Since I will be out of town the rest of the week I wanted to wish all the LTA bloggies (and those who aren't commenters but read this blog for fun) a very Happy Thanksgiving!Oh and if you're wondering why I've been using a lot of season 1 pics lately (w/ the exception of the last post), it's cuz I'm rewatching it for the billionth time, I love me some old school Alias. :) Happy Turkey/Tofurkey Day!
- SRG
39 comments:
Happy Thanksgiving, SRG, and too all the LTA bloggies.
I think I may be ready again for another run through the ALIAS series too.
Uncle,
I'm gratified that someone else has been as impressed with BSG as I was. I remember a while back I saw a commercial for season 2b, and I set aside my skepticism to watch an episode. I was soon watching the whole series and recommending it here on LTA.
There was a few who poo-pooed the notion of a remake from the very campy 70's version. I did not know how to communicate how significantly better this show is than the old show without seeming like one of those people who obsess over making everyone think like they do.
I think Page gave it a mild endorsement, but no one else seemed interested. I was very pleased to see you were going to give it a watch along with Firefly because, knowing a little about you over the years, I had the feeling you would enjoy it.
In my opinion, BSG far outshines almost any other TV available right now. I know it is on the SciFi channel, but the sci-fi aspect of this show pure incidental to the stories they are telling. The stories are very human, and they deal with the complexities faced by the characters in a holocaust scenario.
What is unfortunate is that some viewers only see their own point of view being illustrated in the show, when the producers go to great pains to avoid being myopic in the philosophical approaches each character has. They seem to be very fair in the way the issues of the day (both our day, and the episode in which it appears) are presented and handled. This, in itself, makes the entire body of work an object of admiration.
I had no idea that I would go into all of that when I came on here to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. If you have read this far, and have never watched Battlestar Galactica from the beginning, let this be the nudge that sends you over the edge. When the only population of humanity left after the billions of deaths on twelve different planets finally ends in numbers near 45,000, the fleet following Galactica's lead may be going through some extremely difficult times, but they also have a lot for which to be thankful.
-R.
Robetron,
I also highly endorse BSG. I was a little skeptical when others recommended it to me. But, a friend loaned me the DVD's and I had nothing to lose. I am very impressed. It has several of the main elements that made Alias so appealing- great production values, great stories, great acting, compelling characters, great interpersonal dynamics, serial in nature, and they tease Alias fans with the number 47 from time to time.
...and no freaking ALIENS!
And, BSG must look good on a resume because Tricia Helfer landed a spot on BN as well as an upcoming spot on "Chuck".
Grace Park landed on the A&E snoozer, "The Cleaner" (renewed for a 2nd season, if you count 12 episodes as a season) and in her spare time, took on a role in the Canadian snoozer, "The Border".
Tahmoh Penikett will eventually show up in "Dollhouse", and Katee Sackhoff is to star in NBC drama "Lost & Found" to air who-knows-when.
Mark Sheppard will also find his way over to "Dollhouse". Let's hope Katee and Sheppard have more luck with their new gigs than they had with "Bionic Woman", which only lasted as long as MOWE.
Every time I watch "The Bourne Supremacy", I really object to the killing of Marie. I liked her. She and Bourne were good together, and she was easy on the eyes.
Watching again tonight, I Googled Franka Potente to see what else she has appeared in, since I've never seen her anywhere but in the first 2 Bourne flicks.
Many before me have made the connection, but being slow on the uptake, it took me till tonight to make the connection between Franka and Jenny Garner. Known for borrowing liberally from other sources, it seems pretty reasonable to assume that JJ found something he liked in Franka's 1999 film "Run Lola Run" and decided that a certain look would suit his newly minted spy Sydney Bristow very nicely.
I think it's safe to say that we owe this side of Sydney Bristow to Jason Bourne's girlfriend, Marie.
As I say, many have reached this conclusion long before I did. Google "run lola run" + "sydney bristow" and you will get over 500 results.
I still wish they hadn't killed Marie.
Page,
That's an incredible find. I have no doubt JJ "borrowed" here. Even the rings on their gun hands say so.
Wow.
