Elsa Caplan
Cadet
No, they were not. The blonde at the party was someone else:
Chad Darnell says in his blog,
She was a day player (and they ldon't ook very much like each other to me!)
Season 5 Catchy, but dated
- Thread starter verdantheart
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No, they were not. The blonde at the party was someone else:
Chad Darnell says in his blog,
She was a day player (and they ldon't ook very much like each other to me!)
Thanks for starting this thread - you have asked many of the questions I have 
As to Dean . . . I wonder, do they just take the credentials of a guy who waltzes into APO—a super-secret organization—at face value? They don't bother to check with his agency, for example, or do a cursory background check to make sure that he is who he says he is? Dixon seemed to find out who he was quickly enough once Vaughn was reduced to a piece of Swiss cheese. Moreover, the CIA isn't supposed to know that APO exists . . . how does Dean know it exists? Just askin'.
AMEN!!! I don't get this either... if all it really took was a call to Director Chase... how in the world could he have know/gotten into APO?
Is Isabel the new trendy name? Isabel was the name of the superbaby on The 4400. (Maybe it's the name for superbabies?)
LOL Isabel is definately gainning in popularity. In 2004 "Isabella" was #7 in the top 10 baby names of the year.
Do you think death has become meaningless on Alias? If a characters returns from “death,” do you think it's more meaningful if he or she actually died, or does that matter?
No, not completely meaningless, it is used for plot twists, and to gain attention. It seems to mean that on ALIAS death - instead of giving closure - opens up an entirely new can of worms. (Not that this is a bad thing.)
Do you believe that Vaughn is dead? Why or why not? LOL he could be, or not. Again, the writers have written themselves an "out" in the case the MV chooses not to return. It appears (IMO) that he will be back, and right now is just out of the picture to protect Syd and the baby.
Do you think things have become more or less uncertain as Alias has gone along? Which way do you think it should go and why? I would say the writers have definately not had an "big picture" in mind for seasons 3 & 4. Or perhaps they did and the "fans" changed where they decided to go with the story. Also Mia seemed to be written in S4 so that their was a passenger - but now that "her job is done" it seems they don't know what to do with her!
Do you think Rachel Gibson's character is good or bad? Why? (No spoilers, please.) I think she thinks she is good -working with Dean and the "good guys" the way they filmed her one line in no way made her seem like she knew she was bad...
My own ruminations
I have always found it interesting that when ALIAS adds, or detracts from its original cast people seem to really get upset. I read somewhere (ha ha who knows how reliable the source is - since I can't even remember what it was!) Anyway that originally Melissa George (Lauren) was tentatively going to be the passenger. But b/c fans reacted to negatively to her, her character was changed and she was killed at the end of Season 3. I wonder if ALIAS would have had more continuity IF truely MG was kept as the passenger, and kept alive w/season 4. Just a thought based on rumors
I guess that's it
Can't wait for Thursday
As to Dean . . . I wonder, do they just take the credentials of a guy who waltzes into APO—a super-secret organization—at face value? They don't bother to check with his agency, for example, or do a cursory background check to make sure that he is who he says he is? Dixon seemed to find out who he was quickly enough once Vaughn was reduced to a piece of Swiss cheese. Moreover, the CIA isn't supposed to know that APO exists . . . how does Dean know it exists? Just askin'.
AMEN!!! I don't get this either... if all it really took was a call to Director Chase... how in the world could he have know/gotten into APO?
Is Isabel the new trendy name? Isabel was the name of the superbaby on The 4400. (Maybe it's the name for superbabies?)
LOL Isabel is definately gainning in popularity. In 2004 "Isabella" was #7 in the top 10 baby names of the year.
Do you think death has become meaningless on Alias? If a characters returns from “death,” do you think it's more meaningful if he or she actually died, or does that matter?
No, not completely meaningless, it is used for plot twists, and to gain attention. It seems to mean that on ALIAS death - instead of giving closure - opens up an entirely new can of worms. (Not that this is a bad thing.)
