Supposedly that's for future episodes.

All in all can we agree that this was a very very good episode? And Am i the only one who feels this step to a different turn of events during all those years is a brilliant idea?

It was a great episode regardless, and it's shaping up to be a great season either way...but I just don't understand why some people are making such a big deal about Vaughn if it were true. It'd be great for Sydney's character.

But anyway...

http://television.aol.com/feature/alias_tv

Exactly.
If Vaughn is dead or alive this season has provided some firework dynamics for use - they just better not miff that up.

Also a note that the premiere episode made AOLS top 5 highlight clips.

You know what actually; im sooooo fucking sick fed up with Alias fans bitching about the show - its like they have idolised season one and two into these un-replicable martyr years and everything the show tries after that is shot down like its a bad idea.
I dont know what the hell they want - but they aren't helping the show in the least.

LOL. I hate to admit it but I do fall into the category of people whot thought Alias peaked in its second season. And the fact that I actually said that last night makes me wonder if that comment was indirectly aimed at me

I don't howvere shoot down everything that happened after that as a bad idea. I've been a very very loyal viewer for 4+ years and am still watching. I just think that it's lost the touch it used to have... the show just has this kind of fabricated feel to it all through Season 4 and also present in Season 3.

I gave a mixed reaction to the premiere episode and now am actually thinking again about all the stuff I said or thought when I initially watched it. In the back of my head, my gut (well, my gut's not actually in the back of my head) always knew they wouldn't kill off Vaugh and it had alot to do with how they handled the leak out publicly and the fact that it's Vaughn... I don't knwo why I was so gullible immediately after watching it for I never though they's kill him off in the very first episode and doing so obviously has more implications than just clearing he slate, which I said before...

I'm still very very hazy on what exactly Vaugh was after and the whole deal with his father and that woman...
I'm still hopeful now that Season 5 will get much better. I think it can easily rate above Season 4 in the least.

As for what do I want? (Referring to Michael's sort of rhetorical question)
I want to feel the excitement I felt watching Alias in its second season... I want to feel how I was so obsessed over finding out the next puzzle piece of a plot that was meticulously crafted well before hand and just as creatively developed. I want my heart to race out of my body like it did in the first two years (and how now it only does when I watch Lost).

I'll plainly admit it: I'm still very skeptical, after what Season 4 brought. I'm not saying Season 4 was really that bad. In retrospect to all the comments and views I ahve held in Season 4 discussions I have concluded that Season 4 was rather good (and had some very excellent episodes) but for me the season as a whole (no matter how it tried to redeem itself in the last few episodes) had really drifted from what I, personally, fell in love with. What I initially got hooked to Alias by may not be what reeled in alot of fans and I know that. Over the course of the last four years I was shocked to find so many epoepl wh disliked the Rambaldi plotline which was the essence of the entire series; it was an espionage drama rooted in or grounded by a mythology that ran through the whole thing (JJ has stated that). When the show started veering in directions that was obviously never in the original plotted plan (like adding a sister, which wasn't that bad but wasn't handled as good as I hoped). Plus it didn't help some of its best supporting characters didn't return after the second season!

Ohh I'm rambling again aren't I. I never thought I'd be and hope I really am not the prick that keeps saying tat episode sucked when everyone thinks it was good. I've actually never really said or thought an epsiode of Alias really sucked though Anyway... it si healthy, though, to have two sides of the fanbase discussing the show otherwise the thread would be boring, no?

Just ahve have to take it one week at a time!

The main things that Alias needs to focus on to make it brilliant again in my opinon is

+ The "Prophet Five" project. Its tied to Rambaldi in a significant way and could actually create a whole new arc that spawned from the original one which lost focus near the end of season 2 and dissappeared in season 3 before slightly resurfacing in season four.

+ Eloide Bouchez - As an enemy or ally i think shes going to make a great and interesting character - theres a Lena Olin Derevko style stigma around her for her naughty deeds and I think that Renee could be the confident female character that will play off Sydney

+ The Pregnancy. Its such an amazing concept on the face of it and the idea that Syndey has to bring this child; a child that will no doubt be written about in the prophecies, into a world where theres some force after her - is really interesting. It will give Sydney new depth with maternal instinct

+ Vaughn - Obviously that storyline is going to be a big part of the season; Im not willing to say too much about it now but either way its going to have interesting repercussions on all characters.

+ Lena Olin, Gina Torres - the former is supposedly filming a few episodes for the year; and the latter should be given a role permenantly.


The only thing i agree the show has "lost" is a plot arc. That was a huge part of the show and i mean ive been taking it as week on week entertainment every since mid season 3, doing otherwise would have ruined the show for me. But the end of season 4 tied off many loose ends and opened up some new questions; questions with the opener of season 5 has exploded into huge plot arcs that im very interested in.

P.S - the teenage female viewers of Alias have NOT responded kindly to Michael Vartans new circumstances.

Therehave been mass "I quit" posts on the ABC and AOL boards.

MICHAEL 100% agree with you. I fucking hate the fans that love the show only for the actors. Sure thats how you can begin to like a show because of the actor/actress and then appreciate the show as well.

