Alias, season 2, begun

[selenak]

What I hadn't mentioned before: when I couldn't sleep im the wee hours in Paris, I put in my newly aquired French Alias season 2 DVDs. Yesterday I did that, too, and thus I have seen the first twelve ups, until The Getaway. Some reactions:

1.) Like everyone else, I seem to have fallen for the charms of Irina Derevko, and regret SpyMommy is only in one season. I've only seen Lena Olin in The Unbearable Lightness of Being eons ago and liked her there, too. Excellent actress, gorgeous, gorgeous woman, and what a great and intriguing character. Irina's wooing and slow seduction of Sydney so far is far more captivating than the Sydney/Vaughn angsty coworker romance, although I have to say Vaughn is slightly more interesting this season than last. (Which still makes him the least interesting member of the show to me except for Francie, but I did like his scenes with Irina.) Still, the Irina/Sydney, Irina/Jack (now THAT is what I call sizzling! Makes me think of that song Orwell quotes in 1984 as well - under the (hm da ) chestnut tree/ I sold you and you sold me ), and Irina/Sydney/Jack scenes are the highlights of the show. Loved the SpyFamily excursion in Passage. Am proud of Sydney and the way she tries to balance what is quintessentially the divorced parents situation from hell with the work situation from hell.

2.) Speaking of Sydney, I liked her last season but really love her in this one, dealing with her messed-up family as best she can and being a good friend with Will, Dixon and poor (and incredibly brave) Marshall. Plus I can finally see why there is Syd/Sark fanfic, and why people compare it to Buffy/Spike. Sark himself improved in that he reminds me less of an adult (though not very much) Draco Malfoy (which wasn't a good thing for me - I'm not a Draco fan, neither of fanon nor of canon Draco). Loved Sydney's "you're cute, but I'll pass". They do have enjoyable snark going on. Meanwhile, we also get a lot of adorable Syd & Will friendship scenes. If I were Sydney? I'd banter with Sark some more but would want to end up with Will, bypassing Vaughn altogether.

3.) The ending of The Getaway, complete with Gounoud's Faust playing in the background, had me exclaim "Arvin Sloane, you clever son of a bitch!" in delight. I had an inkling when the finger arrived, because that reminded me strongly of Sloane sacrificing his own finger in season 1 when the situation required it, but I wasn't sure until the actual revelation. Sloane's subplot this season is the only serious contender to the Irina scenes in terms of "highlight of the show" title. When he told Jack about Emily, I thought it was a clever juxtaposition on the part of the writers, because at that point Jack had framed Irina which would have resulted in her getting the death penalty, if not for Sydney. So you have, supposedly, two men being willing to kill the women they love (and of course Jack still loves Irina, almost as much as he hates her), only as it turns out neither of the women in question dies, and the whole elaborate schemes actually serve to help them (although that wasn't the intention on Jack's part). WHY is there not more fic dealing with the Jack Bristow & Arvin Sloane relationship? Or is there, and I haven't found it yet? Because that is one of the most interesting of the show to me, what with the complicated deceiving and using each other while also helping and protecting going on. And the whole backstory.

Sloane as a boss: on the one hand, you have poor Marshall being thrown to the dogs, so to speak, on the other, you have him dressing Sark down for making snide remarks about SD6 employees who believe they work for the government. Ah, what a delightfully three dimensional villain Sloane is.

4.) At least Will questions whether the US government having the ability to listen to every conversation on the planet is any better than SD6 having it, but alas, so far that's a rather singular occurance. We're still in the James Bond school of spying where the cause remains unquestioned. (Well, except by Sloane who if what Jack says to Ariana King is in any way reliable went from CIA agent to going into business for himself because of disillusionment.) I mean, look at the entire Project Christmas thing. Sydney (and later Vaughn and Will) is horrified the KGB did it. She's also horrified that her father tried it out on her. But she doesn't think the fact that the US government started the entire affair by testing kids for their future spying suitability, and designing a program to turn said kids into future spies, is bad per se. Which is in character for Syd who needs to believe in the CIA-as-good-guys in order not to have a nervous breakdown with her razor edge existence, but I'm not sure the audience is supposed to question where she doesn't. We're back to what the Former Government Official told me: doing this stuff for a democratic regime is not the moral equivalent of doing it for a totalitarian regime. Which I'm not sure I can believe, either in fiction or in reality.

Otoh: Irina telling Sydney about being recruited at age 18 to work for her country by the KGB was clearly intended to draw a parallel to Sydney's own recruitment. However, we can't be sure Irina did not intend this parallel, as a tool of manipulation. (Of course Jack accusing Irina of manipulating Syd is rich considering he does it all the time. These two are really worth each other.) Which reminds me, why is Irina held under charge of treason? I mean, I get espionage, naturally, but since she's not an American citizen and wasn't at the time when she was a KGB agent, she did not "betray this country". She worked for her own country back then, spying on her country's enemy and doing in essence exactly the same thing that Jack did and does. Oh, and another thing: Irina going into business for herself post-KGB apparently was brought on by disillusionment as well, which makes her a parallel to Sloane. Which in turn reminds me of the way the series in season 1 juxtapositioned Sloane and Emily as Sydney's shadow parents: Emily as the idealized version of her mother, and Sloane as the father figure whom otoh she can permit herself to hate and blame for her life but who otoh gives the open approval and open need that Jack for a long time withheld. So Irina is both a contrast/parallel to Emily and to Sloane. Hm...

