ALIAS season four is seeming very cool so far... by chrisisall

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ALIAS season four is seeming very cool so far...

POSTED BY: CHRISISALL
UPDATED: Saturday, January 9, 2010 18:11
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009 6:04 PM

I got response on an other old thread that season 4 was crap, but it seems great to me at ep 3, just like the old Mission Impossible was. I honestly like the incredible lack of angst from the first 3 seasons, as well as the sense of completion at the end of each "story."
ALIAS fans, am I alone here?

The laughing Chrisisall

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 6:16 AM

Mostly you are, yeah.

There are a few good episodes in there, no doubt. But the two things that hooked me on the show were the characters and the running storylines. the characterization fails for me in this season mostly for the Sloan situation, and the done-in-one stories don't really capture my attention much.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 7:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Mostly you are, yeah.

Alone, adrift, an outcast, forlorn & forsaken.
I enjoy that which others do not. Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of bad taste, I fear not; for mine is the kingdom of *Meh*, and I will dwell in the house of the Rejected Seasons, forever.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 7:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
the characterization fails for me in this season mostly for the Sloan situation

For me, the whole letting Sloan live at all thing is a problem.
I take this season as a reboot of sorts, having in mind that Sloan is a jerk, and it works for me that way. Otherwise, SOMEONE should have waxed his sorry murderous ass in season 3.
Anyway, enjoying it on a certain compartmentalized level.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 3:47 PM

Episode 5, and, sorry, still liking it. Not as much as season 5, but still good. Still not missing Francie or the rest of her whiny social ties.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 5:35 PM

Ep 6, and still groovin' to it.

Wait.

I'm responding to myself... is it the Nocturne affecting me???

You all hate me for liking this season, don't you?!?!?!?

I...must...have...antidote...

Ahhhh.... Serenity.....

The laughing Chrisisall

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:18 AM

actually, while it had it's problems, I really enjoyed season 4 too. Probably wasn't as good as some of the other seasons overall, but I really dug a lot of the stuff in there.

So I guess, at least this time CiA, you have a friend. Haven't watched Alias in a while actually, might have to dust off those dvds and rewatch soon!

and are you the one that mentioned on here ages ago that you're watching the show backwards or something?
I assume this only because you mentioned season 5...and you're watching season 4...

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BigRichard:
actually, while it had it's problems, I really enjoyed season 4 too. Probably wasn't as good as some of the other seasons overall, but I really dug a lot of the stuff in there.

I don't hate the season (though I do hate some of the choices made storytelling wise), but I find it inferior to the others, by far.

But I'm glad Chris enjoys it. Not terribly surprised, either.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 8:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BigRichard:
and are you the one that mentioned on here ages ago that you're watching the show backwards or something?

Yeah, saw Season one back when it first came out on DVD, then recently bought season 5 and loved it, Got season 1 & 2, and got a kick out of 'em, but didn't understand why anyone would let Sloan live...
I read all about what happens in season 3, and really had no interest in it. Season 4 is the reset button, and for me it is working just fine so far as a lead in to the final one. I sold 1 & 2 to get the coin for a used Trek TOS remastered season 3. Looks like I'm gonna keep ALIAS 4 & 5.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 9:04 AM

You still skipped 3, and will be keeping 4 over the awesome 1&2....

Wow.

Between this and your perpetual defense of lousy films.... I have to wonder about you sometimes. I'm amazed you like Firefly. Seems you'd prefer Space Rangers or something.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
You still skipped 3, and will be keeping 4 over the awesome 1&2....

Wow.

My rationale here- I enjoyed 1 way back in the day, but the unbelievable angst in Sydney's personal life was contrasted by the unbelievable twists in her professional life. I can only deal with one set of "unbelievable" in any series, hence my reluctance to go on to the second season back then.
Once I got the fifth season, I really grooved to the fact that there was only one "unbelievable" I had to suspend my disbelief for, so I went back to give the early seasons another try.
This time I went two seasons before I realized that, fun as they were, it wasn't gonna be something I'd ever spend time on again. The glaring soap-opera BS (in MY opinion- it's just me) would stand out even greater in repeat viewings. Reading all about the love triangle in season three made me sleepy, but I read that season four re-tooled the series as a pure adventure, without the "boo-hoo, my friends, boo-hoo, my mom" stuff, and so far, I'm Lovin' It (tm).
Repeat viewing potential determines whether I keep a DVD set or not.*

*Quick list of stuff I bought, then sold to purchase something else:
ALIAS 1
Remington Steele 3, 4 & 5 (kept 2)
Seaquest DSV 1
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman 1
Kung Fu 3 (kept 1 & 2)
Earth 2
Starhunter 1
Miami Vice 1 & 2
Buffy 1-5 (after wearing them out, kept 6 & 7)
And now, ALIAS 1 & 2

Quote:

Between this and your perpetual defense of lousy films.... I have to wonder about you sometimes.

