Azhria Lilu
Captain
From AICN:
Alias 2.20 FAQ
What’s it called?
“Countdown.”
Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to Jeff Pinkner (“The Getaway”).
What does TV Guide say?
“The countdown to doomsday is on, after the CIA links a ghastly murder to Rambaldi's prophecy of an apocalypse. With just 48 hours to prevent the catastrophe, Sydney and Dixon (Carl Lumbly) mount a frenzied search for Sloane, who holds the key. But with revenge-crazed Dixon blinded by his wife's murder, Vaughn is pressed into a betrayal to keep the hunt on target. Later, an enigmatic monk (David Carradine) horrifies Sloane with the news that Emily's death - and the impending end of the world - may have been triggered by a sin he committed 30 years ago. On a much lighter note, a new Special Ops agent (Amanda Foreman) sets her sights on Marshall.”
A new “Alias”!! How long’s it been?
A month! “Endgame” - in which mathlete Christian Slater went all Jack Bauer and “Francie” blew up Diane Dixon - aired way back on March 30.
The big news? This week we meet the man who sent Sloane on his quest for Rambaldi’s work 30 years ago.
What “ghastly murder” does the CIA link to Rambaldi’s prophecy of an apocalypse?
In the 21st century, a man whose DNA was specified by 15th century seer Milo Rambaldi is found with a important piece of his anatomy missing.
Is it his penis?
What? The … Get out of my office!!
This prophecy of an apocalypse? Is it that one from season one?: “This woman will render the greatest power unto utter desolation.”
No. A brand new one, containing – instead of sketches of Syd or Irina – a series of significant dates: “Sept. 7, 1812, Napoleon's bloodiest battle with the Russians. June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, started World War I. Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima.” And one future date, 48 hours hence.
Do we learn why the woman depicted in Rambaldi’s “utter desolation” warning looks so much more like Syd than Irina?
No.
What key to this catastrophe does Sloane hold?
The body part, supposedly.
How does Agent Michael Vaughn betray Agent Marcus Dixon?
He spots Dixon scarfing Vicodin, and rats him out.
“Kill Bill” star David Carradine has been cast as an “enignatic monk”? Is he an enigmatic Shaolin monk? Was this former guest star Quentin Tarantino’s idea?
Carradine plays an enigmatic Tibetan monk. And though his name is Conrad (an allusion to “Heart of Darkness,” one estimates), the Carradine character looks and speaks much like a 30-years-older Kwai-Chang Caine.
What sin did Sloane commit 30 years ago?
We never really learn this week, but we might infer it was his beginning his quest for Rambaldi artifacts.
So Emily Sloane is really dead?
Looks like it.
We know Sloane is horrified by the idea he precipitated Emily’s death – but does he care at this point if the world ends?
Hard to be certain.
Irina surely doesn’t want the world to end as long as daughter Syd lives in it! Does she defy prophesy and work to prevent rendering the greatest power unto utter desolation?
Irina is wholly absent this week. “She's in Cyprus,” Sloane tells Sark. “Inspecting some properties to take the place of the facility in Spain.”
Amanda Foreman? Why is that name so familiar?
Foreman played Felicity Porter’s supercute goth roomate, Megan Blumberg, on J.J. Abrams’ WB college drama “Felicity.” (She was also on “Six Feet Under” – in the same timeslot – last Sunday!)
Is Jack Bristow still the big boss at the task force?
No. Because of the newly discovered threat, Jack’s authority is superceded by NSA deputy director Frederick Brandon (Jonathan Banks, whom you’ll recall has experience playing crusty federal officials from his stint on “Wiseguy”).
Yeesh! How many big-deal guest stars do they have lined up this week?
Four. In addition to Foreman, Banks and Carradine, “Kingpin” vet Danny Trejo turns up as that “Mas Y Mas” song bangs away on the soundtrack.
What’s doing with “Francie”?
This episode is entirely footloose and “Francie”-free.
Do we learn this week “Francie’s” true identity?
No.
What’s doing with Will?
Will is as AWOL as “Francie” and Irina in this Dixon-centric installment. (But all three are said to move quickly back to the foreground in next week’s penultimate episode.)
The special ops agent played by Amanda Foreman has romantic designs on Marshall? Does Weiss get jealous?