Do you believe that Vaughn is dead? Why or why not? LOL he could be, or not. Again, the writers have written themselves an "out" in the case the MV chooses not to return. It appears (IMO) that he will be back, and right now is just out of the picture to protect Syd and the baby.
Do you think things have become more or less uncertain as Alias has gone along? Which way do you think it should go and why? I would say the writers have definately not had an "big picture" in mind for seasons 3 & 4. Or perhaps they did and the "fans" changed where they decided to go with the story. Also Mia seemed to be written in S4 so that their was a passenger - but now that "her job is done" it seems they don't know what to do with her!
Do you think Rachel Gibson's character is good or bad? Why? (No spoilers, please.) I think she thinks she is good -working with Dean and the "good guys" the way they filmed her one line in no way made her seem like she knew she was bad...
My own ruminations
I have always found it interesting that when ALIAS adds, or detracts from its original cast people seem to really get upset. I read somewhere (ha ha who knows how reliable the source is - since I can't even remember what it was!) Anyway that originally Melissa George (Lauren) was tentatively going to be the passenger. But b/c fans reacted to negatively to her, her character was changed and she was killed at the end of Season 3. I wonder if ALIAS would have had more continuity IF truely MG was kept as the passenger, and kept alive w/season 4. Just a thought based on rumors
I guess that's it
Can't wait for Thursday
V
verdantheart
Guest
Guess I stand corrected, then. Serves them right for staging Rachel Nichols' entrance as an ah-ha moment, though. :lol:
She must be Miranda, then?
I am soo confused who's rachel? and now who's miranda? is rachel suppose to be the new 'agent' working under that dean guy?
First of all, welcome back V...missed you. ^_^ ^_^
At the funeral, when they come out of the church, Jack and Sydney stare at each other for maybe five seconds. Yep, still alive. -_-
OK my two cents...
Well, it is "Alias" and things happen that make it possible. This is, of course, about Sydney, not Vaughn in spite of their love and the fact they're having a baby.
Not dead, stablized and moved into hiding by Jack. In the scene when the nurse pulls the sheet over him, Sydney turns tearfully to Jack AND he gives a barely perceptible nod to her. At that moment, I knew he was still hanging on but not in the hospital.
At the funeral, when they come out of the church, Jack and Sydney stare at each other for maybe five seconds. Yep, still alive. -_-
Go back and read the prophecy...it truly has not been fulfilled...only the second part about the Chosen One and The Passenger fighting and only one lives. What great power has the Chosen One laid waste too?...At least this is what I believe re-reading the prophecy. Was the book that the Prophet 5 group tried to decipher about genetic codes etc written by Rambaldi...yes, I think so. There's a lot to think about here, but my bet is that it was Rambaldi and those after the information (Dean and Co...whoever they may be) are going to find a tough opponent in Sydney, helped by her Dad and eventually her Mom.
I'm thinking she better NOT BE, because she's a blond...just like Lauren. No fair to blondes. I do think she thinks she's working on the side of 'good' and is being deluded by Dean and 'his gang'.
OK my two cents...
secretfriend220
Cadet
Do you think death has become meaningless on Alias? If a characters returns from “death,” do you think it's more meaningful if he or she actually died, or does that matter?
I dont really thing death has become meaningless on ALIAS. I mean, so many characters die each episode! Most of these however, are unnamed ones that are just guards or something of the sort. Those characters actually DIE though! It's so confusing now that every time someone important to the show "dies" and then comes back. It's become a cliche on ALIAS that NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES. Gah.
Do you believe that Vaughn is dead? Why or why not?
No, I don't think Vaughn is really dead. For one thing, that drink that Sydney gave him before they discussed names. And then Jack did not look really .... uPSET when Vaughn "died" in teh hospital. It looked as if he knew something. Vaughn is probably gonna stay away from syd and eliminate everything that could hurt her and Isabelle now i guess, before coming back!
Do you think things have become more or less uncertain as Alias has gone along? Which way do you think it should go and why?
