#106 285 South (1) – Primer

Wanting to follow his vision, Michael breaks into the UFO Center to obtain an address on James Atherton. Michael is caught by Milton and Deputy Blackwood, and is arrested. Max saves Michael by telling Milton he lent Michael his key to do research at the museum.

Michael explains to Max he wants to pursue the address of Atherton, which is in Marathon, Texas. Max tells Michael they need to stay low, especially with the suspicious Valenti around. Michael steals Maria’s car, with an unwilling Maria inside. The two argue the entire way, until Maria realizes that Michael is just trying to find out who he is, and where he came from. When Maria’s car breaks down, the two are forced to spend the night in a motel room.

When Max, Liz and Isabel discover Michael and Maria missing, they decide to go after them. Isabel is uncertain about Liz’s involvement, but Liz is insistent on going. Overhearing Kyle discuss Liz’s odd actions, Valenti decides to privately join the search. Per Topolsky’s orders, FBI AGENT MOSS shadows them all in his car.

On the road, Max, Liz and Isabel hit a roadblock. Isabel ventures out to find out how long they will be detained, and Max takes a moment alone to apologize to Liz for all he’s gotten her into. Liz apologizes in turn about possibly exposing them. Interrupting their romantic moment, Isabel points out Maria’s Jetta at a motel parking lot.

The three burst into the room, to find Maria and Michael lying on the floor. The situation is compromised further by the arrival of Kyle. Michael orders Kyle to get out, and the confrontation becomes physical. Liz tells Kyle they’re no longer together, and he should go home.

Kyle leaves, and Liz demands to know everything that is going on. Max, Michael and Isabel explain the significance of the key and the dome, and how it could give them answers into their existence. Liz feels they should all pursue the dome together.

As they reach the dome, they realize the key Michael took from Valenti’s wasn’t to the front door, but to a secret room that contains documents on UFO’s and the 1947 crash. The kids then hear Valenti walking around above them, and they wait in silence while searching for a way out. We then see Topolsky drop-kick Valenti from behind, as we’re – TO BE CONTINUED…

Jason Katims Commentary

“A BREAKTHROUGH EPISODE…SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING.”

Transcribed by Lena

285 South was a breakthrough episode. First of all something was happening and also there was just something about being on the road and it energized the show. There was a real deepening in all of the relationships sort of like when you’re on the road with people how your connections work deeper in unexpected ways. Particularly that was true with Michael and Maria and I remember shooting the pilot, Majandra came up to me and said ‘Whatever you do don’t hook me up with Brendan’ – of course at that moment I knew what I was going to do is put Maria and Michael together, because I felt like there was obviously some charged thing going on between them and their relationship became this wonderful counterpoint to Max and Liz that is charming but so completely different, when we got for that I thought oh this is really starting to come together that you know the series was really starting to go places.