(last edited on April 29, 2014 at 1:30 am)
I have a great fondness for shows featuring covert operations and cat burglers. Don’t know why…just like ’em! So it was with great anticipation that I watched this season’s premiere of Alias. I enjoyed the first season, when it was firmly in the “Felicity joins the CIA” vein. Plus, it was nice to see a healthy gal like Jennifer Garner kick butt on-screen. The first season was also notable in that she didn’t seem to actually kill anyone. Season 2 wasn’t bad, though it went a little NUTS on the Rimbaldi storyline. Season 3 started to lose its charm. Season 4, which just started last week, has so far revealed itself to be less of an ensemble show and more of a Jennifer Garner Dress Up Hour. Mind you, I enjoy this, but it’s starting to wear a bit thin. The interaction between the characters has also evaporated…I sat through endless sequences of watching Sydney run from place to place without much purpose. It was pure filler…bah. Losing…Interest…
MI-5, on the other hand, had a kick-ass premiere. For those of you unfamiliar with this show, it’s an import from our British friends. MI-5 is the equivalent, I suppose, to the NSA/CIA here in the U.S.A. It’s tautly written and unpredictable, drawing more from spy movies from the 60s and 70s. It’s been called “the thinking man’s Alias”, without all the tiring running around of 24. There have been moments when I’ve sat, stunned at what had happened…it’s great.
I particularly enjoy how the actions of MI-5 have to take place wedged between the stuffy confines of British power politics and international cooperation. As a result of this, the cast members are constantly irritated. The American CIA also makes an appearance…it’s fun to see how the Brits uniformly portray Americans as loud, pushy, nasal-sounding asshats.
I’ve also queued up 24 on the Tivo to watch…I lost interest in it last year for whatever reason, but should give it another chance.
2 Comments
The guys around the office rave about Alias, but I have to admit I don’t really see the attraction (other than Jennifer). As for 24, I was thinking about not watching this season, but I’m glad I did because it seems much more “real” and definately has the edge of your seat, can’t tell where its going thing happening this season. I’m glad I tuned in, I think you will be too. Now the big question is Battlestar Galactica on the Sci-Fi Channel. I skipped the mini-series last year in protest over Farscape, but since its about the ONLY new sci-fi show on now, I’ve resigned myself that I have to go and give it a try. Sexy Cylons?! Pleeeaasse!
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I used to love Alias, but I probably should have watched its premiere before MI-5. MI-5 is the better show at the moment. Alias has sort of lost its way storywise…it’s become quite a jumble. Perhaps the sense of mystery has been lost, or hasn’t yet been established yet for this season. On the other hand, the MI-5 premiere settled the cliffhanger from last season in quite an interesting way.
Sexy Cylons: don’t hate them because they’re beautiful! :-) Give the miniseries a watch.