Alias Season 5

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2000's, Alias, Alias Season 5, Amy Acker, Élodie Bouchez, Balthazar Getty, Carl Lumbly, Greg Grunberg, J. J. Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Weisman, Mia Maestro, Michael Vartan, Rachel Nichols, Ron Rifkin, Victor Garber

I’ve finally arrived at the final season Alias. After an eventful run, here is where everything finishes. I have totally enjoyed watching this engaging show that combined spies and dramas. So the final season of the show has a lot riding on it to wrap things up and provide good closure. I’m happy to report that it does just that. It may not be the finest season of the show, but it successfully provides us with a thrilling finish to remember as Sydney Bristow’s emotional journey in the spy world comes to an end. Caution, big spoilers will be found in this review as it is the last season and a lot happens.

We open right where Season 4 left us with Vaughn(Michael Vartan) opening up to Sydney(Jennifer Garner) about how he has secrets and that his name isn’t really Michael Vaughn. A car crash soon cuts these revelations short as Vaughn is abducted during this. These events leave Sydney reeling as she attempts to fathom everything going on. She learns that Vaughn is under suspicion of being a double agent, which throws her into shock. Vaughn manages to explain his past after escaping. His real name is Andre and he has been investigating Prophet Five, a mysterious and deadly organisation that his late father was somehow linked to. It is a complex network with underling offices such as The Shed, and Vaughn has been pursuing it with the help of known criminal Renée Rienne(Élodie Bouchez) . There is also some unexpected news for Sydney; she’s pregnant. Just as Sydney is processing some of this information, Vaughn is seemingly killed and this leaves an expectant Sydney grief-stricken. Meanwhile, Jack(Victor Garber) has been made director of APO as Sloane(Ron Rifkin) is incarcerated for his participation in the Rambaldi events in Russia. Sloane has undergone something of a change as his daughter Nadia(Mia Maestro) lies in a coma as a result of his actions and he is prepared to do anything to save her. With the presence of Prophet Five hanging over everything and Rambaldi seemingly part of it, it is not going to be easy in dismantling this evil power. New additions to the APO team are hot-headed and unorthodox Thomas Grace(Balthazar Getty) and Rachel Gibson(Rachel Nichols), a computer analyst who worked for The Shed but was duped into believing it was the US government. Though pregnant, Sydney refuses to back down from work as she fights to bring down Prophet Five, with the help of her father, Dixon(Carl Lumbly), Marshall(Kevin Weisman) and just about anyone else who can provide information. This is going to be the most difficult task for her yet and there will plenty of surprises along the way for her and the threat of Prophet Five’s end game looms larger.

As I mentioned earlier, Season 5 is not a vintage season of Alias, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t great. It is in fact very thrilling and driven by characters, all of which I’ve come to love about the show from creator J.J Abrams. The fact that the season is a little shorter than the others brings about an immediacy to the work presented, allowing both excitement and intrigue. And you can never say that Alias is dull because there is always something eventful happening. Alias retains the interest factor that has been with it even when not at its best, and this technique is employed to the fullest here. The incorporation of Sydney’s pregnancy coincided with Jennifer Garner’s real life expectancy and while this could have put some of the show on the back burner, it actually deepens the story as Sydney is protecting not just herself but her unborn child. Death plays a significant part in this last season, whether it be genuine death or simulated death. The ‘death’ of Vaughn is a gripping way to open, as I was just gobsmacked by what we are lead to believe is his demise. Thankfully through the revealing nature of the show, heroic Vaughn faked his death to save himself. There are also the deaths of Nadia and Jack, which are laced with sadness and will be discussed later in this review. Even at the end, Alias displays how inventive and unpredictable it can be having never lost the element of surprise. And I liked how all the villains from the past( like Sark and Irina) came out of the woodwork here for a final showdown of good against evil. There is a few missteps along the way which I will discuss. The characters of Weiss(Greg Grunberg) and Nadia are somewhat secondary this season which is a shame as I like both of them. Nadia has more to do than Weiss, but both suffer from a lack of material for either. There is a sense of repetition going in some of the stories here that is a bit disjointed if I’m honest as some of it has been done better in the past. Some of the episodes are a little up and down, but once the pace is settled it soars. These flaws though are relatively minor and in the scheme of things don’t do harm to what is a very good final season.

The emotional pull of Alias is very much still on show, in between the action and revelations. With it being the final season, there are tons of memorable moments of deep emotion to be discovered. The slick and stylish additions of the show are still in tact and continue to generate excitement. And the music is still a major highlight; this time setting the emotion driven season with a bittersweet core. Episodes of note are plentiful. The opening of ‘Prophet Five’ has plenty of shocks, not least the ‘death’ of Vaughn at the centre of it. The dazzling old school vibe of ‘Bob’ makes for a cool episode of intrigue and double crosses, as an old enemy makes himself known to everyone once again. Sydney gives birth to a baby girl in ‘Maternal Instinct’, while coming to terms with the return of her traitorous mother Irina, whose working for Prophet Five and has some revealing truth for her daughter. This is followed by the superb ‘There’s Only One Sydney Bristow’ which more than lives up to that title and stands as one of the best episodes Alias has produced in its history. And of course I have to talk of the exceptional finale ‘All The Time in the World’ which is eventful and very satisfying as a close to the series. The end game of Sloane, who has used Prophet Five, is finally revealed; through the use of a Rambaldi artifact he hopes to gain immortality. Elsewhere, Irina is orchestrating a devastating attack on major powers around the world. Sydney and the crew suit up for an epic showdown. There is Sloane becoming immortal, yet becoming trapped underground forever with his sins as comeuppance for everything he has done. This is thanks to a dying Jack, who was injured by Sloane, but goes out with a bang by imprisoning him where no one will find him as revenge for the torture he has plagued Sydney with. Sydney does battle with her mother, but her mother’s greed is what ultimately causes her death. In the end with all of the scores settled, we catch up seven years later with Sydney and Vaughn who are semi-retired and living in peace with two children. The ending is such a really moving one that while happy, has notes of sadness as the show has finally finished. There won’t be a dry eye in the house by the end, in the best possible way.

