From Scoop Me!-
by Coreen Kremer
To every thing, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
Embracing the directional change of the premise may not be easy, but the purpose behind it is clear enough.
At the beginning of the season, I wrote my Alias sneak-peak and expounded this, "States Jennifer Garner, "It feels like the live-up-to-our-own-buzz year." In order to live up to that buzz, season two finds the show format receiving some tweaking, with the hope to woo new fans while still entertaining the existing ones. The adjustment encompasses a chiseling back of the cliffhanger endings and tuning the storylines "deeper yet easier to follow," so that new fans do not feel alienated if an episode is missed. The high level of drama, exotic locales and oh yeah, those great clothes all remain staples for season two."
With the introduction of Irina Derevko, the expanded screen time of the still mysterious Sark, Vaughn’s illness which revealed the continued relationship with Alice, the two deaths of Emily, Sloane’s hidden agenda, the demolition of SD-6, Vaughn and Sydney’s romance, Francie’s death and Freplica replacement, Will and Francie’s romance, Sydney’s graduation, Diane’s death, Ethan Hawke, Christian Slater, Rutger Hauer, David Carradine and Faye Dunaway (to name a few) as guest stars, and the exotic locales and great clothes/disguises I say that Alias lived up to its own buzz and succeeded in the tweaking of the show format.
Although some of the plotlines were "dumbed-down," season two provided me with the same, edge-of-my-seat-almost-forgetting-to-breathe episodes as season one, maybe even more so because I now care more about the characters and what happens to them.
The biggest shocker had to be the Super Bowl episode and the takedown of SD-6 because the show’s premise was based on Sydney being a double agent with a love for her handler that could never be and in one fell swoop, the entire premise changed. But along the way, the show came back to its roots with the Rambaldi artifacts and built upon its strong relationship foundation by exploring varied dynamics.
Relationships:
My favorite scenes all season were the ones between Victor Garber and Lena Olin. The two played their characters perfectly and have an incredible amount of chemistry between them. Without words, their body language depicted exactly what they were feeling and with Sydney thrown into the mix, the dysfunctional yet functioning family was a treat to watch. Irina’s last words to Sydney were that she loved both her and Jack and although Jack feels betrayed by Irina, maybe there is hope for a future reconciliation.
Sydney and Vaughn’s relationship was also a great aspect of the season because their love and desire was allowed to build before being acted upon. Everyone remembers that first kiss and the butterflies of a new romance and watching Sydney and Vaughn fall in love was sweet and a nice divergence from the hardness of their occupation. And as much as I hate to admit it, the wedding band on Vaughn’s finger at the end was an awesome way to bring the relationship full circle. Do you recall in beginning of the season when Sydney met Alice at the hospital when Vaughn was dying? I don’t know if he’s married to Alice, hell I don’t know if he’s married at all or if those two years have even passed but I had the same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when Sydney noticed the ring as I did when Alice shook Sydney’s hand and introduced herself as "Michael’s girlfriend." I may not like it, but as far as cliffhangers go, it’s one of the better ways to get me to watch next season. Besides, after suffering through Buffy’s three major breakups, I can handle Sydney and Vaughn’s bump in the road! But J.J. et al. – if you read this (as if) – please don’t keep them apart for too long!
Sloane and Emily’s relationship also worked because their love humanized him. Fans saw a side of Sloane that made him the man you love to hate and made his character intriguing rather than an annoyance.
Other relationships that deserve mentioning:
Jack’s protective nature of his daughter and their continued respect and growing trust of one another astounds me. Their relationship is one of the best father/daughter relationships on TV. Thrown into impossible situations, the two of them rely on each other and though they don’t always agree, they always try to see the other’s side. The relationship between Jack and Vaughn teeters from friend to foe and that delicate balance is well done.
