Discuss the final season.

Why don't you try to do what Dr. LEcter does. I think he downloads episodes of LOST so by the end of the season he was all caught up with us.


I still don't see how some people think Season 4 was better than Season 3. I think Season 4 had its moments but was too jumbled up. They had a thinly thought out plan for the entire season but you can tell hwo the new writers made an impact and I was disappointed in that aspect.

Maybe I just need to watch the whole season on DVD again. I mean, I thought Season 3 was pretty bad till I rewatched it on DVD and loved the second half. I think the first half of Season 3 was strong too, a mini-season in itself. But what turned me off so much was that it had no point what-soever (the first half). The DVD factor and of course the fact that I'm more addicted and attracted to continuously running and completely arched storylines and seasons as opposed to stand alone episodes.

I think Season 5 could really be great... we'll just have to wait and see.[mild spoilers ahead]
If what everyone is protesting about is actually true... then I'm torn. It's something I have wanted for the past two seasons, but with the new cliff-hanger I think I might have wanted more before it's done.

Season 4 was better than season 3 for so many reasons.

Not least because last year the love triangle seemed to be the only focus of the show and they lost sight of the fact that its only really Sydney and her family we care about.

Season 4 about midway seemed to be wasting time with episodes about trivial characters. But they were entertaining nonetheless - even if not instrumental to the show. But id say the first few episodes, a sandwhich of gretness about midseason and then the final 5 episodes were all fantastic. The story arc kicked it late but when it did boy was it exciting.

Alias' biggest mistake in recent years has been changing to a more modular standalone formatt its true. But its also true that the format was originally very effective at catching viewers at the start of season 4; hence the large ratings pre-idol. That said I think "Alias" should return to the original format because, even if the modulars were entertaining, the original arcs were even moreso.

I hope this isn't a spoiler-free thread.

Well it has to be until season 5 starts on account of the lack of spoilers

I don't know why there has been such a lack of Alias promotion... is it part of ABC's plan to get the show cancelled??

Remember last season... Oh man those ads and tv spots were among the best for ANY show I have ever seen!
I have yet to see one poster or tv spot for Alias Season 5!


And on a side note, referring back to the first couple of posts...
I think the Season 4 finale was one of the most disappointing Alias episodes in a long while. It definitely ranks in the lower half of Alias episodes. The cliff-hanger though, in my opinion, was Alias' second best (first will always be... "Mom?")

I LOVED the alias finale of season 4; infact id contest it was the shows best episode ever aside from "Phase One" and the big francie showdown finale.
They haven't actually released ANY promotional cast shots this season...at all.
They are recycling old images of Garner from the season 4 shoots right now - suggesting things are running tight to meet the pregnancy issue.

Theres been 3 promotional images in all released; all from the first shot of the new episode. Thats it.

Last year i recall the stories of giant Alias posters in major cities; and a plane flying across a stadium with a huge garner banner.

No such marketing synergy appears to be present for ANY Abc show this year. Lost and Desperate Housewives are riding in on self-generated buzz and recylcing last years techinques to a lesser degree.

Im thinking all in all ABC spent a LOT of money re-inveting itself last year; and this year its going to try to recoup in a big way. But i mean the Alias promotions definately worked last year; it was the shows highest rated season ever.
They should at least play on the pregnancy thing.

Somehow, though, i doubt Alias will be pulling 16 million viewers in the season premiere this year

Colour me unimpressed by the new alias poster



On account of it basically using an image of Garner from last seasons shoot; adding some new effects around her and hoping that no one notices that they've failed to hold a promotional shoot for this year.

Actually, I think it's kind of clever.

Spoilers ahead, in case Michael doesn't want to hear them, but curiousity gets the better of him...

"Expect More Alias" would be the obvious tagline, however when they say "Expect More", I'm assuming it's alluding to the fact that Sydney will be pregnant on the shadow. The picture is a foreshadowing of things to come, which explains why she's holding her stomach.

I don't know... I like it.

