Syd's mom raised her until Syd was around 9 years old before the mom faked her own death.

Some of the values that the mom installed in Syd (wanting to be a teacher, etc), now just infuriates her because of her traitorous ways. Syd is still in turmoil over the whole thing emotionally.

I think Syd's mom thinks she has Syd exactly where she wants Syd (mental state of mind). Sure, as a super-spy and power broker, the mom enjoys seeing how ruthless Syd can become, and how strong she presents herself, but that can also be used against her later.

I almost think that this whole "setup" is her mom trying to recruit Syd down the road. And by letting herself be captured, she can be near her and can evaluate her potential in person.

Sounds like a Darth Vader/Hannibal Lecter rip off to me. Come to think of it, everything on this show is a rip off.

Well, honestly, is anyting on TV a completely original idea? "24" did a president-elect who might be asassinated. Like that was never done before. "Gilmore Girls" - Rory's love triangle? The good boy or the "rebel"? Not new. Even "Law and Order" brags that some of their plots are "ripped from headlines!", as if that's a reason to watch. Let's not even get into sitcoms, because then we'll be here all night. Everything is a rip-off of something.

Another good episode that left me wanting.

I understand the need to do some stand alone episodes to get new viewers, but its almost boring me already. Last years episodes had so much velocity from episode to episode (thanks to the handy cliff hangers).

When the CIA thought Sydney was the face in the Rimbaldi painting, they were hell bent on locking her up and throwing away the key, but now we know its Syd's mom, and there okay with just chilling with her.

It losing me a little bit.

She seems pretty locked up to me...

I just got notice from Amazon that my "Alias: Declassified" book has shipped. I'll be sure to post a quick review (and description of the enclosed DVD) when it arrives... probably just before next week's ep.

I got my Alias Declassified book signed by the cast last night. They were all awesome. JG is even more beuatiful in person.

I SO did not want to hear that. If only it were NEXT WEEK instead of this. [I don't get to Cali until this weekend...]

Doesn't SD6 or the CIA have any other operatives besides Syd?

You'd think the CIA would use somebody else after her "blunder" by not pulling the fire alarm. (We don't know if it's a blunder or not since we don't know if the fire alarm would have disarmed the alarm on the safe). Wouldn't it be better off for the CIA to use an operative who's personal feelings weren't involved in the mission? Clearly, Syd doesn't trust her mother and disobeyed Kendall and Vaughn when they told her to pull the fire alarm. I'd think they'd pull her in favor of another agent.

But I guess nobody wants to see some thirtysomething hack in place of uber-Syd.

how much was the book?

Syd's also thirtysomething on the show.

$16.95 at Border's

I highly doubt it.

She's in grad school...unless she took a hell of a lot of time between her undergrad degree and grad school, she's still in her 20s.

Also, in this past episode, I believe she said that it had been 21 years since she had last seen her mom. I'm pretty sure she was still a very young girl when her mom "died in the car accident".

Of course, I could be wrong.

Syd's right at 30 years old (or will be when they have her birthday soon). TV Guide reports her age on Alias to be 29. She's been farting around in grad school while holding down her other "jobs".

http://www.tvguide.com/magazine/issu...304/magftr.asp

According to the show, Syd was 6 when her mom "died," and it's been 21 years since the accident happened. Therefore, she's 27.

I remember Syd being around 8 or 9 when her mom "disappeared". Anyone got a transcript of the shows?

I think the ages listed are supposed to be the actor's actual age:

TV Guide: Jennifer Garner: 29
imdb.com: DOB: 4/17/72 (30 years old)

TV Guide: Bernie Mac: 44
imdb.com: DOB: 1958 (44 years old)

TV Guide: Chi McBride: 40
imdb.com: DOB: 9/23/61 (41 years old)

TV Guide: Reba McEntire: 46
imdb.com: DOB: 3/28/55 (47 years old)

TV Guide: Maura Tierney: 37
imdb.com: DOB: 2/3/65 (37 years old)

TV Guide: Allison Janney: 41
imdb.com: DOB: 11/19/60 (41 years old)

TV Guide: Stacy Keach: 60
imdb.com: DOB: 6/2/41 (61 years old)

TV Guide: James Marsters: 30
imdb.com: DOB: 8/20/69 (33 years old)

TV Guide: Esai Morales: 39
imdb.com: DOB: 10/1/62 (40 years old)

TV Guide: Cynthia Nixon: 35
imdb.com: DOB: 4/9/66 (36 years old)

I'm guessing that this is article is about a half a year to a year old since most of the ages are off by a year, except for James Martsters' discrepancy sticking out like a sore thumb.

Also, Stacy Keach's show is listed as "Titus" which I believe was canceled last year (which is actually March or April). Moreover, if you watch Buffy, you know that James Marsters' character, Spike, is not 30 years old. He's a vampire who is centuries old.

The ages listed in TV Guide are too close to the real actor's ages for it to be coincidence that their characters are the same age as the real life actor.

Well, if you check ABC.com, they kept the month and date, but Sydney's 2 years younger.

http://abc.abcnews.go.com/primetime/..._bristows.html

Yeah, I saw that but I just looked at the 4/17...I didn't realize they had changed the years.

What I thought was weird when I saw that was that her alias was Amy Tippin. Weird that she would have an alias that shared the name of her friend Will.

In the early episodes last season, Sydney did use Amy Tippen as an Alias (the patented red-hair Run Lola Run disguise). She used Amy's passport to get in and out of the country to steal something from China.

One thing that Syd and this show prove if she truly is as old as they claim, Grad. School is a great sanctuary to experiment with the kind of stuff you never got to do as an undergrad! (No really, it is!)