Inside Look @ Alias

by

Mike & Amy Nappa

FAST LOOK:

When graduate student Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner, who won a Golden Globe for her performance) isn’t attending classes (which she never does on the show), she’s busy saving the world from evil. ABC’s hot Sunday night spy show, Alias, follows Sydney’s daring exploits and has quickly acquired a cult following of fans who love to puzzle over the twists and turns in the fast-paced plot.

INSIDE SCOOP:

Sex. Spies. Lies. Terrorists. Torture. On Alias, these are all in a day’s work, and they’re also all in the family. The basic thrust of the show is that dad Jack Bristow (Victor Garber) has been in the spy business for years and works as a double agent. Daughter Sydney follows in his footsteps, and later learns that her long-lost mother (Lena Olin) is also a spy, but not for the good guys. All three are determined to see the end of big-time baddie Arvin Sloane (Ron Rifkin), who’s in turn determined to rule the world through a variety of schemes.

Sydney is a dream agent for the CIA. She speaks numerous languages, is an expert in martial arts, firearms, and evasion, and can transform herself through her wide variety of masterful disguises. Yet for all her tough-girl confidence, Sydney’s still a vulnerable soul who longs for love—whether from her deceptive parents or her handsome co-worker, Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan).

Alias isn’t for everyone. Aside from the challenges of the regular plot twists, the series is filled with disturbing images of violence (a woman strapped with a bomb is not saved in time), torture (nearly every week there’s a new and distressing method exhibited), and sex (whether it’s portrayed as part of the show’s love story or as one of Sydney’s racy disguises). And while the networks recently decided to tone down some of the language elements of Alias, they made no plans to let up on the graphic violence and torture aspects,

Faithful followers of the series are captivated by the intrigue, the gripping action, and the constant threats to the lives of the show’s heroes. The actors are all delightful in their humor, energy, and sincerity in their roles. And there’s something honorable about a young woman willing to risk it all to save the lives of others.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT Alias:

“Storytelling is tight. Plot lines are clever. And it targets young adults with heat-seeking efficiency.”

—Steven Isaac for Plugged In

♦♦♦

“Alias always works on two levels: The derring-do missions plus Syd’s disguises are over-the-top hoots, but the family tensions are realistically messy and wrenching.”

—Ken Tucker for Entertainment Weekly

♦♦♦

“Alias is a joy ride because it takes you on an action-packed adventure every week and, at the end, you are left breathless and craving more.”

—Alias fan from Ohio as quoted on Internet Movie Database

♦♦♦

LOOKING INSIDE Alias: 

Use these questions to spark family discussion about Alias:

---The Bristow family is dysfunctional in many ways, mostly because they’re unable to trust each other. How important is trust in your family relationships? What can you do to help your family members gain more trust in you?

---Sydney is torn between her desire to leave her life as a spy and her desire to see Arvin Sloane brought to justice for his many crimes. Is revenge ever a good thing? Why or why not? What does the Bible say about revenge?

---Alias makes the life of a spy look glamorous. But what negative things do you see in the lives of each of the characters in the show? What are these people trading for the so-called glamorous life?

[SIDEBAR]

If members of your family like Alias, then you may want to check out:

---Final Witness by James Scott Bell (Broadman & Holman).

Rachel Ybarra, a 24-year-old paralegal for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is given the chance to assist with the prosecution of Russian Mafia leader. Determined to make a difference in the world, Rachel quickly gets involved in the case, which becomes more personal when the key witness is murdered—and Rachel’s own life becomes endangered. Though Rachel is strong in her Christian faith, she finds herself facing numerous moral dilemmas throughout the story.  Author and former criminal attorney James Scott Bell keeps the pace quick and the stakes high as his characters search for purpose and truth in the courts and streets of California.

---Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (rated PG).

The younger spies in your family will enjoy the rollicking adventures of siblings Juni and Carmen Cortez (Daryl Sabara and Alexa Vega). Following in the footsteps of their international spy parents and grandparents, Juni and Carmen must face rival spy kids, worry about double-crossing agents, and save the world from annihilation—and figure out the importance of family and faithfulness in the process. The slapstick humor will keep kids laughing, but the messages about love and loyalty come through strong and clear.

[END]

[BIO LINE] Mike & Amy Nappa are renowned cultural commentators, best-selling and award-winning authors, and creators of the Internet magazine for families, www.FamilyFans.com