Season 5 Deja vu all over again

V

verdantheart

Guest
"The Shed" opens in Istanbul, with a theft of substance 33 (as Marshall later informs us).

In LA, Sydney goes through Vaughn's mail and cancels a subscription.

Marshall, in an impromptu briefing, tells Jack, Sydney, and Tom how handy penpals can be, as this is how he heard the news about substance 33, a potent nerve agent. He's sure that the thief is connected to Dean because a hacker involved was the same one who hacked into the NSA to blow Vaughn's cover. He suggests that if they go to Prague (the location), they can grab the hacker. However, Sydney worries about spooking Dean. Jack suggests that they locate the hacker but make no move, taking the opportunity to reassess their options.

Sydney is upset with her father for assigning Tom Grace as her partner: she's read his file and he's a loner, not a team player. Jack reminds her that she had no authority to read Tom's file and tells her that Dixon has another assignment anyway—one having to do with Nadia. Sloane has been granted conditional release for 72 hours because he has found a possible cure. Jack didn't want to tell Sydney because he didn't want to raise false hopes. Sydney wants to go solo rather than accept Tom as a partner, but Jack insists.

Dixon talks over the mission with Sloane. He suggests it might be a trap, but Sloane insists that they have no idea of his implication in what transpired. No, he says, his contact Dolzhenko is trading the cure for $300,000. Dixon confirms that it's his show.

In Prague, the team (Marshall, Sydney, and Tom) converge on a WiFi hotspot, where Marshall hands Sydney a box of mints. The box will clone the PC and a mint will track the person who eats it. Tom's ready to go in . . . but to him Czech is, well, “Germanish,” so Sydney goes. Marshall discovers that the PC in question is actually being used by the hacker via a portable device such as a PDA or cell phone . . . and Sydney makes a woman just leaving the shop.

Tom makes her leaving by car and chases—naturally, this gets her attention and he has to head her off and pin her down. They end up taking her in, after all.

Of course, it is Rachel Gibson. Sydney is upset, thinking they have lost their lead to Dean. “Maybe under the circumstance you'd have done something different,” Tom grouses.

Meanwhile, in Omsk, Sloane and Dixon wait for Dolzhenko, who is late. Finally, he calls in, angry that Sloane did not come alone as agreed. He gives a new location to meet in an hour—alone. Sloane wants to go through with it, but Dixon hesitates. Sloane reminds him that they have his daughter, so why would he escape? Dixon says his concern is that this might be a trap. But Sloane appeals to Dixon's commitment to family. Dixon leaves telling Sloane to call for pickup.

Back in Prague, Rachel asserts her rights as a US citizen, then tells the team they're in trouble with the CIA. Well, that's funny, they say, because we are the CIA. Eventually, they come to the conclusion that Rachel believes what she's saying and is in an SD-6 situation. Sydney tells Rachel her own story and asks Rachel to prove that she's working for the CIA to herself—by writing a program to trace her own emergency call back to Langley. She does this and watches a ping reroute from Langley back to their office in Prague.

She's a bit broken up, but as it turns out, she's the only one available to get the dope on the transfer of substance 33—so she needs to go back in, download a decryption key (on a handy-dandy credit card device), pass it to Sydney, re-enter, and open a port for Marshall to download all the files on the server . . . oh, yeah, simple enough. Sydney coaches her on the basics.

Back in Omsk, Sloane finally gets together with Dolzhenko. He takes the money and assures Sloane that although the cure is still experimental, the patients have all recovered so far. However, as Sloane opens an empty trunk, Dolzhenko pulls a gun. Nadia is the only survivor, he confirms, and this is a trap. He means to kill Sloane, and tells him to turn around. Sloane, however, isn't going to make things easy for Dolzhenko and reminds him that he isn't a killer. He takes the gun away.

Rachel re-enters her office in a subdued mood, meeting Peyton (the agent who took substance 33) on the way in. She begins copying the key and chats with Dean half-heartedly. As she goes for the brush-pass, Peyton tags along “for a smoke.” Sydney's worried, but Tom makes himself a distraction, lighting Peyton's cigarette as Sydney brushes by and takes the key. Marshall's ready.

However, Peyton is suspicious and is waiting for Dean in his office. He checks Rachel's computer, at first seeing nothing unusual, then noting Marshall's strategy: he's hopping RAM. Marshall, however, has already picked up the info on substance 33. Dean instructs Peyton to execute Plan B, which apparently consists of setting off an EMP burst followed by an explosive blast to take out the floor of the building.

