‘Roswell, New Mexico’ Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: “Hands”

Roswell New Mexico Season 3 Episode 1
Jeanine Mason as Liz Ortecho and Steven Krueger as Heath in ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ season 3 episode 1 (Photo: John Golden Britt © 2021 The CW Network, LLC)

The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico season two ended with Liz (Jeanine Mason) hitting the road after accepting a job offer in LA and Max (Nathan Dean) discovering his doppelganger hidden in a cave. Season three episode one, “Hands,” picks up seconds after the season two finale, with Duplicate Max (sporting a full beard) calling the Max we all know and love “son.”

Duplicate Max, who calls himself Jones, realizes Max’s mom must have never mentioned him. Jones lays his hand on Max’s chest and although Isobel (Lily Cowles) and Michael (Michael Vlamis) immediately react and knock out Jones, he’s still successful in passing along his identity. It turns out Jones is the savior and Max is a clone! Show of hands as to who saw that twist coming.

A year passes and Max is busy typing a letter explaining what he’s going through. He’s always wanted to be “just a guy from Roswell” but has been unsuccessful in putting the past behind him. Max is full of questions about who he needs to be for the people he cares about.

He adds the completed letter to others he’s written for each of his loved ones. Finished, he buries the box containing the letters in the desert.

Meanwhile, Liz is busy in her new Genoryx lab with fellow researcher, Heath (Steven Krueger, The Originals). He’s undeniably charming but when he asks her out for a drink, Liz turns him down. Heath tries to convince her he’s not after a date and just wants a casual outing with a coworker. But then he immediately proves that declaration’s untrue by suggesting they get some wine which might then lead to them succumbing to the moment.

Their flirty chat’s interrupted by their boss, Dr. Margot Meyerson (GiGi Erneta), who delivers the news a skincare company wants their latest formula. Production can begin immediately. Liz is shocked to learn their breakthrough treatment for paraplegic spinal injury victims is going to be used to erase fine lines. Because the skincare company will own the patent, it can’t be used to help spinal injury victims for 10 years.

So, that’s the bad news. The good news: corporate is so pleased with their work they’re adding more money to Liz and Heath’s neuro research budget.

Back in Roswell, it’s obvious Max hasn’t gotten over Liz. Isobel and Michael watch as he mounts a mechanical bull outside The Wild Pony, and Michael wonders just how much Tequila Max has had to drink. Apparently, Max has been drowning his sorrows and fighting off Liz’s memory with a mix of alcohol and one-night stands.

Roswell New Mexico Season 3 Episode 1
Nathan Dean as Max Evans and Michael Vlamis as Michael in ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ season 3 episode 1 (Photo: John Golden Britt © 2021 The CW Network, LLC)

Isobel zaps Max into a mindscape while he’s still riding the bull. Everyone disappears but the three siblings and Isobel reminds them they can’t lie in a mindscape. Michael gets Isobel to confirm she’s still dating the bartender chick and Max gets Michael to admit he’s having trouble building a cage to weaken Jones’ powers. Isobel cuts to the chase and asks if Max misses “the waitress who shall not be named.” Max is able to escape the mindscape before having to answer.

Max lightens the mood and challenges Michael to see who can get with the singer. After he walks away, Michael reveals he’s worried about Max because, strangely, Max seems to be having fun. Isobel wonders if his worry over Max is actually just a cover for his own nervousness about Alex coming home.

Max is most definitely not having anything resembling fun as he races back to his jeep, grabs a bottle of nail polish remover, loads up a syringe, and injects himself in the arm.

Gregory Manes (Tanner Novlan) carries a box of beer into the bar and delivers it to Maria (Heather Hemmens). He congratulates her on the success of the patio, and she realizes he’s supposed to be out on a date. He confesses dating sucks because everyone recognizes his last name. “I have to tell some lame lie because the truth doesn’t scream, ‘Will you be the father of my children?’”

Maria reminds him he’s actually a hero and asks for a ride home.

Kyle (Michael Trevino) is in LA for a medical convention and finally meets up with Liz before heading to the airport. They catch up on what’s happening in their lives and Kyle confesses Steph just broke up with him. He thinks that because Liz invented a cure that saved her, she doesn’t want to be tied to Roswell anymore.

Kyle has other big news to share – his old hospital in New York wants him back. He’s not sure what his future holds at this point.