Things have DEFINATELY become less uncertain. I liked it more though before. I think the 1st season was the absolute best. Things were still confusing...but there was like, one story line going instead of switching every episode! THere it was "take down SD-6 and figure out who this Rambaldi guy is" while now there are different organizations EVERY time! :-\
Do you think Rachel Gibson's character is good or bad? Why? (No spoilers, please.)
Personally I think she's gonna be a good character who is going in Sydney's footsteps. :-D
I dont really thing death has become meaningless on ALIAS. I mean, so many characters die each episode! Most of these however, are unnamed ones that are just guards or something of the sort. Those characters actually DIE though! It's so confusing now that every time someone important to the show "dies" and then comes back. It's become a cliche on ALIAS that NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES. Gah.
Do you believe that Vaughn is dead? Why or why not?
No, I don't think Vaughn is really dead. For one thing, that drink that Sydney gave him before they discussed names. And then Jack did not look really .... uPSET when Vaughn "died" in teh hospital. It looked as if he knew something. Vaughn is probably gonna stay away from syd and eliminate everything that could hurt her and Isabelle now i guess, before coming back!
Do you think things have become more or less uncertain as Alias has gone along? Which way do you think it should go and why?
Things have DEFINATELY become less uncertain. I liked it more though before. I think the 1st season was the absolute best. Things were still confusing...but there was like, one story line going instead of switching every episode! THere it was "take down SD-6 and figure out who this Rambaldi guy is" while now there are different organizations EVERY time! :-\
Do you think Rachel Gibson's character is good or bad? Why? (No spoilers, please.)
Personally I think she's gonna be a good character who is going in Sydney's footsteps. :-D
SkyGirl5
Cadet
*sigh*
don't you think its possible that ABC took MV off their cast list for a reason? i mean really, if the left him on it would be quite obvious he's not gone and therefore ruin the "surprise" they're going to atempt to come up with
aslo, just because MV is on Kitchen Confidential doesnt mean hes gone - victor filmed a guest spot on Will & Grace while doing alias - it means nothing
Jamison
Cadet
That's what bothers me right there "attempt". I agree with it, sadly. They don't know what they're doing so they left his "death" open, so if they can't get him back then he's really dead, but if they can then he'll be alive. Alias used to be so much better than this -_-
Isabelle is such a trendy name right now. I just started work in a new place and I have only met two of the children of co-workers and one is Isabelle and the other Isabella.
Death is completely meaningless on Alias. And at this point I don't really think it means more or less either way. But I'm slightly jaded, I think.
This is difficult for me to answer. I liked a conclusion where we actually saw him go into hiding - saw the two versions of his "death" if necessary in order to reveal what was really going on. But instead I feel that it was edited together in a way that was as ambiguous as possible. So, while I thought the interesting story was in him being alive and in hiding or something to that effect I have no interest in the way that it was done. Quite clearly anything and everything on Alias can change, so it doesn't even seem to matter if he is dead or alive, since what is true today may not be true tomorrow. I liked the clues, but I was more interested in having an answer now and not being led down a path that may or may not change. What I would like to see is some sort of commitment to a storyline, not just open ended clues that may mean nothing.
You know a few years ago, I think there was some sort of a plan (which, yes, sometimes did change) so things were a little more certain, although there were always twists. Starting with S3, however, when storylines seemed to fall under criticism and half of the season seemed to go forward with no sort of plan, everything became negotiable. Lately it seems more like Alias wafts in the wind changing direction whenever something doesn't work. Uncertainty on a show like Alias is a given, but lately, it is more than a little ridiculous.