What an incredible coincedence!
Page, I just thought I'd come over here, check out any new posts, and ended up coming across your comments about "The Bourne Supremacy", which amazingly, I have playing on my TV right now! (Should have seen my reaction...!)
I was just commenting to my sisters that I can't believe they killed Marie in the film -- within the first 17 minutes no less!
I am/was really fascinated with the Bourne/ Marie relationship; they were great together. And I too, was terribly disappointed that they felt the need to kill her off (in the books, no such thing happens).
The link between "Run Lola, Run" and "Alias" has been known to me for quite some time -- and it is something I have come to appreciate; JJ knows what the good stuff is ;).
Those two pictures you linked to, however, showed an uncanny resemblance between our girl Syd and the ever-running Lola, that I hadn't fully recognised -- the rings especially, Uncle!
The most obvious comparison I had made was the famous red hair Sydney dones in the Pilot episode :).
I wish they hadn't killed Marie, too... :(
Didn't put this in my last post -- and sorry about this double -- but "Happy Thanksgiving" to you all, too.
It's not really common practice to celebrate it here in Australia, but I do hope you all have a lovely one :D.
OT, I guess: but do any of you guys watch "Weeds"?
I've just started (watched 2 seasons in 2 night), and I was wondering what everyone else's opinion of it was...? :)
If you want a side by side comparison of the 2 spy girls:
side by side
Uncle, if only the redheads were fighting over me.
ILA4E, I've never seen "Weeds", although we do get it here.
For those in need of a Dixon sighting, Carl Lumbly is guesting on "Chuck" tonight. The opening seen dripped of fresh-squeezed "Alias", with a masked Lumbly being chased through the halls a la Sydney A. Bristow. But, alas, it's not the real deal.
MOWE gets more Aliasy tonight with Patrick Bauchau (Dr. Desantis) guesting.
He also played Dr. Sydney in The Pretender, the series that JJ "borrowed" a lot from for Alias.
-uncle111
And Henward checked into room 47 in Buenos Aires. I find it hard to enjoy the show now because I keep wondering what cliff-hamger we'll get at the end of the run.
I just watched this week's MOWE. I managed to ignore the ALIAS counterfeits and call-outs, which have come to annoy more than excite me.
I have to say, the deeper this show goes, the more I truly enjoy it. It really could have been a great show; sadly, it is only a good show, and a show that will only be short lived. I tell you, it is just a shame, when there are so few good shows on TV today, to see the potential in MOWE and never see it realized.
It is also unfortunate that the creators of MOWE will not have a chance to polish it and bring it back for another try next season. Creativity mixed with true-to-life human emotions is rare. It looks to me like people could come away from each episode of MOWE thinking about the morally gray areas that Henward faces, and, therefore, be forearmed in their own lives with forethought about their own gray areas. I like TV that makes us better people by exercising the mind.
I believe ALIAS did that for us too.
-R
BTW -
I am taking yet another post to tell you that I deleted the post two posts back, which was the previous post, but due to embarrassing grammatical errors, had to be revisited and re-posted as it is now in the previous post.
Anyone needing further explanation regarding that post may contact my office, and I will officially post, via the post office, a complimentary complement in expository form. The office I hold, however, does not allow for official postings to be posted out of the office on the office stationary without it going through post - official approval by officers of higher rank (meaning, they smell badly, and their odor is bad too) from within the office post-room.
In a more important note, but with much less Monty Pythonic ring, I have a little speech you may enjoy:
"Ladies and jellyfish,
Hobos and tramps,
Cross-eyed mosquitoes,
and bow-legged ants...
"I stand here before you
to sit down beside you,
and talk to you of something
I know nothing about.
"The admission is free.
(Just pay at the door)
Pull up a chair,
and sit on the floor."
Which reminds me of...
"Back to back they faced each other,
Drew their swords,
and shot each other."
Robetron,
You need a vacation! Besides that, it emailed your first post to those who signed up for emails:)
I'm into S3 of BSG. Dixon made his appearance tonight.
lol Robetron what were you drinking?? :-P
Robetron, I can't argue with a thing you said there. Nor can I add anything of value to it.
