Alias 04/26/06 "There's Only One Sydney Bristow" - spoilers

[windracer]

Ok, did I miss an episode?

Last week, "Maternal Instinct" ends with the showing of Vaughn receiving news he's a father and has a baby daughter.

This episode picks up 5 weeks later and after Syd and Will return to APO, Syd is talking to Jack and Jack says something like "Vaugh is safe as long as people still think he's dead."

When did they find out Vaughn was still alive? My wife and I were both confused. We even watched the end of the last episode to make sure we weren't missing anything. Am I forgetting something due to the long break in episodes? Was it revealed that Vaughn was still alive earlier in the season? :confused:

And on my nitpick note: when Jack is cleaning up the knives ("never leave edged weapons around children, especially Bristow children!" :D) Sydney mentions Isabel can't even lift her head yet. Then when Agent Babysitters #1 and #2 arrive, Isabel is holding her head up just fine and looks like she's 6 months old. Argh! Why not just say the episode takes place 6 months later??

I'm getting verklempt. Discuss.

[LoadStar]

Apparently, according to the rabid fanbois and fangrrls, there have been clues all along that indicated that Vaughn was still alive, and being kept hidden by the Bristows. (Personally, I think that it was just sloppy revisionist history on the part of the writers, and that they decided as of last week's episodes that he's still alive and being kept hidden by the Bristows, because they were able to get him back for the final episodes.)

This episode sucked as much as last weeks, if not more so. What the heck was with the whole FBI Baby Enforcement Divsion? That wasn't funny, that was just stupid.

Sad to say that Will was smarter than the entire APO division put together. Ugh. Can we get rid of all the other characters, and just have a series focusing on Will?

[terpfan1980]

I've missed a few pieces too, but apparently Sid and her Dad have known all along that Vaughn is alive, but they want the world to think he's dead, or at least they want Prophet 5 to think he's dead, because otherwise it's not safe for him.


Tonite wasn't a bad episode, but not a good episode either... another of those eh, who cares, type episodes... but I really am glad that there's only 4 episodes left. Lets get it over with already, tell us all the secrets, and let us all get on with our lives.

If only LOST hadn't come along to take J.J. Abrahms away from his original baby. Perhaps we'd all still be more interested in Alias.

[LoadStar]

I've missed a few pieces too, but apparently Sid and her Dad have known all along that Vaughn is alive, but they want the world to think he's dead, or at least they want Prophet 5 to think he's dead, because otherwise it's not safe for him.


Tonite wasn't a bad episode, but not a good episode either... another of those eh, who cares, type episodes... but I really am glad that there's only 4 episodes left. Lets get it over with already, tell us all the secrets, and let us all get on with our lives.

If only LOST hadn't come along to take J.J. Abrahms away from his original baby. Perhaps we'd all still be more interested in Alias.

In this case, it was M:I III that took Abrams away from both Alias AND Lost. He admitted he had absolutely nothing to do with the last episodes of Alias because of M:I III.

[pawchikapawpaw]

Apparently, according to the rabid fanbois and fangrrls, there have been clues all along that indicated that Vaughn was still alive, and being kept hidden by the Bristows. (Personally, I think that it was just sloppy revisionist history on the part of the writers, and that they decided as of last week's episodes that he's still alive and being kept hidden by the Bristows, because they were able to get him back for the final episodes.)

This episode sucked as much as last weeks, if not more so. What the heck was with the whole FBI Baby Enforcement Divsion? That wasn't funny, that was just stupid.

Sad to say that Will was smarter than the entire APO division put together. Ugh. Can we get rid of all the other characters, and just have a series focusing on Will?

in some cultures, they call that "fanwank".

[windracer]

(Personally, I think that it was just sloppy revisionist history on the part of the writers, and that they decided as of last week's episodes that he's still alive and being kept hidden by the Bristows, because they were able to get him back for the final episodes.)
I have to agree with you there. There were parts of past episodes I remember Sydney crying to Jack how much she missed Vaughn, etc. etc. He definitely seemed dead, but I guess he's not quite dead yet.

Back to the "plot" I can see where this is going (and forgive me is this is well known, I don't read the fanwank ;) sites.

Syd already disproved the prophecy of Page 47 by visiting the mountain range of Rimbaldi's home (IIRC, the prophecy mentions the chosen one will not have laid eyes on his homeland or something like that). So, since Syd took herself out of the running, they genetically engineer Anna to "be" Syd so she can fulfill Rimbaldi's prophecy herself.