I'm honestly unspoiled on this one, and she was the smug blonde girl, right? I'm sorry for sounding so out of faith, but I think that depends entirely on if she is liked or not. If we don't like her, she will be bad so fast her pretty little head will be spinning. Sorry. And she has no apparent "girl next door" type charm from what I've seen, as Sydney did, so my guess would be yes, she's completely bad.
bennifer part II
Cadet
from skygirl5
*sigh*
don't you think its possible that ABC took MV off their cast list for a reason? i mean really, if the left him on it would be quite obvious he's not gone and therefore ruin the "surprise" they're going to atempt to come up with
aslo, just because MV is on Kitchen Confidential doesnt mean hes gone - victor filmed a guest spot on Will & Grace while doing alias - it means nothing
yes, victor garber did guest star on will and grace, but that aired in november of 2004, which means he filmed in shortly before that. Alias did not premier until January... so cast members were not back on the set filming just yet would be my guest. If the show is still on hiatus, then I dont see why a member couldnt moonlight on another show... however if they are currently filming I would think the network wouldnt be too keen to let them do so, especailly since victor is in every episode.
let me clarify my stance... michael vaughn being dead or alive will be determined if the actor vartan agrees to do a guest spot. if he says yes, alias will magically write him back in the show. however, since he has not said yes, they have to proceed as if vaughn was shot to death.
my problem is that we could ask jj if vaughn is dead and he won't know... he's waiting to hear from michael vartan. how can they write this show only looking like 4 feet ahead of them? there is no big picture yet. so every epsiode here on out will be slightly vague to leave windows open... the clues that we think are clues may end up being nothing bc vartan doesn't want to come back.
as for them taking his name off of the abc website... not just his name is gone, you can't even get a wallpaper with him anymore either!
i guess im just saying things are looking sloppy... if that makes any sense.
*sigh*
don't you think its possible that ABC took MV off their cast list for a reason? i mean really, if the left him on it would be quite obvious he's not gone and therefore ruin the "surprise" they're going to atempt to come up with
aslo, just because MV is on Kitchen Confidential doesnt mean hes gone - victor filmed a guest spot on Will & Grace while doing alias - it means nothing
yes, victor garber did guest star on will and grace, but that aired in november of 2004, which means he filmed in shortly before that. Alias did not premier until January... so cast members were not back on the set filming just yet would be my guest. If the show is still on hiatus, then I dont see why a member couldnt moonlight on another show... however if they are currently filming I would think the network wouldnt be too keen to let them do so, especailly since victor is in every episode.
let me clarify my stance... michael vaughn being dead or alive will be determined if the actor vartan agrees to do a guest spot. if he says yes, alias will magically write him back in the show. however, since he has not said yes, they have to proceed as if vaughn was shot to death.
my problem is that we could ask jj if vaughn is dead and he won't know... he's waiting to hear from michael vartan. how can they write this show only looking like 4 feet ahead of them? there is no big picture yet. so every epsiode here on out will be slightly vague to leave windows open... the clues that we think are clues may end up being nothing bc vartan doesn't want to come back.
as for them taking his name off of the abc website... not just his name is gone, you can't even get a wallpaper with him anymore either!
i guess im just saying things are looking sloppy... if that makes any sense.
That's why Vaughn needs to come back.
I don't see (or want) a happy ending without Vaughn.
And if they EVER try to tell us Syd will fall in Love with another guy during Season 5, I am going to throw my computer out of the window.
I am not a S/V shipper, but this would be too much.
*sighs*
I don't think it's possible to give her a happily ever after if they stick to the show's mythology. I just can't see it.
freakforalias
Dream on you perverted freak
Unfortunately, yes....
My reaction was intinctively "OMG" -- and then you think better of it and it's a "come on, not again" reaction".... And yes, if someone actually died it would be more meaningful because it would give you a chance to actually mourn for that character. If that makes any sense....I don't know... I'm thinking he probably isn't. He's in hiding somewhere at the hands of Jack and the crew.... The drink @ the hospital, Jack not comforting Syd (or is that just Jack? I'd like to think not in that situation), and the apparent lack of grief at the funeral... so yea, i'm thinking he's not....