Sorry for this self-indulgent moment, but the attractive young woman behind the counter at the Burger King I just left was tall, slim, with long brown hair and...dimples (I've always loved dimples). She seemed a little like a SB alias. I had to try not to stare.
Wow,
How long since anyone's posted?
I still have 2 MOWE episodes to be caught up. Have they issued a cancellation date yet?
Anything going on with Fringe? I think I only saw 2 episodes.
When does Dollhouse start?
I'm 1/2 way through what exists of BSG S4. I'm starting to get tired of the skin jobs, and Baltar, and the wacky philosphical/psychological/religious back and forth. It probably seems different to me than most as I've been catching 3-5 episodes per day. I'm also tired of the slinky Cylon seductress in Baltar's sickeningly sociopathic synapses. If she rubs her fingers across his lips much more, toaster or not, she's going to catch something incurable.
And while I'm venting about what is otherwise one of the best series in a while, I find it everlastingly frustrating that they don't immediately kill every Cylon they find or find out- even Athena (who I'm sure we all like).
I suspect MOWE is down to 1 more eppie, since everyone is breaking for Christmas. I doubt the network will bring it back after the hiatus.
"Dollhouse" lifts the veil on Friday the 13th (February). Lets hope it beats the crap out of anything that debuted in September (or last September for that matter). Reviews are decidedly mixed among those who have seen the early episodes. "Mixed" meaning less than hyper-enthusiastic.
"Burn Notice" website said new episodes would be out this winter. Well, it sure looks like winter out my frickin' window, so bring it on.
It's only in the last 3 eppies that "Fringe" has shown any sort of continuity, with recurring baddies appearing in consecutive weeks. Of course, JJ and Co. still don't want us to have any clue what's really going on, which is mucho frustrating. The first real cliffhanger took place with Olivia being kidnapped and her whereabouts unknown. A skeptic would argue that this cliffhanger was simply FOX's way of rolling out the welcome mat for an 8 week hiatus. Guess what? The skeptic would be right on, because "Fringe" is gone for quite some time. Unlike "Alias", where a cliffhanger was like a knife through the heart, a "Fringe" cliffhanger simply means "we'll see ya when we see ya". The grip is loose to say the least.
That's about all I know. Slim pickings for the adrenaline seeking TV watcher.
Pretty detailed review of the upcoming (Dec. 30th) release of "Serenity" on blu-ray.
Well, for those of you watching MOWE, that was it. I had an inkling when there was no teaser for upcoming episodes but I also saw an unconfirmed report on a TV website that Monday's episode was the end. And what an end! A perfect double cliff-hanger. I had thought the editors would have changed the episode after learning of the axe, but they had no pity for us.
Bonkers, I think we can safely assume that the lights went dark, the set was dismantled, and the lockers were cleaned out weeks ago down at MOWE HQ. I don't believe that providing a satisfying conclusion ever entered their minds.
Hell, NBC has already reassigned Dr. Norah (Saffron Burrows) to "Kings".
They've moved on, now it's our turn. FWIW, I must note that Jason Smilovic exceeded his "Bionic Woman" gig by one episode with MOWE (okay, actually it's a tie if you count the unaired BW pilot).
"Alias" reference in this "Dollhouse" pilot review.
Page,
I followed a link there that let to an Alias page where someone had posted that S4 was shown out of order and that if you watched it in order it made more sense. Here is what they said the correct order should be:
1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 6, 8, 9, 5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.
Wonder if we should watch S4 in this order and see what we think?
Uncle, that's an interesting idea. If there's any truth to it, I wonder why we would not have heard it before. It would have been nice if the writer had fleshed out that revelation. In other words, is this his/her opinion or a little known factoid?
Networks are seldom shy about tampering. "Firefly" was shown out of order. Season 4, with it's stand-alone eppies, could have received the same treatment, but to what end? Nothing like a weekly cliffhanger to let viewers know that they are watching shows in the correct order.
