# Anyone here watch ALIAS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784 "2003-02-13T08:25:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rythefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@Rythefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rythefly)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/1 "2003-02-13T08:25:58Z")
I was just wondering. I’ve been wandering around the boards for some time now but have never noticed an ALIAS post. If not of course I reccomend that you begin watching as soon as humanly possible. It’s a wonderful, articulate, complicated show. Don’t worry about it being too complicated…don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy the greater picture. If so…what did you think about last episode? I’m happy that Sloane is an all out bad guy now, the new setup seems to be working quite well for the show. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/2 "2003-02-13T13:30:57Z")
I watch it. I have started a few threads about it here - you’d have to do a search. Not sure how I feel about the “new” Alias. I miss having more Lena Olin, but like the fact that some of the plots have been resolved - but also which some of the them could’ve ended in a more satisfying way (oh, the Alliance is gone…that’s it?) Also, I have found, with the exception of this last episode, that the music has been much poorer. Not nearly as much cool techno during action scenes, and too much emphasis on one emotional number towards the end… I watch it because it is better than most shows, still, but it isn’t as good as it had been. But I can’t blame them for trying to figure out how to attract viewers and making changes accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/3 "2003-02-13T14:24:50Z")
Do a search (as **WordMan** suggests). Search for “alias”, in Cafe Society, titles only, over the last 6 months. There are 12 separate threads. BTW… welcome to the SDMB. May your stay be long and fruitful. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/4 "2003-02-13T17:17:00Z")
There’s at least one faithful Alias watcher here, and you’re looking at him. I think that last week’s show was the best in a while, as it was the most like the “old” Alias. Most importantly, the theme came back! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/5 "2003-02-13T17:48:10Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?action=showresults&searchid=421435&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descendinghttp://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?action=showresults&searchid=421435&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?action=showresults&searchid=421435&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descendinghttp://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?action=showresults&searchid=421435&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) There have been 21 threads about Alias. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/6 "2003-02-13T18:57:01Z")
I’ve watched **Alias** from the very start. There’s been a few episodes this year that I would call poorly written, but I think that the actors are great. I don’t know about this “fake Francie” thing, though. And I agree, we need more Lena Olin. I have a 3 some fantasy - me, Vaughn and Sydney. Rowr. Throw in Will Tippin (yeah, I know, kinda wimpy but cute) and I will explode with happiness. Spy Dad ain’t so bad, either. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/7 "2003-02-13T19:59:18Z")
I’ve been watching faithfully since the beginning of the second season. And, I also agree, more Lena Olin is necessary. I also like how Vaughn is starting to participate more. Like, in the last episode where he was able to identify the M1911 by the sound of it’s hammer being cocked back… very cool. ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/8 "2003-02-13T20:48:26Z")
Been watching Alias since the end of the first season, and frankly, I’m releaved that the double-pretend-agent thing is over; it was kind of embarrasing seeing Syndey as the top SD-6 agent, but failiing at basically every mission. The alliance thing may have ended rather quickly, but J.J. Abrams brought it about in a fairly satisfying way. Long live Sloan! ---
**Author:** ![slackergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@slackergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slackergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/9 "2003-02-13T21:39:23Z")
I’ve been watching from day one, and I too am happy about how they killed the alliance so cleanly. Sloane and Sark are the best bad guys, so it’s good to know they’ll be around for a while. I’m still not sure about how I feel about evil Francie, other than she’s probably Anna Espinosa, which is cool, but also kinda sucks because Gina Torres is great, and she’s available again since they killed Firefly. For me the big question mark now is Dixon. Is he staying or going? ---
**Author:** ![Epigramcracker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Epigramcracker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epigramcracker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/10 "2003-02-13T21:52:46Z")
I think Dixon’s gonna get pulled back into action when Sidney’s life is in danger next week. He has to realize he just can’t sit there while Sloane holds her hostage. And his wife’s doing the exact same number on him that he’s doing on Sidney, so whatever about that. Yeah–Alias is definitely one of my _major_ guilty pleasures. I simply can’t understand HOW Jennifer Garner is able to look good in every single hair cut and color in the entire world. What the hell? Oh, yeah, and Vaugn is definitely hot. Woot! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/11 "2003-02-14T15:04:21Z")
OK, Sydney didn’t “fail” at her missions as an SD-6 agent. She always retrieved the gadget or whatever, then turned it over to the CIA to mock up a fake one as the countermission. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/12 "2003-02-14T15:12:11Z")
Not always, Otto. Many times she had to produce the real deal, either because the countermission failed or because they didn’t want to tip Sloane off. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/13 "2003-02-14T20:05:57Z")
Which only goes to prove my point. She succeeded in her missions for SD-6. Off the top of my head I can only think of one time when she totally failed to fulfill her countermission and that was when she had to turn over the real satelite access code thing because Marshall had seen and memorized it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/14 "2003-02-14T20:28:40Z")
Your memory’s a lot better than mine! But I think it could be assumed that Syd had to dump other countermissions in order to be Sloane’s #1 Spy Girl. I can’t imagine they’d keep giving her jobs if she kept coming back with faulty equipment. Or not. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/15 "2003-02-14T20:49:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*Your memory’s a lot better than mine! But I think it could be assumed that Syd had to dump other countermissions in order to be Sloane’s #1 Spy Girl. I can’t imagine they’d keep giving her jobs if she kept coming back with faulty equipment. > > Or not. 🙂 \*\* Well, it’s clear now that Sloane has had a secret agenda that, in part, involved appearing to turn a blind eye to Syd & Jack’s failures so that Syd and Jack would be positioned to sic the CIA on SD-6 and the Alliance at the appropriate time. So, Sloane’s decision to keep giving Syd jobs may have had next to nothing to do with his belief in the competence of her work or her loyalty. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-watch-alias/154784/16 "2003-02-14T22:00:05Z")
Thinking about this more there weren’t very many missions where Sydney actually gave SD-6 something that flat out wouldn’t work. Most if the countermissions were “replace the blank Rimbaldi page with the forgery” or “substitute this bogus chip so we can control what phone calls SD-6 can monitor” and like that. So I think the CIA was being careful in the countermissions so as to not arouse suspicion that Sydney was sabotaging jobs. Good point also about Sloane’s maybe not being that upset that things went wrong, although I think Sloane really only planned in earnest to destroy the Alliance when they ordered him to kill his wife.