Unable to contact Rachel because of the EMP, Tom legs it over. Fortunately, Rachel, worried that she's lost contact and the lights are out, begins making her way out and avoids the worst of it although she does end up under a door.


Comments . . .

Who wants to bet that, considering that the cure didn't materialize, Sloane takes it on the lam. After all, he's a bit hamstrung in his search cooped up like that . . . plus, it's a lot less fun for us! Will he contact Jack in some back-door manner? Will he return to his evil ways? One can only hope.

Now to the main subject of this episode, and my little discussion here: repetition. Repetition is a technique used in fiction, both to good effect and, well, let's just say not so good effect. It can be as small a thing as the repetition of the same word (usually in prose) to the recurrence of a similar event (or even the same event).

In music, from the familiar verse/refrain form to variations on a theme to even some of the most seemingly formless tone poems, repetition of motifs is extremely important. Similarly, in fiction, the repetition of similar events, themes, ideas, and phrases can be used to create themes and moods, present ideas, and so on. However, this technique must be used skillfully, or else the repetition can become tedious or seemingly point out a lack of creativity on the part of the writers as they fall back on old ideas—whether this is the case or not.

So what makes the difference here? Where do we draw the line between pleasingly déjà vu and oh God, not again? It's the skill—and the point or objective. Alias, for example, contains many allusions to Wonderland. At times, they are very subtly worked in, such as Sydney's dressing as Alice for a costume party. On the other hand, the “Inject Me” drug found in a copy of Carroll's work I found to be a bit jarring. What was Roberts' reason for alluding to Carroll? That was never explained. In fact, since he was offering nothing but nonsense, placing his ultimatum in such a format was, in fact, counterproductive from his point of view—it only served the writer's objective of placing an allusion to Carroll into the story—and an obvious one at that. So unless Roberts was a Carroll freak . . .

We've seen variations of various themes on Alias: wife-spying-on-husband (Irina/Jack, the Caplans, Lauren/Vaughn), unknowingly-spying-for-the-enemy (Sydney, Dixon, Marshall, Rachel) faked deaths (Sloane (twice!)/Emily/Sydney/Irina/Vaughn?). The question is, has the repetition enhanced the effect, or drained the impact out of it?

If skillfully handled, a repetition should add something new; allow you to see the same thing in a new way—or to realize that it isn't the same thing at all, but different in some fundamental way. For example, a very similar experience can be very different because it is experienced by a very different person who reacts in a very different way.

Let's look just briefly at Lost. So far no big ideas have repeated, it's mostly motifs—with a vengeance. Their kiss motto: keep it subtle, stupid. Nadia's message to Sayid, that she hopes to meet him in the “next life,” repeats in Desmond's farewells to Jack, “See you in the next life." The white and black rocks, the polar bears . . . and on, and on . . . mostly subtle (except for centerpieces such as the polar bear attack), but ever-present. If they continue to be consistent, subtle, and skillful—and manage to pull off a satisfying series arc (no small feat)—it will add up to a remarkable journey.

If mishandled, it's just the same thing all over again . . . the story seems to be trying to tell you something, but it's not getting through. It's just . . . muddy.

When it's a big thing that's recurring, like this one—SD-6 all over again—you should get that déjà vu feeling, and it should have a strong kick right away. This is happening all over again! It should bring something with it, some quality—nightmare, or dreamlike, or “not again!” . . . something. If you are thinking, “I need to see what comes next” to know how you feel about it, the technique hasn't done its job. If you felt detached from Rachel as she stood on the roof considering her broken life, well then, Houston, we have a problem. If you were up there with her, then we're on our way. Did they show us enough to make the comparisons we need to make? To weave the engrossing tale?

The viewers have to decide for themselves which category this journey into SD-6-land fits into.


Quibbles . . .

OK, why did the EMP take all the electronics out except the bomb timer (since it only took out the floor, wouldn't it have to be nearby?) . . . and why did Rachel's communicator still make that quirp sound? Hm.


Random thoughts . . .

I just have trouble buying Balthazar Getty as a “loner” . . . it's just that face and demeanor . . . Perhaps it's just me? And if he was Special Forces, just how much solo work could he get away with? (Just how much undercover work does Special Forces do, anyway?) However, just telling me “He's a loner” isn't going to make me believe it; you have to demonstrate it to me somehow.