I just don't know what to expect... that's for certain :lol: I just hope it doesn't become a "soap opera" now that a baby is on the way -- that's one of my fears... I was also looking forward to a season of Vaughn actually having a little bit of depth to him and now it appears as if he isn't even going to be a part of it (or at least it'll appear that way... because if he's alive, I'm sure he'll be helping Syd from his little hole in the ground in her search for answers along the way)
Don't really know enough about her except that she was working with Dean for the 10 seconds we saw her... and Dean was bad... but that doesn't make her bad. I kind of compare her to Syd when she was @ SD-6. Thinking she was working for the good guys and was all along being mislead.... As with any new character, it's a wait and see....
sigh. (yeah, I am starting my comment with a sigh. that can't be good.) first of all, I am so extremely relieved that Verdantheart came back to write again. I was really disheartened last season when I thought I would have to navigate this (probably)final season without the wisdom and insight in those spy family columns. thank you thank you thank you. I wish I could be so happy with the writers of the show for this season. Okay, three cheers for not starting off with Rambaldi soaked storylines or vampire residue left over from the atrocious season 4 finale, but killing Vaughn off? That totally sucked. I mean all the way around-whether he is coming back later or not, the thought of having to trudge along with Sydney and her big belly AND watch these youngin's join up to carry on the Alias legacy AND no S/V lovey doveness is oppressive to my soul. When those new credits rolled and MV wasnt even listed I was so depressed. who in the world cares about these new characters? I could barely tolerated Nadia's arrival and she feels like an good ol friend now in comparison. ugh. That is the emotional side of my reaction. yet if I pretend to be an unobjective spectator of story-how clever of those brainstormin' writers to bring in new blood. At least there is no green goo on the floor or vampires running loose in the streets of Europe threatening to overtake the world with their rapid negativity. THAT was dumb. Specifically, do I think Vaughn is dead? Ok. I cried like a baby when they wheeled him out of that hospital and then showed the funeral. Maybe it was my denial defence against the grief, but then I thought-no no. If Jack can kill Sloane and bring him back for Sydney then he sure as heck could do that for Vaughn, his future son in law and father of his precious grandchild. Didnt Jack just tell Syd he would do anything to help her? didnt Vaughnjust tell Syd in the car that he wanted a better life for junior and couldnt Sydney just knock off these particular villians and then finally make good on her vow to leave the cia and go off into the private sector sunset with her soulmate? if she fell apart over Danny's murder in season one isnt it crazy that she would be so calm over losing the man she has fought so hard (for years now) to save? She is a good soldier but she aint that strong-she has cried harder over less. Maybe I am just not smart enough to be jaded but I prefer to think of the pseudo killing of vaughn not to be meaningless and annoying that "no one ever dies on alias" but rather a part of the alias structure. a unifying reoccuring theme that brings continuity-not boredom(ok-I am stretching but I am so desperate to believe the best about the story-if not the show). Just like the whole "alias" theme. at first I was so annoyed with Vaughn's admission that his name was really blah blah blah-but then I thought. wow-how clever-no one really important has gone without some sort of alias-either in name or in lifestyle(ie laura bristow=irina derevko or sloane being good cia to syd but really sd-6 bad guy. syd wasnt really with sd-6 and it was devestating to Dixon at first but then really cool. so MV having this alias was actually cool in a weird way. I feel the same about his "death". whether it is just temporary to help him recover from his shootout so he can safely return to Sydney at the end of the season(my theory and schoolgirl hope is that Vaughn will come back to Syd at the series finale-maybe like Emily showed up for Sloane on the private beach). otherwise, it will be too much that Sydney will have lost everyone-Danny, Vaughn, Jack(if he doesnt outlive his fatal disease)-at what expense? If he really did die and is not coming back-this new baby for Syd is not enough consolation for me. It isnt that Sydney "needs a man" to be happy, it is that true love wins out over all the evil they fought to be together.
quibbles: -
word about dean - as if he would have gotten into APO!!!! -_-
death - pfft.
Do you think death has become meaningless on Alias? If a characters returns from “death,” do you think it's more meaningful if he or she actually died, or does that matter?
death is no stupid on alias.....means nothing.
