Alias
Alias logo
Format	Spy-fi - Drama - Action
Created by	J. J. Abrams
Starring	Jennifer Garner Ron Rifkin Michael Vartan Bradley Cooper Merrin Dungey Carl Lumbly Kevin Weisman Victor Garber David Anders Lena Olin Melissa George Greg Grunberg Mía Maestro Rachel Nichols Élodie Bouchez Balthazar Getty Amy Acker
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	105 (+1 animated short)
Production
Running time	approx. 42 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	ABC
Original run	September 30, 2001 – May 22, 2006
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Alias was an American "Spy-fi" television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006, spanning five seasons. It starred Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow, a CIA agent, who was usually seen wearing a colorful new disguise while undercover in some part of the world. Spy-fi is a fan name for television series and movies - especially those from the 1960s - that blend the espionage genre with elements of science fiction. ... For other uses, see Drama (disambiguation). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Jeffrey Abrams (also credited as J.J. Abrams) (born in 1966) is an Emmy Award-winning American film and television producer, writer, actor, composer and director. ... Jennifer Anne Garner[1] (born April 17, 1972) is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe- and SAG Award-winning American actress. ... Ron Rifkin, born October 31, 1939, in New York City, New York, USA, is a film, stage, and television actor and director. ... Vartan on Alias Michael Vartan (b. ... Bradley Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is a film, stage, and television actor. ... Merrin Dungey as Francie Calfo on Alias Merrin Dungey, born August 6, 1971, Sacramento, California, is a film and television actress. ... Carl Lumbly, born August 14, 1952, in Minnesota, is a film, stage, and television actor. ... Kevin Weisman, born December 29, 1970 and raised in Los Angeles is a film, television and stage actor. ... Victor Joseph Garber (born on March 16, 1949 in London, Ontario, Canada) is a six-time Emmy Award-nominated Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. ... David Anders (born David Anders Holt on March 11, 1981) is an American television and stage actor. ... Lena Maria Jonna Olin (born March 22, 1955 in Stockholm, Sweden) is an internationally acclaimed Academy Award-nominated Swedish actress. ... Melissa Suzanne George (born 6 August 1976) is an Australian actress and athlete who has worked in Australia and the United States in film and television. ... Gregory Phillip Grunberg, born to a Jewish family July 11, 1966, in Los Angeles, California, is an American television actor. ... Mía Maestro, born June 19, 1978 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is an Argentinian actress and a trained classical music vocalist, which she learned in Berlin, Germany at age 18. ... Rachel Nichols in Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd Rachel Emily Nichols (born January 8, 1980) is an American actress, currently known for her film work and for her portrayal of CIA agent Rachel Gibson on the ABC television series Alias. ... Élodie Bouchez (born April 5, 1973 in Montreuil-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France) is a César Award winning French actress. ... Paul Balthazar Getty (born 22 January 1975) is an American film actor. ... Amy Acker at the Serenity premiere, 2005 Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Spy-fi is a fan name for television series and movies - especially those from the 1960s - that blend the espionage genre with elements of science fiction. ... A television program (US), television programme (UK) or simply television show is a segment of programming in television broadcasting. ... Jeffrey Abrams (also credited as J.J. Abrams) (born in 1966) is an Emmy Award-winning American film and television producer, writer, actor, composer and director. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jennifer Anne Garner[1] (born April 17, 1972) is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe- and SAG Award-winning American actress. ... Sydney Anne Bristow (born 17 April 1975), played by Jennifer Garner, is the main character on the television series Alias. ... CIA redirects here. ...

While exploring the "cult of intelligence" as its central theme, a major plotline of the series was the search for and recovery of artifacts created by Milo Rambaldi, a fictional Leonardo da Vinci-like inventor and Nostradamus-like prophet from the Renaissance period. This plot and some technologies used in the series pushed Alias into the genre of Sci-Fi. A theme through the series was the concept of Sydney not only having an alias during her varied missions, but also having to live under an alias when with her friends or family. These themes are most prevalent in the first two seasons of the show. Milo Giacomo Rambaldi is a fictional person from the American television series Alias. ... “Da Vinci” redirects here. ... Nostradamus: original portrait by his son Cesar Michel de Nostredame (December 14, 1503 – July 2, 1566), usually Latinized to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous world-wide. ... This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Sydney Anne Bristow (born 17 April 1975), played by Jennifer Garner, is the main character on the television series Alias. ...