She thinks Marshall is cute and asks him out for sushi. Weiss is another MIA this week, but hopefully sparks will fly upon his return.
Hey, wasn’t the guy who plays Weiss supposed to be in his own NBC sitcom this season?
Yeah, you’re right! Maybe they’re going to burn it off over the summer or something?
What’s good?
The growing importance of the Rambaldi artifacts. The Flinkman-Bowman material. Sloane’s wholly unexpected visit to Nepal. The uniqueness of this week’s mcguffin. The many fascinating questions with which the episode leaves us.
What’s not so good?
Carl Lumbley displays a compelling intensity this week, but Dixon’s story doesn’t really take us anyplace in which we’ve not already spent a lot of time. The Vaughn-Syd schism over Dixon seems manufactured only to keep Syd more active in Dixon’s plotline. For Marshall not to express doubts about the legitimacy of Rambaldi after all this time really strains credulity. It sucks that Irina, Will and “Francie” are absent. And we don’t get to see this week what the monk hands Sloane.
Will there ever be an “Alias” episode as good as the genius installment that ran after the SuperBowl?
“I feel like this year we have an even better ending," series creator told zap2it.com here. "If you're a longtime or a new fan of the show, I think it will blow your mind. It's that feeling of I have a giant secret that I just can't wait for everyone to see." And after tonight it’s only two episodes away ...
What’s this big secret?
Herc suspects Syd might actually get to meet Rambaldi (assuming she hasn’t already).
What was that prophecy again?
“This woman here depicted will possess unseen marks, signs that she will be the one to bring forth my works. Bind them with fury, a burning anger, unless prevented at vulgar cost. This woman will render the greatest power unto utter desolation.”
How does it end, spoiler-boy? In a fairly boring manner: “When I was growing up. I never had anyone to disappoint. That's different now. I'm sorry.” The ending to Sloane’s last scene in the episode is far more interesting.
Well, how does that scene end?
“Now you understand. Your journey has just begun.”
Herc’s rating for “Alias” 2.20?
***1/2
Alias 2.20 FAQ
What’s it called?
“Countdown.”
Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to Jeff Pinkner (“The Getaway”).
What does TV Guide say?
“The countdown to doomsday is on, after the CIA links a ghastly murder to Rambaldi's prophecy of an apocalypse. With just 48 hours to prevent the catastrophe, Sydney and Dixon (Carl Lumbly) mount a frenzied search for Sloane, who holds the key. But with revenge-crazed Dixon blinded by his wife's murder, Vaughn is pressed into a betrayal to keep the hunt on target. Later, an enigmatic monk (David Carradine) horrifies Sloane with the news that Emily's death - and the impending end of the world - may have been triggered by a sin he committed 30 years ago. On a much lighter note, a new Special Ops agent (Amanda Foreman) sets her sights on Marshall.”
A new “Alias”!! How long’s it been?
A month! “Endgame” - in which mathlete Christian Slater went all Jack Bauer and “Francie” blew up Diane Dixon - aired way back on March 30.
The big news? This week we meet the man who sent Sloane on his quest for Rambaldi’s work 30 years ago.
What “ghastly murder” does the CIA link to Rambaldi’s prophecy of an apocalypse?
In the 21st century, a man whose DNA was specified by 15th century seer Milo Rambaldi is found with a important piece of his anatomy missing.
Is it his penis?
What? The … Get out of my office!!
This prophecy of an apocalypse? Is it that one from season one?: “This woman will render the greatest power unto utter desolation.”
No. A brand new one, containing – instead of sketches of Syd or Irina – a series of significant dates: “Sept. 7, 1812, Napoleon's bloodiest battle with the Russians. June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, started World War I. Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima.” And one future date, 48 hours hence.
Do we learn why the woman depicted in Rambaldi’s “utter desolation” warning looks so much more like Syd than Irina?
No.
What key to this catastrophe does Sloane hold?
The body part, supposedly.
How does Agent Michael Vaughn betray Agent Marcus Dixon?
He spots Dixon scarfing Vicodin, and rats him out.
“Kill Bill” star David Carradine has been cast as an “enignatic monk”? Is he an enigmatic Shaolin monk? Was this former guest star Quentin Tarantino’s idea?
