Episode Guide 202
Ask Not
In Brief:
With the death of Nasedo, there is a new threat to the gang known only as "Skins". There are too many suspects; is it the new waitress Courtney who has an obsession for Michael?, Congresswoman Whittaker who was close to the former alien hunter Pierce, or Brody; the mysterious new owner of the UFO Center? Tess is struggling to accept that Nasedo is no longer there to protect her, and after a scare, moves in with the Valentis', much to the chagrin of Kyle. Michael's getting frustrated with Max's inaction and Isabel is trying not to get stuck in the middle. Whilst Max is struggling with how to make leadership decisions, his gravity of choices is mirrored in the class study of President Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
<<rewind<<
dancing after hours in the Crashdown
Max telling, but not really telling Maria about leadership issues
Tess and Max on the front stoop
Tess moves in with the Valentis
Pop Culture:
Calvin Klein; undie king of America. He is a designer famous for the white cotton briefs & boxers with his name stitched on the elastic waistbands
Kennedy, John F; one of the most famous presidents in US history and one of the most popular. Assassinated whilst in a Dallas visit by an unknown gunmen (though they did arrest Lee Harvey Oswald), Kennedy is remembered for his charisma and his philandering with the ladies.
the tramp Maria is referring to is Marilyn Monroe, who amongst others was one of the starlets and beautiful women who had affairs with the President Kennedy when he was married to Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.
Pattycake; is derived from a nursery rhyme "Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man..." which is a hand sequence between two people. Colloquially refers to two people playing around with each other
the title: Ask Not comes from a famous JFK speech in which he says " Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather, what you can do for your country...."
Noriega, Commander; sounds familiar because he was the head of state of Panama, only to be tried and convicted on drug charges
Post-its; little bits of paper with restickable glue strip on the back
Planet Vulcan; another Star Trek reference, Mr Spock was a Vulcan
Jugs, Hustler & Busty Biker Babes; Porn magazines, though of the 3 I've only heard of Hustler
Continuity:
Kyle refers to being shot, and that being Max's fault
Isabel uses her alien power to play the CDs, a power she hasn't utilized since the pilot. A change over worthy of a great DJ.
Max's conversation with Maria in the lunch yard is an example of how they have bonded over the summer (Skin & Bones)
Milton, Max's former boss (Missing, Convention, Into the Woods) at the UFO Centre, whose life work was the extensive alien archives has sold up to the new owner Brody Davis
The alien pentagon device was also featured in the final scene of last year's finale Destiny
Tess once again refers to Nasedo's capacity as only the pod squad's protector (Destiny)
healing stones (Balance & Destiny) are featured again
Michael calls Max Fearless leader when he is sarcastic (Skin & Bones)
The date of the orb's activation is May 14th, so if Nasedo has been masquerading as Pierce for 3 months, that would place the time as roughly the start of the US school system (September)
Bloopers:
Quotable quotes:
Isabel: "I'm too young to be dust"
Tess:
"Kind of uptight about nudity, aren't you..... for a guy that reads
Jugs."
Kyle:
"Give me that!"
Tess:
"Oh...the post-its? Nice touch."
Isabel
(checking Michael's ribs): "They don't feel broken"
Michael:
"Yeah. Not to you."
Isabel: "We're at war. It's him or us, and I choose us."
Max:
"...It's a long story.."
Maria:
"Oh, well, I certainly don't want to hear a long story unless there's a
Kennedy involved."
Brody: "Tell people you've seen the Virgin Mary and they'll light candles outside your bathroom, but you tell 'em you've been abducted by aliens, and they'' write you off as a lunatic."
It's an Alien thing:
Max demonstrates his new power of producing a power 'shield'
Isabel's CD playing power is used again
Max can open electronic locks
the alien Pentagon device; activated by the energy surge from the communicators (high-energy microwave signal), the use & power of the device is still unclear
Tess has some healing powers, she heals Max's graze
Nasedo had taught Tess memory retrieval techniques, where she can recall images, impressions and feelings of her former life.
The only thing that Brody remembers about his alien abduction is the colour of the walls, and the smell of burnt hair, losing about 2 days of time. But he was miraculously cured of his terminal bone cancer.
Production Notes:
