Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Tunes of Alias

Page 48 wrote a great post about his favorite music from Alias, which I thought would make a fun article seeing what other musical memories our bloggers have. For me every time I hear No Doubt's Hella Good I picture the scene above from S2's "The Getaway." Same for Blur's Song 2 that always brings back the awesome garage car chase in S3's "Blow Back." I've copied Page's post below, what other spy-music do you remember?
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By Page48
Okay, kids, from time to time here on LTA we hit a dry spell when no one has a bloody thing to say about anything.

We are at such a point RFN (right effing now), so I have decided to make the ultimate sacrifice. Yes, I have decided to stay up late, drink beer and rediscover (for my benefit as well as yours) some of the musical highlights of the 4.77 seasons of joy that "Alias" gave us.

While these are only a few of the many songs featured in "Alias", they are among my personal faves. I have chosen, where possible, to present live versions of these songs performed (of course) by the original artists.

As I chose these songs and scoured Youtube for the performances, I was thrown into a sort of post-"Alias" depression. The beauty of not only the show, but the very carefully selected music makes me long for the days when there was always new "Alias" to look forward to.

Was this a great show or what???

Fleetwood Mac's Songbird from season one's "The Box" (part 2).

Bob Dylan's Shelter From The Storm from season two's "Trust Me"

Joni Mitchell's River from season two's "The Indicator"

John Fogerty's Bad Moon Rising from season two's "Passage" (part 1)

U2's Walk On from season two's "Passage" (part 1)

AC/DC's Back in Black from (as if I need to tell you) season two's "Phase One".

U2's Bad from season four's "Authorized Personnel Only" (BTW, how many people reading this blog remember watching "Live Aid"?). Is there anything in this world more uplifting than U2 in their prime?

Cat Steven's The Wind from season four's "Authorized Personnel Only"

Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay from season four's "Before the Flood" (which, for the uninitiated, gets it's name from the 1974 live Bob Dylan album from which this particular performance comes)

Elton John's Your Song from season five's "Fait Accompli"

Who canceled this show and what the hell were they thinking? Will we ever see the likes of this again?

75 comments:

Page48 said...

Yeah, the woohoo song, SRG. Can't forget that one.

Adopted by hockey fans continent-wide as an appropriate way to celebrate a goal by the home team. You haven't lived until you've been in the middle of 20,000 delirious fans screaming 'woohoo' in unison at playoff time.

SKlaft said...

Hey, I don't know the name of the song or the artist, but I bet you all can remember the scene.

It was when Dryer (aka Jigsaw) suspected Sydney, and Sloane put her to the test by sending a fake communique over the server the CIA had tapped that she was to be assassinated. She parachuted into some lavishly rich, palatial home where an upper-crust party being held. Syd zipped off her flight gear to reveal her perfectly chic evening-wear. She obtained the information, started walking through the park where her fake assassination was to take place; Vaughn wanted to pull her out before they killed her, but Jack insisted it was a ruse and that would be burning her cover unnecessarily. She made the drop, and Jack was right. This scene ends with Weise claiming to have lost ten pounds from the tension of the moment.

Part of the lyrics to the song are:
"Every night a new surprise...
Every night a Halloween..."

Name that tune.

SKlaft said...

Challenge number 2:

Sloane had been in prison and sentenced to death. Jack had info to exonerate Sloane (or, at least, to prevent his execution by lethal injection), but Jack had just learned of Sloane's affair with his former wife. Sydney tried to convince her dad to save Sloane for a greater purpose (presumably, to find her sister). While on a mission, Sydney learns that Jack did not save Sloane, that Sloane was now dead, that her hope of finding her sister was diminished, and that she would have to shoot her way out of the jam in which she currently found herself.

Switch to slow motion, and cue the music.

Syd uncharacteristically starts shooting the place up rather than going for the sneaky tactics or waiting for Marshal's wizardry.

The music gave a sense of foreboding, and almost gave us the feeling that something significant had just happened, a portent (if you will) that a series of events had just come together that would send Sydney down a very different and unusual road.

The only line I remember from the music was:

"I feel the change..."