Carradine plays an enigmatic Tibetan monk. And though his name is Conrad (an allusion to “Heart of Darkness,” one estimates), the Carradine character looks and speaks much like a 30-years-older Kwai-Chang Caine.
What sin did Sloane commit 30 years ago?
We never really learn this week, but we might infer it was his beginning his quest for Rambaldi artifacts.
So Emily Sloane is really dead?
Looks like it.
We know Sloane is horrified by the idea he precipitated Emily’s death – but does he care at this point if the world ends?
Hard to be certain.
Irina surely doesn’t want the world to end as long as daughter Syd lives in it! Does she defy prophesy and work to prevent rendering the greatest power unto utter desolation?
Irina is wholly absent this week. “She's in Cyprus,” Sloane tells Sark. “Inspecting some properties to take the place of the facility in Spain.”
Amanda Foreman? Why is that name so familiar?
Foreman played Felicity Porter’s supercute goth roomate, Megan Blumberg, on J.J. Abrams’ WB college drama “Felicity.” (She was also on “Six Feet Under” – in the same timeslot – last Sunday!)
Is Jack Bristow still the big boss at the task force?
No. Because of the newly discovered threat, Jack’s authority is superceded by NSA deputy director Frederick Brandon (Jonathan Banks, whom you’ll recall has experience playing crusty federal officials from his stint on “Wiseguy”).
Yeesh! How many big-deal guest stars do they have lined up this week?
Four. In addition to Foreman, Banks and Carradine, “Kingpin” vet Danny Trejo turns up as that “Mas Y Mas” song bangs away on the soundtrack.
What’s doing with “Francie”?
This episode is entirely footloose and “Francie”-free.
Do we learn this week “Francie’s” true identity?
No.
What’s doing with Will?
Will is as AWOL as “Francie” and Irina in this Dixon-centric installment. (But all three are said to move quickly back to the foreground in next week’s penultimate episode.)
The special ops agent played by Amanda Foreman has romantic designs on Marshall? Does Weiss get jealous?
She thinks Marshall is cute and asks him out for sushi. Weiss is another MIA this week, but hopefully sparks will fly upon his return.
Hey, wasn’t the guy who plays Weiss supposed to be in his own NBC sitcom this season?
Yeah, you’re right! Maybe they’re going to burn it off over the summer or something?
What’s good?
The growing importance of the Rambaldi artifacts. The Flinkman-Bowman material. Sloane’s wholly unexpected visit to Nepal. The uniqueness of this week’s mcguffin. The many fascinating questions with which the episode leaves us.
What’s not so good?
Carl Lumbley displays a compelling intensity this week, but Dixon’s story doesn’t really take us anyplace in which we’ve not already spent a lot of time. The Vaughn-Syd schism over Dixon seems manufactured only to keep Syd more active in Dixon’s plotline. For Marshall not to express doubts about the legitimacy of Rambaldi after all this time really strains credulity. It sucks that Irina, Will and “Francie” are absent. And we don’t get to see this week what the monk hands Sloane.
Will there ever be an “Alias” episode as good as the genius installment that ran after the SuperBowl?
“I feel like this year we have an even better ending," series creator told zap2it.com here. "If you're a longtime or a new fan of the show, I think it will blow your mind. It's that feeling of I have a giant secret that I just can't wait for everyone to see." And after tonight it’s only two episodes away ...
What’s this big secret?
Herc suspects Syd might actually get to meet Rambaldi (assuming she hasn’t already).
What was that prophecy again?
“This woman here depicted will possess unseen marks, signs that she will be the one to bring forth my works. Bind them with fury, a burning anger, unless prevented at vulgar cost. This woman will render the greatest power unto utter desolation.”
How does it end, spoiler-boy? In a fairly boring manner: “When I was growing up. I never had anyone to disappoint. That's different now. I'm sorry.” The ending to Sloane’s last scene in the episode is far more interesting.
Well, how does that scene end?
“Now you understand. Your journey has just begun.”
Herc’s rating for “Alias” 2.20?
***1/2
I can't wait for tonight's ep!!!
:nervous: :sly: 
:shocked: :stretcher: :tvhappy: 
