That was my first impression. Also, he never really said it, Barnett jumps to that conclusion and he re-enforces it by saying he never asked for DNA tests. I think he's trying to distract her from thinking about the Rimbaldi message that he said was 'blank' except for the work Peace.

Wow, that was a weak episode. As others have said, maybe the worst in the entire run.

A *bunch* of stuff had me scratching my head, most of it minor, but still:

* The obvious product placement :rolleyes:
* Several times when they could have just shot people and instead played the typical "James Bond" talktalktalk until they can get away.
* Dixon using Syd's name over the radio "Mountaineer. Mountaineer? Syd are you there?!?" Why have code names then?
* Vaughn to Syd about his dad "How did you remember that" (when he knows that Syd has an incredible memory -- it's part of her damn job).
* Convenient body armor
* Shrink saying that the dinner wasn't social, but then wearing a dress with her chest spilling out.
* Inconsistent use of the different points of view
* The whole "Vaugh dropped his gun so he must love Syd more than his wife" thing

etc. etc.

That was really disappointing. Oh well, I guess they can't hit it out of the park every week. Let's hope that things pick up next week.

I know a lot of you didn't really like the multiple viewpoints style, but at least this show is willing to play with its formula. First they had cliffhangers, then the "non-linear show 5 minutes from the middle of the story then the buildup then resolution" style, now the 2 viewpoints method. They at least keep how they are telling the story fresh, which in nice. Admittedly, I agree, they overused the multiple viewpoints footage a lot. Hopefully if they do this again, it will be a little less repetitive.

As for the product placement, yeah, it was plainly obvious, but that's what it's gonna start being in more shows. This and Scrubs are about the only show I watch live anymore, so I don't catch many commercials. In this short-attention-span world, how else do you expect to support television shows? They have to make their money from somewhere, and if that means that Ford donates a few cars and we get that kind of product placement, I'll accept that. I wish that the show itself would do more of this and drop all the commercials entirely. 60 minute show, heavy product placement, but more story too.

Well I guess I'm one of the few that really enjoyed this episode. I liked the second half better seeing it from Lauren's and Sark's POV. I hope we see more episodes featuring them 2 outside of the normal Syd/Vaugene thing. It's not going to happen but I can hope.

Re: Re: Alias "Blowback" 3/7/04
 

whoops, slone my mistake.
(spoiler for next weeks episode)

Like it was said earlier, this episode was done in the "Boomtown" style, and for that, it was a worthy effort. Unfortunately, not much was resolved, and that's where serialized show like Alias diverges from an episodic (almost self-contained) show like Boomtown, and the resolution feels too open-ended and like too much repetition for viewers unaccustomed to the Boomtown style of storytelling.

"Hi, my name is Lauren. Even though I am only married as part of my undercover job, and I just slept with someone who wasn't my husband, and I tried to have my husband killed, I'm going to act hurt when my husband drops his gun, which <i>might</i> mean he loves someone else or it could just mean he doesn't want his friend and work partner getting shot".

The dual-perspecitive aspect was fine, but the rest of the episode was complete stinker. :down:

Me likey Lauren as a redhead :)

It'd be hilarious if Sark gave Lauren a STD, and then have Lauren give it to Vaughn...

I agree with all of you.

Lame dialogue - seemed like a Melrose place episode instead of our once creative and different Alias. Lauren to Sark, "They're right behind us." :rolleyes:

The re-do was OK, except some it made the last half of the episode drag.

Ratings are in, via www.zap2it.com :

NBC moved up to grab first at 9 p.m. behind the 9.6/15 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." CBS dropped to second with the 6.5/10 beginning of the Sunday movie "Survivors Club." A new "Alias" on ABC could only earn a 4.7/7 for the hour, while FOX was fourth with "Malcolm in the Middle" (4.7/7) and "Arrested Development" (3.9/6). The WB trailed with another "Charmed."

Re: Re: Alias "Blowback" 3/7/04
 

:lol: LMAO :lol:

The sad thing is I actually would've preferred that line.

It might have done better in the ratings if ABC actually ran ads saying that this week Alias is new. It has been a month sense the last new episode and I missed this week's because I thought it was another re-run. I guess I will just catch it on repeats during the Summer but since this episode seemed lame I could miss it and not be sad.

Yikes.

Except she was wearing "black-face" underneath the mask. Maybe he thought it was Al Jolson. :lol:

I liked Lauren as a non-blonde. Her eyebrows finally didn't stick out so bad.

I thought this was a pretty good episode. I liked the multiple POV and the story "starting over" mid-way.

It was nice seeing Sark in bed. :hump: I like my villains getting dirty and I love me some Sark. So I'm enjoying the Sark-Lauren tryst.

I can't remember exactly when, but I thought they have hinted already that Lauren is in love with Vaughn, even though she is only married to him on assignment. I think it was when she found out that him & Syd were supposed to die on that plane trip, her face looked kind of pained. She also looked clearly hurt when she was the pictures of him with Syd.

Either she is really in love with him OR she is just self-centered and narcissistic enough and can't stand the idea of a man who is supposed to be her husband not feeling the sun rises and sets on her.