Name that tune.

SRM said...

I accept the challenges! The song you're talking about Robby when she parachutes into the swag partay is Diggin Your Scene by Smash Mouth. That one is fun, though I always thought the chorus said something about "I wanna play something something something spies" but I guess it says "I wanna play on the team that you dispise", oh well. :)

The second song was one I was going to comment on too because that scene totally kicks ass. It's Change by the Deftones.

uncle111 said...

Sooo much music in Alias that doubles the effect of the scene!!

A few favorites:
-All of Dylan's (were there 2 or 3?)
-Be Still My Soul when Vaughn is the CIA's representative at a funeral where he hugs the child.
-Stevens' The Wind in a tear jerking scene- one of JG's best.
-Back in Black
-How could we have skipped No Man's Woman from TBT?- should have mentioned that first.
-Cold Hard Bitch made a great opening for season 4
-And how about Angel in S1 when Syd is stood up for dinner by her dad!
-Dirty Little Secret added to the angst and mystery of Vaughn's funeral.

I can't remember them all, but the music was key to what Alias was/continues to be for us.

Page48 said...

More live performances (mostly) of "Alias" tuneage:

Donovan's Catch the Wind" from season five's "No Hard Feelings"

Kate Bush's This Woman's Work" from season five's "The Horison".

Karla Bonoff's version of "The Water is Wide". from season five's "Solo". This one is actually a fan video.

Jet's "Cold Hard Bitch" from season four's "Authorized Personnel Only".

Norah Jones' "Sunrise" from season four's "Echoes". I think NJ may hold the record for "Alias" tunes with at least 4.

Ray Lamontagne's Trouble" from season four's "Nightingale"

R.E.M.'s "Bad Day" from season three's "Succession".

Page48 said...

And, of course, this puppy conjures up stunning images:

Vertical Horizon's Give You Back" from the best pilot EVER, TBT.

Unfortunately, it's not the best recording EVER.

SRM said...

Oh oh oh and I can't forget Coldplay's God Put a Smile Upon Your Face from S2's "Double Agent" when Syd and Vaughn finally GET IT ON :-D That song is so sexy to me because of that scene!

SRM said...

This song will always remind me of Syd rushing inside her house after a mission for the comfort of putting on Danny's ring, but this performance to This Woman's Work on "So You Think You Can Dance" last night was inspired from the struggle of breast cancer and is incredibly touching.

ILA4E said...

Definitely one of the greatest things about ALIAS was it's incredible use of music.

Seems as though everyone has listed a lot of the songs played in significant moments.

But I have to make specific mention of Peter Gabriel's, Here Comes The Flood played during Danny's funeral.

I will never, ever, ever forget waiting for the final episode of ALIAS to finish downloading as I listened to this song.

Not ever.

ILA4E said...

1x02: So It Begins... actually features Kate Bush's, "This Woman's Work," rather than Season Five's, Episode 11, The Horizon ;)

ILA4E said...

Ah, triple post -- but what about Elton John's, Your Song

Loved, loved, loved that Sydney/Jack moment. I loved all their moments... *sad nod*

SKlaft said...

Recently, I discovered how much I totally dig this particular artist that is not normally within my usual genres.

The more I heard, the more I wanted to hear this girl sing. I purchased all three of her CDs, and they were all great, but especially the first. I just can't ever seem to get enough of it.

Then, as I have mentioned before, I am going through the ALIAS series again (though, I hardly have time to watch anymore, and I haven't made it to S-2).

There are at least two scenes at Syd's house where there was music in the background, like they were just listening to it themselves. I forget the first time, but the second was Syd re-writing her paper for her college class, and Will comes in, wanting to tell her about the work he's been doing about Danny, and can't do it. In the background is music from Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me."

I don't remember which song, but both scene had a different song from that CD.

That CD has been subliminally influencing me since 2001 and I never knew it.

SKlaft said...

I think the first scene w/ a Norah Jones song in the background was when Syd was on a mission and missed wedding-dress shopping with Francie. Syd was soaking in the tub (with candles and all that girly stuff they do), just before Francie comes home and they have that conversation.