[edit] Main characters

Main article: List of Alias characters

• Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow
• Ron Rifkin as Arvin Sloane
• Michael Vartan as Michael Vaughn (1.01-5.01, recurring afterwards)
• Bradley Cooper as Will Tippin (Seasons 1 - 2, guest star in 3.10 and 5.12)
• Merrin Dungey as Francie Calfo (Seasons 1 - 2, guest star in 3.6, 3.10 and 5.17)
• Carl Lumbly as Marcus Dixon
• Kevin Weisman as Marshall Flinkman
• Victor Garber as Jack Bristow
• Greg Grunberg as Eric Weiss (Seasons 3 - 4, recurring before and afterwards)
• David Anders as Julian Sark (Seasons 2 - 3, recurring before and afterwards)
• Lena Olin as Irina Derevko (a.k.a. Laura Bristow) (Season 2, guest star in 4.21, 4.22, 5.9, 5.11 & 5.17)
• Melissa George as Lauren Reed (Season 3), uncredited guest appearance in Season 4
• Mía Maestro as Nadia Santos (Season 4, recurring before and afterwards)
• Rachel Nichols as Rachel Gibson (Season 5)
• Élodie Bouchez as Renée Rienne (5.01-5.09, recurring afterwards)
• Balthazar Getty as Thomas Grace (Season 5)
• Amy Acker as Kelly Peyton (5.10-5.17, recurring before)

The following is a partial list of characters from the TV series, Alias: Sydney Bristow, played by Jennifer Garner Jack Bristow, played by Victor Garber Arvin Sloane, played by Ron Rifkin Irina Derevko aka Laura Bristow aka The Man, played by Lena Olin Michael Vaughn, played by Michael Vartan Lauren... Jennifer Anne Garner[1] (born April 17, 1972) is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe- and SAG Award-winning American actress. ... Sydney Anne Bristow (born 17 April 1975), played by Jennifer Garner, is the main character on the television series Alias. ... Ron Rifkin, born October 31, 1939, in New York City, New York, USA, is a film, stage, and television actor and director. ... Arvin Sloane, played by Ron Rifkin, was the former director of SD-6 on the television series, Alias. ... Vartan on Alias Michael Vartan (b. ... Michael C. Vaughn, played by Michael Vartan, is one of Sydney Bristows co-workers and ongoing love interest on the television series, Alias. ... Bradley Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is a film, stage, and television actor. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 1 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 2 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Premise: The identity of the mysterious St. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Merrin Dungey as Francie Calfo on Alias Merrin Dungey, born August 6, 1971, Sacramento, California, is a film and television actress. ... Francine Francie Calfo is a fictional character, Sydney Bristows close friend on the television series, Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 1 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 2 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Premise: Sydneys emotions are turned inside-out when she comes face-to-face with Allison, Francies doppelganger, who was presumed dead but is now a key figure in The Covenant. ... Premise: The identity of the mysterious St. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Carl Lumbly, born August 14, 1952, in Minnesota, is a film, stage, and television actor. ... Marcus R. Dixon is a fictional character portrayed by Carl Lumbly, is one of Sydney Bristows coworkers and the CIAs Director of Joint Task Force on the television series, Alias. ... Kevin Weisman, born December 29, 1970 and raised in Los Angeles is a film, television and stage actor. ... Marshall J. Flinkman is a fictional character on the television series, Alias. ... Victor Joseph Garber (born on March 16, 1949 in London, Ontario, Canada) is a six-time Emmy Award-nominated Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. ... Jonathan Jack Donahue Bristow, played by Victor Garber, is Sydney Bristows father on the television series, Alias. ... Gregory Phillip Grunberg, born to a Jewish family July 11, 1966, in Los Angeles, California, is an American television actor. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 3 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 4 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... David Anders (born David Anders Holt on March 11, 1981) is an American television and stage actor. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 2 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 3 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Lena Maria Jonna Olin (born March 22, 1955 in Stockholm, Sweden) is an internationally acclaimed Academy Award-nominated Swedish actress. ... Irina Derevko (also known as Laura Bristow and as The Man), is a fictional character on the television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 2 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 4 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 4 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Melissa Suzanne George (born 6 August 1976) is an Australian actress and athlete who has worked in Australia and the United States in film and television. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 3 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Mía Maestro, born June 19, 1978 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is an Argentinian actress and a trained classical music vocalist, which she learned in Berlin, Germany at age 18. ... Nadia Santos is a fictional character in the television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 4 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Rachel Nichols in Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd Rachel Emily Nichols (born January 8, 1980) is an American actress, currently known for her film work and for her portrayal of CIA agent Rachel Gibson on the ABC television series Alias. ... Rachel Gibson is a fictional character played by Rachel Nichols in the spy-fi television series Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Élodie Bouchez (born April 5, 1973 in Montreuil-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France) is a César Award winning French actress. ... Rienne, played by Élodie Bouchez is number 8 on the CIAs most wanted list and a new character for the fifth season of Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Paul Balthazar Getty (born 22 January 1975) is an American film actor. ... Thomas Grace is a character on the spy-fi drama series, Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Amy Acker at the Serenity premiere, 2005 Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. ... Kelly Peyton, played by Amy Acker, is a character on the television series, Alias. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ...