In this final season, the acting is sublime especially in the main cast. For the final time, Jennifer Garner rocks it as the centre of the show that is Sydney. Both physically and emotionally strong, we have journeyed with Sydney thanks to the stunning work of Garner. She has completely become the character whose determination will not be halted by anyone. It’s a complete performance of conflicting emotions and actions that remains immensely memorable throughout. We glimpse Sydney’s desires, fears and heart through the investment of the performance. Jennifer Garner is the anchor that is Sydney Bristow, and it is as simple as that. Michael Vartan, though absent through the first part of the season, provides this season with the mystery and moving moments as Vaughn must fake his death to escape being terminated by Prophet Five. The love shared between Sydney and Vaughn is here in all its glory and it’s lovely to see them together again. Throughout the show, the depth of their connection has never failed to move me and it does more than that here. Stalwart Victor Garber is his dependable self as the dedicated Jack now with an authoritative stamp, yet not above breaking the rules for the good of those closest. Jack has been one of my favourite characters within the show and he shines here. Ron Rifkin plays Sloane at his most sympathetic, yet never forgets the temptations of the man. I don’t know how Rifkin does it but he has this ability to make you really hate Sloane and then moments later feel bad for him. It’s a very good gift to have and Rifkin has it in abundance, as Sloane sets out to save his daughter but is set upon by the darkness around him and within that turns him fully on to the side of evil.

Mia Maestro, despite not being given the best material, at least makes a mark as Nadia again. She invests a lot into the character that causes her eventual fate to be tragic as she is really a victim in all of the darkness going on. It would have been nice to have seen more of Élodie Bouchez as well, even though she did a credible job in her role of the criminal helping Sydney. These are the only two people who aren’t expanded on enough, but thankfully at least the rest of the characters are. Carl Lumbly, with his easy charisma and upright seriousness and Kevin Weisman with comedic antics, are both superb as respectively Dixon and Marshall. These characters have been with the show since the beginning so it was a joy to see them at their best. Rachel Nichols has a very good part as computer specialist Rachel Gibson, a character who has some resemblance to Sydney but thankfully isn’t a carbon copy. The fact that the Rachel character has been through a similar ordeal makes her relatable and even though she isn’t as adept as others, she shows her mettle. Balthazar Getty is impressive as Tom; a man of action who doesn’t know the meaning of by the book. At first his methods are at odds with Sydney’s, but eventually he wins her over as well as the rest of the team with his effectiveness. A very good addition the cast is Amy Acker as the spineless Kelly Peyton; a worker for Prophet Five whose seemingly pleasing demeanor masks a vicious and remorseless person. She makes for one nasty villain who looks innocent when looking at appearance, but is nothing like the sweet surface projected.

1. Prophet Five – A
2. 1 – B+
3. The Shed – B
4. Mockingbird – B+
5. Out of the Box – C-
6. Solo – B+
7. Fait Accompli – D+
8. Bob – A
9. The Horizon – B+
10. S.O.S – C
11. Maternal Instinct – A+
12. There’s Only One Sydney Bristow – A+
13. 30 Seconds – B
14. I See Dead People – B+
15. No Hard Feelings – B+
16. Reprisal – A
17. All the Time in the World – A+

Season 5 is a great way to finish the trials and tribulations of Sydney and other characters and it nicely bids a nice farewell to the audience who have become so invested in it.

It has been great watching this gripping show and Alias now ranks as one of my favourite television shows. I’m sad to finish it, but happy I watched it and experienced all of the events within it from the characters to the twisty stories. I bid Alias goodbye with fond memories of an inventive adventure that was as thrilling as it was deep and moving.

Alias Season 4

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2000's, Alias, Alias Season 4, Carl Lumbly, Greg Grunberg, J. J. Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Weisman, Mia Maestro, Michael Vartan, Ron Rifkin, Victor Garber

After Season 3 derailed Alias somewhat, Season 4 gets things very much back on track. The cogs click into place and we are left with a wonderful season filled with what we’ve come to love and yet more surprising intrigue revolving around Sydney once more. Caution, spoilers will follow.

