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The Boston Herald
September 30, 2001
Bet on 'Alias' as America's most wanted
by Amy Amatangelo
Premiering tonight at 9 on WCVB-TV (Ch. 5).
Three and a half stars (out of four)
As the star of ABC's "Alias" (premiering tonight at 9 on Ch. 5,
WCVB-TV), Jennifer Garner kicks, punches, runs, cries, laughs and gets
mad as hell. But most importantly, she brilliantly pulls off an
extremely difficult role. Anyone who had seen Garner in forgettable
fare such as "Significant Others" or "Time of Your Life" would not have
thought the actress had it in her.
But she does. "Alias" is one of those rare action dramas where all the
elements - plot, characters, production design, costumes, soundtrack
and performances - come together to form one perfect hour of
television. Actually, in tonight's pilot, it's 69 commercial-free
minutes sponsored by Nokia.
Created and executive produced by J.J. Abrams ("Felicity"), the series
is much more than Felicity Porter in the CIA (although there's probably
a clause against Garner cutting her hair). Garner is Sydney Bristow, a
graduate student who is a special agent for SD-6, a covert branch of
the CIA. Recruited as a college freshman because she "fit a profile,"
Sydney has kept her secret from her fiance (Edward Atterton), her
estranged father (Victor Garber) and her friends for seven years. The
premiere episode intercuts the main story with a subplot that works
backward and forward in time until the two stories converge in one
delightfully dizzy finale. The plot twists and turns are too good to
reveal here.
"Alias" succeeds in its outrageousness. Sydney's surroundings are
fantastical, her enemies often bordering on cartoonish (like tonight's
tooth-taking torturer) and the fight sequences so over the top that
words "pow" and "bang" could flash across the screen. But Sydney's
heartbreak and her struggle for revenge and understanding are very
real. We believe the story line because we believe Sydney.
Abrams, who also wrote and directed the pilot, knows how to add comic
relief at precisely the right moment. When Sydney returns from
single-handedly accomplishing her latest mission, she tells her boss,
Sloane (a sinister Ron Rifkin), "I'm taking a week off. I have
midterms."
A pulsating and vibrant soundtrack accompanies Sydney's every move,
making the silent moments all the more meaningful. "Alias" also makes
clever use of color, with red the predominant theme. When Sydney must
dye her hair neon red (reminiscent of "Run Lola Run"), her shocking
appearance makes her pop out against any backdrop.
With "The Sopranos" on hiatus and "The Practice" and "The X-Files" on
their last creative legs, "Alias" is a welcome and needed addition to
the Sunday night lineup. Its alias could be "best new show."
© Herald Interactive Advertising Systems, Inc. 2001
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