Norah Jones just has an amazingly original subtlety in her music. I commend it to everyone.

Anonymous said...

I love Supreme Beings of Leisure "Under the Gun", first episode Sydney walking to work. My top favorite guest spot was quentin tarantino, and "Dragula" by Rob Zombie is playing. I love that scene, they're running down the corridor with the oxygen mask. I love that show.

Page48 said...

Norah Jones's father (and friends) rocking out at the "Concert for Bangladesh" at MSG in 1971.

uncle111 said...

Page-
Donovan's Catch the Wind" - I like Dylan's version better.
I don't even remember Sunrise, Bad Day or Trouble.
I love CHB. I guess it's the beat, etc.
Give You Back- It and the close of TBT are inseperable.

ILA4E- I think what I remember most during Here Come The Flood is when Syd is changing the message on her answering machine. That always gets me. I can't imagine having to do that.

uncle111 said...

SRG-
When it comes time fo a new topic how about this one- Your favorite scenes and favorite lines from Alias.

Page48 said...

Uncle, the live version I posted of Donovan singing "Catch the Wind" does not do the original any justice at all.

I have no recollection of Bob Dylan ever singing "Catch the Wind", but Donovan was certainly searching for the early Bob sound, a la "Lay Down Your Weary Tune", which itself is simple and stunningly gorgeous.

ILA4E, my bad for listing "This Womans Work" in "The Horizon". I pulled that off of a website which actually lists the song in both episodes, but clearly you are right. You go to the front of the class.

finkles2000 said...

I just started re-watching Season 3, and I love Rickie Lee Jones's "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" playing when Sydney confronts Vaughan ("I would have waited!") in the first episode. (The Two)

Also:

I totally second "No Man's Woman." I have that on my jogging mix. Not that I jog, but if I did, I'd totally listen to it.

Fleetwood Mac's "Bleed to Love Her" in Season 2's The Telling, when Vaughan and Syd are having a fun time playing hockey/totally flirting. Only to be interrupted yet again by a pager and then Irina. They had, what, a combined down time together of 5 minutes on the show? Anyway, "Bleed to Love Her" is such a fun, catchy, lovely Fleetwood Mac song and went perfectly with the situation.

I'm going to give a shout out to Michael Giacchino and say that the music in Passage, Part 1, when Jack/Syd/Irina are on the train (aptly titled "On the Train" on the sdtrk. album) is pretty stellar. Very James Bond. I loved it so much I bought it off iTunes. I think he did a great job throughout the series, and the only bone I have to pick is that his music was used too much in Season 5. Would have been nice to have some great songs by other artists in the finale, but I don't think there were any (which I believe has already been brought up in the discussion of the finale).

I wouldn't have minded "This Woman's Work" or "Here Comes the Flood" if they hadn't both already been played in the first season of Felicity - I think they were both in the pilot episode as a matter of fact (but I'd have to re-watch.) So, when I heard those on Alias, I thought that J.J. was being a bit unoriginal.

That's all I can remember for now!

P.S. If you're looking for a specific episode to match with a specific song, heardontv.com may help.

uncle111 said...

Page,
There is a non-live of Dylan singing Catch the Wind on Youtube.
I don't have my stuff with me or I'd post the link.

Page48 said...

F2K, "Bleed to Love Her" is a great tune, but hard to find a decent version on Youtube.

I remember, back in the day, when everyone on the planet (including me) was coming home with their copy of "Rumours" (on vinyl, of course), with the instantly recognizable (in 2 notes or less), "Go Your Own Way". A mere 32 years ago, give or take.

finkles2000 said...

Yeah, I looked for "Bleed to Love Her" on YouTube, but one version almost made me deaf with how loud it was, and the other wasn't that great. Shame. It's a great song. Also, I couldn't figure out the html tags.

Another also: How could I forget the incredible-country-sad-goodness of Patsy Cline's "She's Got You" in S3.E3 ("Reunion"), when Weiss and Syd are getting drunk in her new house? I think they're drinking tequila, which is silly, since everyone knows you drink whiskey when listening to Patsy Cline.