After encountering some cloak and dagger activities, Sydney Bristow(Jennifer Garner) is led to a new Black Ops division within the CIA, known as APO. She along with boyfriend Vaughn(Michael Vartan), Dixon(Carl Lumbly) and her father Jack(Victor Garber) have been selected for this newly formed unit which has all the necessary resources for missions and the back up of the rest of the CIA. The only hitch of this is that the superior of everyone here is Sloane(Ron Rifkin), Sydney’s biggest nemesis who she still doesn’t trust with anything. Although she is reluctant to work with Sloane, she accepts the job. Working in the job proves a lot harder for Sydney as she has to encounter the sneaky Sloane every day. Gadget man Marshall(Kevin Weisman) and amusing Weiss(Greg Grunberg) also join the team after deliberation. For Sydney though, she has unfinished business with her father that comes to light quickly. It appears that Jack had Sydney’s mother Irina killed as it became apparent that she had put a hit out on her daughter. Also, Nadia Santos(Mia Maestro) returns after her appearances in the final episodes of the last season. The half-sister of Sydney and the product of an affair between Irina Derevko and Sloane, Nadia didn’t want anything to do with the spy game in the beginning although she served in Argentine Intelligence for a time. But her required skills lead her to the agency( as well as a link to Rambaldi) and back to espionage again, also giving her a chance to know Sydney more. She establishes herself as a capable agent alongside Sydney, with who she grows closer to. In other stories, Vaughn(while tentatively getting back together with Sydney) is dealing with a lot of demons, mainly his wife’s betrayal last season and burgeoning knowledge about his father’s past that point to sinister machinations. Meanwhile, there is more Rambaldi and his prophecies to contend with as they get increasingly bizarre and extraordinary. Can APO function as an agency if there is distrust among everyone, in particular Sydney? Has Jack really had Irina killed, or is it more complex than that? And what is Sloane’s end game, if he has one? You’ll just have to watch to find out.

It is with gladness I report that Season 4 of Alias is a return to form for the show. The tonal diversity of the show reaches a peak here, successfully shifting between the genres thanks to Abrams and his team, with relative ease but staying rooted in the spy world and touching it with fantasy. The mixing of tropes is what made Alias a great show to begin with so with the focus going back to it, the results are inspired. The cinematic essence of the episodes is filled with a style that can’t be ignored and contributes to the fantastical quality of the show. The focused aspects of the show are back, after being sidelined a lot in Season 3 and are just as enjoyable as ever. The pounding music once more sets the amazing backdrop for the show to play out against. On the visual side, the title sequence this time is very accomplished and Sydney’s many disguises flash across the screen in rapid succession. Sure it is complex in terms of plotting, but it is meant to be and rightfully so. Trust has always been a significant theme throughout Alias but it is most explored here. Chiefly it is embodied in the fact that Sloane is the head of APO and Sydney doesn’t know how to ever trust someone who has been the enemy for so long. This only adds to the boiling intrigue of motives and actions as Alias takes flight once more. Father and daughter relationships take up quite a bit of the season too, as both Sydney and Nadia have their own issues with their respective elders. And the writing is pretty stellar as every one of the characters has something to face or come to terms with. One thing you can’t say about Alias is that it is predictable, as the twists and turns know exactly how to wrong foot you. The only real quibble I had was the short appearances of Sark. He has become one of my favourite characters and though he makes a showing here and there, it would have been nice to see more of the slimy villain. That being said, that is the only real problem I found with Season 4.

The cinematic opening two parts of ‘Authorized Personnel Only’ are especially excellent in announcing the return to greatness in a big way. We have the unnerving ‘Ice’, that features a deadly bio-weapon that causes the body to crystallize and implode on impact. Much squeamish activity colours the episode and creeps the audience out no end. The immensely disturbing and nightmarish ‘Nocturne’ is an unusual but compelling episode charting Sydney coming into contact with a hazardous drug and suffering horrifying hallucinations. The episode could easily be a horror short it is that spine-chilling and executed with style. There’s a nice recalling of the SD-6 days within ‘The Index’ as both Sydney and Dixon become suspicious that Sloane is up to his old tricks again and set out to prove it. One of the best episodes can be found in ‘The Orphan’ which utilizes imaginative techniques to flesh out the back story of Nadia and how she came to be the person we see now. Cutting between past and present with urgency, it greatly expands on the character of Nadia and her importance to the story.

The resourceful cast pull it out the bag again with great work. Jennifer Garner impresses again as Sydney; showcasing her stubborn personality and emotional depth with excellent degrees of shading. Sydney is an immensely developed character, but she gains bigger momentum through the work of Garner, who knows the right buttons to press to make us sympathise with Sydney and want her to survive everything thrown towards her. So many facets are present in Sydney; she’s strong yet vulnerable, tough but sensitive and assured yet emotional. All of this and more is found in the amazing work of Jennifer Garner. Michael Vartan does some of his best work as Vaughn in this season. The character has always had the heroic thing going on, so the detour into darkness clouding him is a good move for development. He is put in a situation that he really doesn’t know how to handle, and his anger becomes more pronounced. Victor Garber continues an impressive run of performances as Jack, who is a lot murkier than usual(which is really saying something). Jack definitely appears to be planning something this season, but as usual thanks to the cold and reticent quality of Garber’s acting we are never sure what it is. And as shifty as Jack is, his defining characteristic of being a protective father thankfully remains. The same can be said Ron Rifkin as he portrays Sloane with a crafty secrecy and mystery. We can also glimpse some actual humanity in the character as if he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yet like the intuitive Sydney, we are wary of being trustful of him due to his past record.

The newest addition to the cast of Mia Maestro is a good one. Portraying Nadia as sassy, slightly rebellious but open-hearted, the character is one that bears similarities to Sydney but distinct differences too.  Maestro boasts great chemistry with Jennifer Garner and you genuinely buy them as sisters. The growing closeness is nicely observed, benefiting from the depth of the work from Maestro. Carl Lumbly plays Dixon as a determined and level-headed agent with degrees of respect of depth to it. The affable presence of Greg Grunberg covers the part of Weiss, who is just about one of the funniest things on Alias. And Kevin Weisman rocks it as Marshall, who gets out more in the field this time around. Weisman knows the exact tics to make Marshall both lovable and geeky at the same time.