[edit] Production and crew

Produced by Touchstone Television and Bad Robot Productions, film production primarily took place in the greater Los Angeles area. Despite its worldwide locales, only one episode was ever filmed outside the Los Angeles region (Las Vegas, Nevada). Touchstone Television is an television production company and is the television production arm of movie studio Touchstone Pictures. ... ♥I LOVE BAD ROBOTS!!!!!!!!!! ADAM RANY WES SETH ... Film production on location in Newark, New Jersey. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ...

• J. J. Abrams - Executive Producer
• John Eisendrath - Executive Producer (Season 1-3)
• Alex Kurtzman - Executive Producer (Season 2-3)
• Roberto Orci - Executive Producer (Season 2-3)
• Jeff Pinkner - Executive Producer (Season 5)
• Jesse Alexander - Executive Producer (Season 5)
• Ken Olin - Executive Producer
• Michael Giacchino - Composer
• Michael Haro - Coordinating Producer

Jeffrey Abrams (also credited as J.J. Abrams) (born in 1966) is an Emmy Award-winning American film and television producer, writer, actor, composer and director. ... John Eisendrath is a television series producer and writer. ... Alex Kurtzman wrote the screenplay for the 2005 film The Island. ... Roberto Gaston Orci (born 1973 in Mexico City, Mexico) is a Mexican film and television producer and screenwriter. ... Jeff Pinkner is an American television writer and producer. ... Jesse Alexander is an American television writer and producer. ... Ken Olin (born July 30, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor, director and producer. ... Michael Giacchino Michael Giacchino (pronounced juh-kee-no) (born in Riverside, New Jersey) is an American soundtrack composer who has composed several multi-award winning scores for many popular movies, television series and video games. ...

[edit] Guest Appearances

Alias included a bevy of A-list stars that appeared as special guest stars on the show. Some had semi recurring roles, like Isabella Rossellini, others were in one or two episodes. In both cases, the stars served as important plot line characters. Some of the most notable guests include:

• David Cronenberg - Dr. Brezzel

• Ethan Hawke - James Lennox

• Christian Slater - Neil Caplan

• Isabella Rossellini - Katya Derevko

• Quentin Tarantino - McKenas Cole

• Djimon Hounsou - Kazari Bomani

• Peggy Lipton - Olivia Reed

• Ricky Gervais - Daniel Ryan

• Peter Berg - Noah Hicks

• David Carradine - Conrad

• Faye Dunaway - Ariana Kane

• Roger Moore - Edward Poole (SD-9)

• Rutger Hauer - Anthony Geiger

• Gina Torres - Anna Espinosa

• Sonia Braga - Elena Derevko

• Vivica A. Fox - Toni Cummings

• Angela Bassett - Hayden Chase (CIA Director)

David Paul Cronenberg OC, FRSC (born March 15, 1943[2]) is a Canadian film director and occasional actor. ... Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor, writer and film director. ... Christian Slater(born August 18, 1969) is an American actor. ... Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini (born June 18, 1952) is an Italian actress, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and model. ... Yekaterina Katya Derevko, played by Isabella Rossellini, was the second of the three Derevko sisters to be introduced. ... Quentin Jerome Tarantino (born March 27, 1963) is an Academy Award- and Palme dOr-winning American film director, screenwriter and actor. ... McKenas Cole is a fictional secondary character portrayed by Quentin Tarantino in the ABC television series Alias. ... Djimon Gaston Hounsou (born April 24, 1964) is a two-time Academy Award-nominated Beninois actor, dancer and fashion model. ... U.S. actress who was born on August 30, 1947, in New York City to a Jewish-American father and an Irish-born mother who was also Jewish. ... Ricky Dene Gervais (IPA: ; born June 25, 1961) is an Emmy-, Golden Globe- and BAFTA award-winning English comic writer and performer from Reading, Berkshire. ... Peter Berg (born March 11, 1964 in New York City) is an American actor and film director. ... David Carradine (born John Arthur Carradine on December 8, 1936 in Hollywood, California) is an American actor. ... Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941, in Bascom, Florida) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... For other persons named Roger Moore, see Roger Moore (disambiguation). ... Rutger Oelsen Hauer (IPA: [rʏtxɛr ulsɛn hʌuɛr]) (born in Breukelen, January 23, 1944) is a Dutch film actor. ... Gina Torres (born April 25, 1969) is an American television and movie actress. ... Anna Espinosa is a fictional character from the television series Alias, initially played by Gina Torres (however see below). ... Sônia Braga (born 1950) is a Brazilian actress. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... Vivica Anjanetta Fox (born July 30, 1964 in South Bend, IN) is a film and television actress. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ...

