wow, drew and jeff next season

the show might actually get good after this crappy year

aapac | May 12, 11:00 CET

This year of Alias was excellent, as were the first two years. How people can dislike this season is as beyond my comprehension as how people didn't like Buffy season 6. Anyway, I have to say that this is the best news ever. One of my favorite writers moving to my soon to be favorite show?? I'm ecstatic!!

[ edited by MindPieces on 2004-05-12 09:42 ]

MindPieces | May 12, 11:41 CET

Why people don't like this year's Alias is the same reason people didn't like season 6 of Buffy, it's been different, Sydney hasn't been herself, her whole world has changed, other people have changed, the once evil Sloane is now just a huge gray area, the man she loves has been lusting after her all season yet refused to ditch his wife (God, I hate that accent, how can people complain about James Marsters' after this, even Molly in season seven of Buffy was better), the show has lost the double-agent idea, but it lost that halfway through season 2, they wouldn't have been able to keep it going much longer anyway. True, the show has pushed the lines of credibility this year, but it's still been a great show (as was Buffy season 6), only problem I can see is that in two weeks I'm going to enter my first 4 month gap between episodes of Alias!

Ghost Spike | May 12, 14:47 CET

My *eh* to this season of Alias was only in regard to the middle of the season, where there were a few lackluster episodes in a row, and they focused much too much on the static Syd/Vaughn relationship. I also felt they really copped out by making Lauren conveniently evil.

It's REALLY picked up since then, though. Can't wait for the finale.

RambleOn623 | May 12, 17:47 CET

I have only intermittently watched Alias this season, so I won't comment on that, but I disliked Season Six (and most of Seven, for that matter). I didn't dislike it because it was "different" - that's not a reason to dislike it to me - but rather because it was just so untrue to Buffy. Waaaay too depressing. Buffy was supposed to be about female empowerment, and here we are with nympho S&M Buffy who's so depressed her only out is to madly shag someone?

Don't get me wrong, any season of Buffy was better than 99.99% of the rest of television. I even disliked season four for a while, but it's since grown on me. I do not see the same happening for season six. With the exception of OMWF, very little about season six stands out in my mind as being great.

cubiclesatan | May 12, 17:49 CET

Actually Ghost Spike, I'm pretty sure that's Melissa George's real accent the last time I checked. And Sloane's grayness is what makes him such a fascinating villain on the series. This season, more than ever, we've been kept unsure of his intentions, and I think it's worked brilliantly. That's the thing I love about Sloane, is that you never quite know where his head is at. But you always know you can't trust him.

I also disagree with the idea that seasons 6 and 7 of Buffy were "too depressing". I loved them because they weren't afraid to show the darker side of life. Besides, I definitely think that Joss restored the original female empowerment message with a beautiful, fitting finale.

MindPieces | May 12, 18:25 CET

Melissa George is Australian - I reckon she's toned down her Australian accent quite a bit for this role.

Caroline | May 12, 18:38 CET

I've actually caught a few episodes of Alias this season, although before this season I tried hard not to watch Alias at all. I still think the premise is hokey. Although some of the acting has won me over and I am amused at the soap opera like weaving of plot threads, I can't say it's a show I necessarily like.

I'm waiting for the episode where Sydney finds out that although she's assumed this entire time she's now working for the actual CIA, she's captured by people who claim to be he real CIA and her father and her wannabe boyfriend and all those people who told her a couple seasons ago that she was working for the bad guys? Well, they turn out to be the bad guys. Or maybe she'll wake up one morning and find Patrick Duffy in her shower.

I ADORED Buffy 6. It was Whedon's equivalent to Lucas' Empire Strikes Back. You gotta brave the night to meet the new dawn. Besides, you try dying two or three times, coming back to life, crawling out of your own grave, and see if you can be peppy! ..I didn't think so!

ZachsMind | May 12, 18:38 CET

I watch Alias but I'm not invested in any of the characters, so it's like fast food. I love spy-shows, but more the John Le Carre type of thing. I never really look at who writes what (even with BtVS and AtS, I only find out when people start talking about it) but I'm sure I'll tune in when it's Goddard's turn.

Caroline | May 12, 18:44 CET

Cubiclesatan-ur like a lot of people when they give their reasoning for disliking season six- it makes me laugh.

"it was untrue" "it was depressing" well boo friggin hoo! the minute things get tough, and hard, and dark, people start complaining, and Im so sick of it. people go through dark and depressing times in their lives and ME should be praised for having the balls to make this an entire years theme instead of just doing the same old same old like most successful shows will cowardly do.