1. Authorized Personnel Only Part 1 – A+
2. Authorized Personnel Only Part 2 – A
3. The Awful Truth – B
4. Ice – A
5. Welcome to Liberty Village – B-
6. Nocturne – A
7. Detente – B+
8. Echoes – C+
9. A Man of His Word – B
10. The Index – A
11. The Road Home – B-
12. The Orphan – A+
13. Tuesday – A
14. Nightingale – B+
15. Pandora – C
16. Another Mister Sloane – B-
17. A Clean Conscience – B+
18. Mirage – A
19. In Dreams – B
20. The Descent – A
21. Search and Rescue – B+
22. Before the Flood – B+

A welcome rebuilding year for Alias, Season 4 is a great penultimate season for the show with the recalling of the past and a wide showing of talent across the board. You can’t really ask for much more for a season and I know I am really excited to check out the final season.

Alias Season 3

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2000's, Alias, Alias Season 3, Carl Lumbly, David Anders, Greg Grunberg, J. J. Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Weisman, Melissa George, Michael Vartan, Ron Rifkin, Victor Garber

Season 2 of Alias was a high point of the show, with the way it switched things up and delivered twists. It must have been hard to come up with a season that would measure up. And while Season 3 undoubtedly has its moments of greatness, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the past two seasons. You can still enjoy the show however, despite the hiccups present in this flawed season. Caution, spoilers will follow.

We arrive back with Sydney Bristow(Jennifer Garner), who has discovered that for two years she has been missing and presumed dead. Plus she has been left with no real memory of what happened to her. When she returns to the CIA, a lot of things have changed in her absence. Dixon(Carl Lumbly) has been made one of the directors, her father Jack(Victor Garber) was imprisoned for converting with Irina for information on Sydney( though Sydney manages to secure his release), Sloane(Ron Rifkin) has made a deal with the CIA to give information on other criminals, tech wizard Marshall(Kevin Weisman) is expecting a child. The most devastating of all these changes is that Vaughn(Michael Vartan) is now married to NSC agent Lauren Reed(Melissa George), who helps out in operations. Vaughn temporarily left the CIA following what he thought was Sydney’s death, but is brought back into the fold once more. Sydney, while still strong, is frightened and wants to know what happened to her in those missing years. Having to see Vaughn on a day-to-day basis poses another struggle as she harbors deep romantic feelings that have been thwarted. Unbeknownst to Sydney and everyone else, Lauren is in fact working for a criminal organisation soon to be identified as The Covenant. One thing that Sydney does know, thanks to her father’s digging is that she shockingly killed a man, yet can’t recall how and why she did so. The burden of everything begins to weigh heavily upon a shocked and confused Sydney. Add to that Sark(David Anders) is at large again and the new organisation of The Covenant stirring up the criminal underworld, and it’s yet more complex motives to navigate. Will she discover, with the help of those around her such as good friend Weiss(Greg Grunberg), what sinister machinations The Covenant has and how those two years she lost are linked to them?

While it boasts some well crafted episodes, Season 3 falters and loses some momentum along the way of the journey. Parts of this season are undeniably flawed in the very least. There is a feeling that Abrams and his crew are trying to recapture the greatness of what they have built up, but misfires a bit in their attempts. The uneven tone of this season doesn’t help, as there are good episodes but also just as many sub-par ones. While Alias has always had a somewhat wacky premise to it, the other seasons kept it flowing in a good fashion. Here, they are running out of steam a little and it does show. I think some of it stems from the absence of both Irina and Will. Those two characters were very good and added their own touches to it, with Irina driving the last season. Granted Will appears once, but it’s only a short appearance. The writers try to distance from the formula but this doesn’t necessarily work as it tries to be too different to what has come before. And I can understand them wanting there to be drama between Sydney and Vaughn to some extent, but the inclusion of Lauren as the hurdle is not exactly great in terms of a storytelling device. I felt there needed to be more Rambaldi centred episodes of which the first half of Season 3 lacks. But as it progresses, Rambaldi returns once more. All of these negatives being said, I don’t think Season 3 is nearly as bad as some make out. It’s just the lack of focus that marks it down in my estimations.

Now that the negatives are out the way, I’ll talk of the positives to be gleaned. There is definitely many parts of Season 3 to praise as it isn’t a complete disaster; just can’t be categorized as vintage Alias like the first two seasons. The visual side of Alias remains intact, with brightly coloured settings and extraordinary costumes a real joy to observe. The editing is quick and frequently inventive as it follows Sydney’s dangerous everyday life. And the music is pretty stellar; having an electronic pulse but expanding into more orchestral and emotive flourishes. Despite some weaknesses with the plotting, Alias remains mysterious and can still grip when it hits the heights. Special mention must go to the following episodes. ‘Repercussions’ has Sydney and Lauren locking horns on how to deal with the case of a Covenant kingpin. Sloane is enlisted as a double agent and though he seems to want to help, Sydney won’t trust him in this fast-paced installment. ‘Prelude’ features the disturbing dreams of Sydney that could link to the past and her past misdeed being possibly discovered. This leads Jack to take desperate and dangerous action to protect his daughter from exposure. It’s one eventful episode that all ties back to Sydney’s missing years. ‘Full Disclosure’ is possibly the best episode of Season 3 as it gives some answers as to Sydney’s past that shake her to the core. It’s a revelation episode that knows how to keep you glued. Lauren’s duplicity comes close to being discovered in the tense ‘The Frame’ and ‘Unveiled’ in which Sydney and the CIA also have to keep tabs on a Rambaldi artefact that could be hazardous for all who want it.