[edit] Plot

[edit] Season One

The Season 1 & 2 Cast

Main article: Alias episodes (season 1)

Seven years before season 1, Sydney Bristow was an undergraduate student of English literature when she was approached with a job offer by someone claiming to work for SD-6, which was supposedly part of the Central Intelligence Agency. She accepted the offer, and quickly became a field agent. In the pilot, she tells her fiancé Danny that she is a spy. As a result of revealing SD-6's existence to an outsider, her fiancé is murdered by SD-6. This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 1 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Sydney Anne Bristow (born 17 April 1975), played by Jennifer Garner, is the main character on the television series Alias. ... In some educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelors degree. ... For other uses, see Student (disambiguation). ... The term English literature refers to literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; Joseph Conrad was Polish, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, Salman Rushdie is Indian, V.S... CIA redirects here. ... In espionage, a field agent is an agent who works on the field as opposed to one who works at the office or headquarters. ... An engagement is an agreement by a couple to enter into marriage at some future time, usually accompanied by a formal or informal announcement to friends and family. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... The Alliance of Twelve is a fictional terrorist organization in the television series Alias. ...

It is then that Sydney is told by her father Jack Bristow (another SD-6 agent) that SD-6 is not part of the CIA; instead, it is part of the Alliance of Twelve, an organization that is an enemy to the United States. Sydney decides to offer her services to the real CIA as a double agent. Her offer is soon accepted, and she begins the long and arduous task of destroying SD-6 from the inside. She quickly learns that her father is also a double agent for the CIA. Jonathan Jack Donahue Bristow, played by Victor Garber, is Sydney Bristows father on the television series, Alias. ... The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ...

Major plotlines from season 1 include Sydney hiding her triple-identity from her friends, both in her personal life and in her SD-6 job, Will Tippin's investigation into Danny's death, and the past antics of Sydney's mother. Sub-plots included Sydney's friendship with Francie, Francie's romantic relationship with Charlie, and Sydney's developing relationship with her CIA handler Michael Vaughn, of whom she is skeptical at first but grows to trust as her life becomes increasingly stressful. Season One focuses on the development of Sydney's character, and allows the audience to become familiar with her. The other seasons share the same theme of a guest star appearing throughout the entire season. This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ...

[edit] Season Two

The Season 1 & 2 Alias Cast

Main article: Alias episodes (season 2)

The second season begins with the introduction of Irina Derevko, Sydney's mother, who soon becomes a vital part of the series. Midway through the second season, the series underwent a "reboot" of sorts with Sydney successfully destroying SD-6 (after gathering valuable intelligence for tactical strikes from an airborne SD-6 server) and becoming a regular agent for the CIA, still in pursuit of former SD-6 leader Arvin Sloane, his associate Julian Sark, and the Rambaldi artifacts. Sydney's friends at SD-6, Marcus Dixon and Marshall Flinkman, are finally made aware of her dual identity and recruited into the CIA. This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 2 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... Irina Derevko (also known as Laura Bristow and as The Man), is a fictional character on the television series Alias. ... Arvin Sloane, played by Ron Rifkin, was the former director of SD-6 on the television series, Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... Marcus R. Dixon is a fictional character portrayed by Carl Lumbly, is one of Sydney Bristows coworkers and the CIAs Director of Joint Task Force on the television series, Alias. ... Marshall J. Flinkman is a fictional character on the television series, Alias. ...

In the second half of the season, it was revealed that Francie Calfo, Sydney's best friend, was murdered and replaced by Allison Doren, a woman who was transfigured to look exactly like her. Allison was then in a position to spy on Sydney and Will. The end of the season saw Will possibly murdered and Sydney killing Allison and then falling unconscious. Sydney awakens two years later in Hong Kong, unable to remember the two years that have passed. She soon learns that her friends and the CIA believed her to be dead, and Vaughn found a new love and is now married. Francine Francie Calfo is a fictional character, Sydney Bristows close friend on the television series, Alias. ...

[edit] Season Three

The Season 3 Alias Cast

Main article: Alias episodes (season 3)

The third season takes place two years after the events of season 2, with Sydney having been missing and presumed dead. DNA evidence in a badly burned body confirmed her death to her family and friends. This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 3 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ...

The truth, however, is that Sydney was kidnapped by a terrorist organization called The Covenant, who tried to brainwash her into believing she was an assassin named Julia Thorne. Eventually Sydney voluntarily had her memories of the two years erased in an attempt to forget some of the deeds she was forced to undertake as Julia and to ensure that one of Rambaldi's most dangerous artifacts would never be found. In the television series Alias, The Covenant is a large, powerful, and secretive intelligence/terrorist organization. ...