[cmontyburns]

Sad to say that Will was smarter than the entire APO division put together. Ugh.

A piece of toast is smarter than the entire APO division put together. How sad that even civilians are better agents than Syd is now. But hey, at least we've continued her three-season streak of needing to get bailed out by someone on every single mission she's on.

[Rob Helmerichs]

I have to agree with you there. There were parts of past episodes I remember Sydney crying to Jack how much she missed Vaughn, etc. etc. He definitely seemed dead, but I guess he's not quite dead yet.
Well, there have been a few confirmed cases of people missing people who aren't dead...

[hefe]

My biggest piece of confusion..


Ok. Isn't Anna Espinosa (sp?) already a clone of syds original roomate? So why didn't Will recongnizer her when she showed up at his house?

Or am I remembering completely wrong.

-SM
You got that one mixed up, that wasn't Anna. Francie was copied from someone else.

[danplaysbass]

Ok so last season Jack and Syd staged Vaughn's "crash" and made a convincing story of it. They made it clear last episode That the Bristows knew he was alive when Syd told Jack, after the baby was born, Jack said "i'll take care of it". Then we flash to Vaughn in the Desert receiving the news.

I'm so glad that this is going back to Rambaldi. As soon as this show strayed from that story (well that and the vampires under the big red ball) it started tanking.

So could this cloner guy (Gaines from 24-S1) have been involved in the original Helix program?

So Will is under protection. During that time he becomes an expert fighter, actor, computer whiz and knowledgible of all APO protocols to the point he could go on a mission and actually be helpful....

And the bomb in his head..."Its could be on a gyroscope so if its removed it will go off" and my favorite "My head is beeping!!!"...painfully stupid.

[cwoody222]

Personally I think that last season finale's "crash" was not stagged nor was Vaughn's revelation to Syd. But sometime AFTER that (perhaps after he was *almost* fatally wounded by a gazillion gunshots to the chest) him and Syd and SpyDaddy decided to fake his death to keep him 'safe' from Prophet 5.

That's just my theory.

I actually enjoyed this episode. Moreso than any episode sine early season 3 I think. It was the first episode in 2 years easily that I actually watched without leaving the couch to send an email, surf the net, etc.

It made me remember the GOOD Alias... cool music, Syd's wigs, WILL (man, I miss him), etc.

"Who's Rambaldi?" :) I LOL'ed at that!

It seems like they really will wrap stuff up... which I'm really grateful for!

[danplaysbass]

Personally I think that last season finale's "crash" was not stagged nor was Vaughn's revelation to Syd. But sometime AFTER that (perhaps after he was *almost* fatally wounded by a gazillion gunshots to the chest) him and Syd and SpyDaddy decided to fake his death to keep him 'safe' from Prophet 5.


When I said "crash" I meant when he flatlined in the hospital after the shooting.

If this thread is any indication this show is dead...

[cwoody222]

When I said "crash" I meant when he flatlined in the hospital after the shooting.

Ah, then we're in agreement.

[cwoody222]

(Personally, I think that it was just sloppy revisionist history on the part of the writers, and that they decided as of last week's episodes that he's still alive and being kept hidden by the Bristows, because they were able to get him back for the final episodes.)


However, I agree with this too ;)

One nitpick I had was how Will turned into SuperSpy on the train, giving Syd advice in her ear.

Oh, and I finally realized where the Babysitter guy was from. He was the bulemic cop from that FX comedy "Starved" last summer! :up:

[dtle]

I don't think it's revisionist history by the writers, because before the season started, Vartan was adamantly denying the rumors that his character was killed. We thought he was lying up until last week.

[DancnDude]

I thought this one was pretty good. I'm glad to see a lot of this stuff like Helix and the Rambaldi page come back.

Honestly, I think the series started its decent when they stopped focusing on Sydney's outside-work life. They killed off her friends and Will went into witness protection. Those were the portions that kept the show somewhat grounded and seem like she had this secret life. I still like the show, but it's lost something in the process of reinventing it so many times.

[Andrew_S]

Am I the only who's noticed that ABC has slashed the budget to this show to the bone? The sets, backdrops and props have been on par with Dr. Who. At one point it looked like they even borrowed Mr. Rogers train set.

I still somewhat enjoy the show, but Jennifer Garners' pregnancy has made this season a train wreck. The best episodes of the year have been those without too much focus on Garner. I only hope something can be salvaged in the coming weeks.

[cwoody222]

Am I the only who's noticed that ABC has slashed the budget to this show to the bone? The sets, backdrops and props have been on par with Dr. Who. At one point it looked like they even borrowed Mr. Rogers train set.


