Alias

I have to say I have been a huge fan of the first 4 seasons of Alias but season 5 is going down in a hurry. I have seen every episode up until this point and this might be the worst one so far. They should have never written the pregnancy into the show. In my opinion it has totally ruined. Sydney going on missions is just stupid to try and believe. I will watch every episode of this series but I have to say that season 5 is not doing it for me. It just seems like there is nothing going on at all. I hope the final few episodes make up for the dull beginning on season 5.

I thought that the beginning of the episode kind of dragged on a little long, but it got better as the episode went on. Do I really care much about Rachels family getting put into Witness Protection? Not at all. If this wasnt the last season and we needed to have some character devolopment on her I would mind.



Either way - after that the episode got a bit better. Its stilla little weird to see someone getting the better of Arvin - hopefully soon enough Arvin will put an end to Dean telling him what to do. I thoguht the scene on the boat was cool - it was odd seeing Sydney sitting one out, but thats the way Alias had to form due to her pregnancy with her child.



Pretty average Alias episode, nothing blockbuster and nothing below average.

So Rachael’s first mission turned out to be a success after a few mistakes and a boring fight scene. This episode was not that bad, no Alias episodes are really unwatchable, but it just was not my favorite. I decided to break down this review into the Good and the Ugly: The Good: The mission in India was fun to watch and provided a lot of humorous moments. "He'll want to see me about this (rubs her stomach)" and "Ours is a forbidden love!" It made me miss the old team and makes me want some more Dixon and Sydney missions, something we haven’t got for a long time. I also liked that Sloane is just assistant director now at A.P.O and that Jack got to stay head director. I like Jack being the Director, it's something that he hasn't done before and it's way over do. I hope this makes him be in more scenes, every scene with Jack is excellent. The Ugly: The fight between Rachael and Peyton felt weird and awkward. It didn't feel like a normal well choreographed Alias fight and it also seemed short. I did not like the exchange at all between Rachael and Peyton before the fight. Both actresses didn't seem like they knew how their characters were supposed to feel and when Rachael was saying to Peyton "You were bad all along.." blah blah blah "I can't believe it" she didn't even look like she really meant it. I didn't like the Rachael mission today and am pretty shocked Jack sent her into the field after she ran in India. It's not a choice I would have made but I guess it worked out in the end. All in all the episode had it's moments but J.J. and the team can do a lot better. Final Ratings: 1 1/2 out of 4 Stars - Tim Bronx Find this and many other reviews at: www.motionpicturereviews.com

Solo was a good change of plot. We got to see more of Rachels character development, and how she is like. It tought her a lesson, and it most likely showed us how Sydney was on her first Solo lesson. But people you have a point, it does look a lot like the good people at the tv studios are trying to replace Sydney with Rachel, but I can see their point, Sydney is pregnent, so she can't have a whole lot of action. One thing I would like though, is if they didn't keep her out of the show as much as they did in that so much, the show, is, about Sydney, not about Rachel.

We watch a lot of TV. A heck of a lot in fact. About 18 or more a week. So when, in season 4, things started to get just plain ridiculous on Alias, I stopped watching.



Maybe I just didn't like Nadia. That is possible actually. She was whiny and freaky and not Sydney.



But this season is so much better. I miss Vaughn. A lot. But I really like Rachel and I hope they keep her around. Eeek. I narrowly miss checking out to see if they write Rachel out and did not manage to stop myself checking out Michael Varton. Oh well, I am glad he is coming back. Grrr.



Anyway, I am glad Alias is back and I am enjoying it much more this season.

Well here we go with my first Alias review for the season. Without the dynamic between Vaughn and Sydney, its not the same show. The new charachters are just like props, We have not got to know them yet and its almost a third into the season. This was the one where they really could have hit it out of the park but they decided to fill it with sydney instead of the new girl. How are we going to want for her to win and feel her pain if we don't know her. That other guy just seems like a thug for hire we don't even know why he is there yet. What did Jack see in him. I hope we will see this through soon. I don't like the cahnces for season 6.

