Roswell's inhabitants vanish. Can the aliens save the town?

Written by Fred Golan
Directed by Michael Lange

Roswell's mini apocalypse makes for the third really good episode in a row. There's a great feeling of claustrophobia, as the cast wander the deserted streets, waiting to vanish.

Admittedly, it's not groundbreakingly original, and the science seems a bit iffy, but wow, it's entertaining.

It's also surprisingly subtle - showing how much Max and Isabel love their human parents, as well as nicely setting up a certain human-alien rivalry as the humans start to vanish.

Any shmaltz (and there is some) is also set off by a lovely dry humour - the slightly naughty alien object, Maria's bag full of confidence-boosting pills ("I used to date Michael Guerin"), and Nicholas getting caught picking his spots.

The return of Nicholas is a joy - it's desperately cool that the Royal Four now have a nemesis, especially since it's Nicholas.

Farewell to Courtney, who's despatched just as she's getting interesting. Pause. Sigh. Why couldn't it have been Tess?