Page48 said...

Interesting take on the inspirational roots of "Stargate: Universe".

"Firefly"? Really? We'll see.

uncle111 said...

Page,
Yes, that Donovan Catch the Wind is it. He's certainly going for a Dylan sound.

Page48 said...

Some interesting stuff re: the upcoming season's hopefuls.

First, the "V" pilot (with its familiar "Firefly", "Lost", and "Party of Five" faces), gets a thumbs up from one writer.

Then comes news that "Dollhouse" 2.1 will sport another BSG castoff, this time in the person of Jamie "Apollo" Bamber.

And, then, "Burn Notice" girlie-cop, Moon Bloodgood, joins Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) in the Spielberg alien invasion series, which doesn't have a name yet.

Please, God, let at least one of these shows be good.

Gratuitous, non "Alias" related, but nevertheless gorgeous Dylan cover from Paul Simon's missus

Page48 said...

"Burn Notice" renewed for 4th season (or what passes for a season these days).

That's the good news. This is the bad news.

BTW, BN is really spinning its wheels this year in the 'bigger picture' department regarding Michael's future and the people who don't want him to have one. And IMDB only lists air dates for 2 of the 4 remaining episodes this season (for a total of only 13).

Last season we got 9 episodes in the summer, then a 3 month break and then 7 more shows in the new year. I feel like pouting.

uncle111 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Page48 said...

I love it. Batman (Adam West) doing super-hero themed Lending Tree commercials.

One

Two

Good work, old chum!

Page48 said...

Pretty much what he says.

Page48 said...

Is there good news on the horizon for those of us who miss "Jericho"?

uncle111 said...

That would be great if they do a Jericho movie, though a mini-series would be better.

And now for the question that doesn't need to be asked here, but which is often...WHERE'S OUR ALIAS MOVIE!!!

uncle111 said...

I just watched "Paycheck" again. Uma is so wrong next to Ben.

Page48 said...

Uncle, even Jen is 'so wrong' next to Ben.

I like "Paycheck", and it plays pretty often in my neck of the woods. It reminds me more of a Will Smith type of vehicle than an Affleck movie.

uncle111 said...

Page,
I like Paycheck too and I like BA in the movies I've seen him in, even Daredevil. But Uma looks dogish and I just don't see Ben's character falling for her. Well, locked away from the world for 3 years, maybe she's the only female around...No, not even then.

Page48 said...

Has there ever, in the history of TV, been a more glaringly obvious new product placement deal than the one swung by "Burn Notice" involving Sam's switcheroo to Miller Genuine Draft 64?

I'm looking for MGD to show up in the credits ahead of Sharon Gless.

SKlaft said...

I caught the product placement too; and, while ordinarily I hate that with an indignant passion, I thought they did it with a leaning-toward the camera-elbowing wink and nod, making it so obvious that they knew we knew how glaring it was. I laughed, and I consider the product itself a blight on humanity.

I don't care how sluggish Burn Notice may seem in the long term story arc. I just want it to keep going.

RE: Jericho - I am all for a return of any kind except a comic book. I have nothing against them (I was once an avid reader of comics), but I am simply not going to get them, which means I'll be left out of the ending to a great show.

RE: Paycheck - I'm with you both. I liked it; I don't care if it tanked at the box-office. I never watched "Gili" but I also have like BA's movies in general. How he became a B-lister I'm not certain. Probably by doing things about like JG is currently doing.

RE: Torchwood: Children of the Earth - Page48... which would be better: to watch the three previous seasons, and then the momentous third, or to just jump right into season 3? It sounds good enough to "give it a go."

-R.

Page48 said...

Listening to the narrative at the 15 second mark of this video, you would almost think this show was popular at one time.

But, here we are just a few years down the road and people refer to Greg Grunberg as the dude from "Lost". That "talk of a movie", referred to in the video, seems to have been forgotten quickly, over and done with faster than a fart in a hurricane.

But, fear not. While Sydney Bristow has taken up residence in the dust bin of history, we'll soon have riveting TV in our living rooms again. The wait is nearly over. Let's all look forward to Five Incredible Years with Octomom. Yes, kids, this is the world we live in. Be sure to embrace it.

