Alias - Pilot

[dangermousie]

So, I finally tried out Alias that early 2000s spy show starring Jennifer Garner.

My verdict: it's not bad but I am not smitten, either. Also - dated.

I'll keep up for a few eps to see if it gets better.

* The washed-out colors were popular around that time, I remember - still, I think I have been spoiled on the vibrant, saturated colors of kdramas and it all looks a little dingy to me.

* This is not Alias' fault - it the fault of me watching it 9 years later. The thing is, with friends who were Alias junkies, I know all the big plot twists, the revelations etc. This robs the story of its edge, rather. Not its fault, but there it is.

* I like Jennifer Garner. She has a certain 'wholesome strength' thing going. I do wonder what kind of a brainy person joins the CIA without much recruiting structure/proof. Eh, whatever.

* Now, you know the one character I genuinely loved? Sydney's father. He's tough and unscrupulous and I have fun watching him.

* I live in fear of them sneaking evil Russians in or *shudder* having JG speak Russian. If it's as good as her Chinese (even I could tell it was horrid), I am in for a treat.

* This proves I am not much for spy genre. Institutionalized dishonesty does not appeal. You wouldn't have angst of your very specific type if you just became a middle manager.

* Will is the friend that's in love with her, right? I wish he'd shave and do something about popping-out eyes. I haven't met Vaughn yet - hopefully he's more attractive.

Ultimately: not bad, and I'll keep up for a few eps, but will probably drop it shortly. If I want a spy story, I'll rewatch IRIS. That's only 20 eps and, I am sorry, JG, but Lee Byung Hun is a hella hotter than you are.

Comments

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

I watched 3 eps a few weeks ago and I didn't care for it much. I didn't like the colours and all the new stuff in the spy genre on TV right now has a sense of fun and a team and it's a bit Robin Hood-esque which I prefer much more than the serious tone that Alias seemed to have. I also didn't find Sydney or anyone else very interesting as characters.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes yes yes

[main-hoon-emily.livejournal.com]

I could never get into Alias, especially in the later seasons where characters would die in one episode only to be dramatically resurrected later -- "surprise, I was never really dead!" It seemed like every episode I watched someone was coming back to life.

It would have made a better movie; pack everything into 2 hours and be done with it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

OMG, that sounds like a soap!

[ficchica.livejournal.com]

I hated Will Tippin with the fire of a thousand suns for the whole first season. I watched hoping he'd get killed off. I'd got into it by the second season.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heh.

[morwen_peredhil]

Spydaddy is indeed awesome — one of the best characters on the show. And just wait until Spymommy shows up! Together and separately, they're glorious. And then there's Sark. Lovely, lovely Sark...

Never had much use for Sydney herself. Kind of the same reaction I had to Buffy.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am usually a main character girl (e.g. I liked Buffy a lot) so disliking the main character bodes ill for my enjoyment of the show.

[arathesane.livejournal.com]

I loved it in the beginning but I am sure it is now quite dated. And I gave up on it early on as its quality dropped pretty fast. Best things about it were Lena Olin and Victor Garber as Syndey's parents. I always made sure to watch the eps that Lena was in!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

The way they filmed it is especially dated. It's kinda funny to look back and remmeber all shows were filmed in that washedout dark fashion.

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

keep going! If I remember correctly it's a lot like a kdrama and it takes about 3 eps to really get into it/get hooked. But I swear - cross my heart and hope to die - that the Sidney/Vaughn relationship is epic and ust and angsty leading to a few really great romantic scenes. I'm sure that kdramas have spoiled you to some extent - I watched this before I ever tried one - but I still find it hard to believe, based on what I've seen of your tastes, that you wouldn't at least like it.

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

Will is not cute but don't worry - he's really not around that much

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'll try a couple more eps and see.

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

SpyDaddy is indeed awesome.

I'm sorry, Sydney speaks Russian a bunch of times as I recall.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Now I am morbidly curious to hear her.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I live in fear of them sneaking evil Russians in or *shudder* having JG speak Russian. If it's as good as her Chinese (even I could tell it was horrid), I am in for a treat.