On another note, it was rather refreshing to have an agent who doesn't know every language on the face of the planet for once. Czech . . . Germanish? :lol: Although . . . if it turns out he doesn't know any, I'll be a little perturbed. After all, he's been hired as an agent. The man needs to brush up his skills. Hopefully he knows the major ones. I assume his comment means he knows German at least? On the other hand, it's rather ridiculous to have the feeling that if Sydney were dropped into the deepest depths of the Congo or Amazon she'd have no trouble conversing with the natives, no matter how potentially obscure and unuseful knowing their language might be from a practical viewpoint.

Fortunately, the promo, as usual, misled. Rachel is not Lauren Jr. From this episode it looks like the original advertising is more likely, that she's Sydney Jr. Which means, more likely than not, there's some weird wrinkle or two hiding in her past . . . and she probably doesn't even know about it.


Questions . . .

What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions?

Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not? Explain. What repeated plots/ideas/themes do you think have worked and what haven't on Alias and why? (Yeah, I know, big essay question. So sue me. ;))

Do you think Sloane will take it on the lam now that he's been left cureless and alone for a few minutes?


Next:
Rachel as Sydney's protégée?
 
ye.. i didnt but tom grace asmuch of aloner either...i mean the way he ran in there to get to rachel and he seems to be interactin pretty well with the others, so, idk..maybe we'll learn more about his past later or at least i hope so.

i have to say the whole second coming of sd-6 didnt really do it for me..not just because its repetitive, but because the whole thing did seem...idk...wierd somehow, like very...fast,i gess. It really wasnt that good in my opinion and i still dont know how i feel about rachel. alot of the repetitve stuff on alias has worked, though. like the fake deaths so far (not counting a possible vaughn faked death) have been done pretty well and u reallly dont notice how much of the same things happen during a season till u go bak n think really hard bout it or u rewatch the whole thing

i REALLY hope sloane wuld be bad again, but im afraid that alot of ppl wuld complain bout that saying that they keep doing the same thing to this character, but i mean c'mon does any1 really buy a good sloane.. it wuld help the story so much, i think
 
I definately liked the episode. I took pretty well to Rachel because she's so naive and helpless. Sydney seemed to have all the skills necessary to infiltrate SD-6, but Rachel was really struggling with the news and having to act normal. I really liked the last ten minutes when Peyton realized Rachel knew too much. Peyton just seems cool to me. I found the whole Shed infiltration made up for its lack of originality with tension.

I just miss disguises and kung fu.
 
so there with you on the EMP thing - remember the one in WTLV - it took out the whole damned town :rolleyes: - so stupid ^_^ ^_^

and very interesting discussion of repetition verdy (y) it is very fitting that you chose this week to go over that after rachel's story unfolded. *yawn*

your questions:

What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions?
Last week it bothered me why Syd took an instant dislike to him just cos he is loner - :wtf: why does she always ave to be such a brat. This week our "loner" happily chats with both syd and marshall as if group outing sare his "thing" - as you say not really loner behaviour. I would like to know what jack read in his file that makde him look funny!!!!

And what do i think of our newbies - i think i am gonna love rachel - she is a great actress and her story (if handled well) could prove interesting for both her and sydney.

tom i am not fussed about as yet - he is ok but i just wish we still had vaughn to play with instead. i guess i just can't help but think he is a stand in for vaughn - and i really don't understand why that is needed!!!! he doesn;t seem to be doing anything vaughn couldnt do thus far IMHO. -_-

Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not? Explain. What repeated plots/ideas/themes do you think have worked and what haven't on Alias and why? (Yeah, I know, big essay question. So sue me. goodwink.gif)
Well i thought it was cute that the same thing had happened - but sydney's (or jens??) drawn out description was dull (and yes repetitive) I thought rachel (nichols) played it really well though :smiley:

oohh other repeats on alias - well the dead/not dead thing is no longer working right :P we are agreed on that. things which have worked :Ponder: as you say the alice in wonderland themes have been pretty cool and even the rambaldi stories which have returned time and time again have always held my interest. but i can't think of anything else really (but then its almost midnight and i am half asleep :asleep: )

Do you think Sloane will take it on the lam now that he's been left cureless and alone for a few minutes?
he is so gonna take off :lol: seriously what was dixon thinking :rolleyes:
 
We've seen variations of various themes on Alias: wife-spying-on-husband (Irina/Jack, the Caplans, Lauren/Vaughn), unknowingly-spying-for-the-enemy (Sydney, Dixon, Marshall, Rachel) faked deaths (Sloane (twice!)/Emily/Sydney/Irina/Vaughn?). The question is, has the repetition enhanced the effect, or drained the impact out of it?