Mr. X, i hardly think Garners pregnancy is a spoiler

Theres all the obvious symbology there of course; and the colours tell a story too but its simply not good enough. I want me some new pictures of the cast members.

Not Garner's pregnancy, but Sydney being pregnant on the show. If you didn't know that, then... too bad.

Pictures of the cast would be nice.

HAH so you highlighted the spoiler!!!!!

I actually love the poster. I'll call it a teaser for now.
Yes, it is pretty damn obvious what the tag refers to. the only thing I don't like about it is that they could only do that because everyone knows she's pregnant and they will be incorporating it in the show. If they never clued us in that they will be incorporating it into the show or if they actually did do a pregnancy storyline when she wasn't pregnant, it would be a huge spoiler.

but given Alias circumstances at the moment, I think it's an EXCELLENT teaser/tag/poster/whatever!

Wow Michael, I can't believe you thought the season 4 closer was among the best of the best Alias episodes.
I don't understand how two people that love the show as much as we do have such striking differences in what we like and how we critisize the show.

I'm really hoping and am beginning to believe that Season 5 will bring back some of the original Alias glory!

I think that's an awesome teaser.

Color me impressed.

The season 4 finale had all the ingredients of classic Alias, twists, turns, action, special effects, angst, the whole deal. And THAT cliffhanger which is easily the shows best. I think anyone who assumes they aren't incorprorating the pregnancy has to be a little dim. I mean what are you going to do with an actress whos your lead and has suddenly developed a huge bump? I was watching Will and Grace last night and Debra Messing in her reduced role was wearing "cover it up" clothes but you could STILL see a giant bump coming from infront of her, She had to basically restrict movement to camera-on.

For everyone Alias reads different, Season 4 had its downpoints; but i felt its upoints were totally exhilliarating and my unbridled fanboyism probobly blinds me to the faults of the show.

Right now the ingredients of a great storyline are in place for season 5. But how the execute that will be the difference. I also heard a certain cast member was largely bowing out although i doubt its true.

Anyone know if JJ Abrams is writing any episodes this year? Because what i feel has been happening is Abrams reduced involvement has seen him diving in, writing a tangent for a new storyline and then not giving the team of writers any real restrictions on where to go with it - therefore it becomes aimless and fizzles.

They had a cracking bunch of writers in the last few episodes.

PS i call on ALIAS fans to use the new poster in their avatar. Its back to fan-promotion for this year i guess guys!

Oh my god, some new episode caps have been released.

POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING BELLOW
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING IMAGES MAY BE A SPOILER, EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT GIVE AWAY ANY INTEGRAL PLOT POINTS. THE DO FEATURE CAST MEMBERS...BEING.





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Garner looks totally incredibly beautiful. Shes boobylicious!

I don't download tv episodes. It takes a long time; can be very frustrating and i know that the tv network needs my viewing figure.

****SPOILERS AHEAD THROUGHOUT THIS POST****

Anyway; I was thinking about the new cast member whos going to be playing Vaughns accomplice and you know what. Its probobly the smartest idea Alias has had since getting Lena Olin involved.


**SERIOUSLY, IM NOT GOING TO WHITE TEXT FROM THIS POINT ON**




The actress who plays the newbie, Elize something, is apparently a very well respected and sought after actress in france, winning multiple awards for her work in French cinema. The problem with the Melissa George character Lauren is that Sydney and her had to share tolerance for each other - without much conflict. But one thing thats always made Alias great is a strong female character for Garner to play off of.

Be it Olin, Merrin Dungey or Gina Torres - a good she-villan is what makes the show so watchable. I hope the new female characters are good though - i mean I also hope they bring Rambaldi back into the show in a big way; i have a dissapointing feeling that the Rambaldi arc has been tied up Season 4 - and I really think that the rambaldi prophecy is mostly what keeps the momentum of the show going. Personally id turn Mia Maestro into a villan; i mean that would give the show a great new direction - even if Maestro isn't the best actress in the world i think that the effects of her character being baddd would really spin Sydney in a new direction and give the prophecy a new lease of life.

Omgboobs.

