"It's a father's weekend. A get-to-know your dad kind of thing."

Penned by Thania St. John and directed by Nick Marck, this episode delved into family dynamics and also provided more clues in the search for a fourth alien. With a prologue worthy of the X-Files, the episode opened with a UFO sighting that stirred the interest of everyone from the resident UFOlogist to River Dog. A school sponsored father-child camping trip provided the perfect excuse for everyone to be crawling about the woods looking for evidence.

Random Thoughts

It was nice to explore the relationship between Kyle and his father. We've been given tidbits of information about their family history in the past, but now it's really been laid out on the table for us how Kyle feels about his father's preoccupation. As if it's not bad enough that he lost Liz to Max Evans, now he's losing his father to him as well. I did like the way the episode wrapped up, with Valenti mending fences with his own father. Hopefully this bodes well for his future relationship with Kyle as well. The symmetry of the two relationships was very well portrayed. Both William Sadler and Nick Wechsler did a great job showing the difficulty both characters are having communicating with each other and their struggle to understand the situation they find themselves in.

They've done a good job adding dimensions to Sheriff Valenti and not just giving us a black and white villain. His agenda hasn't been fully exposed yet and we're still not sure whether he poses the threat that Max, Michael and Isabel obviously think he does.

It's becoming increasingly obvious that Michael is in serious need of a father figure in his life. In spite of the fact that he's a self proclaimed loner, he is searching desperately for someone to fill those shoes. His jealousy is apparent in his gruff manner whenever he talks about Max and Isabel's father and his acute need in his haste to jump to the conclusion that River Dog is not only the fourth alien, but also their father. There hasn't been anything up to this point to support his belief that the missing alien is even related to them, much less a parent. The scene where Michael confronts River Dog for answers was sad and heartfelt.

I liked the dramatic extreme shown as we cut from the scene of Liz and her father sharing a warm hug to Michael's home where Hank can't even be bothered to keep milk in the house, much less provide any kind of nutritious meal for him.

I did wonder why River Dog only attempted to track down Michael. I originally assumed that Michael told him about the camping trip and they were planning to meet up with Isabel and Max, but they were all surprised to run into each other in the woods and I didn't get the impression that Michael and River Dog expected to see them.

It seemed strange, too, that Max was the one pushing to look into the sighting. That seemed much more up Michael's alley and yet Michael seemed to dismiss it until River Dog showed up. It seemed out of character for him to not pursue the possibility of a clue even if it meant joining the Evans' party. More evidence that Michael doesn't have the best relationship with Philip Evans, perhaps?

I find it interesting that Max, Isabel and Michael would call one of their own an alien. Doesn't it stand to reason that everyone else would be the aliens to them?

Dislikes

Overall, I really liked the deeper look we were given into the dynamics of the Valenti family, but I thought the last scene between the sheriff and Kyle ended badly. We were just left hanging with Kyle's accusation that he's filling the same position that Jim did as a child with his father. I was hoping to see more of a reaction to this from the sheriff. It apparently made some impact since it inspired him to visit his father in the nursing home, but the scene with Kyle was unresolved. I was hoping for some acknowledgment on his part to Kyle that there was some truth to the accusation.

And speaking of the nursing home, just imagine how long it's been since the sheriff has actually been to see his dad since he didn't even recognize him and had to have him pointed out by an orderly.

So, Max, Michael and Isabel needed a private place to talk and the eraser room at school was the best they could manage? I agree it made for some comic relief to have them all pile into the eraser room, but since Max found out about the sighting the night before, it seems to me he could have found some privacy with at least Isabel at home or in the Jeep on the way to school.

For such a deadbeat, Hank sure manages to move himself and Michael around a lot. This was the third home we've seen them living in. The first was a house in the pilot episode and the second was a completely different trailer in 'The Morning After'. They are moving up a little though, because this one actually has a covered patio.

Mr. Evans was looking different in this episode. Oh, maybe that's because it wasn't the same guy who played him in 'The Morning After'.

So, now even Liz's dad thinks she'd be involved with drugs. The people in her life don't trust her very much, do they? I'd be starting to get a complex if I were her.

Likes

I loved the look on Max's face when Milton asked him about close encounters.

The interaction between Alex and Isabel was wonderfully done. I liked how casually she turned the tables on him when he asked her to the arty film festival and asked him to a regular movie instead. And I loved the scene when they are looking at the stars together. She looked so pleased when he explained how the stars were so full of possibilities now. And so panicked when she realized how seriously Alex was taking her interest.

I was glad to see Isabel taking a little of her own medicine when it comes to getting serious about anyone. I should qualify that by saying that I don't agree with that decision, and really want her to be with Alex. But it is only fair that if she's going to be so stubbornly resistant to Max dating Liz, then she shouldn't indulge in serious relationships herself. And it's clear that she's beginning to realize a relationship with Alex would be serious.

Maria's whole attitude change provided comic relief, although it seemed like a case of "the lady doth protest too much". She did have most of the best lines this time around though. The whole aqua bra bit was great. As was the effort to convince Max and Michael they had big dates for the weekend. With men, no less. I laughed out loud when Max discovered they'd been lying.

How cute was Max playing poker with the men and cheating so Liz's dad could win? I hope Liz appreciates his efforts to win brownie points.

Michael's powers are improving. He must be practicing. It's probably a good thing River Dog didn't know about the past disasters caused by Michael's lack of control over his powers.

Favorite Quotes

Maria: "Liz, today is the first day of the rest of our lives."
Liz: "Spending time with your mother again?

Maria: "Ixnay on the iningpay"

Maria: "Like a puppy in heat. He's my next project."

Isabel: "I can't believe I'm in the eraser room with you two."

Michael: "There's no milk."
Hank: "Use beer."

Maria: "My idea of the great outdoors is rolling my windows down in the car on my way to the mall."

Deputy: "He's a walking bundle of stress."
Kyle: "That's my dad."

Maria: "Am I going to have to do an intervention with you?"

Maria: "It's an aqua bra. You know, all the fun of implants without the invasive surgery part."

Maria: "We've both been kind of busy."
Michael: [looking at her chest] "Yeah, I can see that."

Liz: "It's not that cold."
Maria: "You're not wearing an ice bra."

Maria: "Another one being sucked into the alien abyss."

Maria: [Watching Michael follow Max into the eraser room] "No wonder he couldn't make a commitment."

Alex: "Did I mention that I'm not very athletic except for dodge ball?"

Alex: "I was wondering - do aliens enjoy the cinema?"
Isabel: "Alex..."
Alex: "Yeah, right. Sorry. The 'A' word."

Max: "So River Dog saw the light."
Michael: "The Dog himself."

Liz: "Alex, you're paranoid schizophrenia? It's kicking in."
Alex: "Right. I'm going to go to the bathroom and have a little talk with myself."

Max: "We've been looking forward to it."
Isabel: "Yeah, absolutely. Mosquitos, pit toilets and animal droppings. Yes!"

Liz: "Maria, having a life is one thing, but having a whole fantasy life is just a little bit troubling, don't you think?"

Isabel: "Well, that's our new policy, Dad. We're joiners. Right, Max?"
Max: "Joiners."

Maria: "We were making such progress."

Max: "I wanted us to slow down, not screech to a halt."

Milton: "Where's Max Evans?"
Maria: "I thought he worked for you, dude."

Milton: "A close encounter. How many of us can say we've had that?"

Liz: "I hate not knowing what's going on with Max."
Maria: "His decision, if I recall."

I give this episode 3.75 UFOs out of 5.