If skillfully handled, a repetition should add something new; allow you to see the same thing in a new way—or to realize that it isn't the same thing at all, but different in some fundamental way. For example, a very similar experience can be very different because it is experienced by a very different person who reacts in a very different way.

Let's look just briefly at Lost. So far no big ideas have repeated, it's mostly motifs—with a vengeance. Their kiss motto: keep it subtle, stupid. Nadia's message to Sayid, that she hopes to meet him in the “next life,” repeats in Desmond's farewells to Jack, “See you in the next life." The white and black rocks, the polar bears . . . and on, and on . . . mostly subtle (except for centerpieces such as the polar bear attack), but ever-present. If they continue to be consistent, subtle, and skillful—and manage to pull off a satisfying series arc (no small feat)—it will add up to a remarkable journey.

If mishandled, it's just the same thing all over again . . . the story seems to be trying to tell you something, but it's not getting through. It's just . . . muddy.

When it's a big thing that's recurring, like this one—SD-6 all over again—you should get that déjà vu feeling, and it should have a strong kick right away. This is happening all over again! It should bring something with it, some quality—nightmare, or dreamlike, or “not again!” . . . something. If you are thinking, “I need to see what comes next” to know how you feel about it, the technique hasn't done its job. If you felt detached from Rachel as she stood on the roof considering her broken life, well then, Houston, we have a problem. If you were up there with her, then we're on our way. Did they show us enough to make the comparisons we need to make? To weave the engrossing tale?

The viewers have to decide for themselves which category this journey into SD-6-land fits into.
Quibbles . . .

OK, why did the EMP take all the electronics out except the bomb timer (since it only took out the floor, wouldn't it have to be nearby?) . . . and why did Rachel's communicator still make that quirp sound? Hm.
Random thoughts . . .
Very true.... I was thinking that maybe b/c the bomb timer wasn't on it wouldn't have been affected? I don't know how an EMP works, soo?!? and yeah I thought it was funny that the communicator still went beep....

I just have trouble buying Balthazar Getty as a “loner” . . . it's just that face and demeanor . . . Perhaps it's just me? And if he was Special Forces, just how much solo work could he get away with? (Just how much undercover work does Special Forces do, anyway?) However, just telling me “He's a loner” isn't going to make me believe it; you have to demonstrate it to me somehow.
Remember it was Syd who drew the conclusion that Getty was a loner Jack didn't agree or disagree. Something tells me we will learn more about his history and why he did what he did....I also am wondering if something happened to his "team" that made him want to work alone for a while. And last of all I think Getty seems to have his own ways of doing things, as does Syd - most people Syd worked with just did it her way; now she has someone to challenge her.

On another note, it was rather refreshing to have an agent who doesn't know every language on the face of the planet for once. Czech . . . Germanish? :lol: Although . . . if it turns out he doesn't know any, I'll be a little perturbed. After all, he's been hired as an agent. The man needs to brush up his skills. Hopefully he knows the major ones. I assume his comment means he knows German at least? On the other hand, it's rather ridiculous to have the feeling that if Sydney were dropped into the deepest depths of the Congo or Amazon she'd have no trouble conversing with the natives, no matter how potentially obscure and unuseful knowing their language might be from a practical viewpoint.
ROTFL _ isn't that the truth. Yes, I would think he would speak German; not Czech.

Fortunately, the promo, as usual, misled. Rachel is not Lauren Jr. From this episode it looks like the original advertising is more likely, that she's Sydney Jr. Which means, more likely than not, there's some weird wrinkle or two hiding in her past . . . and she probably doesn't even know about it.
Agreed

What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions?
oops I answered that already. I don't think Tom was always a loner, and even now not so much a loner as a "my way" kind of guy - kind of like Syd. Rachel seems to be a poor recruit who didn't have a clue - personally I sympathized with her.

Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not? Explain. What repeated plots/ideas/themes do you think have worked and what haven't on Alias and why? (Yeah, I know, big essay question. So sue me. ;))

A couple of things here. I liked the repeat o rama. That said.... S5.1 was a downer - the loss of any of the major players would have been a downer. I think this has made it difficult for people to sympathize with Rachel. Syd has just lost her fiannce... and although Rachel's "world is crumbling" people are still reeling from Vaughn's death. So instead of Syd being able to show her concern for Rachel w/Vaughn - who would have understood Rachel's situation & Syd's concern, she has clueless Marshall, unknowing Grace, and her Father to express those feelings with.... I liked the repeat theme, but think it could have been done better.

What themes have/haven't worked..... well the death/undead is getting "old" it just leaves people skeptical and angry. (This is if Vaughn were to return.)

Do you think Sloane will take it on the lam now that he's been left cureless and alone for a few minutes?

Hmmmm I don't know, good question, but I don't know how much he would risk for Nadia.....

Rachel as Sydney's protégée?

Personally I think this could be interesting.... we could see a part of Syd through Rachel that we didn't see before S1 Pilot began. Also if Rachel is written well, she could breathe new life into the show :smiley:

LA
 
i have to say the whole second coming of sd-6 didnt really do it for me..not just because its repetitive, but because the whole thing did seem...idk...wierd somehow, like very...fast,i gess. It really wasnt that good in my opinion and i still dont know how i feel about rachel.
Good point. Part of whether a repeated theme--and, especially, a repeated storyline--works is the set-up.

i REALLY hope sloane wuld be bad again, but im afraid that alot of ppl wuld complain bout that saying that they keep doing the same thing to this character, but i mean c'mon does any1 really buy a good sloane.. it wuld help the story so much, i think
I don't think it would be "bad" for him to be bad as long as he stays in character--that is, we have to believe he believes in what he's doing. ;)

and very interesting discussion of repetition verdy (y) it is very fitting that you chose this week to go over that after rachel's story unfolded. *yawn*
Thanks, I've been thinking about it lately . . . although I don't think I wrote it as well as I could have. But I did want to get it out before the next episode! :lol:

Hm . . . looks like the shades of SD-6 worked for some but not for others. I hope that others will come by with their opinions. :smiley:
 
What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions?

I'm not sure....I had the feeling he isn't really a loner, he wants to be one. But he's already on his way back into the community, and that will have a lot to do with Rachel, I think.

Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not?

It grabbed me. I loved Rachel standing there on the roof, and I really felt with her, "was there with her", like you said. But I have to agree that I didn't like Sydney's recap of the sd-6 situation, she didn't do it well IMO.

Explain. What repeated plots/ideas/themes do you think have worked and what haven't on Alias and why? (Yeah, I know, big essay question. So sue me. ;))

Well, the biggest joke of the show is still "No one ever really dies on Alias."...so I guess bringing dead people back just doesn't work anymore, actually I am amused now whenever something like that happens.
Though it worked back in season 1, when Syd and Jack found out Irina is still alive, that was the strongest "Back from the death" - moment ever, and this one still works if I go back watching season 1.

I was first a bit sceptical about the whole Rachel = Syd story, but I liked the way they pulled it off, and it's a nice idea to start "from scratch" in the last season, so we will have again the story of an "innocent, weak" agent going through many developments, becoming stronger..and we will hopefully see Rachel going out in the world at the end, with "wide open eyes".

Otherwise, i am getting a bit tired of Sloane being good/evil/good/evil/good/evil/good....he's a very interesting character, but he always ends up doing something bad and disappointing the people who believed in him. I wonder what's up for him this season.
 
Questions . . .

What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions?

I don't buy Tom Grace as a loner....just misunderstood. Sydney was a loner while she was a double agent. I think we'll find out more as we go along.


Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not? Explain. What repeated plots/ideas/themes do you think have worked and what haven't on Alias and why? (Yeah, I know, big essay question. So sue me. ;))

The repeat theme didn't grab me, and I think it's just the shock of MV being gone still lingering. You keep waiting for the explanation on that. I do like that Rachel is a techhie and not as smooth as Sydney is. It's more believable.

Peyton seems completely evil...I'd like to see if she can rival Anna Espinosa. Where she and Rachel have a personal history, it could become a battle equal to Anna and Syd, or Bad Francie and Syd.

Do you think Sloane will take it on the lam now that he's been left cureless and alone for a few minutes?

Yes, I think Sloane will go on the lam, but I think he'll still be good, or have the appearance of evil with a good purpose. (resembling Irina)

I'm not thrilled with season 5 so far, but it's better than the prospect of no Alias at all! (n)

I have faith that the groundwork is being laid right now, and we will reap the rewards further into the season.
 
Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not?

No.

If this story hadn't been used with Nadia in S4 I would have no problem. However, I don't like it how everytime Syd gets a new girlfriend that they have to find some hidden bond. Can't people just...like each other? And not need some fundamental aspect of their life to tie them together? These aren't common experiences, they are the same story with a different character's name and it left me cold.

Do you think Sloane will take it on the lam now that he's been left cureless and alone for a few minutes?

I don't think so (at least long term), but I also read / look at spoilers so I'm not gonna comment more here :P
 
verdantheart said:
On the other hand, the “Inject Me” drug found in a copy of Carroll's work I found to be a bit jarring. What was Roberts' reason for alluding to Carroll? That was never explained. In fact, since he was offering nothing but nonsense, placing his ultimatum in such a format was, in fact, counterproductive from his point of view—it only served the writer's objective of placing an allusion to Carroll into the story—and an obvious one at that. So unless Roberts was a Carroll freak . . .

I think that maybe it symbolized Vaughn chasing his White Rabbit. Like how Jack in Lost kept seeing his father, Vaughn was chasing his White Rabbit in being told his father was still alive.

verdantheart said:
I just have trouble buying Balthazar Getty as a “loner” . . . it's just that face and demeanor . . . Perhaps it's just me? And if he was Special Forces, just how much solo work could he get away with? (Just how much undercover work does Special Forces do, anyway?) However, just telling me “He's a loner” isn't going to make me believe it; you have to demonstrate it to me somehow.

With a face like that…. :love: I have no idea how he could be a loner.

verdantheart said:
On the other hand, it's rather ridiculous to have the feeling that if Sydney were dropped into the deepest depths of the Congo or Amazon she'd have no trouble conversing with the natives, no matter how potentially obscure and un-useful knowing their language might be from a practical viewpoint.

True, I totally agree, [this is written out wrong, but I can’t think of another way to put it. I mean no offense] but if you read the novels and like their ideas and such, a lot of people don’t hold truth to them because they were written by hired writers, Sydney used to have to learn languages before going on the missions. Not sure if that still holds true with the actual show, but that may explain it.





On to the questionnaire.

What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions? I love both the new characters. I think that Tom as a loner is not very believable yet. Once they can show him doing something relatively deep cover, I can believe it. He was much to chatty IMO to be a loner.

Did the SD-6-repeat-o-rama grab you or leave you cold? Did they weave a skillful, absorbing tale—or not? Explain. What repeated plots/ideas/themes do you think have worked and what haven't on Alias and why? So far I’m really loving the new season and the emerging plot lines. Of course they have to refine it a bit and define it a bit, but so far I think the idea of Sydney having to realize how hard it is being a handler will be very interesting and educating to her. Remember how harshly she treated Vaughn at first. I think it’ll be interesting for her to see how hard it was.

Do you think Sloane will take it on the lam now that he's been left cureless and alone for a few minutes? If anything, Sloane is a survivor. He’ll go to all means to protect himself and people he loves, erm sorta. But I think Sloane will be out of prison and in trouble soon enough
 
What think you? Do you buy Tom Grace as a loner? Now that you've seen more of both Tom and Rachel, what are your more informed initial impressions? I love both the new characters. I think that Tom as a loner is not very believable yet. Once they can show him doing something relatively deep cover, I can believe it. He was much to chatty IMO to be a loner.
Exactly: chatty and at ease. If anything, it was Sydney who seemed ill-at-ease. Sure, Grace took initiative in going after Gibson, but wouldn't Sydney have done exactly the same thing if it were her? ;) Anyway, if they want us to believe this loner tag, they need to show us something to back it up. ^_^
 
I don't think I would much buy Tom Grace as a loner. Just becuase he prefers solo jobs more than anything doesn't actually mean he's a loner. Being a senior in high school when having projects or what not where we have the choice on if we wish to work with a partner or not if I have no friends in that class that share the same ideas I do...I will most likely work alone. I'll work alone for the soul perpous that when working alone you only have to relay on your self. You don't have to worry about the idea if your partner will something up and do something that could possibly bring your grade down (or in the case of Tom Grace & his CIA status...get you killed). So, perhaps he simply likes to work alone because he knows his limits and he knows what he can do and how he can do it...he doesn't like to relay on the strengths of others. As for my opinion of the new characters Tom & Rachel, I must say I like them even more and I think they are two good additions to this already fantastic cast (of course we all know what would make the cast better but we can't go there)