Never said Daredevil: The Director's Cut was a great film, just that it's way better than it's rep, or the theatrical cut!!!

The laughing Chrisisall

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Never said Daredevil: The Director's Cut was a great film, just that it's way better than it's rep, or the theatrical cut!!!

I was thinking more Spidey 3, Fantastic Four, etc.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I was thinking more Spidey 3, Fantastic Four, etc.

Okay, poor film-making, but I still like 'em!
However, Army Of Darkness IS great! Wanna fight? Say something bad about THAT one!!!

The laughing Chrisisall

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:57 AM

It's a classic of it's genre. I doubt anyone's going to argue with you too hard on that one.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
It's a classic of it's genre. I doubt anyone's going to argue with you too hard on that one.

Okay, baby.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Thursday, December 10, 2009 4:32 PM

Sydney bitched out Sloan in ep #7.
Like Arnold said, Dis jus keeps getting bedder by da minute.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Friday, December 11, 2009 7:03 AM

Yeah, because after all he's done, a good chastising is totally apt.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, December 11, 2009 10:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Yeah, because after all he's done, a good chastising is totally apt.

LOL, well, yeah, it's the LEAST she could do, heh heh.

But, going by the idea that I don't actually *know* what's transpired in the past (as if this were my first experience with these characters), I can deal. I know he had something to do with some peeps deaths, and that he's a bit of a creep & then some. So, the bitching out is the beginning of Sydney's need to take him down somehow in the future.

Like I said, I'm liking it in a compartmentalized way.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Friday, December 11, 2009 11:37 AM

Oh, sure, I can see that. It totally works as long as you pretend nothing happened before.

I call that terrible writing, but if it works for you....

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, December 11, 2009 12:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Oh, sure, I can see that. It totally works as long as you pretend nothing happened before.

Not NOTHING, Story, just something... indistinct.

Quote:

I call that terrible writing, but if it works for you....

Wanna get serious? ALIAS is a shaky concept backed up by sophmoric sensibilities & ridiculous plot devices from the first episode.

Want good writing? Stick with Firefly or the first season of Dark Angel.

Anyway, I'm having fun with ALIAS season 4, so THERE! *sticks tongue out*

The laughing Chrisisall

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Friday, December 11, 2009 12:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:

Wanna get serious? ALIAS is a shaky concept backed up by sophmoric sensibilities & ridiculous plot devices from the first episode.

Debatable. It's no more shakey than a lot of other shows - including your precious DA. But even granting that, it was consistent in the way it developed, true within the contexts of it's fictional universe - a key aspect of genre writing.

The fourth season is not. It tossed out character development and backstory, against the wishes of the writers and creator of the series, by network edict - to try and draw in less discerning viewers. It became a more generic action show.

It didn't work, fans rebelled, and they wisely ditched that approach for season 5.

Quote:
Want good writing? Stick with Firefly or the first season of Dark Angel.

Uhm.... yeah.... we'll agree on Firefly....

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, December 11, 2009 12:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
it was consistent in the way it developed, true within the contexts of it's fictional universe

Umm, so, Sydney disappearing for a LOT of months makes Vaughn presume that she's dead, so in a fit of grief, he marries an evil double-agent???? Yeah, that's the Vaughn I came to know in seasons 1 & 2.
And maybe I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAH

dude it's just a show

The laughing Chrisisall

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Friday, December 11, 2009 12:48 PM

Yeah..... because he totally knew she was a double agent and just married her ANYWAY, and it had nothing to do with finding comfort in the arms of another woman after loosing Syd....

(Oh, right.... only one of us actually has watched that season, and not just read the cliff notes. Hmmm, who has a better grasp on the content....?)

Of course it's just a show - and this is a board where we discuss TV shows, pro and con. You ALREADY know I discuss writing seriously, with a critical eye. If you don't like to discuss such things.... why do you?

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, December 11, 2009 1:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
You ALREADY know I discuss writing seriously, with a critical eye.