Will and Sydney were allowed to become true friends, which she needed. Dixon found a way to forgive Sydney’s deception and they built a stronger relationship upon that. Irina and Sydney’s relationship is difficult to figure out because viewers are still not privy to Irina’s full motives, but her love of her daughter seems apparent. Also, it was interesting watching Sydney attempt to be strong and independent of Irina but in truth was just a little girl who loved, lost and needs her mommy. Kendall and Jack are getting a mention because Jack went from working with and deceiving Sloane to working for but doing it his own way then taking over the job but eventually giving it back to Kendall. There’s a theme with the ‘authority’ issue. Rambaldi, locations and disguises
Bringing the focus back to Rambaldi not only brought a greater purpose to Sark, Sloane, and Irina’s characters but it also serves to provide a premise for season 3. I’ll admit I’m still confused but I enjoyed how Sloane’s confrontation with Conrad alluded to the fact that while he felt Conrad manipulated him on this quest maybe the bigger picture is that it was all preordained. The concept of destiny vs. free will has been realistically depicted and makes one wonder if there’s truth to the Rambaldi prophecy and if it’s been deciphered correctly. Finding out how all the players and pieces fit together has been a wild ride, with no end yet in sight. I hope the writers delve more into the Order of Rambaldi .
Again, Alias did not disappoint with the sets and costumes. My favorites had to be Sydney’s geisha girl; the ice caves in Sri Lanka, Jack and Irina on the train, and Dixon as the reggae DJ. Please share yours.
Miscellaneous mentionable moments (no particular order)
Marshall’s first mission. It’s no secret that I adore Marshall but his first mission had to be the highlight of all the Marshall moments. From the time he and Sydney were on the plane to him perking up after she kissed him to when he was captured (he was so brave) – just loved it!
In the beginning - Sark’s obvious respect for Sydney. Up until they began working together at SD-6, I enjoyed the Sark/Sydney moments because they were well-matched foes and Sark’s facial expressions of awe and respect were priceless.
Sydney rescuing Vaughn, (Vaughn shirtless, Sydney jamming adrenaline into his heart) then without a hug or a handshake they separated but fans everywhere were screaming kiss her, hug him, do something! It was just another way to drag out the eventually relationship and it worked to build up the tension.
Francie got a storyline! Her death saddened me but what a kick-ass final fight scene! Sydney wearing Vaughn’s leather jacket while recounting to Dr. Barnett the events that took place after she and Vaughn were separated in the season opener.
Irina. Lena Olin is awesome and I loved the addition of her character.
Will excelling in his CIA analyst role and the fact that Vaughn fought to get him hired. The unknown
What Rambaldi device did Sloane build?
What did Conrad reveal to Sloane with those scrolls?
Is Jack really Jack (why did Sloane have him hooked up to an IV)?
Is Will alive?
Did Freplica die from the gunshot wounds?
Is Vaughn married?
Does Vaughn still work for the CIA?
Has 2 years passed and if yes, where has Sydney been?
What’s with that scar?
What became of Irina?
Is Sark still in the custody of the CIA?
Will Sark ever get a first name?
Why was there so much screaming in the Hong Kong safe house?
Are Marshall and Carrie dating?
What became of Dixon?
Will either Ethan Hawke or Christian Slater’s character return?
With ABC renewing The Practice and giving the Sunday, 10p timeslot back to them does that mean Dragnet gets bumped back an hour and Alias gets a new timeslot?
With the end of ScoopMe so near and the harrowing season finale still vivid in my mind, writing this wrap-up has me a bit frazzled so please post to the boards and share your favorite episodes, quotes, scenes, moments, speculation or comment on anything you detested. I look forward to reading your views on the season.
As this is the last Alias anything I’ll write for ScoopMe I’d like to take a moment to say how much I’ve enjoyed you fans! Sharing the exploits of the Alias cast with you each week has been a joy. The discussions are intelligent and interesting and I hope to see you post elsewhere!
Come fall, my Alias reviews can be found in two places. On www.tvtome.com, go to the Alias page, click on reviews (where I post my scoopme.com reviews now) and there I am under the moniker Gingerbreadgirl (a nickname from my husband). Although an excellent site, the postings boards are marginal and certainly not the caliber of ScoopMe (but what is, really?) so I encourage ScoopMe’s Alias fans to drop by. Maybe your posts will change the tides.
I can also be found on Yahoo groups here: Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos
This Yahoo group thing is new for me; so don’t be frustrated if I’m lame at it at first!
Thank you to ScoopMe for giving me a chance with reviewing Alias and thanks to the fans for supporting me. I just can’t express how sad I am about the closing of ScoopMe but I wish the writers, editors and fans all the best.
There will be a new Inside Dish this week and a "wrap up" Dish the week following, for those interested!
Take care until we meet again!