I watch this show because I like Jennifer Garner. I'm tired of the blond, the stupid story lines, and the fact that Michael Vartan still has not come back. They show have put the show on hold until she had the baby like they did with Crossing Jordan. Why do writers always ruin good shows?

The new girl has a lot of work to do if she thinks she can do half as good as Sydney can. Also, Thomas Grace is very good not to mention good looking. Still bring back Vaughn. Thomas and Rachel can be the second team to Sydney and Vaughn. Sloane still up to his old tricks.

A lot of folks have jumped on the "Alias sucks" bandwagon lately, but I think this season has been pretty strong so far, especially considering what they're dealing with - J.G.'s pregnancy and the idiotic decision by someone somewhere to kill (maybe!) Vaughn.



This episode continued with the things they're doing right this year, namely giving all the new cast members good stuff to do.



I don't know if I would love Amy Acker so much if I wasn't a Whedon-geek, but I am and I do, so I was thrilled when she showed up again this week. I also think Balthazar Getty is doing a great job as the new guy, and I think they've made wise decisions with the character - namely, he's nothing like Vaughn.



And giving Sloan a reason to be bad (does he even really need one?) is always a good idea.

sloan is a double agent working for the men who brought rachel into what she thought was the cia. still no cure for nadia. sloan admits he goes to see her but cant bring himself to go in just checks in with the doctors..sydney is not having a good time of it, she misses vaughn and sees another father in the sotore with his little girl and is reminded of how vaughn would've been. we see her in a rocking chair playing a tape of his voice to her belly. rachel is struggling with her new job and gets upset over her family, who she wasnt able to tell about things until now. her first solo mission is a success, despite her fudge job on the last mission.

The process of shifting Sydney out of the field and into a mentorship role takes a huge leap in this episode, which means that the success of the tale was resting heavily on the lovely shoulders of Rachel Gibson and her solo efforts. Thankfully, as her awkward phase ends, her relevance as a character gains momentum. This is good, because it’s about time for the “introduction” phase of the season arc to be over so the story can move forward.



It certainly doesn’t hurt that she was a former model with a famously chameleon-like beauty; she’s quite suited to this world, from a physical perspective. But this is a role that requires a strong range, especially when it comes to portraying a convincing vulnerability, and Rachel Nichols is surprisingly good at it. There’s little doubt that Rachel (the character) is far from comfortable on her own in the field, and it’s clear whenever she pushes down that doubt to get the job done.



To get the obvious out of the way first, Rachel was incredibly hot as Ramandy (Ha!), and not just because of the slutty low-cut dress. When she poured on the heat, she threw some glances at the camera that practically set the world on fire. Like Sydney before her, she understands that she has loads of sex appeal and how to use it. As her development as a field agent progresses, she ought to have more to fall back on.



Amy Acker was also surprisingly gorgeous in this episode, which may not come as a huge surprise. After all, she was also a model and noted for her hotness, but in a very girlish way. In several scenes (particularly her first scene in the episode), Amy looked more mature and substantial in her beauty. The wetsuit didn’t hurt, but when she’s not tossing out terribly melodramatic lines, she is far better at the role of Peyton than one might have predicted.



The writers are still bashing the audience over the head with the analogies; they should have treated the audience to figure out on their own that Sydney was shifting into a Vaughn-like role with Rachel. (And if that vague hint about Rachel’s preferences earlier in the season comes to be true, that could be far more disturbing than it already is!) In a sense, Peyton is like the new Anna: Rachel’s nemesis in the organization that is directly opposed to Rachel’s organization.



That shift is very interesting, and Rachel is likely to win over many fans once they recognize the necessity of the character, but the treatment of the story has certain problems. The writers have a good enough “Alias” story in place, but the dialogue is particularly worrisome, and some scenes are just a bit too direct.