Okay, but with a critical eye, and on what I HAVE seen, ALIAS is still just a silly, adolescent wet-dream, would-be everygirl version of Bond. I have trouble splitting hairs on consistency concerning a series that I feel had very little internal logic to begin with.
I personally don't know why SOMEONE didn't kill Sloan by the end of season 2. THAT made no sense, except that the WRITING was controlled so that the actor could continue giving the camera his amazing evil eye in future seasons.
THAT sir, is lazy writing. You can't make a character SO hated by every human on this planet that knows him, yet ask us to believe that not only will no one grease the guy, peeps are willing to work with him again. They wanted it all. They wanted to thrill, then pull back, then thrill again. Taken as a whole, the series is crap. I choose to like the part of it that least offends my critical sensibilities, that is, the last two seasons. It's such a kick-ass ride on a pure entertainment level, that I'm willing to compartmentalize, otherwise I'd have nothing to do with it at all.
ALIAS is the TV definition of uneven, inconsistent and absurdly rationalized characterization.

That said, still likin' it!

The laughing Chrisisall

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Friday, December 11, 2009 1:53 PM

I wouldn't say it's nearly to the outrageousness level of Bond. And you say it had no internal logic to begin with - how so?

And while sure, it stretches plausibility that no one killed the villain earlier - but he's the main villain - killing him derails the story, since he's the primary motivator behind almost all of the action.

However, having the villain escape.... yeah, not quite on the same WTF level as putting the villain in charge. Not even the same ballpark, or even the same sport.

It was bad enough, that after watching the show weekly for 3+ years, I bailed on it during season 4. As did many, feeling that season 4 was the shows' shark jump. Only trudged through it for completion's sake.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, December 11, 2009 2:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I wouldn't say it's nearly to the outrageousness level of Bond.

WHAT??? ALIAS makes Bond look like Carre'!!

Quote:
And you say it had no internal logic to begin with - how so?

She's smart, but dumb. Like everyone at SD6.

Quote:

And while sure, it stretches plausibility that no one killed the villain earlier - but he's the main villain - killing him derails the story, since he's the primary motivator behind almost all of the action.

An excuse for the lazy writing now?
Tsk tsk.
FIND a reason to do things that make sense. They skated by "finding" to make-up-s**t land.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Friday, December 11, 2009 3:15 PM

Know what? You made me analyze this show too closely- I hate the whole of it now.
I'm selling seasons 4 & 5 tomorrow to purchase something more believable & well written.
The Flint movies.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Saturday, December 12, 2009 5:58 PM

Ep # 11 (The Road Home) was amazing. Jack Bristow is a machine. A Terminator.
He needs therapy.
Colour me shocked & awed.
His end in season 5 makes perfect & utter sense to me at this point. He is really the only constant in this series.

P.S., kidding with the Flint thing.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Sunday, December 13, 2009 2:33 PM

Arvin CLONE!!! That's so funny!!! I love Marshall.
Still groovin' to the ALIAS beat here.
Seriously, while I'm liking season 4, Joss would have been a far better person to hand the Trek franchise over to.
Hollywood idiots.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Monday, December 14, 2009 7:28 PM

Nearing the end of season 4, and it's just picking up steam IMO! "Mirage" was just amazing.

Jack Bristow rules!

The laughing Chrisisall

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009 5:34 PM

Okay Story, I *loved* the end of season four! I liked it better than the angsty adrenaline rushed 1 & 2.
Like I said before, I love endgames.
Now I'll watch season five with a fuller sense of closure.
It's pulp, but it's cool.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Thursday, December 17, 2009 8:09 AM

I don't remember the details, but I do recall liking the S4 finale. That, along with the buried alivfe episode, and the one with Ricky Gervais (that was S4, right) were the only episodes from the season that I particularly enjoyed.

But prefer long story arcs with deep characterization (even if there's angst) over done-in-one procedurals. Those are a dime a dozen and bore me.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Saturday, January 9, 2010 6:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I don't remember the details, but I do recall liking the S4 finale.

It was cool, but a little over the top, in retrospect.

Quote:
That, along with the buried alive episode

Best S4 ep, IMO.

Quote:
{I} prefer long story arcs with deep characterization

Agreed. Final verdict: Season 5 is the best one, and the only one I'm keeping.

Sidebar: CHUCK covers some of the same territory, but is WAAAY more entertaining IMO.

2hr CHUCK premiere at 9pm tomorrow, dude! Awesome!
Be there. Aloha.

The Carmichael-y Chrisisall

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