Season 3 has its share of flaws, the acting thankfully from out of the cast isn’t one of them. Jennifer Garner aces it as Sydney, who is more vulnerable than ever. She can still kick ass when it is needed, but this season features Sydney at her most terrified and confused. Garner is a dab hand at getting across Sydney’s painful plight to discover the truth, despite her fear of what it may reveal. Garner is the only person who could play the role of Sydney this well and she owns it from head to toe. She is Sydney Bristow from start to finish thanks to her stellar and emotive acting. I continue to be impressed by the acting of Victor Garber as Jack. Given that the character is one who usually sports a poker face and a severely cynical outlook, it is amazing how much Garber can bring out in Jack, particularly his concern for his daughter. Through small gestures, Victor Garber demonstrates an immense subtlety and quiet power in the role that he makes all his own. Carl Lumbly plays with low-key brilliance Dixon, who is now in a higher position within the agency. The down to earth charisma and soulfulness are thankfully still present in the character and the great delivery of Lumbly. Ron Rifkin essays the part of Sloane, who has allegedly come over to the side of good, but is still crafty as a fox. Rifkin is most successful at showing Sloane’s manipulative and creepy tendencies as he knows how to reel people in with his ways and get them to divulge what he needs. Some great scenes are generated from his meetings with Sydney who he toys with, yet can’t beat due to her quick wit and intellect in not succumbing to him. He’s something of a complex villain, who alternates between strangely sympathetic and downright evil holding all the cards thanks to the good work of Rifkin. Michael Vartan continues to grow as Vaughn, who is caught in a moral quagmire between his undying love for Sydney and his new wife. Although he tries to hide it, Vaughn still can’t let Sydney go because of how much history they share. A darkness also colours Vaughn this season that adds significant depth to the latter half. Michael Vartan knows how to hit the right notes of indecision and dilemma as Vaughn is forced to acknowledge his feelings.

The most problematic role of the show is that of the deceptive Lauren. Melissa George is a very good actress, but even she can’t save a woefully underwritten part. The character is supposed to be assertive and slightly innocent, but the way she comes off is as a petulant girl rather than cold-blooded agent. None of this is George’s fault as she tries her best, Lauren just doesn’t hold the interest that well in the main frame of the stories. Reptilian nastiness and suave sophistication are embodied by David Anders returning as the opportunistic Sark. Anders can turn the charm on like no ones business but can be devilishly cool as well as cruel, making Sark even more despicable. Kevin Weisman is an utter hoot playing Marshall once more, it’s impossible not to laugh at his comic timing and array of facial expressions. Comic relief also comes courtesy of Greg Grunberg as friendly Weiss. Weiss is the kind of person who you could talk to about anything and he’d have a funny answer to it. With Grunberg in the part, he becomes a good asset for Alias.

1. The Two – C+
2. Succession – C-
3. Reunion – B+
4. A Missing Link – D
5. Repercussions – A
6. The Nemesis – B
7. Prelude – A
8. Breaking Point – C-
9. Conscious – B
10. Remnants – C
11. Full Disclosure – A+
12. Crossings – B-
13. After Six – B+
14. Blowback – D
15. Facade – D-
16. Taken – B+
17. The Frame – A
18. Unveiled – A
19. Hourglass – B
20. Blood Ties – C+
21. Legacy – B
22. Resurrection – B+

It’s not to say that Season 3 of Alias is horrendous, in fact parts of it are very good thanks to the cast and how it still provides thrills. It just happens to be the most flawed season of Alias thus far. Still, it can be enjoyed, though one hopes Season 4 is a lot more coherent and thought out.

Alias Season 2

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2000's, Alias, Alias Season 2, Bradley Cooper, Carl Lumbly, David Anders, Greg Grunberg, J. J. Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Weisman, Lena Olin, Merrin Dungey, Michael Vartan, Ron Rifkin, Victor Garber

Continuing from that jaw-dropping mother of a cliffhanger that Season 1 provided, Season 2 of Alias is a stellar follow on that is even better than the debut season. Introducing new dynamics plus one hell of a game changer in the middle, its compulsive television. Be warned, big spoilers will follow in this jam-packed review of the enthralling Season 2.

