Part I: The show
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Yes, that's right, watch at your own peril! This show is so superb that after watching it, you will be forced to judge all other shows by the same standards.
First, its plot lines and story development are among the most organic. Most shows are fresh for only the first season. Soon, their plot lines settle into predictable patterns. Alias keeps everything fresh. You can never be sure what will come next. What you think you know, you don't. Every episode reveals just a few more crisscrossing threads of a gigantic tapestry. What seems like an insignificant side note from half a season ago will come back when you least expect it to deliver the biggest shock of your life. On most shows, the primary cast stays fixed. An established character rarely leaves the show. On the few rare occasions they do, it's a big deal. In the ever mercurial world of Alias, audiences see old, well established characters leave, to be replaced with new invigorating characters. Yet, despite the show's constant metamorphosis, a cohesive theme run through it all so there is no doubt you are still watching the same show. Like a person, this show evolves from season to seasons.
But what is a good story without the cast and crew to bring it to life. Here too, Alias outshines all the rest. Jennifer Garner is absolutely brilliant as Sidney Bristow. It would be so easy for her to fall prey to playing an invulnerable supergirl. Instead, she strikes a masterful balance between Sidney, the girl next door, and Agent Bristow, international ass kicker. It is not her spin kicks but her human struggles which has endeared us all.
Victor Garber, too, deserves many accolades for his portrayal of Jack Bristow, Sidney's father. At a glance, Jack appears to be the strategic, unemotional, calculating tactician. Yet, beneath the veneer lies a tortured father struggling to hold his fragile family together in a world determined to pull them apart. His love for Sidney is undeniable. Yet his circumstances compel him to silence. Only an actor as talented as Victor could rise up to the challenge of embodying the complex subtleties of Jack Bristow. The same is true of Ron Rifkin who plays Arvin Sloane, a man who is mostly evil, and yet has just a shred of humanity buried deep within the chasm of his blackened soul. And who could forget Lena Olin, who played Sidney's mother. Her performances with Victor Garber were absolutely electrifying. Even the guest stars are a veritable list of who's who in the Hollywood community. In two seasons audiences have been blessed by performances from Quentin Terrentino, Terry O Quinn, and Faye Dunaway. The show just wouldn't be the same without such a superb cast. Yet excellence does not stop there, it permeates every aspect of the show.
Unlike most television shows, the production of Alias rivals that of many feature films. Common are the incredible chase sequences, helicopter raids, and pulse pounding martial arts duals. Everything is always kept fresh. For example, many fight choreographies take into account Sidney's surroundings so that she may use objects around her to defeat her enemies. You will just have to see it to believe it.
Part II: The DVD Set
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The season two DVD comes in a slightly nicer package than Season 1. The graphics designs on the cover and inside shows more sophistication and maturity. Like its predecessor, season 2 comes with all 22 episodes in anamorphic wide screen, with Dolby Digital Surround. The video transfer is crisp and clear, like season 1.
Where the Season 2 DVD set excels is with the extras. First, this DVD set comes with four episodes with commentary. The episodes are:
Phase One, with commentary by JJ Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Greg Grunsberg, Michael Vartan, Victor Garber.
A Dark Turn, with commentary by Ken Olin, and a few others .
Second Double (episode 21) with commentary by Carl Llumbly, Ron Rifkin, Kevin Weissman, and a few I may have missed.
The Telling (episode 22) with commentary by JJ Abrams, among others.
Of the 4 commentary episodes, Second Double was the funniest one. The Telling was perhaps the most informative, because JJ spoke a lot about where he was going with the episode.
Additionally, Commentary for Phase One included a blooper sequence for the fight between Sidney and one of the security guards on the air plane. Commentary for the telling included an alternative scene for Sidney's reaction to her being missing for two years.
Documentary on "The Telling" was very extensive, covering everything through post production and music composition. You get an inside look at the major stunts such as Lena Olin jumping off the building and the fight sequence between Sidney and evil Francie. At 45 minutes, it's very good and worth watching.
The Look of Alias segment delves into the costume design and make up for Sidney's countless distinctive looks.
Included are also 7 deleted scenes, some of which interesting, others just so so.
The blooper reel was much improved from Season 1. Season 1 was a bit short. This one was 5 minutes, two minutes longer than season 1. It also included far funnier moments, in my opinion.
There are also four radio interviews with the cast of Alias (Jen, Victor, JJ and Eric).
There are of course some other extras, but they are not really worth mentioning. All in all, this was an excellent package, and well worth your money.
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