we’ve all come to know and love.

• The way the action picked up immediately where it left off from the last episode, gave it a nice touch of continuity.
• I thought it was great that Maria confronted Michael calmly and immediately about what she overheard about the baby instead of just flipping out and I liked that Michael was honest with her instead of just blowing her off.
• Is Alex too good to be true or what? Confronted with the possible alien pregnancy of his girlfriend and without any assurances that she hasn't been sleeping with Michael on the side, he is immediately supportive and sweet. Do people like this exist outside the realm of fiction?
• I liked the fact that Isabel seems to be physically gravitating to Michael more and more. It seems to fit with the increased awareness she has of him now.
• I got kind of a kick out of evil Max. It was fun to see the normally uptight Max be the devil-may-care rogue, even if it wasn't really him. Jason Behr did a great job with the dual role. He was delightfully creepy with the sly innuendoes and the way he kept looking at Liz.
• I thought 'evil' Max was a great way to create conflict between Max and Liz without it really being between Max and Liz.
• I, for one, am heartily glad there isn't really an alien baby.
• How cool was that alien batsignal? Beats having to use a telephone to reach out and touch someone.
• Michael just keeps growing on me more with every episode. I loved that he was the one to hug Liz and comfort her when she escaped from Nacedo and told them Max had been captured. And you just have to love how much concern he showed Isabel when they thought she was pregnant.
• They have done a great job in the last couple of episodes of giving us suspenseful cliffhanger endings.
• Shiri Appleby did a wonderful job showing the fear that Liz was feeling when confronted with Nacedo in the guise of Max.

• Max/Nacedo: "All I care about is protecting them. Nothing else matters."
  
• Michael: "Whether you want to believe it or not, we weren't born. We were engineered."

• Isabel: "I thought you said we can't trust her."
  Max: "Who said anything about trusting her?"

• Isabel: "You were so happy, Michael. I've never seen you that happy."
  Michael: "Well, I've never been that happy."

• Liz: "What kind of hostage am I? Pierce would just kill me."
  Max/Nacedo: "Now there's a thought."

• Max/Nacedo: "You could come in extremely handy in terms of my survival. And even if you don't, you've been fantastic company."

I give this episode 4.5 UFOs out of 5.