As Sydney recovers, she begins investigating her absence while reintegrating into the CIA. There she deals with the facts that Arvin Sloane had become a world-renowned humanitarian after being pardoned, and that Michael Vaughn had married NSC agent Lauren Reed. Reed is later revealed to be a member of the Covenant and a lover of Julian Sark. The NSC plays a role as a government organization that holds massive unsupervised power, with a Guantanamo-like detention facility, considerable influence over the CIA, and driven by questionable motives. Sydney later discovers that her mother and Arvin Sloane had a child together, the result of an affair between the two years earlier. She locates her half-sister, Nadia, and rescues her from being killed by the Covenant. Arvin Sloane, played by Ron Rifkin, was the former director of SD-6 on the television series, Alias. ... Michael C. Vaughn, played by Michael Vartan, is one of Sydney Bristows co-workers and ongoing love interest on the television series, Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Detainees upon arrival at Camp X-Ray, January 2002 Guantánamo Bay detainment camp serves as a joint military prison and interrogation center under the leadership of Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO), has occupied a portion of the United States Navys base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since 2002. ...

At the end of the season, Sydney goes on a mission and encounters Lauren. After they battle, Lauren begins to taunt Sydney by saying she has information about her past. When Vaughn shows up, Sydney goes to him, leaving Lauren a chance to attack again. Vaughn shoots Lauren, and she dies, but before she does she gives Sydney the number of a security deposit box where she can find information about her past.

[edit] Season Four

Main article: Alias episodes (season 4)

Season 4 begins where season three ended with Sydney uncovering a shocking, classified document called "S.A.B. 47 Project." It is explained that the document authorizes Jack Bristow to execute Sydney's mother, who had mysteriously placed a contract on Sydney's life (this was apparently something of a retcon to cover for actress Lena Olin's presumed not returning to the series, as the first page refers to Sydney as the "active" subject of a "project" that began 17 April, 1975, a possible reference to Project Christmas, and also setting up Jack as either the real head of, or somehow involved with, the Covenant and/or being a descendant of Rambaldi/Rambaldi himself). This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 4 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Project Christmas was a fictional black ops project developed by the Central Intelligence Agency, and headed by Jack Bristow in the 1970s, which was intended to train children as sleeper agents to become future spies. ...

Sydney joins a black ops division of the CIA, patterned after SD-6 and run by her one-time nemesis Arvin Sloane. The new division is dubbed "APO": Authorized Personnel Only. Members of APO (all hand-picked by Sloane) include almost all of the recurring characters from previous seasons, including Jack, Vaughn, Sydney's former partner (and third season CIA director) Marcus Dixon, the computer and technical genius, Marshall Flinkman, and Vaughn's best friend Eric Weiss (brought in after having to be rescued by Sydney and Vaughn, who he previously believed to have left the CIA). Sloane's daughter and Sydney's half-sister Nadia Santos also eventually returns to join APO. The term black op has two related meanings: Black operation which is a type of covert operation. ... Authorized Personnel Only (APO), is a fictional black-ops branch of the CIA in the American TV series Alias. ... Marcus R. Dixon is a fictional character portrayed by Carl Lumbly, is one of Sydney Bristows coworkers and the CIAs Director of Joint Task Force on the television series, Alias. ... Marshall J. Flinkman is a fictional character on the television series, Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... Nadia Santos is a fictional character in the television series Alias. ...

During the season, an Arvin Sloane impostor, jokingly identified as "Arvin Clone," acquired the technology to implement a Rambaldi-predicted apocalypse. Using Omnifam, the real Sloane had polluted the world's drinking water with chemicals that caused feelings of peace and tranquility. However, these feelings can be reversed with the Mueller device. The third Derevko sister, Elena, had built a giant Mueller device in Sovogda, Russia, which drove the residents to insanity. Sydney, Jack, Irina, Nadia, and Vaughn parachute in, destroy the device and kill Elena. But Nadia is injected with the tainted water and driven insane. She battles Sydney until Sloane is forced to shoot his own daughter. Nadia is later put into a coma while a cure is sought and Irina escapes again. Omnifam was a charity organisation in the TV series Alias (TV series). ... A Mueller device is a mysterious piece of technology in the US television series, Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ...

The season concludes with Sydney and Vaughn becoming engaged. On a trip to Santa Barbara, Vaughn confides a shocking secret: his name isn't really Michael Vaughn; their initial meeting wasn't coincidental; and that his allegiance may not be to the CIA. Before he can divulge any more information, another car hits theirs and the season ends. Nickname: Location in Santa Barbara County and the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County Santa Barbara Government  - Mayor Marty Blum Area  - Total 41. ...

