No Sophomore Slump Here

The ending to the 1st season of Alias promised several interesting storylines, as was expected after such a strong beginning. I've noticed that the 2nd season is usually a make or break year for most shows. Almost every television show begins a decline at some point, but if that decline begins as early as the 2nd season, it rarely returns to its former glory. Therefore, I was very anxious to check out the 2nd season of Alias to see if it would deliver on it's potential.

The 1st season of Alias followed the adventures of Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), a secret agent who discovered she had been duped and was working for the enemy. She went to the CIA, where she began work as a double agent to take town SD-6, the agency that had duped her. She also discovered her father Jack Bristow (Victor Garber) was a double agent as well. The season mostly revolved around three threads: 1) The relationship between Syd and her father, 2) The developing romance between Syd and her CIA handler, Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan), and 3) The mystery surrounding the death of Syd's mother.

The 2nd season picks up right after the huge cliffhanger from last year that revealed Syd's mom was still alive and working as Russian agent Irina Derevko. Not surprisingly, the relationship between Syd and her mother became the most compelling aspect of Season 2. This was partially due to the great writing, but mostly due to the brilliant casting of Lena Olin as Irina. Olin brings a sense of mystery and sexuality to her character that is perfect for this show.

The other two threads also continue in fine fashion, thanks to more strong writing and great ensemble work from Garner, Garber, and Vartan. Garner and Vartan have an intense romantic chemistry that has been evident from the very beginning. Garner and Garber have worked really hard to develop the very tricky father-daughter relationship between their characters. Also compelling is a twist in the middle of the season that completely changed the direction of the show. The twist finally gave Merrin Davies, who played Syd's roommate Francie, something more to do than sitting around complaining about mundane things.

The downside to Alias is that it's difficult for the casual viewer to watch. The fast pace and numerous plot twists require constant attention, or you could get lost even within the context of one episode. This is solved on DVD though, as you can watch it at your own pace. If you're new to the show and don't want to start from the first season, I would recommend starting with the episode "Phase One".

Season 2 was a major success. JJ Abrams and his cast continued the things that worked from season one and fixed the few minor errors. They also weren't afraid to take risks and they nailed every single one, including an amazing season finale, which featured one of the greatest fight scenes in TV history and another shocking cliffhanger. This is a terrific television show.

The DVD set is very nice, with commentaries spread throughout various episodes so every single cast member gets some time in the commentaries. There's also a very funny blooper reel, 7 deleted scenes, radio interviews, and a very nice documentary about the making of the season finale.