We open where we left off as Sydney(Jennifer Garner) comes face to face with her mother Irina Derevko(Lena Olin), who she first believed was dead but later discovered the deception of how she was a KGB agent. Things get more complex when her mother turns herself into the CIA. Sydney’s father and fellow double agent Jack(Victor Garber) is not so convinced that Irina will co-operate in bringing down SD-6, like she claims she will and sets out to prove this. But Sydney despite her better judgement, grows a little closer to her mother and Irina does provide some valuable information. Yet what does she get in the long run? That is the question on everyone’s lips. Sydney and Jack are forced to confront Irina and at times work with her, which makes events complex and challenging as no one knows what her motives are. Meanwhile, Vaughn(Michael Vartan) survived after he seemed to have drowned and returns to the CIA. He finds that his feelings for Sydney have gotten a lot more personal, but are restricted due to company protocol. Ruthless Sloane(Ron Rifkin) has now been given a seat in the Alliance, but is haunted by the fact that his wife who he supposedly killed may still be alive and used as leverage against him in an attempt to undermine him. Everything Sloane has worked for starts to fall away as the intrigue grows. The malevolent and slimy criminal Sark(David Anders) arrive back on the scene and offers his services to SD-6, who accept due to his knowledge. Yet this underscores a level of suspicion as Sydney is reticent of getting close to Sark because of how slippery he is and curious about what his true nature is. The role of Will(Bradley Cooper) changes as he stops being a reporter under duress and now aware of Sydney’s double life, is employed as an analyst for the CIA, which helps with matters pertaining to espionage without leading to jeopardy once more. Although Will now knows, she still has to keep her spy work concealed from best friend Francie and other colleagues at SD-6. Loyal Dixon(Carl Lumbly) begins to question whether Sydney is really a worker for SD-6 or a double agent, causing more conflict. As the roles of her friends change and she must face her own problems, it’s another eventful day for Sydney Bristow in the game of espionage, procuring objects of the mysterious Rambaldi and sabotaging SD-6 until it completely obliterates.

Right off the bat, we are thrust back into the perilous world of Alias, where fun can be had in equal measure. J.J. Abrams, and his team of writers and directors, fashion more crazy but hugely engaging stories for us to savor as Sydney does battle with enemies and even those closest. One of the reasons Alias is a good show is that it can juggle the balls of genres with relative ease. The package is one where you don’t have to suspend belief at various points but you are that fully immersed in the depth of most of it, that you can’t look away. The show has familiar elements like the cliffhanger structure, but this season shifts gears and occasionally takes another route which in turn makes it more intriguing and watchable. The expansion of greatness makes sure this season doesn’t suffer from a slump, instead being the opposite.

The introduction of Irina is a key example of upping the ante and giving more dynamics to a show that prides itself on its shifts in tone. The drama neatly goes hand in hand with the intrigue, allowing emotional interludes and Sydney’s globe-trotting missions where she dresses up in yet more colourful costumes, to be equally as riveting. Some may find the convoluted nature of Alias confusing, but once you get in its hard to resist. On the technical front, the editing and array of camera techniques keep Alias going along as quick as a speeding bullet with style to boot. The electronic beats of the score are twinned with emotive strings and distorted voices for a peculiar but haunting effect.

And here comes the big one that makes this season special. About midway through, the show does a ballsy move by having SD-6 destroyed in a real standout episode entitled ‘Phase One’. Seriously I can’t remember the last time an episode of television thrilled me as much as this one. Through discovering specific files and a computer server, Sydney and other CIA agents finally take down the corrupt organisation, though not without danger. If you want an eventful hour of television this is it. You have Sydney and Vaughn finally kissing, a sexy opener and the shocking killing of Francie, who is subsequently impersonated by a double. It is a work of television art that does everything right and more than delivers shocks in it. The impact of this is felt throughout the later half of the season and cements Alias as a show willing to take risk. More episodes of note are plentiful. A killer opening of revelations is just the right thing to hit the sweet spot and put us right back into this crazy world. The twisting ‘The Counteragent’ features Sydney making a deal with the devil to save Vaughn from a painful death after it is confirmed that he could be infected with a fatal disease, which shows just how much she cares about him. ‘The Abduction’ was a notable and fun episode where talkative gadget geek Marshall(Kevin Weisman) was put in the field for the first time and his mission was hilarious. And the finale ‘The Telling’ is a kick ass piece of television, featuring a shocking twist I never saw coming and a savage fight scene between Sydney and the Francie double in which the whole apartment is destroyed through the use of objects as weapons.

And where Alias score some of its biggest points and victories is with the well assembled cast it has. We have the lovely Jennifer Garner portraying Sydney once more and owning every minute. Sydney finds herself with more than her fair share of things to confront here, and the believable and natural acting from Garner highlights both the fighter and the woman she is. One thing that is hard to miss is how assertive Sydney has become now, she has her demons for sure but her resolve is significantly strengthened and this makes her grow even more. Jennifer Garner is just breathtaking in the amount of emotion she can project with the smallest gesture and the physical side of events that she is more than adept at. She is simply a force to reckoned with and one of immense power. The diminutive but immensely menacing work from Ron Rifkin as Sloane hits a high point here. He imbues Sloane with an insidious nastiness that comes to the front when it becomes apparent he foresaw the collapse of SD-6 and made his moves to go underground. Sloane, thanks to the good work of Rifkin, showcases a sense of vulnerability underneath it all but it’s the viciousness you remember. Victor Garber is on hand once more with his subtle performance as Jack, who will do just about anything to protect his daughter. Jack is one intriguing character who at times appears like he’s doing underhand and dirty things, but knows exactly what his long-term results will be.