I like the "SD-6 repeat-a-grama". I didn't exepct it, and I think that it's a really good way to connect Sydney & Rachel. I think it was written skillfully with the way it came up, Sydney just saw the signs in Rachel's personality and the tests and she some how knew...I liked it. I honestly think that the reserrection of all the "dead" characters have actually worked for Alias. Bringing Emily & Irina back from the dead at those times were good for the show, specially Irina. I personally feel the "killing" of Sloane multipul times and bringing him back was not really needed to be honest. I can't really think of anything that hasn't worked for Alias except when I think about Rambaldi. Rambaldi was an awesome part of the first two seasons of the show (even though we didn't get to physically see "THE TELLING" -_-) and it's role in Season 3 was limited but still good. The unskilled reiteration of Rambaldi in late Season 4 was not the way to him back. I could have done with out the Zombies and the big red ball (c'mon haven't we seen that red ball WAY too many times)

I hope Sloane will go on the lam, it serves the CIA right for letting him go. Sure, he was the only one who could get the "cure" for Nadia but honestly...haven't they let the man go and trusted him WAY too many times and in the end he ended up getting away...AGAIN. So yes...Sloane...please RUN OFF and make up some master plot of destruction or SOMETHING so spice things up a bit ^_^

PS: this is the first time I actually took the time to read the Spy Family Column and I must say...I enjoyed it very very much :-D
 
I could have done with out the Zombies and the big red ball (c'mon haven't we seen that red ball WAY too many times)
I liked having some sort of resolution to the red ball--I thought they should eventually tell us what it was for--but somehow the idea that the "battery" was designed to power the mass creation of apocalypse-creating zombies doesn't quite sit well with me. :confused: Did Rambaldi have an alternative use in mind, or was he really a lunatic? :blink: :lol:

PS: this is the first time I actually took the time to read the Spy Family Column and I must say...I enjoyed it very very much :-D
Glad to hear it. :smiley: I have to confess, I'm feeling a little less into Alias since the finale (I had trouble with the return of Helix and the zombies) and I've been worried that I wouldn't be able to do as good a job . . . :thinking:
 
Hey everyone. I watched eps 2 and 3 lastnight. I know a lot of people are saying this is just like S1 and S2 with SD6. On the surface, that's what it looks like. Jack said Gordon and Curtis have been running their little outfit for 30 years-isn't that the same time the Alliance began?
Curtis told Syd she wouldn't believe it if he told her who he worked for then jumped out of the plane-Mccollugh killed hisself after betraying Elena in S4 and we finally found out by the end of S4 that Sloane was in cohoots with her, too.
The reason I feel though that something is being left out is this: It took Syd and all of the CIA one and a half seasons to take down SD6 and the Alliance and that was only because Sloane wanted it to happen. He even had help from Sark and Irina. And some blonde bimbo did it in like 10 minutes?
I don't buy this Rachel person as being that easily turned back to a good guy. Syd pinched her own FATHER's face when he told her the truth she was so skeptical. Rachel just believes them after a lousy ping test? I think she still is bad and this is "all part of the big plan" to wax dramatic, hee.

A few more things I noticed about the season so far:
Curtis said he wanted immunity for everything, including killing MICHAEL VAUGHN. He told Vaughn in the little holding room that he had heard a lot about Mr. Micheux-now he's calling him Vaughn?
To that end, we only heard his real name twice-from Vaughn himself and when Curtis mentioned it. Renee called him Michael, Syd called him Vaughn, as usual, when they were in the car just before he got shot up, everyone still calls him Vaughn! What's up with that?

Hey Verdan!!! I didn't know you were still here!!! I got the feeling after last season you had given up on Alias!!! I'm so glad you are back. I have been a "lurker" since last year and finally decided to post.
I posted a synopsis on Mockingbird. Please look at it. I would love your feedback.
:D
 
Hey Verdan!!! I didn't know you were still here!!! I got the feeling after last season you had given up on Alias!!! I'm so glad you are back. I have been a "lurker" since last year and finally decided to post.
I posted a synopsis on Mockingbird. Please look at it. I would love your feedback.
The folks here really wanted me to stick around because they didn't want to try to find someone to take my place . . . so here I am. My heart's not in it like it used to be, I have to admit, but Alias has started out on a reasonably good footing, I thank them for that! ;)

I'll try to check out your synopsis. :smiley:
 
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