Comments

[illmantrim.livejournal.com]

grins groovy analyses of the series as a whole and of this season!

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

my newly aquired French Alias season 2 DVDs.

Oops. It's because I was so slow, hm? ::hangs head in shame::

Excellent actress, gorgeous, gorgeous woman, and what a great and intriguing character.

Where's the line to sign..?

Irina's wooing and slow seduction of Sydney so far is far more captivating than the Sydney/Vaughn angsty coworker romance, although I have to say Vaughn is slightly more interesting this season than last.

Well, you know I adore the S/V love, but it was obvious where everything was headed (angsty build-up, sizzling get-together, even more angsty break-up), so I must confess the interaction between Sydney and Irina is far more intriguing. Considering the screen time Lena Olin had-- except for Passage, if one counted the minutes, there wouldn't be much--, she's had such an incredible impact on Sydney, on Jack, on the plot of this show, let alone the feel of it all.

and Irina/Sydney/Jack scenes are the highlights of the show.

They are; I can see why people are just spellbound by the dysfunctional-- or actually, rather functional if deeply disturbed-- Bristow clan.

Am proud of Sydney and the way she tries to balance what is quintessentially the divorced parents situation from hell with the work situation from hell.

Especially the first one? Awkward, realistic, oddly sweet and with one of the rare touches of humour not Marshall-related.

but really love her in this one, dealing with her messed-up family as best she can and being a good friend with Will, Dixon and poor (and incredibly brave) Marshall.

Right there with you. She's holding it all together beautifully.

Sark himself improved in that he reminds me less of an adult (though not very much) Draco Malfoy (which wasn't a good thing for me - I'm not a Draco fan, neither of fanon nor of canon Draco). Loved Sydney's "you're cute, but I'll pass". They do have enjoyable snark going on.

Not a fan of canon Draco, either-- I do like the one fanon version CC paints, but then again, it's pretty much an original (snarky, tragic, impossibly attractive) character.

The "You're cute" scene is priceless, utterly so. *All* their screentime spent together is, actually, worth watching; so much undercurrent, from both sides, no matter how much Sydney loathes him (and I think she truly does).
Meanwhile, we also get a lot of adorable Syd & Will friendship scenes. If I were Sydney? I'd banter with Sark some more but would want to end up with Will, bypassing Vaughn altogether.
*g* If I were Sydney, I couldn't, really couldn't bypass Vaughn, but Will? Yeah. Absolutely. He's a good guy, in the real sense--

I've seen many comparisons to Xander but must say that I find them lacking; the reason why I could never be a Buffy/Xander shipper is that Xander has no real understanding of Buffy, no real respect for her as a woman and especially not for her choices in men not himself. We are privy to too many instances of petulant behaviour and, of course, in Becoming, see the ultimate betrayal. Was it, possibly, a choice that turned out fine, all things considered? Yes, but as a *friend*, Xander still acted wrongly and motivated by less than pure motives.

Will wouldn't have done any of the things I still hold against Xander when it comes to Buffy-- we see him standing behind her, standing up to Vaughn to protect her; and his heartbreaking honesty...but oh, oops, spoiler. You'll see. & ;-)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Xander: well, to be fair, Will is much older than Xander was for most of the show. For example, The Lie was given at age 17. Also, it can be argued it was a valid strategic decision in a crisis situation. All this being said, I do think that Xander would never have lied to Buffy if it had been Willow or Giles instead of Angel(us). (Or, later, Anya.) (Or even Riley, who was the only one of Buffy's boyfriends he genuinly liked and hero-worshipped a bit.) What ticks me off in regards to Xander when it comes to Buffy's boyfriends is the big double standard he has going with Anya, and the way he says Buffy doesn't understand what he's going through in Selfless. However, he has so much going for him even in his questionable and/or jerky moments - for example, his complete loyalty and willingness to die for her which lets him show up armed with a stone against a couple of vicious vampires in Becoming, let's not forget, and he's aware Buffy will be focused completely on Angelus and thus won't be able to help him, or the fact that he does apologize and admit Buffy had cause to fear him being judgmental re: Spike in Seeing Red - that I can understand why Buffy loves him. As a brother. Which is my main reason for not reading Buffy/Xander. In seven years of canon, Buffy didn't display a single example of sexual interest in Xander when not under a spell or trying to make Angel jealous. She has consistently treated him in a sibling-like fashion. I just can't buy that this would change. Whereas Sydney showed she can see Will as sexually attractive at least once.