Do you believe that Vaughn is dead? Why or why not?
No because I dont want to believe it basically. They set it up so he can return so easily - jack says he will do everything he can to protect them both before telling dixon to get the passports ready to mobilise vaughn in 24 - 48 hours.........then syd gives vaughn a drink and he flatlines immediately after they say they love each other (as if preparing for what will happen yes!?) and is taken to the morgue (right!) and then jack wakes him as he did with sloane and he is mobilzed.........(guessing) and hence the closed casket and syd not crying. It is set up so he can return for sure for the reasons you said - the people after him wil kill him and syd and baby prob too so he needs to escape and hide from them til apo kill them off. Another thing was - the process was so fast - it felt rushed and if that was really the death of a major character then it was disrespectful to MV - it felt like he has to go so get rid quick hoever we can.. -_-
the only prob is it doesnt seem like story wil determine his return - it seems it will be the same as with irina - that the actor is in charge - this sucks as the storyline will suffer due to that.
In a perfect world i would like to see vaughn return after the birth of their child once the prophet 5 guys are dead and all is safe but then i am in denial!!!
Do you think things have become more or less uncertain as Alias has gone along? Which way do you think it should go and why?
Erm tough question - more certain in a lot of ways - but not just cos os less good writing - i think a lot of it is cos we knwo the show so well and we are starting to think like the writers so we can guess what is going on and be right most of the time. It's a shame really cos it makes the show less clever - and it was its intelligence which i always loved.
Do you think Rachel Gibson's character is good or bad? Why?
good or bad as in bad guy /good guy ?? no idea.......i did wonder why she was working for dean (wtf he walked into APO *pffffft*) i guess we'll see. she looks llike a blonde younger syd
great column btw - hope you will stick with it verdy
oh and
amen!!
word about dean - as if he would have gotten into APO!!!! -_-
death - pfft.
Do you think death has become meaningless on Alias? If a characters returns from “death,” do you think it's more meaningful if he or she actually died, or does that matter?
death is no stupid on alias.....means nothing.
Do you believe that Vaughn is dead? Why or why not?
No because I dont want to believe it basically. They set it up so he can return so easily - jack says he will do everything he can to protect them both before telling dixon to get the passports ready to mobilise vaughn in 24 - 48 hours.........then syd gives vaughn a drink and he flatlines immediately after they say they love each other (as if preparing for what will happen yes!?) and is taken to the morgue (right!) and then jack wakes him as he did with sloane and he is mobilzed.........(guessing) and hence the closed casket and syd not crying. It is set up so he can return for sure for the reasons you said - the people after him wil kill him and syd and baby prob too so he needs to escape and hide from them til apo kill them off. Another thing was - the process was so fast - it felt rushed and if that was really the death of a major character then it was disrespectful to MV - it felt like he has to go so get rid quick hoever we can.. -_-
the only prob is it doesnt seem like story wil determine his return - it seems it will be the same as with irina - that the actor is in charge - this sucks as the storyline will suffer due to that.
In a perfect world i would like to see vaughn return after the birth of their child once the prophet 5 guys are dead and all is safe
but then i am in denial!!! Do you think things have become more or less uncertain as Alias has gone along? Which way do you think it should go and why?
Erm tough question - more certain in a lot of ways - but not just cos os less good writing - i think a lot of it is cos we knwo the show so well and we are starting to think like the writers so we can guess what is going on and be right most of the time. It's a shame really cos it makes the show less clever - and it was its intelligence which i always loved.
Do you think Rachel Gibson's character is good or bad? Why?
good or bad as in bad guy /good guy ?? no idea.......i did wonder why she was working for dean (wtf he walked into APO *pffffft*) i guess we'll see. she looks llike a blonde younger syd
great column btw - hope you will stick with it verdy
oh and
amen!!
V
verdantheart
Guest
You sweeties . . . how can I refuse?great column btw - hope you will stick with it verdy
Hallelujah. Unless it's Sark
actually, its only Vaughn for Sidney. i think they're really perfect together.