Robetron, I've never watched "Torchwood" aside from the 5-parter. I've seen bits of it while channel-surfing, but I've never stopped long enough to get involved. In fact, I think it's probably an advantage to be blissfully unaware of the show's history before watching TCOE, and familiarity is certainly not a prerequisite.

As for the comics, it seems to be commonplace for TV shows to live on in comics these days (Buffy, "Fringe", "Jericho" to name a few), but it's not my cuppa. I bought comics up until I was about 10 or so, but I have enough junk piling up around the house without adding comics to the mix.

Page48 said...

Yet another hungry BSG remnant showing up on DH in Season 2.

We're up to 4 so far. Now, if DH just had the quality of BSG to go along with the cast members.

finkles2000 said...

So, I was watching season 2 of Alias recently, and I have waaayyy too much time on my hands, so I decided to see if any of the websites mentioned on the show were working. I checked out "conspiracychick.com" from the episode where a SD-6 agent is sent to spy on Will in A.A. meetings then report back to Sloane; and "bouillabaissecentral.com" from an ep where Allison-as-Francie calls Will to ask him to access that site so she can infiltrate his computer. Unfortunately, neither of them are up and running. Apparently, one can purchase conspiracychick.com, but bouillabaissecentral just brings up a "can't find the server" error. If I had money, and knew about web sites, and had an Alias site, I would totally buy up those domains and either link them to the site, or put them up and have mysterious links to my Alias site.

For example, using the "conspiracychick.com" site to rant about the "conspiracy of SD-6," have a link like "click here for more secrets/proof/information" and have the link go to the Alias site. Man, I'm a big-ass dork.

Curiously though, noelcrane.com, which was mentioned many times on Felicity as character Noel Crane's website - Noel was played by Scott Foley, JG's first hubbie - is still up and running. I guess someone bought it. It's not a great site, but it's sweet and comforting to know that it's still there.

Anyone else know of any websites mentioned on Alias to try out? Not so much ones that are real (like the CIA site, etc.) but ones that were created specifically for the show? It'd be interesting to plug them in and see what comes up.

uncle111 said...

ILA4E,
It wasn't a site used on Alias, But I own Page47.net.

Page48 said...

creditdauphine.com looks like it's been stored elsewhere.

If you use the 'Wayback Machine' to check in on conspiracychick.com, it looked like this circa Season Two, but by 2005 is looked like this. My guess is that conspiracychick.com was never created in associate with "Alias".

As with most things related to "Alias", it is apparent in viewing the viral websites associated with the show that our favourite series was born just a few years too soon. Witness the effort put into a couple of "Fringe" related websites, massivedynamic.com and glowingmonkeys.com, and, of course, there is the modest thehansofoundation.org website from "Lost".

BTW, notice the red Mueller Device ball in the Massive Dynamic website. (MD = Mueller Device, MD = Massive Dynamic...hmmmmmmm) Or is it a case of 'sometimes a red ball is just a red ball'?

Page48 said...

Couple of lengthy articles about the new "V", apparently coming in November on ABC.

1
2

SKlaft said...

Watched the first episode of Torchwood: Children of Earth last night. It was enough to keep me interested in seeing the next episode. I could do without the liberal agenda-driven overtones.

One of the things about BSG was that you never could nail down exactly what side of issues the writers were landing. They almost always provided both sides of complicated arguments. I find that sort of objectivity severely lacking in the BBC Productions I have seen.

The central idea in T:CoE is very clever, though; I will endeavor to continue watching.

-R.

Page48 said...

Robetron, haven't you heard? Liberals run the TV and movie industry. How else could people like Janine Garofalo find work? And can we ever forget Jen out pounding the pavement on behalf of Obama? Think she's lost the rose-coloured glasses yet?

BTW, interesting that Garofalo and Jon Voight both figured in last season's "24". I think it's probably a good thing that they did not share any scenes. Voight has been very vocal lately in his opposition to the Obama agenda and Garofalo is a liberal wacko, so the opportunity for real onscreen fireworks was missed.