Sydney loathing Sark: I think she does, too, and let's be frank, there is a lot to loathe. She got to see a lot of his victims close up, too. Doesn't mean there isn't some UST, just that it's extremely unlikely she'll ever do something about it.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Xander is, no doubt about it, a hero like the others, possibly more so because he lacks all special powers-- speaking of, I adored the Dawn/Xander interaction in Season Seven and wish they had worked this angle better--, and still a good, brave friend; but as you describe it, many of his ideas and decisions regarding relationships irk me greatly.
And yes, the fact I could never see B/X is, maybe even at its core-- as I accepted all other relationships on screen with ease (if not without bafflement)--, definitely based on Buffy's consistently non-romantic behaviour towards Xander.

Whereas Sydney showed she can see Will as sexually attractive at least once.

If there was no Vaughn, who knows what would happen..?

and let's be frank, there is a lot to loathe. She got to see a lot of his victims close up, too. Doesn't mean there isn't some UST, just that it's extremely unlikely she'll ever do something about it.

Absolutely agreed. You can twist it all around in fanfiction if you chose the right premise, but on the show? No, Jayjay won't make Sark the next Spike; DA doesn't have the same power and presence, anyway, to, copying my friend deepad's words, warp the storyline in such a way.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

...see icon...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I've just continued myself. Lengthy ramblings in the most recent lj entry.+g*

[snarkel.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me, why is Irina held under charge of treason? I mean, I get espionage, naturally, but since she's not an American citizen and wasn't at the time when she was a KGB agent, she did not "betray this country". She worked for her own country back then, spying on her country's enemy and doing in essence exactly the same thing that Jack did and does.

This totally isn't my area at all, but I think she would legally become a US citizen by marrying Jack.

I totally skipped out on this season - I think I saw maybe one episode. Another one to add to the DVD list...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

It's much better than the first. Good point about the becoming an US citizen by marriage, though - however, does this apply since she married Jack under a false name (Laura Whatever Her Maiden Name Alias Was) and false identity?

Otoh, Jack and Irina mention in a conversation that they never got divorced, their marriage is technically still legal and valid. A sudden thought occurs: does this mean either Jack or Sydney could in theory apply for Russian citizenship as well, or is this strictly a one way thing?

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

"Arvin Sloane, you clever son of a bitch!" in delight.

*g* Glad I'm not the only one. Really, this is quite a common reaction of mine...

WHY is there not more fic dealing with the Jack Bristow & Arvin Sloane relationship? Or is there, and I haven't found it yet? Because that is one of the most interesting of the show to me, what with the complicated deceiving and using each other while also helping and protecting going on. And the whole backstory.

Because fandom is shallow, and crafty old men with wrinkly necks are less intriguing than ultra-cool, sleek blond assassins? & ;-)

Honestly, I don't think that's too far off the mark. I've stumbled across very little Jack fiction in and by itself; of Sloane, there seems to be even less...which is a pity; I've loved Sloane ever since he set foot on this show, and every time I tried hating him-- which I do--, he does something that makes me look at him with some sort of fathomless fascination nevertheless. *g*
However, as I adored the whole Sloane/Emily storyline, I remember this one (spoilers for Truth Takes Time)http://vanzetti.populli.net/fanfic/hours.htm and do recall others, more recent ones. Have you checked the Sloane and/or Jack section at http://splinter-moment.net/cover/index.php ?

As for Will's outrage over Project Christmas? Yes, I cheered, but also sighed heavily when Sydney felt horrified and betrayed-- on the purely individual level, namely by her father. The lack willingness to question the government's (any government's) motives on a larger scale is something we may have to get used to in this show, at least regarding the good guys-- both Sloane and possibly Sark have shown they are less, shall we say, burdened by classic ideas of good and more likely to view things from a more pragmatic angle...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Glad I'm not the only one. Really, this is quite a common reaction of mine...

Same here! I think I said it (or something like it) the first time when he told Jack to cut off his finger so they could beat the Tarantino character in The Box. That's good old Arvin S. at his best: relentlessly logical, utterly ruthless to himself as well as others, and achieving his objective.

Because fandom is shallow, and crafty old men with wrinkly necks are less intriguing than ultra-cool, sleek blond assassins? & ;-)

Depressingly, I think you're right. That's why I never found something about the two most intriguing characters of Babylon 5 until I started to write it myself and brought others into the fandom. I really, really want more Crafty Old Men fic (tm), with or without their Fantastic Middle Aged Wives who also deserve much exploration. Who needs pretty when you can get interesting instead?

I've loved Sloane ever since he set foot on this show, and every time I tried hating him-- which I do--, he does something that makes me look at him with some sort of fathomless fascination nevertheless. *g*

I never even tried hating him, but then my earlier favourites in tv shows and on movies included 400 years old ruthless vampires, middle-aged paunchy politicians with the blood of millions on their hands both male (B5) and female (DS9), the elderly telepathic version of Inspector Javert (only with more wit and less existential angst)... and Darla was the only pretty one among them.*g*

Thanks for the Sloane short story; I'll comment on the rest of the season in today's entry.

The lack willingness to question the government's (any government's) motives on a larger scale is something we may have to get used to in this show

Yes, and it is ever so frustrating. Or maybe just for Europeans?