Episode 3.09 Samuel Rising
Character Shelby Prine
Directed By Patrick Norris
Written By Jason Katims
Air Date December 18, 2001

Episode Summary
The story begins with Max, Liz and the rest of the gang hanging out at the Crashdown. Isabel is in full Christmas nazi mode as the determined organizer of Roswell’s annual Christmas pageant thereby alienating everyone around her, including Jesse who has never seen this side of his wife’s personality. Max is taken aback when a young boy approaches him and calls him Daddy. Max learns that the child (Samuel) is autistic and rarely speaks. Thinking that his son may be trying to communicate with him through the child Max sets out to become his friend.

Isabel ropes Maria and Liz into being elves for the Christmas pageant. Michael shows up as Santa and procedes to enervate Maria as a way of getting back together with her. Maria is tempted but ultimately tells Michael that they can’t go back to the way things were. The Valentis are also in attendance and Kyle is flustered by his Dad’s budding relationship with one of his former classmates. Luckily Jim comes to his senses and puts the romance on hold.

Meanwhile, Max has entered Samuel’s life with limited success. Liz tries to bring Max down to Earth by saying his interest in the boy might not be alien related after all. Still wanting to help Samuel, Max convinces Isabel to use her alien abilities so that Samuel’s parents can visit his dreams. Max’s plan works and Samuel and his parents are drawn closer together. Max thanks Liz for helping him see how off base he was about Samuel and tells her that for him, she is family.