I object to the token gayism in TCOE, especially the notion that the previously hetero Ianto could be converted by Capt. Jack's smoldering gaze, but I've been conditioned since the days when "Spin City" brought us the token gay AND the token black in the same character. How clever was that?

However, I watch TV with my Liberal filters set on maximum. This reduces the shameless lefty preaching to a few drops of harmless water (and the filters never need cleaning).

uncle111 said...

Page,
Since Alias ended BSG is the only modern show I have watched (and that was on DVD) because of the liberal PC overtone of most TV these days. I'm not interested in that perspective and when a show has it the show is polluted to me. I'm not masochistic enough to watch them.

Page48 said...

Uncle, I think the genie is out of the bottle when it comes to the current crop of pandering television writers.

In fairness to them, it has to be said that special interest groups rule the world as we know it, and that includes network TV. If your show isn't black enough, you have one group threatening to boycott your advertisers. Same thing if your show isn't gay enough. The PC zealots give us shows like "Brothers & Sisters", which sports more gay characters per capita than a Melissa Etheridge Fan Club Caribbean Cruise. And, does anyone remember the trouble Jack Bauer got into a few seasons back when he killed too many radical 'death-to-America' types?

And, lest you think this is a purely American trend, have no fear. In Canada, which is notorious for brutal TV shows, we're blessed with shows like the taxpayer funded, liberal propaganda piece, "Little Mosque on the Prairie". This is the kind of garbage you get when you give liberal apologists public funding, freshly drained from taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet.

Political Correctness is a disease just like H1N1 is a disease. However, while H1N1 may run its course by the time flu season is over, PC threatens to leave us with lasting scars (or warm and fuzzy liberal gifts, depending on your POV) such as Sharia Law, gay marriage, censored news media, holiday trees and the always popular homegrown jihad.

Ain't it grand?

SRM said...

ok kids, I'm putting a lid on the politically-driven topics, thanks. :)

oh and happy 47th comment. ;-)

SKlaft said...

Sorry, SRG. I didn't mean to initiate it.

I was not actually trying to make a political comment as much as state that gratuitous pandering, and overtly political-agenda driven themes turn me off from shows that would otherwise be good TV viewing. Shows that deal with real-to-life modern issues with some balance and thoughtfulness (such as BSG) hold my respect as well as my attention.

Whether a person holds view like Rush Limbaugh or whether they view the world like Janine Garofalo, or anything in-between, people have rights to their opinion. I was simply saying I don't like it foisted upon the public (in an attempt to control popular thought) in TV shows when all people want is a good fictional adventure.

There is PC-ness in everything, even in the above paragraph. But good TV shows don't go out of their way to put it on display. As we have all become TV critics here at LTA, I thought that would be a legitimate point; but, closing the door on the discussion, I will not push further.

(everyone)
I watched the 2nd episode of TCoE last night. Captain Jack regrowing his body while consciously feeling the agony of what blew it apart was very ... (what?) cool? innovative? I don't know what to call it... wild, I guess. If you can put on Page48's mental-filter, this show is worth watching. It's not ALIAS, but hey, in the summer months, anything a step above the color test is great.

-R.

Page48 said...

Jeff Pinkner trying to keep "Fringe" from falling into the "Alias" mythology trap.

For those who don't want to read the whole article, here's the reference: "One of those challenges is to toe the line between procedural drama and deep mythology. "There was certainly a point on Alias where the mythology overtook the story," admitted Pinkner. "We're trying very hard not to do that on Fringe."

Get real, Jeff.

Page48 said...

JJ swaps one set of "Alias" writers for another.

Page48 said...

"Alias" isn't completely forgotten...yet?

Page48 said...

Jesse Alexander, writer of several "Alias" eppies, including "The Box", is back this season with "Day One"

SRM said...

Soo...is Day One about an alien attack or...? People just love their disaster scenarios. Is it me or is the music playing at the end the same score from The Truman Show?

finkles2000 said...

Thanks, SRG, for the kibosh on the political speak. I was beginning to feel alienated. Or should I say, "gaylienated." ;) Doesn't matter! Let's get to the Alias talk.