It just gets me mad that the minute bad things happen to these characters people dislike the season, like they expect them to be shiny and happy all the time, and the minute theyre not, they turn their backs.

and IMO in season six/ and seven, Buffy was true to herself. its not like a dark season six was unpredictable.SHE DIED FOR CHRIST SAKES!

obviously, I loved season six(its my fave) but it was the way it was for a reason. that reason was season five. alot went on that year that made the next what it was and I dont hear people complaining about that

Puppet Cancer | May 12, 18:56 CET

Puppet Cancer, sorry if you don't like to hear complaining about it, but I have a right to my opinion, and I don't appreciate being told, in so many words, to shut up. I didn't tell anyone who loves season six to shut up, did I? No, because that would be RUDE.

Yes, the writers took a chance on season six, goody for them. But to me, their "new" direction got stuck very quickly in a pothole. Sex, sex, sex, shag, shag every week - it got passe after a while. Total lack of subtlety in regards to Willow's magical "addiction". I didn't need to be hit over the head with it, I understood where they were going. Spike was turned into Buffy's lapdog, he got boring to watch, too. Xander - underused. Dawn - whining brat 100% of the time - quickly got boring. She could have been so much better.

Yes, people go through tragedies and go to dark places - I UNDERSTAND. That said, is it too much to ask that the writers try to keep from rehashing the same thing over and over within a season, beating the already dead horse?

There were MANY elements that were good in the season, but due to, IMO, heavyhandedness it came across as flat and trite.

[ edited by cubiclesatan on 2004-05-12 17:11 ]

cubiclesatan | May 12, 19:02 CET

Easy there people, take it easy. No fighting now.

Simon | May 12, 19:05 CET

I liked Season 6 but not Season Seven

Went very in depth there

P.S: Simon, I read your fanfic. I'm gonna be posting it as a link very soon. It's great. Do some more

Apocalypse | May 12, 19:13 CET

We don't actually post fanfic here but thanks for liking it.

Simon | May 12, 19:15 CET

I have not given up on Alias by any means, and wouldn't quite term this season as a disappointment, but I simply don't think that its quality is up to that of the first two seasons. Rimbaldi was used as a Deus ex Machina too many times, Lauren was not only evil, but COMPLETELY without nuance evil, which made her boring -- murderer, cheater and traitor all-in-one, not to mention complicit in killing her father and trying to kill her husband. I get it, so there are NO redeeming values to her at all? At least Sloane and Sark had something they loved. Sark was in love with the spy who impersonated the black chick, for example.

I have high hopes for next year, though. I think that the creator will redouble his efforts, avoid cliches and do the work necessary to bring in the cast that he wants. For example, I expect Lena Olin to be on the show at least some next year, and I think they missed her this year, especially since they talked about her so much.

brother_grady | May 12, 19:56 CET

In my opinion Alias' current season is great, I just liked Season 2 better.
Though someone still has to explain the mess that's been done to the timeline concerning Vaugh's Dad Death, because it used to be before Irina left (faking her death) and now it's after.
Besides these plot holes, I've enjoyed the season.

Numfar PTB | May 12, 20:16 CET

Well, just to add my little cross-fandom cents in here: I loved s6 of Buffy and I loved!loved seasons 1 and 2 of Alias. (What can I say? I didn't think I liked Jennifer Garner, but she totally grew on me, and so did the show.) So, if any of you want to stop reading here, sweet. But, for the people that can handle a different opinion, I offer you my take on DG coming over to Alias.

Thank f'ing God.

The writing on Alias has been WAY sub-par to the first two seasons' writing. I don't actually fault the creator (Joss of the Aliasverse) JJ Abrams for it, though. Word on the fandom streets is that ABC actually asked the writers on Alias to "dumb it down" for -- guess who? -- the AMERICAN PUBLIC! You know, the people who didn't already watch it and enjoy it. They wanted to "broaden their audience" ... meaning, they wanted to include people who thought Jennifer Garner/Michael Vartan would be sexier if they used smaller words and explained the plot machinations in a more linear way.

Basically (without spoiling anyone), the way the writers are currently trying to interconnect every single plotline (that's EVER even been hinted at) is lame. It oversimplifies the storytelling process. And it's a little frustrating to someone (me) who has watched/followed along with/enjoyed the show up until this season. I've been tremendously conflicted: I don't want to stop watching because I want to keep up with what's going on in the storyline, but I don't want to be talked down to by ABC, Inc., either.

OT: The best reason for watching Alias? Sydney's father, Jack Bristow. One of the bestest characters on TV ever, played stunningly by Victor Garber OH YEAH.

Ona Dime | May 13, 00:29 CET