[edit] Season Five

Main article: Alias episodes (season 5)

As season five begins, Vaughn is abducted. Sydney learns that Vaughn is under suspicion of being a double agent and that the crash may have been a cover for his extraction. Vaughn later escapes and explains to Sydney that his real name is André Michaux. He reveals that he is investigating a secret operation known as Prophet Five, which at one point involved his father. During a mission in recovering a Prophet Five book, Sydney receives a phone call from her doctor with some untimely news - she's pregnant. (This development was created to deal with the actress' real-life pregnancy.^[1][2]). Vaughn is later shot, and apparently killed, on orders of Prophet Five operative Gordon Dean. Four months later, as Sydney continues to investigate Vaughn's murder, she works with an assassin and associate of his, Renée Rienne, in order to unearth the inner workings of Prophet Five, while at the same time trailing Dean and his criminal organization "The Shed," disguised as a black ops CIA division, very much like SD-6. This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from the fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... The Shed/Prophet Five, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... Gordon Dean is a character on the American television show Alias. ... Rienne, played by Élodie Bouchez is number 8 on the CIAs most wanted list and a new character for the fifth season of Alias. ...

Two new members are added to APO to replace Weiss, who moved to Washington, D.C. for a new job, and Nadia, who is still in a coma. Thomas Grace is a brash young agent with unorthodox methods who often butts heads with Sydney. Rachel Gibson is a computer specialist who, like Sydney, was deceived into thinking she was working for the real CIA and briefly works as a mole within The Shed, as did Sydney within SD-6, before The Shed's destruction by Dean. Authorized Personnel Only (APO), is a fictional black-ops branch of the CIA in the American TV series Alias. ... ... Thomas Grace is a character on the spy-fi drama series, Alias. ... Rachel Gibson is a fictional character played by Rachel Nichols in the spy-fi television series Alias. ...

In an ongoing subplot, Arvin Sloane follows his own personal obsession, finding a cure for Nadia. Sloane is jailed for his actions during Season 4; however, he is released after the sentencing committee is manipulated by Dean. In exchange for his freedom, Sloane is now working for Dean as a mole within APO. Unaware of Sloane's new allegiance, Jack agrees to let Sloane rejoin APO and use its resources to seek a cure for his daughter.

With the series' end, it emerges that Sloane's ultimate goal is that of immortality, for which he sacrifices Nadia's life. However, he is trapped forever in Rambaldi's tomb by a critically wounded Jack, who sacrifices himself to avenge all the pain Sloane caused Sydney over the years. Sydney tracks Sark and the Horizon to Hong Kong, finding Irina. After a final battle between them, Irina plunges to her death.

The series ends with a flash forward to several years in the future. Sydney and Vaughn are semi-retired and married, with a second child named Jack in honor of Sydney's father. Daughter Isabelle exhibits the same ability to complete the CIA test that marked Sydney's inborn skills to be an ideal agent at that age. However after completing the puzzle she knocks it over, perhaps signaling that she will not follow in her mother's footsteps.