Kyle gets Liz to admit that although she’s dreamed of visiting the beach since her school days, her work has kept her so busy she still hasn’t made it to the ocean. Liz doesn’t care about the beach – what she really wants is to find a way to stop Maria’s brain from degenerating with each new vision. She’s stymied without her previous research which she’s still angry at Max for destroying in a fire.

When Kyle gives her a hard time about not going on dates, she confesses she’s still hoping Max will show up. Kyle doesn’t think that’s ever going to happen. He wants her to do what makes her feel alive because Max has moved on.

Gregory drives Maria home and she’s impressed with his hot car. She can’t believe he used to drag race; that’s something Michael Guerin – her ex – would do. Gregory flirts a little and then while showing off his driving skills, Maria experiences another vision. It’s of a funeral and Isobel sobbing.

Roswell New Mexico Season 3 Episode 1
Tyler Blackburn as Alex in ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ season 3 episode 1 (Photo: John Golden Britt © 2021 The CW Network, LLC)

Alex (Tyler Blackburn) arrives via bus and is dropped off right in front of the new statue of his dad. Forrest (Christian Antidormi) is there to greet him with a few passionate kisses. Michael, who was also ready to welcome Alex home, watches from across the street. (Damn, it’s heartbreaking to watch his reaction to their reunion! #Malex might really be over.)

Rosa (Amber Midthunder) facetimes her sister prior to her first art therapy session. She’s having a tough time dealing with bipolar disorder on top of covering up an alien resurrection. Therapy discussion done; Rosa reveals why she really called. She received a package from their mom that contains her plans from last year to take down Jesse Manes and syringes loaded with the drug she used to wipe Jenna Cameron’s memory.

Maria’s latest vision sparked a visit to the doctor, and Kyle shows her the new scans of her brain reveal the dark parts of her right temporal lobe are expanding. She needs to put on her protective bracelet, but Maria’s unwilling to become like her mom and lose parts of herself. Maria wonders why she had a vision of a funeral if she’s not supposed to act on what she learns. Kyle doesn’t know the answer but does know the bracelet will keep her alive.

Alex and Forrest are in bed when a message from Gregory and Maria making sure he arrived home safely wakes them up. Now that they’re awake, Forrest brings up something he wanted to talk about but was distracted from doing so at the bus stop. He asks if Alex has ever heard of Deep Sky. Alex touches the ring on Forrest’s finger – a ring that’s design prominently features the initials DS.

Alex and Forrest argue over Forrest’s involvement in the group, with Alex labeling his lover a “cold-blooded mercenary.” Forrest claims he’s not and swears he was forced to keep his involvement a secret. “At Deep Sky, secrecy is the price of admission,” says Forrest.

Forrest admits he’s only revealing he’s part of Deep Sky now because they want to recruit Alex. Alex can’t believe they think he’ll go away to join a group of murderers. Forrest describes them as innovators who hold secrets to the universe. When Alex asks about the secrets, Forrest doesn’t give anything up. He does, however, say Alex is going to be offered a higher level of security clearance than he has.

Forrest confesses he doesn’t want to lose Alex to Deep Sky. If Alex gets in and goes deep, he’ll be cut off from everyone. Forrest asks Alex to leave with him that evening on his book tour. Alex doesn’t reply before Forrest heads out.

Max stops by the store and stocks up on nail polish remover. As he’s heading down the road, Kyle chases him down in an ambulance. Max has been missing all of his appointments which Kyle wouldn’t care about if it weren’t for the fact Maria had a vision of a funeral. Kyle’s figured out Max is dying (again) and demands Max come clean with everyone.

Heath comments on how well Liz cleans up once she’s out of her lab coat as she finally meets him for a glass of wine. They toast to making something great together just as they both receive a text informing them their patent was leaked. Heath notes Liz isn’t shocked by the news and quickly puts two and two together. He warns her she’s toast if Genoryx discovers she’s the leak.

Heath thinks he has a friend who can cover her tracks and then opens up about why he got into Genoryx in the first place. His mom had early-onset Alzheimer’s and died when he was just nine; he’s committed to finding ways to help people like his mom. If they fire Liz, it’s likely Genoryx will also let him go.

A short while later, Liz and Heath break into the lab after hours to cover Liz’s tracks. After they’re done, they return to her place, and she apologizes for not thinking things through. He suggests she do a better job of breaking the rules. And, of course, they kiss.

