Alias

It's always good to see Dixon out of the office, and it's about time Carl was given something to do this season, the man has been criminally underused! The episode itself was average at best; it was one of the most straightforward stories of the year, and caps off a run of 4 so-so episodes in a row. The ending was punch-the-air stuff, though, and I'm glad it's Jack who pieces that Lauren is the mole. Weelll, if I can read my Jack non-facial expressions, I'm certain he knows. Overall, it's a decent episode, but nothing to phone home about. You never quite knew if Dixon's kids would make it, as the writers had no qualms with blowing the hell out of his wife last season, so while there was a dominant threat factor, the execution felt a little too one-note.

Vaughn:"See you later.."

Lauren:"Not if I see you first,love."



While I was watching the episode,I was 100% sure that,by the end of it,at least one of Dixon's children would be dead because when it's about him and his family the writers mean business.But they know that would be too much for him.He's already unhappy enough with Diane's death.The loss of his children,who are all he has left,would be a fatal blow for him..and we don't want that,do we?



Syd's attitude towards the kidnapping is more than respectable.She goes to great lenghts of self-sacrifice to save Dixon's children;not only does she risk her position in the CIA,but her life,also.And instead of interfering or suggesting that she stop,Dixon wouldn't hesitate to see her die,which is something that piqued me a little bit.Ok,we're talking about his children,but still....



Lauren continues to be a pain in the ass for the CIA:she helps Sark escape for which she frames Sloane,she's responsible for the kidnapping and for the fact that the Covenant has the "Irina Box".At least now that Jack knows she's the mole,I hope this will end.Was her sympathy for Dixon another attempt on the part of the writers to make us feel a little sympathy for her in return?Come on,she's b**h to the bone.These attempts are vain.



We finally saw Project Black Hole in Nevada which,by the way,is the coolest place on earth because it has every Rambaldi artefact ever collected.So,we had the chance to see some familiar ones and some new ones,like the box on lot 47 with those glass vials and,of course,the other box with the "Irina" inscription;another fascinating Rambaldi mystery which something tells me will drive the rest of the season.



Notable Quotes:



Sloane:"Jack...to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Jack:"I take no pleasure in this,Arvin."



Lauren:"Marshall we wouldn't ask..."

Marshall:"Listen,say no more.If anybody ever laid a hand on mini-Mitch,I swear.."



Sark to Syd,Jack and Dixon:"As always,it has been a pleasure doing business with you."



Miscellaneous:



--Number 47!:Reversed.The lab at Project Black Hole was in room 74.



--We had two creepy scenes here:1)the frozen bodies on that plane and 2)the cameras which went mad and started attacking Syd.



--Senator George Reed,Lauren's father,was introduced here.There were several hints that they're not getting on fine with each other.Could it be that Lauren is angry at him because of his not letting her become field-rated?



--Erin said she's agnostic.Think everyone who's fascinated with Rambaldi is agnostic.



--I'm getting tired of this bombs!This is the 3rd episode in a row where our heroes come upon one.



--Syd said she chose to become a spy.Hello?Project Christmas?



--This episode's locations:Chateaudun,France;Nogales,Arizona;Zurich,Switzerland;Nevada



--This episode's disguise:That wetsuit Syd was wearing in Nevada was cool.



--This episode's cliffhanger:Jack finds the mole...



Alias47

I liked the end of the episode a lot, where Jack makes the connection of something that Lauren said to something that he heard Sark say earlier in the phone conversation on the plane right before he jumped ship. Sark escaping CIA custody for what must seem like the millionth time was kind of boring. We didnt even get to see the cool scene of how he escapes. All we know was that somehow Lauren got someone else on the plane in order to take care of the men that were guarding him. I thought it would have been cool to see the plane crashing from Sarks perspective instead of the CIA perspective.



I think Arvins stint in prison will be short lived as I think the over / under on Lauren being found out as the CIA mole is two epsiodes. Jack will start to question everything she does from now on and I think in two episodes she will be discovered, which will leave Vaughn in a heartbreaking state without a doubt. The mission in this one with Dixon and Sydney was standard Alias action - heart racing and a mission that is completed in the last seconds before they are found out. Gotta love this show for the intensity, pushing reality to its limits.

The only complaint I have of this episode is Carl Lumbly's overacting. When his kids are kidnapped, the screaming and yelling by Lumbly is a little too much.



Granted Dixon has lost his wife and now his two kids are kidnapped would be very tramautizing. However, Lumbly's overacting is too much and almost comical. If it was done a little lighter and he seemed more sad than insane it would have been perfect.



Another great episode of Alias, nonetheless.