[edit] Themes

• Family — Family relationships abound throughout the show. In the first season this focused mainly on the strained relationship between Sydney and her father, with echoes in Arvin and Emily Sloane's relationship as surrogate parents for Sydney, and her idealization of her supposedly dead mother. The second season saw Sydney having to come to grips with issues surrounding her mother. The third and fourth seasons changed the mostly parent-child family dynamic, and instead introduced issues revolving around spouses and extended family, as Vaughn struggled to save his marriage and renew his relationship with Sydney. We also met the two sisters of Irina Derevko. However, the parent-child dynamic survived as Vaughn learned that his father was more than a simple CIA agent and as Sloane discovered that he had a daughter. The fifth season can be, in some ways, regarded as a "next generation" in the family drama of Alias. Sydney and Vaughn were finally to be married, and Sydney is becoming a mother in her own right. This is literal, as Sydney discovered that she was pregnant, and also figurative as Sydney takes on a parental role in relation to the new agent Rachel.
• Prophecy/Predetermination — A good deal of Alias revolves around the prophecies of Milo Rambaldi. We are first introduced to a prophecy about a woman who will "render the greatest power unto utter desolation." Later, as Sloane completes part of the Rambaldi prophecy we learn that he has received his own prophetic message. The Rambaldi storyline seemed to come to a close with the conclusion of Elena Derevko's endgame at the end of season four, but the fifth season introduced its own "prophet" (also in pursuit of Rambaldi) in the form of the mysterious organization known as Prophet Five, which ended up being a reference to Rambaldi and the final part of his endgame, immortality, which had been set up in the first season (though this was only one part of his plan. The first part was world peace, which Elena Derevko perverted and attempted in Season 4).
• Trust/Betrayal — Much of the first three seasons of the show revolved around issues of trust and betrayal. Most obvious is the betrayal of Sydney by SD-6 which starts the show. However, the show includes numerous other examples of betrayal including Irina's betrayal of Jack, Sloane's betrayal of the Alliance, Sydney's betrayal of SD-6 and Sydney's lying to her friends. Indeed the first season can be viewed as a story of Sydney learning to trust her father and the second season can be viewed as Sydney struggling with trust issues relating to her mother.
• Private/Non-Governmental Intelligence Agencies — The world of Alias has one of the largest collections of fictional intelligence agencies in the history of espionage fiction. These agencies are clandestine espionage groups that trade secrets and weapons. Fictional spy organizations that have been featured on the show include:
  • SD-6: one of twelve Section Disparue cells under the Alliance of Twelve, employing Sydney Bristow in Season 1 under the pretense that it is a black-ops division of the CIA.
  • The Alliance of Twelve: a ruthless international organization, originally formed by twelve defectors from various intelligence agencies. Each member of the Alliance of Twelve is believed to be in charge of an SD cell.
  • K-Directorate: a private agency based in Russia and staffed by veterans of communist intelligence services. It is featured mostly in Season 1.
  • FTL: based in Hong Kong and apparently specialized in more high tech espionage. It was destroyed by Julian Sark in Season 1.
  • "The Man" (aka Irina Derevko) ran an unnamed organization which destroyed FTL and co-opted K-Directorate.
  • The Covenant was introduced in season three. They had co-opted many agents of other organizations including Sark, McKenas Cole, and even (through brainwashing) Sydney.
  • Prophet Five: the organization that oversees The Shed, and is one of the oldest agencies yet to be discovered by the CIA, having been involved in some sort of high level research twenty years ago. It has been running at least one SD-6-like organization, the Shed, which Rachel Gibson was a part of. Prophet Five is in control of a communications network that reveals infiltration of major intelligence agencies such as MI-6 and others. The twelve leaders of Prophet Five were all killed by Kelly Peyton in the series finale.

Arvin Sloane, played by Ron Rifkin, was the former director of SD-6 on the television series, Alias. ... Emily Sloane is a fictional character from the American television series Alias. ... Irina Derevko (also known as Laura Bristow and as The Man), is a fictional character on the television series Alias. ... Milo Giacomo Rambaldi is a fictional person from the American television series Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... The Shed/Prophet Five, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... K-Directorate is a fictional organized crime group in the television series Alias, based in the former Eastern bloc countries. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... Irina Derevko (also known as Laura Bristow and as The Man), is a fictional character on the television series Alias. ... K-Directorate is a fictional organized crime group in the television series Alias, based in the former Eastern bloc countries. ... In the television series Alias, The Covenant is a large, powerful, and secretive intelligence/terrorist organization. ... This article is about a character from the television show Alias. ... McKenas Cole is a fictional secondary character portrayed by Quentin Tarantino in the ABC television series Alias. ... The Shed/Prophet Five, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ... The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias. ...

[edit] Credits, Logos, and Graphics in the show

Alias is unusual for an American drama series in that the opening credits do not run until the end of the first long act, sometimes as late as 15 minutes into the episode. In some respects, this mimics the James Bond films, which likewise feature sometimes-lengthy pre-credits sequences. Depending on the demands of a particular episode, the credit sequence is occasionally dropped as the actor credits play over a scene; on those occasions, the series title does not appear on screen until the final fade out. This article is about the spy series. ...

As the opening credits appear, the letters in the ALIAS reference flash in negative form one by one. The "S" is the last letter to appear, this time in permanent negative. In virtually every episode, the title of a city or town location will slowly zoom in, with one letter being shown in negative and a specific scene appearing within that negative. As it usually does with the "S" in the show title at the very start, this letter eventually takes up the entire screen and gives way to the scene itself.

The first three seasons used a minimalist credit sequence consisting only of the actors names appearing as the title Alias gradually forms in one corner of an otherwise black screen. For one frame in Seasons 1 and 3 during Victor Garber's credit, the Rambaldi "eye" symbol ( <o> ) flashes over the Alias title; In Season 2, it flashes during Lena Olin's credit. In season 5 it flashes during Balthazar Getty's credit.

For the fourth season, a shorter, flashier credit sequence was introduced that used a new, remixed version of the theme. As the cast names appeared, 52 images of Sydney in 47 various disguises appear in rapid succession, ending with a shot from the third season premiere of her shooting a miniature grenade launcher.