I have often known women who have been completely over a guy until they find out he is interested in/loves someone else then all of sudden they are pissed off. I think it's a competitive "Queen Bee" type syndrome.

Even if she doesn't care about Vaughn, she is probably jealous enough of Sydney that it has to burn her up to find out he still prefers Sydney over her.

don't worry, garner has a contract until 2007 (which would be about 3 more seasons), and it still gets great crticial praise, and is a big cult hit.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Jadzia
I can't remember exactly when, but I thought they have hinted already that Lauren is in love with Vaughn, even though she is only married to him on assignment. I think it was when she found out that him & Syd were supposed to die on that plane trip, her face looked kind of pained. She also looked clearly hurt when she was the pictures of him with Syd.

Either she is really in love with him OR she is just self-centered and narcissistic enough and can't stand the idea of a man who is supposed to be her husband not feeling the sun rises and sets on her.

I have often known women who have been completely over a guy until they find out he is interested in/loves someone else then all of sudden they are pissed off. I think it's a competitive "Queen Bee" type syndrome.

Even if she doesn't care about Vaughn, she is probably jealous enough of Sydney that it has to burn her up to find out he still prefers Sydney over her.

---

Well, at least they're recycling their OWN plotlines...

And, as far as the ratings are concerned...did they factor in the season premiere of the Sopranos?

I'll choose B.

I could buy the still-loves-him-desping-riding-the-Sarkcoaster angle a bit more if she hadn't told the guy at the data warehouse to kill Vaughn.

It kills me to say this, but I think Alias is quickly sinking. If they don't do something fast, it's going to officially jump the shark soon.

[rant]
They're resorting to convenient plot devices like Sark jumping in JUST in time to prevent Vaughn from uncovering Lauren - CHEESY. And instead of having Vaughn say, "I'm glad I wore the vest", how about just letting him get up and hold his chest in pain. I think we, the viewers, just MIGHT understand it was because he was wearing a vest. The writing has just been majorly dumbed down. The bit about Sloan possibly being Sydney's father? *YAWWWWN* That is SO 2001-2002.
[/rant]

They're only hope is to bring back the scavenger hunt for the Rambaldi device and delve more into Irina Derevko's ultimate motivations. I know Lena Olin wanted too much money, but MAKE A DEAL! She can save the show. There's just no tension anymore with everything so lovey-dovey between Sydney and her father and Irina out of the picture.

That contract just makes it so ABC doesn't have to negotiate w/Garner at the end of every season. It doesn't guarantee that the show will run that long -- they can cancel it any time.

And as far as critical praise and cult hits go: Once and Again, Sports Night, My So-Called Life, etc. etc.

I don't want to be negative, because I really enjoy the show. But even excusing the jerky growing pains the show seems to be having this season... I don't see how ABC can continue to renew a show that consistently loses it's timeslot by a wide margin. The show lands 3rd or 4th every time it's on. Every friggin time. And it's #75 or so overall for the season. That don't spell hit... cult or otherwise.

to be honest though, i don't think the bad ratings are really a reflection of the show's popularity more than a reflection of how bad the network is really doing overall.

ABC doesn't have one show in the top 50, ratings wise, other then one or two reality shows and the occasional special event (ie oscars, special news shows, super millionaire, etc.).

if alias was on one of the other networks, or if ABC as a whole's performance was competitive with CBS and NBC, it would have been canned long ago. but i think what keeps it alive is that its a good show, garner is on the verge of becoming a huge star, and compared to the rest of ABC's non-reality shows, it really hasn't performed all that bad.

I really don't know why ABC has never tried a different time slot for Alias. I would think it would get much better ratings if it wasn't constantly up against the Sunday night HBO shows. Seems like Alias appeals to a hipper audience who would be more likely to watch Sopranos, Six Feet Under, SATC, etc.

I still think they should aired this on a weeknight paired with Karen Sisco. Both shows could have benefited from that.

Jadzia - I completely agree. I still can't believe they haven't tried this show at another time/night to see how it does ratings-wise. And packaging it w/ another show would be smart, too, but I won't even go on about ABC and Karen Sisco anymore. :mad:

I am surprised by the reactions to this episode. I really liked it!! I think Lauren is upset because she's a total crazy and she is in love with Vaughn even though she slept with Sark and it bugs her to no end that he doesn't love her.
Sark said that line about "If you love Sydney" only to mess with Lauren's head and make her feel less than...which worked and that's why he called her after to make sure she remembered.

I think the show has ALWAYS had things that seem slightly cheesy. It's the same about why they kept letting the evil Francie get away...and when they finally catch up to her, Will doesn't shoot her in the head.
Syd can never seem to shoot Sark, Vaughn is always a cheeseball (which is great) and Marshall is always overdoing it with the geeky schtick. So I don't understand how this episode is so different in that respect. This show is fabulous for the dramatics! (The F50 bit was a bit much....)

I think Sloane is just lying...I really don't think this show would go in that direction...way too soap operaish.


I really enjoyed this episode!! So did Melissa George say " I wanna wear wigs and look sexier too!!!" to the producers?
I love it!