I remember in one episode Sidney was in Siberia (where I'm from) , walking upon an icy lake or something and then falling into the water. And you know what - we were told that the water freezes over rock-solid in 10 (!!) seconds so Sidney had to get out in 10 seconds. It made me laugh so hard!

but in one ep they had a Russian actor (Mashnkov, I think) and it was nice of them. :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Bwhahahahah!

Btw, if you don't mind me asking (you don't have to answer) where in Siberia? When I was little, we lived in Novosibirsk.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, how cool! I am from Omsk myself (which is not far from Novosibirsk), but I lived in Novosibirsk too for 2 years when I studied in a boarding school in Novosibirsk Academgorodok, specializing in math. My parents, however, moved since I left, they all live in Moscow now. .

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, apparently my Dad used to work in Academgorodok when I was little :) Cool!!!

[sundae-sweet.livejournal.com]

Alias is single handedly responsible for introducing me to the Internet- seriously. And considering how much I loved it in the beginning, its sort of sad how by the end I was very much 'meh' towards it. I didn't even bother sticking around for the last season, it had turned into such a nonsensical mindfrack, what with long lost siblings and bizarre character choices.

Also, Sydney is really like the worst spy ever. Every ep, she finds a way to eff up the mission and or cry over her Mommy/Daddy issues.

I liked Will and am actually happy that Bradley Cooper managed to have a career after Alias. Everyone else OTOH...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Also, Sydney is really like the worst spy ever. Every ep, she finds a way to eff up the mission and or cry over her Mommy/Daddy issues.

lololol

[misctalk.livejournal.com]

Initially loved the show but got tired of it later like with so many American series, the story seems never to end. I prefer series with a start & end. No dragging...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Definite beginning/end is better, yes.

[shinystory.livejournal.com]

"Alias" is the only American series I watched cover-to-cover. (So far.)

In all that, my favorite is the second season. I think it carried the centers of the story--emotional, plots, and character arcs. My favorite character is Sydney's mother. Lena Olin rocked that interpretation.

When you watch it now, it is dated. But one of the things that I never get over is Michael Giacchino's music.

Vaughn's my ultimate crush (but maybe that's dependent on my perpetual crush on Michael Vartan.) :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Should I just watch s2?

[shinystory.livejournal.com]

I'd say stick a little bit for Season 1...maybe the first and the last few episodes, since Season 2 covers a lot of that entanglement.

If you're really not interested, I say you can abandon after Season 2. (Don't bother with Season 3, specially.)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'll see how it goes :)

[mishane.livejournal.com]

I never really watched it faithfully, I'd catch a few episodes here and there and it was ok. I adored Michael Vartan (Vaughn) SOHARD. (Then he and JG dated in real life and then she broke his heart and then I hated her). Also, Spydaddy and JG are best friends IRL, I think he officiated her wedding.

Honestly, I think only the first season was good. I remember watching a bit of the other seasons and hating it.

What other American shows have you watched? If you like spy stuff, have you watched Dark Angel? I saw that right after it got cancelled but still a while ago and from what I remembered, I enjoyed it. The first season at least.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I adored DA.

http://dangermousie.livejournal.com/tag/dark_angel

I am not big on spy stuff normally though. They skulk too much.

Scifi/fantasy is more my bag.

[mishane.livejournal.com]

Oooh, did not know that. Fun!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I've never watched Alias, but I remember that when it first came out, I thought the trsailers were trying really, really hard to make it look like Dark Angel. Of course, IIRC, I saw the trailers while I was watching Dark Angel...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That is brilliant - I knew what it made me think of now. I like DA much better though.

[kabutar.livejournal.com]

I LOVED Alias... stick with it at least till Season 2, when SpyMommy comes in. Then it gets so much grittier and darker and all around awesome.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That's a lot of episodes though - hmmm. Should I just skip to s2?