I'm currently watching Season 5, for only the 2nd time, and I'm pretty sure this is blasphemous but -- Season 5 may be my favorite. I LOVE Kelly Peyton - the cutest little evil girl of all time. And the episodes "Bob" all the way to . . . I don't know, the end of the series (?) are among my favorites. And include "Solo" in that mix. It's not that I was tired of Sydney (AT ALL!), but I think the character of Rachel breathed some major fresh air into the series. Is it sacrilege to say that I would have welcomed a 6th season of Alias with Rachel/Thomas instead of Sydney?

uncle111 said...

Is it sacrilege to say that I would have welcomed a 6th season of Alias with Rachel/Thomas instead of Sydney?

Yeah...Pretty much.

finkles2000 said...

I knew it! Well, I don't know. I think I MAY only be saying that because I know that Season 5 is the end of the entire series. And also perhaps because I'm really not a fan of Season 4 (it's the only one I don't own). I suppose that, after viewing "There's Only One Sydney Bristow" and all the following episodes, that I may be more akin to a "spin-off" involving Rachel and Tom. But that whole "Cardinal" bit still really pisses me off. I need closure, man! Closure!

And to get back to the subject at hand, I'm missing actual songs by actual artists this season. And I'm really, really saddened by the whole need to throw Alias under the bus in the press these days. A show as well written and well-acted as this one comes along once in a blue moon, and to simply suggest it as some sort of muddled-mess is just . . . it's just wrong. Way to alienate the fans, J.J. and co. I don't think it was so much the "confusion" of "the plots" per se, but ABC's scheduling.

But you know what? I still would have watched and loved a 6th season with Rachel. As long as JG guest-starred on a few eps.

finkles2000 said...

Also, I just finished Season 3, and I can't remember the specific episode, but there's a hysterical moment - it's when Lauren invites Sydney to have dinner with her during the week, because Vaughn has hockey, and she says to Syd, "See you next Tuesday." Which I found completely hilarious. Anyone else think this was a total, yet awesome, insult to Sydney? I'd like to think, and I'm quite certain, that that was on purpose from the writers.

If you're not sure what "See you next Tuesday" means, then . . . C - U - Next Tuesday. It's quite dirty. And not nice.

uncle111 said...

I still don't understand, but I'm pretty sure you're reading in to it.

finkles2000 said...

So, from Kevin Weisman (Marshall)'s editing/commentary in the book "Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies, and SD-6": 2005,

Kevin Weisman, Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies and SD-6, p. 13:
"See you next Tuesday," she said crisply, the camera holding her in close-up an extra beat for emphasis. You could almost hear the thud of knowing viewers falling off their chairs. In decades-old high-school vernacular, "See you next Tuesday" is code for the word that starts with the letters "c-u," means female genitalia and is used to insult a woman when "bitch" just isn't strong enough."

The quote came from Wiktionary, and the book is available through Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932100466/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0YVE3Y7W89PGK8J7MHGZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I totally apologize for the lack of tags - I have no idea how to do them.

uncle111 said...

I and everyone my age that I know have used "see you" for 40 years and no one I know ever said anything about it being anything other than see you.

Without something from one of the writers saying that's what they meant it to mean I'd say even KW is reading into it, maybe to make the book edgy.

finkles2000 said...

I did some further research, and it turns out that Weisman wasn't the one who wrote that essay in the collection - it was Joyce Millman, one of the co-founders of Salon, and a writer for the NYTimes and SFExaminer.

You can read the (fascinating) excerpt here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZPK8nKrVtV0C&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=see+you+next+tuesday+lauren+alias&source=bl&ots=haSFUMs2_7&sig=eeOCg0sGLtCZgHYY_2KPpQgMnvo&hl=en&ei=e_OASsvIAZWENvrHhKEL&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=see%20you%20next%20tuesday%20lauren%20alias&f=false

Ugh, again, completely sorry about tags!

