Alias Theories from TV Gal

From Zap2it-

TV Gal Critiques Techniques

by Amy Amatangelo

Here's a story about a TV Gal who noticed some very familiar story telling techniques this season.

Dead? Not so much: In the grand tradition of Kimberly's infamous return on "Melrose Place," this season we've had quite a few character who are not quite dead yet. In fact, they're feeling much better. Emily (the fingerless wonder) returned from the dead only to be killed again (don't you hate it when that happens?) on "Alias." Decapitation couldn't stop Lilah from stirring up trouble for Team Angel on "Angel." Jack came back from the dead on "24" and didn't even need a glass of water (I need more hydration after a 30-minute workout at the gym, but I digress). Bringing a character back from the great beyond automatically transforms the show into a different stratosphere. Can you imagine what we would think if all of the sudden, Mark Greene walked back into the "ER"? My first thought would be, "Oh my God. Do we have to watch you die again?"

Who are you? Time for you to die: TV also has this nasty habit of introducing characters to us only to kill them off. The king of this device is "NYPD Blue." Connie's sister, John's father, Tony's ex-wife all seemed to stop by the precinct only so they could die. Ditto for Dixon's wife on "Alias," Paula on "24," and Farrah Fawcett's character on "The Guardian." Given the fate of Mark Harmon last season on "The West Wing," if I were Taye Diggs I'd be very worried.

Telling us the ending, before we know the beginning: Freshman dramas "Boomtown" and "Fastlane" love this method. But recently "Alias" has also run with this device. We saw Sydney crying over a woman's body before we found out it was Emily not Irina. We saw Dixon with explosives, before we knew he was faking it. And even "The West Wing" got in on the action -- showing the Vice President's resignation before we knew what Chandler had discovered.

Keeping secrets from us: Jack and Sam had been having an affair on "Without a Trace" and they didn't even tell us. Sloane knew Sydney was a double agent for the CIA and kept it to himself. This is my favorite type of plot device (most expertly used when Ross and Rachel had their one night stand on "Friends.") It fuels the fantasy that when we turn off our televisions, our characters lives live on.

Alias

Clearly I was in some sort of "Alias"-phylactic shock on Monday. I said it was the series finale of "Crossing Jordan." Fret not, it was only the season finale. I also said Buffy would yield a weapon instead wield a weapon. When in the name of all things right and Aaron Spelling will someone invent a computer program that will check for such errors?

With thanks to everyone who wrote me over the past few days, here are some of the best "Alias" theories that I'm hearing:

1. Sydney has been transported two years ahead through a time machine. After all Amanda Foreman took Felicity back in time on "Felicity." Who's to say she couldn't send Sydney into the future? Or you know a Rambaldi device could have something to do with it.

2. We're all a little suspect that Will survived because those were some serious wounds and he looked pretty dead to us. (And side bar, what's with the men Sydney loves ending up dead and in the bathtub?) Many of you think that Will and Sydney may begin a romance next season and submit the following evidence: Will's password was "Sydney" and they did discuss their one kiss again.

3. Sark was also a part of Project Christmas. That's his connection to Sydney. How else would he have met and fallen in love with Faux Francie?

4. That was a Faux Vaughn. Perhaps, but I think he looked too anguished to be a fake. Faux Francie always had a more detached, cold demeanor. But maybe we'll have to give Vaughn the coffee ice cream test. Most of you also believe that a very distraught Vaughn had left the CIA.

And why were there all those screams in the safe house Sydney went to? Has Sloane taken over the world (yet another snazzy theory)? And what was her scar all about?

Here I was all worried about the future of the show, but clearly there is still quite a bit to talk about. And kids we have all summer to entertain our fearless predictions
 
great ideas i agree with many of them, and btw about the dieing thing do u think mashall's gf, the one from nsa is next?
 
kiki81ny said:
3. Sark was also a part of Project Christmas. That's his connection to Sydney. How else would he have met and fallen in love with Faux Francie?

4. That was a Faux Vaughn. Perhaps, but I think he looked too anguished to be a fake. Faux Francie always had a more detached, cold demeanor. But maybe we'll have to give Vaughn the coffee ice cream test. Most of you also believe that a very distraught Vaughn had left the CIA.
i've never heard those theories...i dont think there's a fake vaughn though...too unbelievable...sark could be a part of project christmas...when will was looking on his computer through the project christmas names, was his there?
 
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