For instance, Gordon Dean acts like he should be a villain in a bad James Bond film. He’s way over the top in how he deals with Sloane, which doesn’t make sense. Yes, he has an advantage, but this is Sloane; messing with him is typically a bad idea, or is Dean completely unaware of what happened to Lindsey in the third season? What makes it even worse is that Sloane is doing what Dean wants, only on his own terms. From Dean’s point of view, why push Sloane so hard? Does Dean want Sloane to turn around and betray him?



Sloane’s character thread this season is far from satisfying, which is hard to understand. His position should be compelling, and work as something of a counterpoint to Rachel’s experience. Both are conflicted in their loyalties. The problem is the portrayal of the enemy; in this case, Dean is not strong enough a character to generate a serious threat. Peyton is better as a lethal fame fatale, but even her dialogue tends towards the unfortunately ham-fisted quality of Dean’s scenery-chewing.



While Rachel gets a lot of attention in this episode (from the writers and the audience), the other two new characters are somewhat less served. Thomas Grace throws out some good snide comments here and there, but his character doesn’t have much definition beyond filling the Noah Hicks role of solid, experienced partner. And Rene is little more than the “unofficial and questionable ally”, though the previous episode was promising for the future.



Despite the dialogue issues, this was still a good advancement for the season, if only because it gets the characters closer to the “complication” phase of the arc. What the writers really need to do is simple: make the enemy compelling enough for the audience to care. Yes, they killed Vaughn, but a good chunk of the audience blames someone other than the villain for that, so it’s not working on an objective level. Making the enemy more substantial would do much to mitigate the feeling that “Alias” has run out of things to say.

Sydney still going out in the field surprises me with all the danger and her being pregnant but I love how she uses the pregnancy with her Aliases LOL My heart broke when she was in the baby store. Sydney is so strong but I don't think she ever realized how much she really leaned on Vaughn. We know she kicks butt, but he really did help her through it all.



Sloane and Gordon Dean--Gordon wants to push Sloane around but I don't think Gordon really knows who he's dealing with. Gordon may think he's in control but he's also dealing with the king of double-cross. I look forward to Sloane using his evil for a good cause.



I thought it was hilarious when they told Sydney they had to send in a 'hooker' and she wasn't really in the means to pull off that Alias. Rachel looked terrified when she got off that boat. Like my husband said, she's not Jennifer Garner. But she is doing well with the part of the newbie. She is the geek of the bad guy corporation, so she's more like Marshall going out on missions. I like her, but I can't wait to see Sydney kicking butt again.



And the end, with Sydney playing tapes in the rocking chair to the baby of her and Vaughn on coms--priceless. Made me cry--really can't wait until they bring back Vaughn. Sydney really needs him.

I admit it has been a less-than-stellar season so far. It's probably slow since they have to set-up all these new characters on us. Nothing has popped since the "death" of Vaughn. Hey, I'd be more than happy to move on, but give us an episode to savor. "Solo" seems just right. The episode is a delicious concoction of the season’s new ingredients.



Sydney’s pregnancy? Check. Loving the idea that Sydney posed as a pregnant mistress. Don’t underestimate pregnant women. They may be huge, but they can get through the door.



Sloane’s new complicated position? Check. Once again, Sloane is caught between good and evil. He’s been too good lately. He owes us some share of bad deeds and his partnership with the duplicitous Gordon Dean might prove to be one tricky situation. This is so much better than him being locked up.



Gordon Dean in the old Sloane role? Check. You have to commend the man who has the audacity to manipulate Sloane. Plus, he has the notorious Kelly by his side. He needs a charming Sark-type though.



Rachel in the old Sydney role? Check. Lately, Sydney is too invincible or looking too inhuman. With newbie Rachel, risk and danger once again factor into the missions. I love that Rachel lacks improvisational skills. She runs away when she sees a guard. She’s so not a spy and she’s barely convincing as the hooker “Raymandy.” But she’s learning and best of all - she’s human and more relatable.



And is it me or there’s a smidge of a new ingredient thrown into the mix? Sydney might have been Rachel’s Vaughn, but Tom might be Rachel’s “Vaughn.”