December is a tough month. Every show goes into hiatus, some like MOWE go into permanent hiatus. I find myself watching stuff like "The Polar Express", which is fine in its own right, but I'd rather be watching Syd adrift on the deck of an ocean liner, wondering if she'll ever be found. BTW, can you believe it's already 3 frickin' years since we first saw that scene? Oh, those were the days, indeed.
On another note...GS, if you just happen to be lurking on your own blog, a Humongous Happy Birthday goes out to you. Might not be today, but as I recall, it's sometime mid-December. Pay us a visit someday.
On yet another note, I've officially given up on "Heroes". It's just a complete mess and I'm out.
And, on yet one more note (which makes me wonder if there's an audience with an attention span sufficient to sustain ANY show these days), can you believe how quickly that POS "Pushing Daisies" died in it's tracks? It was the absolute darling of the special crowd last season (although the partial episode I saw was crap) and a crispy critter before Christmas of it's second season. Good riddance, but WOW, what fickle TV viewers we have out there. Will any show ever again enjoy Five Incredible Years?
Ahhh, remember this rumour?
Had it been true, we would have seen that a year ago, and, probably again tonight. Oh, well, not my idea of what Jen should be doing anyway.
RE: Season 4 Episode Order...
The actual Production Order is available on Wikipedia.
And man, the time just flies by doesn't it?
Three years!
It's unbelievable. And there is still nothing that even compares to ALIAS.
A couple of minutes from the "Dollhouse" debut.
ILA4E, it's outrageous to think that "Alias" could get bumped from it's own time slot by garbage like "Desperate Housewives". I be shakin' my head over that one.
Page-
My wife and I both were wondering whatever happened to the C/I/C movie project.
With ILA4E's confirmation of the Alias S4 shooting vs airing sequence I think we outht to take it up as a project. Someone first ought to come up with an episode synopsis that will demonstrate the superiority of viewing them in the order they were shot.
I introduced the guy who wrote THE book on "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." 1960's spy series to Alias. He and his wife watched the whole series this year and just finished it. He's interested in some answers and my take on some things. It is fun dealing with new fans and talking with them about the show.
huh...just watched the clip from Dollhouse...not sure what to think...
We can do the S4 different episode order if y'all want to, maybe over the next couple weeks? I'll be out of town most of this week. I'll put up a new post before I leave, let me know if this is the correct order:
1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 6, 8, 9, 5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
SRG,
That looks like the correct order to me. Are we going to attempt this over 2 weeks? I bet we'll need longer than that to watch a whole season.
Page, I know! It's still bewildering to me that 'Desperate Housewives' is still even on the air -- Such. A. Crap. Show.
Ohhh, loving the S4 re-watch idea! All for that. I've always wanted to view it in the Production order, but just never got around to it...
Looking out for future details.
*Double Post*
Just wanted to agree with you, Uncle, about how great it is to discuss ALIAS with new viewers.
A few days ago I got a completely random email from a girl on a Coldplay forum that had just started watching ALIAS -- she said she saw my ALIAS filled signature and got really excited! :D
(I couldn't help but question her rigoriously; what episode made you want to start? Favourite storyline? Cliffhanger? Twist & Turn? Relationships? etc.)
My reply was basically an essay on the genius that is ALIAS.
Ah man, I miss analysing new episodes! :(
S4 rehash works for me.
"Alias" connections: just watched "Eagle Eye", produced by "Alias"/"Fringe" duo Orci/Kurtzman. Featured a very small role by brother of Weiss, Brad Grunberg, and Jen's personal stunt-chick, Shauna Duggins. Reasonable movie, nothing brilliant, but easy to watch.
Ohhh, might have to check it out...
Dollhouse clip- I already don't know that I could warm to this actress. She has an odd look about her. Certainly no JG.
Uncle, this review of the pilot screener echoes (I threw in that word because her character's names is, yup, Echo) your concern about Dushku.
Her only real claim to fame is a brief stint on Buffy and it's spinoff "Angel", both Whedon vehicles.
JG could absolutely carry a show like this, but sadly, has probably done her last cool series for a mucho long time. Anyone appearing in a favoured Whedon show has a cult following for life and obviously Eliza Dushku is hoping her shoulders are of the load-bearing variety.
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