Rosa’s at art therapy when Wyatt arrives for the session. He doesn’t want to be there but was forced into undergoing therapy by the court. Rosa tries to keep him from spotting her but is unsuccessful and he immediately recognizes her. She claims she’s Rosa’s cousin, but Wyatt doesn’t believe her. She suggests the only other alternative is that she’s Rosa’s ghost.

Max is in the cave staring at Jones who’s securely back inside a pod. Michael and Isobel arrive, and Max is pissed Michael still hasn’t designed a cage to contain Jones. Michael reminds Max their mom called Jones the devil. Max thinks Jones has the answers to all their questions, but Michael believes he should remain locked away.

Tripp’s journals indicated Jones left a ship and started a war between humans and aliens with just the flick of his wrist. Max is adamant they need to question Jones and is about to leave when Isobel says she can feel something’s wrong. She knows Max is keeping a secret.

Max finally lets them in on the fact he’s dying. Isobel refuses to accept it; she’s sure he was getting better. Max admits his body is rejecting the heart transplant and his time is almost up. Max is barely holding it together as he says (probably for the first time out loud), “I’m dying.”

Max has known for a year and is only now letting his siblings in on the truth. Isobel’s justifiably pissed because she thinks they could have been working on saving him all this time. Max reveals he was just trying to leave them with good memories over the past year.

“You know, it was the craziest thing. My girlfriend dumped me, I’m broker than I’ve ever been, Alex took off, there was a global pandemic, and yet I was happy because this…because us three. We were good!” says Michael.

After leaving his siblings, Michael pays a visit to Maria at The Wild Pony. He explains he knows about her funeral vision and informs her it was Max in the coffin. Michael’s only telling her this so she won’t try and force another vision to see who’s in the coffin.

Isobel’s waiting inside Kyle’s place when he arrives home from work to talk about Max. She wants to know what they can do but Kyle doesn’t believe there’s any additional treatment he can provide. It took a miracle to bring Max back in the first place.

As they’re talking Isobel realizes Jones might actually hold the key to keeping Max alive.

Max is alone in the desert and retrieves his secret box. He listens to an audio recording of Liz describing the aftermath of his surgery and cries as Liz says, “Can you feel me holding your hand?”

Alex and Kyle are the next duo to sit down for a drink. Alex confesses Max’s situation is making him think about what he needs to do before time runs out. He reveals he has an opportunity to learn more than his dad ever did, but it will come at a high price. If he moves forward, he’ll have to cut himself off from everyone.

Kyle wonders what Alex’s heart is telling him to do and Alex doesn’t pause before saying his heart is saying not to do it. But, he’s conflicted. His family did everything wrong but what if someone out there did everything right?

Kyle can’t talk to other doctors about Max’s heart transplant and warns Alex that alone is a lonely place to be.

It’s late at night and Rosa is alone at the café when Wyatt breaks through the door. He’s ready to shoot her in order to confirm she’s really Rosa. The lights start flashing as he yanks off her necklace while she claims he’s crazy.

Wyatt begins smashing things and reminds Rosa that it’s her fault his sister died. As they struggle, Wyatt drops his gun. Rosa’s able to reach a syringe and stabs him in the neck.

Max is relaxing with a book in front of a fire at a coffee shop when he’s joined by the singer from earlier at the bar. The sparks fly as she takes a seat and he pours a little bourbon into her coffee.

They move the action to Max’s place and Max lays out the ground rules before they go any further. She assures Max she doesn’t want anything and isn’t even going to give him her number. It’s strictly a one-night stand.

Forrest takes a last look around at the bus stop before boarding the bus. He climbs on board, sits down, and then spots Alex standing outside. He quickly realizes Alex isn’t going to join him. (So you’re saying #Malex still has a chance?!)

Michael and Isobel return to the cave and it appears they’re about to set Jones free!

Season three episode one ends with Maria at the bar closing up for the night. She smiles as she spots a teddy bear Gregory left for her when suddenly the peaceful night is shattered by four men who break in wearing alien masks. Before they can attack, Maria experiences the funeral vision again but this time there’s an additional segment that includes Alex saying, “Of course I’m upset. This is like Noah all over again. We are covering up a murder.”

The lengthier vision also includes a very much alive Max.

Maria’s able to fend off her attackers. She’s alone in pain on the floor dealing with the realization that Max isn’t the one in the coffin while in the cave Jones awakens to discover he’s inside the cage Michael created to dampen his alien powers.