Coreen
by Coreen Kremer
To every thing, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
Embracing the directional change of the premise may not be easy, but the purpose behind it is clear enough.
At the beginning of the season, I wrote my Alias sneak-peak and expounded this, "States Jennifer Garner, "It feels like the live-up-to-our-own-buzz year." In order to live up to that buzz, season two finds the show format receiving some tweaking, with the hope to woo new fans while still entertaining the existing ones. The adjustment encompasses a chiseling back of the cliffhanger endings and tuning the storylines "deeper yet easier to follow," so that new fans do not feel alienated if an episode is missed. The high level of drama, exotic locales and oh yeah, those great clothes all remain staples for season two."
With the introduction of Irina Derevko, the expanded screen time of the still mysterious Sark, Vaughn’s illness which revealed the continued relationship with Alice, the two deaths of Emily, Sloane’s hidden agenda, the demolition of SD-6, Vaughn and Sydney’s romance, Francie’s death and Freplica replacement, Will and Francie’s romance, Sydney’s graduation, Diane’s death, Ethan Hawke, Christian Slater, Rutger Hauer, David Carradine and Faye Dunaway (to name a few) as guest stars, and the exotic locales and great clothes/disguises I say that Alias lived up to its own buzz and succeeded in the tweaking of the show format.
Although some of the plotlines were "dumbed-down," season two provided me with the same, edge-of-my-seat-almost-forgetting-to-breathe episodes as season one, maybe even more so because I now care more about the characters and what happens to them.
The biggest shocker had to be the Super Bowl episode and the takedown of SD-6 because the show’s premise was based on Sydney being a double agent with a love for her handler that could never be and in one fell swoop, the entire premise changed. But along the way, the show came back to its roots with the Rambaldi artifacts and built upon its strong relationship foundation by exploring varied dynamics.
Relationships:
My favorite scenes all season were the ones between Victor Garber and Lena Olin. The two played their characters perfectly and have an incredible amount of chemistry between them. Without words, their body language depicted exactly what they were feeling and with Sydney thrown into the mix, the dysfunctional yet functioning family was a treat to watch. Irina’s last words to Sydney were that she loved both her and Jack and although Jack feels betrayed by Irina, maybe there is hope for a future reconciliation.
Sydney and Vaughn’s relationship was also a great aspect of the season because their love and desire was allowed to build before being acted upon. Everyone remembers that first kiss and the butterflies of a new romance and watching Sydney and Vaughn fall in love was sweet and a nice divergence from the hardness of their occupation. And as much as I hate to admit it, the wedding band on Vaughn’s finger at the end was an awesome way to bring the relationship full circle. Do you recall in beginning of the season when Sydney met Alice at the hospital when Vaughn was dying? I don’t know if he’s married to Alice, hell I don’t know if he’s married at all or if those two years have even passed but I had the same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when Sydney noticed the ring as I did when Alice shook Sydney’s hand and introduced herself as "Michael’s girlfriend." I may not like it, but as far as cliffhangers go, it’s one of the better ways to get me to watch next season. Besides, after suffering through Buffy’s three major breakups, I can handle Sydney and Vaughn’s bump in the road! But J.J. et al. – if you read this (as if) – please don’t keep them apart for too long!
Sloane and Emily’s relationship also worked because their love humanized him. Fans saw a side of Sloane that made him the man you love to hate and made his character intriguing rather than an annoyance.
Other relationships that deserve mentioning:
Jack’s protective nature of his daughter and their continued respect and growing trust of one another astounds me. Their relationship is one of the best father/daughter relationships on TV. Thrown into impossible situations, the two of them rely on each other and though they don’t always agree, they always try to see the other’s side. The relationship between Jack and Vaughn teeters from friend to foe and that delicate balance is well done.
