Techtite's TV Reviews!

"Who'd think such a gripping action show would've come from the guys who gave us Keri Russel's trademark hair perkily bobbing its way through college life...?"

---from the review

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Also Reviewed: Alias Declassified; The Official Companion

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If only they could see themselves from others eyes... Scuttlebutt is that the often-cynical chick site, Television Without Pity, is on the bubble these days. Not to kick someone when they're limping, though is this really any surprise? They claim to be a site that never "spares the snark" when giving a show both barrels; in truth, this is just a bunch of chicks who love chick shows and hate guy shows, flaming the latter and blindly praising the former. Chick show's like Alias have Sydney casually find a tool laying on the ground that helps her solve the whole case; never to be complained about by the TVw/oPity folk. Meanwhile, they complain like crazy whenever Enterprise has Jolene Blalock in a tight outfit for no reason. Mind you, the same week, they're swooning when Michael Vartan was shirtless in the latest Alias, similarly, FOR NO REASON. You can't have it both ways, sweetie; either "spare the snark" for all shows, or be critical of ALL shows...or, just ride your biased bubble until it pops. Your choice.

Opinions? Speak your mind in Techtite's Letters Page!

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Alias (Season Two)

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A Review by Techtite

As Always, a review of both The Show, and The DVD (extras)!

The Show: Season Two of Alias received mixed reactions, even among the most devout fans. Very rarely does a show decide to go totally off the beaten track from its original concept --as early as season two!-- and expect to survive. Suddenly, Sydney was not a double agent, but a "single agent," as it were, working as your everyday CIA operative. Sydney was still a spy going on spy missions in outrageous disguises. However, was this the "same" Alias...? That's a good question.

Not that the majority of the season wasn't exactly the same. In fact, for 12 of the 22 episodes this season, nothing was changed. Sydney was still working for the CIA, as a double-agent, pretending to still be working for that "fake CIA" organization, known as SD-6. She would be sent on missions by SD-6, only to be given a new set of parameters by the CIA, to covertly thwart or delay their enemies' plans. Sydney would always "almost get caught," only to save the day in the nick of time. Whew!

However, series creator J.J. Abrams had apparently grown tired of writing episode after episode about how "Sydney almost gets caught yet saves the day in the nick of time." He therefore changed the whole format of the show, as a highly touted post-Super-Bowl episode, on January 26, 2003. In this episode, the CIA would finally raid all SD-6 offices, Sydney would be working for the CIA for "real" from now on, and in a daring "will they or won't they?" maneuver, Sydney and Vaughn share a passionate kiss.

Mind you, a complete overhaul of a series is nothing new. In Roseanne, they win the lottery and are suddenly rich. In Happy Days, their otherwise "timeless" 1950's soda shop is revamped to look like, for all intent and purpose, a local Arby's(!). Heck, in Bonnie Hunt's Life With Bonnie, they completely removed one of her character's children, with never any explanation given, or even attempted. However; those were all sitcoms. In dramas, you expect something more..."solid," I suppose. With Sydney now just an average agent in average cases; could the series stay afloat?

At least the Super Bowl episode added a cool plot twist, which would keep the series interesting until the finale. Francie, Sydney's best friend and apartment roommate, is replaced by an evil double. I won't get into the grisly details unless I'm sure you saw that pivotal final frame in that Super Bowl episode, though suffice to say that, much like a season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this season had a "big bad," and it was Francie...or rather, the spy who replaces her. The final confrontation between she and Sydney in the season finale was a must-see. It makes the season even more worth your DVD shelf, for that single catfight alone.

Here's the best news this season: Lena Olin, as Sydney's ex-KGB mom. Introduced in the season one cliffhanger --though only in silhouette-- Sydney's Mom would prove to be as cool of a quasi-hero villain as was ever conceived, for any spy series. In the premiere alone, she captures her own daughter, only to insist she tells her what she wants to know. "Or what...?" muses Sydney, "...I'm grounded?" Dear old mom responds to her daughter's sarcasm, by shooting her in the shoulder. Talk about dysfunctional families. However, this is just a small taste of the impact her character had on the whole season. Jumping ahead; it's a shame that for whatever reason, they could not seal the deal with Olin, and have her return for season three. Still, she was present for season two, and the season's all the better with her being there.

So, the question remains: is this a good season to have on DVD? Sure it is! Lena Olin is a diamond in the rough this season. Also, lest we forget; while this season put all its eggs in one basket, this is the season when SD-6 is thwarted once and for all, and Vaughn and Sydney (ahem) consummate their relationship. Most series need to last until a series finale for an ongoing story to reach completion. Not so; buy this season, and you're good to go.

All this being said, it's a shame the series would shatter all expectations in the final 5 minutes, thanks to the season finale cliffhanger. Here's a taste of the questions people yelled at the screen upon the final 5 minutes: "What...?"..."Huh...?"..."Come again...?" Suddenly, that Superbowl episode seemed like small potatoes. I won't spoil this finale here, however, whose aftermath is best left for season three's review. Suffice to say that Alias would never be the same, all over again. D'oh! Get the second season on DVD, sure, though as for season three, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

---Techtite

The DVD: Out of 22 episodes, there's only commentary for 4 of them. Hey; with commentary becoming less and less of a bonus in TV season sets, I'll take what I'm given.

Featurettes include an in-depth look at the final episode of the season, an "undercover" behind-the-scenes featurette, a blooper reel, radio interviews, and TV spots. There's also a teaser for the video game; a hard video game to make, I'm sure, since this season changed the overall theme of the entire series! What "era" of the show should such a game cover; the first season's double-agent-hijinks, the second season's moments with body double Francie, or season three's...well, you know. 

There are also deleted scenes; a rare offering for a TV series, where editing is not always an issue. More often a series is edited only to make way for more commercials; the unedited episode is then offered as-is on DVD. This is different; scenes that were cut from the original airing of the episodes. However, as JJ Abrams himself admits in a prelude to the deleted scenes reel; these were all scenes cut entirely for time, not for subject matter. They seem pretty redundant, in his own words.

This is an impressive list of extras, though obviously the major sales pitch is the season itself. Sure, the Super Bowl episode blew every plot device out of the water, and the cliffhanger for the season added even more. It still was a good season though. In fact, cut the season finale short five minutes, and this is a good "series" in itself. SD-6 is thwarted and Sydney shoots the doppelganger that killed her friend, Francie. Who could ask for any better "finale"...?

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