Ugh, I noticed it. The train was awful and especially the one scene w/ the characters standing in the open traincar door. Horrible CSI! (or miniatures I supposed)

[windracer]

The sets, backdrops and props have been on par with Dr. Who.
C'mon, that's not fair to the newest Dr. Who episodes. :)

The train car CGI was pretty shoddy, though.

[NoThru22]

Sad to say that Will was smarter than the entire APO division put together. Ugh. Can we get rid of all the other characters, and just have a series focusing on Will?
They did. Fox cancelled it. :D

I thought this episode was great. Drew Goddard has written some of the better episodes and this was one of them.

[Church AV Guy]

Am I the only who's noticed that ABC has slashed the budget to this show to the bone? The sets, backdrops and props have been on par with Dr. Who. At one point it looked like they even borrowed Mr. Rogers train set.

I actually played back the cable-shot-out-of-the-gun scene because it looked so obviously animated--like a Buggs Bunny cartoon animated. The train looked like a simple model train. They have done better. I think the budget is down to almost nothing. Even the tank under the train car was animated.

[LoadStar]

Yeah, I noticed the horrible CGI for the tank under the train car. That really jumped out at me.

I'm wondering if the delay in coming back wasn't so much a delay. I'm wondering if ABC actually was considering cancelling the series without the last episodes going to air... and the only way they got them on the air is if they did it with no budget at all.

[cmontyburns]

I'm wondering if the delay in coming back wasn't so much a delay. I'm wondering if ABC actually was considering cancelling the series without the last episodes going to air... and the only way they got them on the air is if they did it with no budget at all.

Well, ABC did cut the remaining order. Doesn't mean they were close to not bringing it back at all, but it's hard to interpret that as a friendly move, either.

[Deekeryu]

I still love this show. Flashy, travelling all around the world, good action. I don't even notice these CGI hiccups if any.. I just enjoy the show.

[spartanstew]

Sad to say that Will was smarter than the entire APO division put together. Ugh. Can we get rid of all the other characters, and just have a series focusing on Will?


One of my favorite parts of the show early on was when they finally got rid of Will. I was really bummed to see that they brought him back. I like how they changed him from milktoast to a cage fighter just to make him a little interesting.

This show is like a Marathon. I've hit the wall and don't know if I can continue, but I see the finish line so I'll continue to just put one foot in front of the other until it's over.

[LoadStar]

One of my favorite parts of the show early on was when they finally got rid of Will. I was really bummed to see that they brought him back. I like how they changed him from milktoast to a cage fighter just to make him a little interesting.

This show is like a Marathon. I've hit the wall and don't know if I can continue, but I see the finish line so I'll continue to just put one foot in front of the other until it's over.

And see, that bit of normality really helped ground the series in the early days, as far as I'm concerned. That's partially the problem I have with the later seasons... they became further and further divorced from reality, and at this point it's a comic book, and not a very good one.

The early seasons were as much about character as they were about the spy business. This was a good thing, because it's never been a particularly good spy show.

[Idearat]

One nitpick I had was how Will turned into SuperSpy on the train, giving Syd advice in her ear.
:

What got me me was after Will kicked a little butt, he said he'd been taking classes in Krav Maga. On Numb3rs this week one of the FBI agents says she teaches it at the local "Y".
Seemed like a heck of a coincidence to have a not-well-known Isreali martial arts discipline come up twice in the same week on two different networks.

http://www.krav-maga.com/definition.html

[cmontyburns]

The early seasons were as much about character as they were about the spy business. This was a good thing, because it's never been a particularly good spy show.

I disagree about it never being a good spy show. At least, it wasn't the parody of itself that it's turned into the past few seasons.

On the character side, I always loved JJ Abrams' original pitch for the show. Back when he was working on Felicity, he said that as they were developing scripts they'd goof around and pretend that the college student persona was just Felicity's front, and that she was really a kick-a** spy. That's where the concept of Alias came from, and of course much of the first season or two played out along those lines.

[LoadStar]

I disagree about it never being a good spy show. At least, it wasn't the parody of itself that it's turned into the past few seasons.

Agree on the latter, disagree on the former. Yes, it was better than it's become, but it's still never been a great spy show. You want a good spy show, you watch BBC's "Spooks" (retitled MI-5 in the States.)

The way I'd put it - Alias WAS to the spy genre as Star Trek is to the SciFi genre. Both shows were set in their respective genres - but they were more about the characters than the genres. There are better genre pieces out there, but none as good at dealing with the characters.

