HERC reviews 1st Roswell of Sweeps (spoilers)

Thanks to RoswellMouse for sending this into the Crashdown news

From AICN:

Roswell 3.12 FAQ
What’s it called?
“Ch-ch-changes.”

Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to married writing partners Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts (“It’s Too Late and It’s Too Bad,” “Control”).

What does TV Guide say?
“When Liz experiences alien-like changes to her body, she’s forced to contemplate leaving Roswell. In other events: Maria is offered a recording contract in New York City.”

Does Liz grow extra eyes or something?
Liz’s superpowers ” a long-anticipated side-effect of being healed by Max more than two years ago ” are kicking in.

What kind of superpowers?
Typical Roswell stuff. Liz can now melt ceramic plates and set books on fire by touching them. She can short out electronics by waving her hand over them. And, like Michael in the old days, she has little success in controlling these powers.

Are superpowers the limit of Liz’s changes?
No. She’s faint and distracted and she experiences hallucinations. Her sight and hearing also go on the fritz at really inopportune moments. Her creamy, nubile skin seems at times infused with electricity.

Sounds like a Liz-centric episode.
It is. We even learn that Liz’s longtime dream is the same as former netlet stablemate Rory Gilmore’s: to attend Harvard!

What else is TV Guide not telling us?
Maria gets so excited about her record deal, she tosses ex-boyfriend Michael to the floor of his residence and has her way with him. (One of the pair attaches much more import to this incident than the other.) Also, Maria is dueting with Jim Valenti when she gets “discovered,” but the invitation to Gotham is not extended to Roswell’s former chief law enforcement officer.

Does Max’s dad continue his investigations into the aliens’ secret identities?
Michael mentions that the scrutiny continues (if off-camera).

What’s good?
Loads of plot. Lots of Liz and Maria and their respective beestung lips. Kyle’s pitch for Buddhism. The much-needed break from Isabel’s exhausting marital woes (the couple is said to be in Santa Fe this week).

What’s not so good?
The latest tired excuse to keep Liz and Max apart is incredibly contrived. And Maria’s conflict with the record company folks who want to make her famous comes off as cliched insanity.

How does it end, spoiler boy?
Liz rides a bus to boarding school. (But now it’s her idea, not dad’s).

Why is Liz headed for boarding school?
Good question! The superpowers are making her very emotional. She says she’s still pissed at Max for sleeping with Tess last year. She feels a need to put some space between herself and alien-boy.

Is Roswell cancelled or what?
Last Tuesday, crashdown.com reported the show’s third-season order had been cut down to 18 episodes (from 20) and that the show would not be back for season four. UPN later countered that the decision regarding another year of “Roswell” wouldn’t be made till May.

Herc’s rating for “Roswell” 3.12?
**1/2
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:

***** better than we deserve
**** better than most motion pictures
*** actually worth your valuable time
** as horrible as most stuff on TV
* makes you quietly pray for bulletins

I am

Hercules!!