Jennifer looking good! Even all preggers and stuff.

Are the rumors true, though? Will there only be eight episodes before a LONG hiatus? I heard it was coming back in March, but that doesn't leave a lot of time to air 14 episodes (the number of episodes left for a full season, if 8 airs before the hiatus). Then again, they COULD do two-hour episodes, but that would suck.

I dont think those rumours are true; but that would mean a midseason cliffhanger which would be kind of awesome.

Added some images of the new castmembers in the first promotional shoot here.

As far as I know ABC are using last years images of the cast for season 4 promotions; and these images are all the will be of the season 5 shoot. Which sucks.
http://naturalflux7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1847

Season 4, started in Australia last month, and we are up to episode 13, because the network that screens Alias, treats it like crap. There was a big sporting show on another network so the network put a documentary about cirque di solei and put Alias on at 10.30 and it went on till 12.30am. I love double episodes, but if they treated show a bit better it will be easy to keep audiences. The show was originally supposed to start in June, then bang, delayed until late July, then bang, mid August. They are doubling every episode. I must say Alias didn't get good until Sark and Anna returned. The first 6-7 episodes were totally for people who have never watched the show.

I think it is up to fans on the internet to help Alias this season. Another night change, Thursday. If we can beat Joey and Will and Grace on NBC, i will be happy. The OC, Smallville, are going to feel the effects of quality entertainment as opposed to Buffy-storyline-rip-offs. We need to show that Alias fans are more sophisticated.

Cult loving shows get treated really bad in Australia. Veronica Mars hasn't even got a network to screen on. However i will buy it on DVD from the US. Gilmore Girls only screens on cable and they are only up to season 3. During the past 7 weeks, only 3 episodes of the 4400 s2 have gone to air in the past six weeks. And has gone off air until December. Charmed has been postponed 3 times this year.

Its fair to say that Alias' international treatment isn't great.
It struck at a time where America - and the world - was more interested in reality tv and sitcoms than original drama; and if 24 and Alias had launched today then they probobly would have been huge hits. Understand that Alias had no "you must show this under these conditions" deal. It basically was given to the highest bidder and they were told to show it how they wanted.

Today ABC isn't quite so easy going when shipping shows. It knows that if it makes sure international networks agree to promote the shows properly, then it will definately profit off of those markets more than if, say it was dumped to a cable network.

Part of the problem with the latest seasons of Alias is that theyve been trying too hard to integrate new viewers and in effect taking away from some of the forumla that makes it such a hit with dedicated fans.

Alias is certainly more deserving of a huge viewership than Lost and Desperate Housewives; and maybe if it had attained that viewership at the start then Lena Olin would have stayed and they wouldn't have had to dumb it down. But that said Americans have never been ones for getting engaged or being challenged by television shows; for that matter the whole world is exactly the same. Shows like lost and Desperate Housewives have strong elements of non-linearity to them ; you dont have to see every episode in the same order; if you did that with alias youd bee lost after just missing a week.

This reminds me how happy i was with Buffy ratings. yes it was on UPN and the WB but if it had 20m viewers, it would of been such a bad show.

I am happy people are starting to watching drama instead of crappy CSI and those sorts of shows. Because those shows are for lazy people.

I think ABC can afford to have a lazy night of ratings, because Alias does really well on DVD, and its sales alone is enough to support the show. Apparently the new Nightstalker show is really bad. But even if Alias and Nightsalker can average at least 8m viewers then i think ABC will be happy. And ABC can afford to do this. They already own Sunday and Wednesday. Monday is a strong night because of NFL, and Tuesday will be interesting, as they have the Commander in Chief, and it will be interesting to see how much the show is advertised this Sunday in the US.

The reason why Alias has dropped 40% in ratings in Australia since season 2, is because 1) people are getting lazy and 2) people can't appreciate good TV.

Season 3 also reminds me of season 6 of Buffy. Where fans got angry and started leaving the show because they didnt like what was happening to the character. In hindsight, these season are probably the best, albeit a couple of episodes were pretty ordinary.