[Schmye Bubbula]

During the scene in which Sydney was breaking into the Moscow nightclub, the accompanying music was an astonishing simultaneous amalgam of Rapture by Blondie along with Riders on the Storm by The Doors. It was remarkable that both songs would mesh so well when played together at the same time!

[Knative]

This show is like a Marathon. I've hit the wall and don't know if I can continue, but I see the finish line so I'll continue to just put one foot in front of the other until it's over.
This is me. I TiVoed last season for a relative and gave up on actually watching the show after a few episodes. I wouldn't have even bothered watching this season until I read here that it would be an abreviated season.

So now I'm here until the series finale.

[windracer]

During the scene in which Sydney was breaking into the Moscow nightclub, the accompanying music was an astonishing simultaneous amalgam of Rapture by Blondie along with Riders on the Storm by The Doors. It was remarkable that both songs would mesh so well when played together at the same time!
That's actually a track from Blondie's new greatest hits album. You can find the video here on The Doors site:

http://www.thedoors.com/freegoods/

I went back and watched the last few minutes of "Maternal Instinct" when Sydney has the baby. Sure enough, she gives Jack this knowing look and Jack says "I'll take care of it." Next scene is Vaughn in the monestary finding out he has a daughter. I guess my wife and I missed that "look" the first time around and were confused then in this episode when Syd and Jack were talking like they knew Vaughn was alive all the time.

Ah well.

[busyba]

Well, there have been a few confirmed cases of people missing people who aren't dead...
People missing people are the unluckiest people in the world.

[busyba]

What got me me was after Will kicked a little butt, he said he'd been taking classes in Krav Maga. On Numb3rs this week one of the FBI agents says she teaches it at the local "Y".
Seemed like a heck of a coincidence to have a not-well-known Isreali martial arts discipline come up twice in the same week on two different networks.

http://www.krav-maga.com/definition.html
Earlier in the TV season this year, there was a Krav Maga mention on "How I Met Your Mother" and on another show (I don't currently exactly recall which, but I want to say NCIS) less than a week or two later.

Apparently it's trendy now. It's the new Tae-Bo. :)

[Ladd Morse]

Thanks for the link to the video -- I definitely shook all the dust off the speaker cones (multiple times) with that one! :)

[Steveknj]

I thought this one was pretty good. I'm glad to see a lot of this stuff like Helix and the Rambaldi page come back.

Honestly, I think the series started its decent when they stopped focusing on Sydney's outside-work life. They killed off her friends and Will went into witness protection. Those were the portions that kept the show somewhat grounded and seem like she had this secret life. I still like the show, but it's lost something in the process of reinventing it so many times.

I agree, that's what has been missing. Plus all the mysteries around her life as well, such as what happened to her mother, all the things involved with her college education, her hiding her secret life from her friends. That was a lot more intriguing and set it apart from all the other spy shows (Mission Impossible, Man from U.N.C.L.E.) etc. where we didn't really care about the spy's homelife. It looks like they are trying to get back to a bit of this for the finally. And, oh yeah, they need to "out" Sloane soon so they can deal with his decption, since I am sick of this whole Nadia is in a coma angle.

[Steveknj]

Agree on the latter, disagree on the former. Yes, it was better than it's become, but it's still never been a great spy show. You want a good spy show, you watch BBC's "Spooks" (retitled MI-5 in the States.)

The way I'd put it - Alias WAS to the spy genre as Star Trek is to the SciFi genre. Both shows were set in their respective genres - but they were more about the characters than the genres. There are better genre pieces out there, but none as good at dealing with the characters.

That seems to be one of JJ's strengths, character development, which is one of the strengths of Lost. All of the characters and their histories are important to the plot of the story. That's why you can really notice when JJ is not as involved in the series as in the past. It's become more about the spying and less about the characters.

I agree about MI-5, although the first season, where they tried to really develop Tom's dual life rivaled Alias in character development. But MI-5 is more true to what a real life spy probably goes through than what Alias is, which is more James Bondish secret spy than a real CIA or MI5 agent is.

[windracer]

That seems to be one of JJ's strengths, character development, which is one of the strengths of Lost. All of the characters and their histories are important to the plot of the story.
It's funny you mention that. I totally agree with you, but sometimes in the Lost threads around here people say that flashbacks/backstory are not a substitute for character development. I never really knew what that meant, since I think the character development in Lost is pretty good (considering how many different characters there are to follow).