I'm entirely of the mind that the whole "see you next tuesday" comment was intentional and completely hilarious, but this is most likely the last comment I'll make regarding it. I do think that the book, which I didn't even know existed until today, would make some nice reading. With all the (unnecessary, if you ask me) Buffy books out there, it's nice to know someone considers Alias a part of the cultural zeitgeist, because it deserves more interpretation than it gets.

finkles2000 said...

And . . my link got cut off:

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZPK8nKrVtV0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=alias+assumed&ei=JPaASoe8I5OwNq2w_dwK#v=onepage&q=&f=false

ILA4E said...

finkles -- totally with you on the "See you next Tuesday" thing. I've caught it many-a-time, and it makes me ROFL without a doubt.

Intentional or not, love it!

RE: a 6th of ALIAS with Rachel/Tom and not Sydney?

No! I would have watched just because of the connection, but never, never, never!

There really is only one Sydney Bristow ;) (For me, anyway.)

(Actually, as a [pointless] side note, when Rachel Nichols was first confirmed as part of the cast, I thought it was because it was planned to have her carry on the series; to say the least, I was not very impressed. In any case, she seems to be making a bit of a name for herself...

Love your discussions/comments, btw.

Page48 said...

Re: "See you next Tuesday", I've never heard of any interpretation other than the obvious.

Unless "Alias" was written at summer camp by 12-year-old boys, I lean towards the caution that 'sometimes a cigar is just a cigar'.

A sixth season with Rachel replacing Sydney?? How about The Stones touring without Mick?

On the other hand, how about a brand new spy show the caliber of "Alias"? I would prefer that to a sixth season sans Syd. Equaling the caliber of "Alias" would be very difficult, but I welcome the chance to find out if it can be done.

Page48 said...

Here is a 2-part video interview with Jeff Pinkner (including the comments I posted earlier re: "Alias" getting bogged down in mythology).

Although it's primarily about "Fringe", "Alias" is mentioned a number of times, and actually, it's clear that the interviewer is kind of an "Alias" keener. In fact, at one point in the 2nd part of the interview, he's quizzing Pinkner about possible "Alias" and "Lost" Easter eggs in "Fringe", to which Pinkner replies that some actual character references from those 2 shows occur in "Fringe" 2.4 (this, in addition to the comment he makes that all "Bad Robot" shows and movies have Easter eggs pointing back to all other BR shows).

It's an interesting BUT frustrating interview, given the fact that it's primary focus in NOT "Alias".

ILA4E said...

OT: but I just got the greatest surprise ever seeing Victor Garber in the latest "Nurse Jackie" episode.

I teared up massively!

SRM said...

Yesterday on Pandora I heard the Cranberries "Never Grow Old." It took me a second to remember where I knew the song from, it was playing on Syd's radio in Truth Be Told while she was studying ancient symbols on the couch, hanging out with Danny. Syd turns the song up very loud before stripping down, getting Danny in the shower, then laying the CIA bomb on him. Hearing the song brought back a nice memory of the scene on the couch though. :)

Rachel Hinkle said...

And its been taken out of the episode! at least on netflix.

Rachel Hinkle said...

Anyone know why they would switch out this woman's work in episode 2 with a different song. just watched it on netflix and it had been changed. so disappointed.

SRM said...

Yeah I posted about this in one of the other blog articles. I was all excited when I saw Alias was on Netflix (in HD!!), then was totally thrown off by so many of the tunes being different in Truth Be Told. The only thing I can figure is they did not have copyright permission for those songs to be used in a syndicated environment like Netflix. No idea why that would be, but it really does throw off avid fans like us who know these eppies down to the last detail. :-\

Barnrat said...

I'm really quite disappointed (alright, PISSED is more like it) that the final scene in the first episode had its song switched out for the Netflix version. Give You Back by Vertical Horizon was perfect for this scene. WHY did they need to f''' with that one?? Not like VH couldn't have used the royalties. JJ? Anyone? Ferris??

SRM said...

We hear ya Barnrat, the music substitutions in the Netflix version of Alias make it far less appealing for me to watch. :-\

Unknown said...

Yes it was taken out on Netflix! Why did they do that? ?

Unknown said...

Not on Netflix.