Review: Alias Season 3
Never having the opportunity to review this wonderful show (catching up on Belgian TV), I was tired of waiting, so I “acquired” the whole third season, which I tried to watch in one weekend. (Didn’t make it, short of a few more hours)
As season 1 and 2 have proven already, for a serialized series, this is one tough lady to beat. Every single episode is a piece of the bigger puzzle, filled with intrigue and new plot turns. Creator/writer J.J. Abrams probably has the whole series laid out before it starts, and it’s a pain having to wait every week to reveal a bit more of the mystery.
With its intensity, very like 24, it’s gripping, but the advantages Alias has, are better character interaction, and more focused storylines smeared over several whole seasons. Hence, main characters and their archenemies have more depth, and their personal agenda’s are revealed slowly. It also gives meticulous details enough time to work its way to the bigger picture. With such high quality writing, it’s hard to single out a season as best, but the feeling tends to go to this latest season. It seems dramatically more intense, and the guest stars are a blast.
To describe what I’ve gone through this weekend, it was hot. Very hot. Add to that the exciting episodes, I had to spend all of my time in my underwear. Watching it makes you sweat naturally, so you can imagine if the weather doesn’t work with you, it’s gonna be hard. Furthermore, this series induces adrenaline shots throughout every episode, a heart rate going through the roof (plainly measurable by watching the neck), nervous ticks, nailbiting, and all that, without oxygen, as it’s easy to forget breathing while watching this show. That’s not all, with all the double agents running around, and spies spying on spies, in the end, you’ll have embraced paranoia to the fullest. But hey, a bit of extra awareness never killed anyone, right ?
Yeah, I say, bring it on, I’m ready for season 4 (premieres January 2005 for an uninterupted run till season’s finale).