By the far  the most interesting character this season is the enigmatic Irina. As played by the remarkable Lena Olin, we are never sure where her true loyalties lie. Essaying the complex character, Olin injects sly and ruthless tendencies, yet manages to show what can be seen as concern for her daughter. But is it all just a show of cunning lies? That’s where the excellence of her performance lies and how dynamic she makes the season. Then we have Michael Vartan returning as Sydney’s handler Vaughn and the two finally making a go of a relationship. More depth is given to Vaughn here, witnessed in his love for Sydney and his smart personality as well as patriotism. And its nice to finally see a relationship of romance develop between him and Sydney. Carl Lumbly and Kevin Weisman are great actors in their roles of Dixon and awkwardly funny Marshall, who are shocked to learn of betrayal but then recruited to the CIA. Carl Lumbly especially brings deep sympathy to Dixon and we feel his pain of being lied to and used. Bradley Cooper’s earnest relatability is very well used as Will, who finds himself back in the spy game but hopefully on the side where he won’t get hurt like in the past due to his snooping. David Anders is given a lot more to do this season after appearing sporadically throughout the first year as the slime ball Sark. He just exudes this smug, silver-tongued villainy that creates a character you love to hate. And partnering him with Sloane as the two go underground and continue to be a thorn in the side looking for Rambaldi works was a very good move. Greg Grunberg is also given an expanded role playing CIA agent and Vaughn’s friend Weiss. His humour and respect is a good asset to the show and it was good to see him being more prominent. And finally Merrin Dungey gets a more fleshed out challenging part to do as Francie and her murderous replacement. Francie was always the character who wasn’t involved in the spying game, so having her killed and replaced adds a whole other dimension to it that Dungey plays well as the evil of the double plays out.

1. The Enemy Walks In – A+
2. Trust Me – B+
3. Cipher – A
4. Dead Drop – B+
5. The Indicator – B+
6. Salvation – C
7. The Counteragent – A
8. Passage Part 1 – B
9. Passage Part 2 – B-
10. The Abduction – A
11. A Higher Echelon – B+
12. The Getaway – B
13. Phase One – A+
14. Double Agent – B-
15. A Free Agent – B
16. Firebomb – C
17. A Dark Turn – A
18. Truth Takes Time – B
19. Endgame – C+
20. Countdown – B+
21. Second Double – A
22. The Telling – A+

An unpredictable, action-packed sophomore season, Alias Season 2 is addictive television that is far from predictable as it constantly challenges and reshapes what we thought we know.

Alias Season 1

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2000's, Alias, Alias Season 1, Bradley Cooper, Carl Lumbly, J. J. Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Weisman, Merrin Dungey, Michael Vartan, Ron Rifkin, Victor Garber

I wanted to get back into the swing of things by writing about television again. This time I decided to find a show that I’d never watched prior to this. I settled on Alias, a spy/ action series that I’d heard of but never saw before. Anyone who regularly frequents my blog will know of my love for the spy genre and a strong female character. These are both provided in Alias, as well as pulse pounding action, cool missions, deepening mysterious twists and some excellent character development. So here is my review of the first season of Alias. Caution, spoilers will follow.

Sydney Bristow(Jennifer Garner) to everyone else around her appears to be just an average young woman; a grad student taking English as a subject while leading a seemingly reasonable and uneventful life. Yet she has a very big secret, she works for SD-6, a covert part of the CIA where she is a well trained and immensely capable spy. Naturally keeping her identities from mingling is difficult for Sydney, yet it gets a lot more complicated and dramatic when her unsuspecting boyfriend Danny proposes. Feeling that she has to be honest with someone she plans on being with for a long time, Sydney reveals the truth about her spy work. Yet by telling Danny of her true nature, danger and tragedy soon follow. Her revelation is overheard by her superiors, in particular the cold and calculating Arvin Sloane(Ron Rifkin), and as a result Danny is killed for what he knows about the organisation. Devastated by this, Sydney does not know which way to turn. Her estranged father Jack(Victor Garber) arrives on the scene and drops a massive bombshell. SD-6 is not a branch of the CIA at all, but the very enemy Sydney believed she was fighting against, as well as the fact that he’s a double agent. Reeling from this, Sydney goes to the real CIA with her information and is quickly recruited to act as a double agent due to her skills. She is assigned a handler in Michael Vaughn(Michael Vartan), who she at first clashes with but then comes to an understanding with. Sydney is determined to bring down SD-6, even though being a double agent is an extremely risky move. So off she goes on double missions: which consist of recovering specific objects pertaining to a historical figure called Milo Rambaldi(who Sloane has an obsession with) or information for SD-6 and at the same time bringing knowledge and more evidence to bring down the organisation for the CIA with similar counter missions. This danger plays out as Sydney attempts to keep her identity hidden from her friends and SD-6, even as one of her closest friends, reporter Will Tippin(Bradley Cooper) begins to conduct his own investigation into Danny’s death not realising what he’s getting himself into. Her main colleagues at SD-6; Marcus Dixon(Carl Lumbly) and gadget man Marshall Flinkman( Kevin Weisman) are also in the dark about the nefarious organization’s true purpose, which poses another challenge for Sydney as she cares about them both but can’t reveal herself. Knowing her own mortality is one the line, Sydney suits up in a rash of disguises as she executes her work and begins to slowly destroy SD-6 from the inside. There’s also the matter of her stained relationship with her father to contend with, as well as things from the past like the “death” of Sydney’s mother that remain mysterious, before slowly coming to light.

From the very first moments Season 1, I knew that Alias was going to be something I’d enjoy. It’s hard to put my finger on why, but I’ll give it a good try. From the talented imagination of J. J. Abrams, Alias flourishes into a show of many layers to it, from action to mystery and even touches of drama. Alias employs some very good cliffhangers, that have you wanting to know what’s going to happen next as Sydney’s globetrotting missions get more thrilling as they continue. Taking influence from the Bond movies, Alias has the title sequence play as one mission finishes and another begins which is generally in the middle of an episode, quickening the impact and continuing the trend of having us biting our nails by the end of each episode. These techniques help the episodes flow into each other, craft nifty cliffhangers and are on point with keeping things very interesting in the long run.