[kabutar.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I'm not sure... you sort of need to know what's going on and watch the story arcs for S2 to have its full impact, but you could probably get by by watching the last couple of eps of S1...

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I watched the premiere, but having watched the first Charlie's Angels movie (I don't know how long before Alias it had come out), it was hard to take it as anything but a rip-off, with less interesting characters.

Also, I couldn't stand Garner, which sort of defeated the whole point.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

She is rather bland. meganbmoore mentioned Dark Angel upthread and I agree with her - Alias was trying to be that but I liked Max a lot better than I do Sydney.

[janlake83.livejournal.com]

i used to watch ALIAS and always wished she was with Sark rather than Vaughn

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heeee

[astrothsknot.livejournal.com]

Alias is fine if you don't take it seriously. It's popcorn for the mind. It does try sometimes to go darker and edgier, but it just didn't have it in it.

I really enjoyed the first two seasons and I have them, but after that it got too stupid. My disbelief flatly refused to get back up that hill, even with a cute Sherpa.

There is something to be said for one season one story as well. (IRIS 2 is a complete new story isn't it?) Stops it getting boring and dragged out.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup, IRIS2 is completely new - ne characters. new setup.

Alias reminded me of a much lighter Dark Angel...Seeing that I didn't think DA was that dark to begin with...

[bzoppa.livejournal.com]

I didn't watch Alias until they were into the fourth season. I'd say watch through season 3 and then stop, it's kind of useless "oh, we got renewed" after that. A lot of people hated season 3 because of Melissa George, but I kind of like her so I wasn't sad. Seasons 4 and 5 sucked, and are the reason I refused to watch Lost because I was mad at JJ Abrams. He abandoned Alias for Mission: Impossible 3 then started on Lost and I had no faith in him. This was born out by the retardedness that was the finale. The thing I hate about American TV is their pandering for renewal, and why I'm somewhat intrigued to start Lost because the writers (once Abrams left them again) demanded an end date so they could start wrapping things up.

Sark is the most awesome person, ever. He's likened to a young Krychek (sp?) from X-Files: no matter who dies or gets f'd up, he'll always be left standing. I'd suggest marathoning your way on through, appreciating season 2, and enjoy the angst in 3. Then spare your brain by pretending 4 and 5 didn't exist.

I hated Will. My friend thought he was so hot but he annoyed me on so many levels. He eventually gets his life ruined by poking around in Sydney's, and SHE TOLD YOU 20 TIMES TO STAY THE F OUT AND STOP IT. I had no sympathy for him.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I haven't ever seen a second of X-Files. I know, I know :)

Gosh, American shows are sooooo long. I can't even watch a drama of over 24 eps and that's how long each season is here. Yikes.

Alias pilot

[americanbaefan.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Hi, Dangermousie.
I've never watched Alias, although I am a Victor Garber (Spy Daddy) fan. I am really into 'Chuck', which is one of the current, more humorous spy dramas. The guy who plays Chuck is sort of cute, and I love his eyes, but the real attraction is Ryan MacPartlin who plays Chuck's bro'-in-law, 'Captain Awesome' and believe me, awesome is exactly the right word. I think you should give it a view and see what you think. It is more of a comedy/drama, but That's My style of spy show. Later, Anna

Re: Alias pilot

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Chuck sounds cute. I'll check it out.

Re: Alias pilot

[americanbaefan.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Hi, mousie.
Sorry. I should have told you that "Chuck' is on Monday nights at 8 on NBC. It stars Zachery Levi as Chuck, and it has a lot of humor. And, Ryan MacPartlin, who plays the brother-in-law, Devon, is tall, blond, and built like Bae Yong Joon. Sigh. Did I mention gorgeous, too? No? Well, he's definitely that. And, Zachery Levi Is cute in the cuddly, adorable way. He plays the guy-next-door type, who just happens to have all kinds of spy info locked inside his head. If he concentrates really hard, he can access and use what he knows to fight the 'bad guys'. Sound good so far? It is. Enjoy yourself. Just don't faint when you see Devon!LOL Regards, Anna