The Safe House - Expositions

Where we left off: Circumstances forced Sloane (Ron Rifkin) to poison his cancer-stricken wife, Emily (Amy Irving); Vaughn (Michael Vartan) was presumed drowned after a mission went wrong; and Sydney (Jennifer Garner) came face-to-face with her long-lost, potentially evil mom.

It's back because... A rare bright spot for fourth-place ABC, "Alias" was one of the most buzzed-about new shows on any network last season. While a critics' darling and Emmy magnet--it scored 11 nominations, including one for star Garner--the series is still waiting for critical praise to translate into ratings.

Mother and child reunion: Lena Olin ("Chocolat") joins the cast as Sydney's mysterious mom. "I'm excited about presenting a woman closer to 50 than 30 who is as sexy and mysterious and lethal as this character," says creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams. "I think that's unique on television."

Mission: Impossible? As Vaughn--yes, he lives--and Sydney partner up more often, their relationship is going to deepen. "In some ways," Abrams says, "their missions become their dates and their sex." But don't expect a smooth ride. "How do you have a relationship with someone whose mother killed your father? It's very awkward."

Matt's forecast: The biggest cliffhanger for this wonderfully entertaining thriller may be its fight for survival against "The Sopranos." But ABC knows it needs to stick with "Alias," one of its few potentially successful young series.

Thanks to 'M' for transcribing this and sending it in! Thanks to TwinnerA for the scan. :)

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