Alias thankfully doesn’t dumb things down in the way that some action films or television can, instead showing off more personal and unexpected parts to compliment the thrills of which there are a lot. The quick pace of the show(perfectly blended with a whole host of electronic and techno music) is efficiently offset with the quieter moments when we see Sydney growing as a person and attempting to keep her secret protected. Not enough spy series or movies develop the characters in my book; the people are usually super strong and largely impervious to threat. Yet the character of Sydney is refreshingly different, because while she is very strong physically and emotionally, at the end of the day she’s got a vulnerability and depth to her that sets her apart from the pack. There is fun to be had with Alias watching as Sydney is each episode dressed up in an array of unusual costumes and brightly coloured wigs in order to carry out her missions. Some of the get-ups are pretty outrageous but this adds to the fun to be had as the scripts stop it from falling into completely ridiculous or inane territory with witty lines, references to parts of possible fantasy and action never far from view. Season 1 reveals itself as a strong and twisting starting point for a show that officially has me hooked. Standout episodes are a plenty, particularly the opening episode ‘Truth Be Told’ that unravels in the middle of the action and fills in the gaps in a non linear structure. The action packed ‘Doppelgänger’ is a real treat that is almost cinematic in execution and should be applauded for the balance between thrills and emotional drama. Creepiness is brought in among the many tonal differences of the show in ‘Reckoning’ and ‘Color Blind’, where Sydney has to go undercover as a mental patient in a horrifying asylum in Romania that is shot with the atmosphere of an old horror movie. ‘The Prophecy’ is one of the most eventful and entertaining episodes, as well as having Roger Moore feature in a guest role. And you can’t ask for a better season finale than the one provided, which answers some questions yet leaves us with questions for Season 2 Not every episode is stellar( then again what show has a season of constantly amazing episodes?), but the vast majority are extremely well orchestrated and executed. It would be impossible for me to write about every great episode as I would be here all day.

The excellent work of Jennifer Garner in the part of Sydney is what really makes the show tick. She is the beating heart of Alias and the one who most requirements fall upon as it’s primarily her story. And let me say that Jennifer Garner doesn’t miss a beat. Garner displays how Sydney’s world and what she thinks she knows is crumbled away and she is left to fight to get some semblance of it back. Her anger, intelligence, sadness and fear are all very palpable from the beginning of the show. Sydney clearly is anything but an uninteresting character and emerges as a well-developed, strong and resourceful woman having to juggle each side to her life that threatens to overflow if she isn’t careful. As much as Sydney is the mistress of concealment, Jennifer Garner brings out an emotional honesty to her that displays how Sydney may be a kick ass spy but she’s still a human being of genuine emotion. I simply cannot imagine anyone else playing the fighter that is Sydney both in the physical and emotional ways that Jennifer Garner brings to the table. Michael Vartan has the required smarts, eagerness and good looks that are great in the part of CIA officer Vaughn, who grows to be more attached to Sydney than he expected. The two have sparks but the show hints at them rather than just immediately make them an item, letting them grow closer over time. Victor Garber portrays Sydney’s enigmatic father Jack, whose fractured relationship with his estranged daughter plays in heavily throughout the narrative. Garber excellently gets across the reticence of Jack to reveal specific information which at first makes him seem uncaring, when in actual fact it is his way of shielding his daughter from even more danger than she often finds herself in. He is revealed to be a deeply compassionate man not afraid to take violent action to ensure the safety of Sydney. The dynamic of the two has the required awkwardness and unease to it that makes that part of the series mysterious yet with a growing near trust. Ron Rifkin is on hand for the creepy villainy and dedicated to the job tendencies of the corrupt Sloane, who slowly becomes suspicious that there is a mole in his organization. Just with a simple look, Rifkin gets across the darkness of this man and also a strange depth. Carl Lumbly and Kevin Weisman are solid as two of those working at SD-6: the loyal and well-meaning Dixon and geeky gadget master Marshall. Lumbly plays his performance as subtle and understated, while Weisman revels in the amusing tics of the awkward Marshall who comes up with some baffling but useful gadgets. Bradley Copper excels as the determined reporter Will, who out of unrequited love for Sydney, investigates the mysterious events around her and finds a lot more than he bargained for. Merrin Dungey stars as Francie, Sydney’s best friend and has the right chemistry with Jennifer Garner to create a convincing bond between these two. It helps the way the show balances Sydney’s dangerous double life with a sense of normality when she’s seen with Francie. She has probably the most ordinary role in the scope of the series, but it’s meant to be like that.

1. Truth Be Told – A+
2. So It Begins – A
3. Parity – B+
4. A Broken Heart – B
5. Doppelgänger – A+
6. Reckoning – A
7. Color Blind – A
8. Time Will Tell – B-
9. Mea Culpa – B+
10. Spirit – A
11. The Confession – B
12. The Box Part 1 – A
13. The Box Part 2 – A-
14. The Coup – C
15. Page 47 – B+
16. The Prophecy – A+
17. Q & A – C+
18. Masquerade – C-
19. Snowman – B+
20. The Solution – B+
21. Rendezvous – A
22. Almost Thirty Years – A+

An excitingly intricate show that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Alias has now become a fast favourite of mine as Season 1 draws you into it so effectively and fills it with mystery, espionage and a remarkable heroine. This has me super stoked for Season 2 and what it may have to offer in the way of twisting narrative and thrills.