For the fifth season, another credit sequence was designed, as the previous version was criticized for making it difficult to read the actors' names (since the eye was drawn to the many images of Jennifer Garner) and for focusing exclusively on Garner. Now for the first time, the actors are shown on screen as their names appear. The same remix of the theme music from the previous year is utilized. Also, the flashing of the letters when ALIAS is spelled out is actually in morse code. The flashing translates to AGENT KANE (who was a character in the 2nd season played by Faye Dunaway). During the first half of the season, Elodie Bouchez appeared in the opening credits, but beginning with the episode "S.O.S." her credit was changed to a "special guest star" credit outside the opening sequence and Amy Acker was added to the opening credits in place of Bouchez. Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941, in Bascom, Florida) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Élodie Bouchez (born 5 April 1973 in Montreuil) is a French actress best known for her role in the 1998 film The Dreamlife of Angels (La Vie rêvée des anges). ... Amy Acker at the Serenity premiere, 2005 Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. ...

Most episodes in the first season included a prologue narrated by Sydney Bristow, setting up the premise of the series. In the first half of season two this was replaced by a voiceover by Greg Grunberg (who plays Agent Weiss).

[edit] Timeframe

The events of the first season of Alias begin in 2001, the same year the series first aired. A reference to Homeland security midway through the first season suggests the series begins not long before, or not long after September 11. (The series, in fact, premiered 19 days following the attacks.) Though there was reference to such a part of government, the federal Homeland Security department was not established until 2003. (Aside from the Homeland Security reference, there is no explicit reference to 9/11 in the first season; however, there is a reference to Osama bin Laden and a reference to the War on Terror in two episodes in season 2). In season 1, each episode covers roughly the events of one week in Sydney's life, thus each episode is said to take place a week apart, although this pattern was not maintained throughout the series. In several episodes, references were made to actual real world events. For example, in one episode, Sydney suggested to Vaughn that they should catch a L.A. Kings game, and that they'd be taking on the Islanders. This actual game took place roughly around the same time the episode was broadcast on January 20th, 2002. For the United States Cabinet department, see United States Department of Homeland Security. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957[1]), most often mentioned as Osama bin Laden or Usama bin Laden, is a Saudi Arabian militant Islamist and is widely believed to be one of the founders of the organization called al-Qaeda. ... This article is about U.S. actions, and those of other states, after September 11, 2001. ...

The season 2 finale, which sees Sydney lose two years of her life, would suggest that the series as of the start of season 3 takes place two years ahead of "real world" time, however the series was not always consistent in maintaining this. For example, in season 3 episode 17 (airdate 3/28/04), the date 3/26/04 was shown on Lauren's event calendar. For most of the episodes in Season 3-4, the writers avoided mentioning any current calendar dates in any episode. The one fact that did contradict this was the date on the tombstone of the supposedly dead Irina Derevko, which, when calculated, would suggest that the show was still running on "real world" time rather than 2 years in the future. However, a statement made by Sydney in the fifth season premiere "Prophet 5" regarding the length of time since she first went undercover at SD-6, is in keeping with the established timeline. And finally, the timeline seems to jump back one more time. In the season 5 episode "Out of the Box", character Renee tells Dr. Desantis, the genetic double of her father from the cryogenic box that it is currently 2006. This appears to be the first direct reference to the actual date of events. In another episode of the same season, a hockey magazine received by Sydney indicates the year to be November 2005. This is contradicted, however, by a visual of Nadia Santos' hospital admission bracelet following her recovery in the episode "30 Seconds." The date of admission reads "04-23-06".

No time elapses between the end of season 1 and the beginning of season 2, and there are two years, one month, and several hours between seasons 2 and 3, 3 and 4, and 4 and 5 respectively (in addition, the events of the season 5 premiere episode take place over the course of 4 months). Given that there were roughly three to four months between the airing of the first few seasons, an 8-month interval between the broadcast of seasons 3 and 4, and a 4-month hiatus in the midst of season 5, by the final season Alias would only be a matter of months ahead of real-world time, making the 2006 statement plausible in the timeline. The series finale makes a further jump forward of several years (circa 2014 based upon the age of Sydney's daughter).

[edit] U.S. Television Ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Alias on ABC. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ...

Note: Each U.S. network television season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps. When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are often referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ...

Although Alias was never considered a major "hit", its series run began during a time when the ABC television network was in decline, after Who Wants to Be a Millionaire saw its ratings plummet. In fact, Alias was one of the first shows to be placed in one of the old Who Wants to Be a Millionaire timeslots, which were Sunday nights at 9 p.m. (Eastern & Pacific time) in late 2001. Unlike many of the programs on ABC from 2001-2003, Alias was a series that garnered critical buzz, a cult following, and decent viewing numbers in the advertiser-friendly age 18-49 demographic. This led to ABC keeping the series on its schedule for 5 years. This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 1 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 2 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 3 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article contains episode summaries as well as directing and writing credits from Season 4 of the American drama/adventure television series Alias. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Grego