I have been a dedicated fan (given that fan comes from "fanatic") of ALIAS since it debuted in 2001. From the first extra-long, commercial-free episode, I was hooked. This DVD set is a must-have for any fan of the show and is crucial for anyone who wants to get caught up with what has happened.

The first 5 or 6 episodes of Season 1 are simply amazing, as far as I'm concerned. In fact, I had only seen the pilot once before I bought the set, and I was very excited to see it again. Now I can see it all the time!

What the Show is About
Alias, if you don't know, features Jennifer Garner in the role of Sydney Bristow. Sydney is an agent for the CIA...or that's what she thought. Turns out Syd is working for SD-6, a secret, nefarious organization working against the interests of the United States and other law-abiding nations.

Sydney discovers the truth in the first episode after SD-6 kills her fiancé. Even more shocking than the revelation that she's been working for enemies of her country is who reveals it to her: Her father, Jack (Victor Garber).

Jack is a widower and raised Syd...or, in actuality, the nannies did. To say Syd and Jack have a strained relationship is to grossly understate the situation. Syd, as she says in the intro to most episodes in Season 1, hardly knows her father. But, they have to work together. Not only are father and daughter both agents of SD-6, they are both double-agents with the CIA.

The premise of the show is that Jack and Syd, sometimes working together, are trying to destroy SD-6. Is it far-fetched? Maybe. Is it over the top? Frequently. But I can't recall having more fun with a television program in my entire life.

From the first episode, it's clear Sydney Bristow is no delicate flower. A gritty fight in a under-ground parking garage tells you all you need to know about Syd. This girls knows how to take care of herself, armed or not. I don't want to glorify violence, but I have to admit that the fight scenes in ALIAS are fantastic. All are well choreographed and convincing.

Plot Summary Some spoilers below

The main plot-line in Season 1 is that SD-6 wants to collect as many artifacts of Milo Rambaldi as possible. Rambaldi is a 15th century architect who may have been a prophet. As Vaughan (see below) would say, think Leonardo Da Vinci crossed with Nostradamus. The hunt for artifacts takes Syd around the world (a few times) and also brings SD-6 and Syd into conflict with another group, headed by the mysterious "The Man."

The Rambaldi scavenger hunt is not a part of every show, but it, along with the search for "The Man", is the common thread holding the season together (and, indeed, the thread that holds Season 2 together).

Besides that plot line, in Season 1 Syd uncovers a nuclear bomb in Virginia, steals the plutonium from said bomb from an arms dealer, prevents a very public and gruesome assassination of a Peace Prize winner, swipes biological warfare delivery devices, ends up in a Romanian insane asylum, and saves her dad in Cuba. Whew! (Actually, there's a lot more).

Syd also discovers that her mother was a KGB agent and that she is very much alive. Far from an extraneous plot device, Syd's duplicitous mother ties right into the story: The Man was once the KGB superior of Syd's mother.

The Cast

For me, the strength of ALIAS lies in its characters. Garner and Garber are excellent in their roles, and the tension and anguish of their father-daughter relationship is one of the key elements of the show, especially in Season 1. Ron Rifkin has the role of Arvin Sloane, the ruthless, humorless director of SD-6. Rifkin's no-nonsense Sloane is exactly the man you'd expect to find at the top of SD-6.

Carl Lumbly portrays Marcus Dixon, Sydney's field partner. I was unfamiliar with Lumbly before finding him on ALIAS and his quiet intensity is put to great use in this role. For me, the show works best when Lumbly/Dixon has a prominent role.

Kevin Weisman provides the comic relief in the role of Marshall Flinkman. Flinkman provides the "op-tech" for Syd's missions. Just think "Q" from the James Bond movies and you'll get the idea. Weisman perfectly portrays the techno-nerd Marshall, right down to the awkward, self-conscious briefings.

Michael Vartan portrays Michael Vaughan, Sydney's CIA handler. The interplay between Vartan and Garner is top-notch, as you can see their characters falling for each other. Syd leans on Vaughan a lot, as her double-life gets more complicated.

Bradley Cooper has the role of reporter Will Tippin. His writing of an article on SD-6 is a compeling sub-plot throughout Season 1 and, in fact, plays a crucial role in setting up the season finale. When I watched Season 1 when it originally aired, I didn't give the Tippin character or his story-line the credit it deserves. The writers could have botched this part of the show, hamming up the conspiracy theory angle, but it never feels less than genuine.

Rounding out the cast, Merrin Dungey has the role of Francie, Syd's roommate. Dungey's role is greatly expanded in the second half of Season 2. Here, she helps flesh-out Syd's life away from the CIA and SD-6. That's important, though, because it brings out Syd's humanity and the frustrations of living a secret life (or lives, I guess).

Bonus Materials
The bonus material is good. Nothing spectacular, but it's adequate. Included are:

Pilot production diary. This is an interesting look at what went into making the pilot.

Deleted scenes
"A Mission Around the World"
Marshall Flinkman's gadget gallery
Auditions
Gag reel
Audio commentaries
Special season 2 preview
PS2 game sneak peak
DVD-ROM web puzzle, script link & season 3 preview link

Final Thoughts
For me, ALIAS is the best show on television. Sometimes you have to suspend reality and take it with a grain of salt. But, there is more than enough here to make up for any shortcomings in the area of reality. If you haven't seen the first season of ALIAS, this is your chance.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older