Will and Sydney were allowed to become true friends, which she needed. Dixon found a way to forgive Sydney’s deception and they built a stronger relationship upon that. Irina and Sydney’s relationship is difficult to figure out because viewers are still not privy to Irina’s full motives, but her love of her daughter seems apparent. Also, it was interesting watching Sydney attempt to be strong and independent of Irina but in truth was just a little girl who loved, lost and needs her mommy. Kendall and Jack are getting a mention because Jack went from working with and deceiving Sloane to working for but doing it his own way then taking over the job but eventually giving it back to Kendall. There’s a theme with the ‘authority’ issue. Rambaldi, locations and disguises
Bringing the focus back to Rambaldi not only brought a greater purpose to Sark, Sloane, and Irina’s characters but it also serves to provide a premise for season 3. I’ll admit I’m still confused but I enjoyed how Sloane’s confrontation with Conrad alluded to the fact that while he felt Conrad manipulated him on this quest maybe the bigger picture is that it was all preordained. The concept of destiny vs. free will has been realistically depicted and makes one wonder if there’s truth to the Rambaldi prophecy and if it’s been deciphered correctly. Finding out how all the players and pieces fit together has been a wild ride, with no end yet in sight. I hope the writers delve more into the Order of Rambaldi .
Again, Alias did not disappoint with the sets and costumes. My favorites had to be Sydney’s geisha girl; the ice caves in Sri Lanka, Jack and Irina on the train, and Dixon as the reggae DJ. Please share yours.
Miscellaneous mentionable moments (no particular order)
Marshall’s first mission. It’s no secret that I adore Marshall but his first mission had to be the highlight of all the Marshall moments. From the time he and Sydney were on the plane to him perking up after she kissed him to when he was captured (he was so brave) – just loved it!
In the beginning - Sark’s obvious respect for Sydney. Up until they began working together at SD-6, I enjoyed the Sark/Sydney moments because they were well-matched foes and Sark’s facial expressions of awe and respect were priceless.
Sydney rescuing Vaughn, (Vaughn shirtless, Sydney jamming adrenaline into his heart) then without a hug or a handshake they separated but fans everywhere were screaming kiss her, hug him, do something! It was just another way to drag out the eventually relationship and it worked to build up the tension.
Francie got a storyline! Her death saddened me but what a kick-ass final fight scene! Sydney wearing Vaughn’s leather jacket while recounting to Dr. Barnett the events that took place after she and Vaughn were separated in the season opener.
Irina. Lena Olin is awesome and I loved the addition of her character.
Will excelling in his CIA analyst role and the fact that Vaughn fought to get him hired. The unknown
What Rambaldi device did Sloane build?
What did Conrad reveal to Sloane with those scrolls?
Is Jack really Jack (why did Sloane have him hooked up to an IV)?
Is Will alive?
Did Freplica die from the gunshot wounds?
Is Vaughn married?
Does Vaughn still work for the CIA?
Has 2 years passed and if yes, where has Sydney been?
What’s with that scar?
What became of Irina?
Is Sark still in the custody of the CIA?
Will Sark ever get a first name?
Why was there so much screaming in the Hong Kong safe house?
Are Marshall and Carrie dating?
What became of Dixon?
Will either Ethan Hawke or Christian Slater’s character return?
With ABC renewing The Practice and giving the Sunday, 10p timeslot back to them does that mean Dragnet gets bumped back an hour and Alias gets a new timeslot?
With the end of ScoopMe so near and the harrowing season finale still vivid in my mind, writing this wrap-up has me a bit frazzled so please post to the boards and share your favorite episodes, quotes, scenes, moments, speculation or comment on anything you detested. I look forward to reading your views on the season.
As this is the last Alias anything I’ll write for ScoopMe I’d like to take a moment to say how much I’ve enjoyed you fans! Sharing the exploits of the Alias cast with you each week has been a joy. The discussions are intelligent and interesting and I hope to see you post elsewhere!
Come fall, my Alias reviews can be found in two places. On www.tvtome.com, go to the Alias page, click on reviews (where I post my scoopme.com reviews now) and there I am under the moniker Gingerbreadgirl (a nickname from my husband). Although an excellent site, the postings boards are marginal and certainly not the caliber of ScoopMe (but what is, really?) so I encourage ScoopMe’s Alias fans to drop by. Maybe your posts will change the tides.
I can also be found on Yahoo groups here: Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos
This Yahoo group thing is new for me; so don’t be frustrated if I’m lame at it at first!
Thank you to ScoopMe for giving me a chance with reviewing Alias and thanks to the fans for supporting me. I just can’t express how sad I am about the closing of ScoopMe but I wish the writers, editors and fans all the best.
There will be a new Inside Dish this week and a "wrap up" Dish the week following, for those interested!
Take care until we meet again!
Coreen