I loved season 3. and i am sick of peope dissing the whole Lauren/Vaughn thing. Get a life. Season 4 in the beginning was shite. But it really picked up when Sark and Ana came along. And that reminds me of those girls in love with Sark. allalias.com is the worst fan site, so pessimistic.

Michael i am still enduring that sort of shit with BUFFY.

I'll rephrase, I don't understand Vaughn's big reveal.

Marty - Thats kind of the point; there was no full circle, lets tell the whole story and get on to action sequences and miniskirts this year [ala season 4 premiere].

Basically; Michael Vaughn was namechanged at a young age because his father had been dabling in some sort of rambaldi like prophecy which was surrounded by a net of men who murdered those who knew too much.

When a woman told him about Prophet Five in the CIA, and Sydney mentioned the Mueller Device [rambaldi] he immdiately knew that Sydney could help him find out about this device thing; so he in part used her as a pawn to get to the truth.

I think thats the jist of it

p.s; heres some alias avatars

WOOOOOOOW this show is really going in my direction. Last year i wanted Vartan off the show and For Nadia to die. Nadia is in a Coma and Vaughn is dead as dirt.
yay.

So he knew all along that he was living under an alias?

And what's Prophet 5?

And this all ties into Rambaldi somehow?

His father had a Sloan like fascination with this other prophecy?

And he just happened to find out that Sydney might be able to help him discover more about this prophecy and, therefore, pulled strings to get himself assigned to her case?

Well Prophet Five is , it seems, related to the Mueller device in some way.

So when Syd arrived in the CIA all those years ago after delivering a mueller device alarn siounds went off

Vaughn knew he was decieving sydney; Irina knew of his true identity too and clearly they knew where this story was going at the end of season 4 - vaughn trying to find his dad - Irina claiming he wasn't being very subtle or stealthy in his actions and that he had to tell sydney?

It's probobly been in the writers minds since season 3. And i think its great way to make the story as a whole more interesting.

Well one things for sue - the premiere to Alias Season 5 exploded months of rumours into the air and set message boards on fire with a new divide emerging between Alias fans.

First of all, the ratings.

8.1m viewers.

It actually rose by more than 100,000 viewers in its second half; when ratings competition actually intesified [with Will&Grace and its 10m viewed special]

Thats encouraging for growth.

Spoilers....


Those who think Vaughn is dead and think its good for the show.
Those who think Vaughn is alive.
Those who think Vaughn is dead and are furious.


JJ Abrams, Garner and Vartan have all hinted that there are going to be clues ; Abrams urged viewers to read between the lines this year as its going to be a mysterious journey. And someone posted this at another message board taken from the premieres "clues"

1. The song playing at the party in Cape Town was a song from Sleeping Beauty. HELLO..Vaughn is sleeping. This coincides with the strange drink Vaughn poured into the champagne glass, causing that man to collapse.

2. Jack enters the room at the hospital to tell Syd and Vaughn that Mr. Dean, the black guy searching for Vaughn, is actually a bad guy and Syd says "What are we going to do?" We are going to fake Vaughn's death, that is what we are going to do.

3. In JJ tradition, he chose the right music for the right moment. Vaughn's "funeral" song is titled, "Dirty Little Secret." Come on people, read between the lines.


My theory is that Jack has Dean by the balls and made him stage the death.#

p.s - vaughn really should have died being shot with a machine gun and all; but he stayed alive and even went through theatre alive....bizarre ?

I noticed immediately the song playing in that one part was from Sleeping Beauty.
That's pretty brilliant if it's true... a bit more interesting now.

lol from the response to his "death" it makes me think like 90% of the people watching are teenage girls?

"the show will not be the same without michael vartan" um, ok

jennifer garner and michael vartan have lacked chemistry for the past two seasons. if he were to be truly death, it solves the problem and it did so while they actually had a nice moment together, making it an actual loss. and giving the show somewhere to go for the rest of the season.

if he's not dead then that's fine the show still has a storyline to follow for the season, but i hope when the show comes back it's the chemistry between the two character is more like it was during this last episode then it has been in the past.

I actually think Vartan is functional, but nothing more. He plays a stock role well enough but has never exceeded expectations like the rest of the cast does on a weekly basis.

But I really think that the "clues" JJ has mentioned are pretty obvious.
Jack saying hed "take care of things" for Syndey but never did.
He shot her own mother but couldn't protect her husband to be?

JJ Abrams isnt going to write out a charcter who sydney was "destined to be with" from the beginning - I think its a very elaborate ploy in what could be a very elaborate and engaging season.

I just finished the season premiere and I loved it. A I really hope Vaughn is not dead, that would suck. I really hope Alias survives to Season 6.

your...back ?

There's no place like KJ. He finally realised being made fun of is the only way he is going to live around here. Maybe its time for a 2nd episode of RIVERVIEW. Because that's deep stuff.

Sydney better get major revenge for her man.

Hillariously; fans of Michael Vartan have said that Jennifer Garner is to blame of his demise; claiming she asked people onset never to look her in the eye [cliche #1] and that she be applaued after every take [cliche#2] and that she have as little out of shot contact with Vartan, who has been her friend for five years, as possible [cliche#3]

I guess Alias fans are dumber than the show would let you think.

But the most laughable ones are the "Ben Affleck made this happen" people; who like Jennifer Garner so they just blame affleck for Vartans departure instead