This producer and these women

[selenak]

The other day when I talked about Anansi Boys I forgot to mention there is some great extra material in this edition of the book. Among it an interview with Neil Gaiman in which he's asked who his top three favourite godlike geniuses are, and replies with Stephen Sondheim, Douglas Adams and Alan Moore. (He really must be brought together with Joss Whedon. They two of them are meant for each other. They could bond over Sondheim immediately.) Now, I have my own gallery of creative divinities. And of creative people who might not be geniuses but still impress the hell out of me. Among them J.J. Abrams; Alias isn't genius, but it's very entertaining, it has some great and complex characters... and, which brings me to the purpose of this post, it offers a rarity on tv: good roles for actresses past their fortieth year. Sadly, with some rare exceptions like Susan Sarandon that's still when you tend to become invisible in Hollywood when you're female. Let alone on youth-obsessed tv. Buffy? Had Joyce Summers, and for half a season Maggie Walsh, and that's that. Angel? Didn't have any women past 40 (well, except for the vampires, obviously) at all. BSG has Laura Roslin, for which I am eternally grateful, for she rocks mightily and is powerful and intelligent and complex and most definitely past 40. But Madam President aside, the rest of the women is in the youthful contingent as well. (Ellen Tigh is arguable; it would make sense if she were 50, but she doesn't look it, which is in character.)

And now look at the recurring ladies of the Aliasverse, aka J.J. Abrams pointing out that there are these terrific actresses still around, who do look their age and look interesting and wonderful because of it. All caps from Alias Media:





Lena Olin as Irina Derevko. If, dear reader, you have ever been anywhere near an Alias fan, you'll have heard the squeeing about SpyMommy. This would be her glorious, morally ambiguous self.



Amy Irving as Emily Sloane. Emily proves that nice women are far from dull; she's intense and heartbreaking in her appearances and regularly reduces me to a sniffling mess.



Isabella Rossellini as Katya Derevko. Shares her deviousness with her sisters and has a wicked, playful sense of humour all her own. I must admit that Ms. Rossellini's David Lynch appearances left me cold, but I love her as Katya.



Patricia Weddig as Dr. Judy Barnett. Not only makes she the stock "psychiatrist to the heroes" persona come alive, but she can hold her own next to the likes of Ron Rifkin and Victor Garber when being in the same scene with them. No mean feat (some regulars, like a certain Mr. Vartan, never figured out that trick), and I much appreciate Dr. Barnett.



Sonia Braga as Elena Derevko. Elena could switch between motherly and chillingly ruthless effortlessly, and Ms. Braga reminded me that I hadn't seen her in anything since Kiss of the Spiderwoman, something I intend to rectify as soon as possible. I also will try to figure out whether Alias has some thing about the CIA being coded as mainly male and the (former) KGB, via the Derevkos and Anna, as female. One of these days.



Faye Dunaway as Ariana Kane. Also up to the task of holding her own next to Garber and Rifkin. Ariana Kane, one tough and smart lady, was head of Alliance Counter Intelligence and correctly figured out within days what the boys, with the exception of Sloane, had not in years - that Jack Bristow and his daughter were doubles.

Comments

[nolivingman.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this lovely picspam celebration. And kudos to JJ Abrams for creating such great roles for all of them. I'm hoping Angela Bassett's character (whose name has left me just now, darnit) will grow into an interesting character too; she has potential and has held her own with Sloane, but could get shoved into the love-interest box instead.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Now I feel guilty for forgetting Ms. Chase. Yes, she has much potential, and I'd love to see her again. Considering that Sloane is unlikely to be head of APO next season even if Sydney's testimony is enough to get him free, and that Jack does neither like nor excell at group leadership, she could become a more frequent presence easily as the new boss - if JJ can get Angela Bassett, of course.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

Pity there aren't any in the major cast of Lost.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Yet another reason to prefer Alias over Lost. (Not that I have anything against the later, but I only managed to catch the first four or so episodes, and when I could watch again the channel who did broadcast it in Germany appeared to have cancelled it.)

Well...there is...

[taiamu.livejournal.com]

Mira Furlan on Lost. Who kicks butt. But she's only reoccuring thus far(I've only seen a few eps of Lost, myself)

Re: Well...there is...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I've heard, which is why I was frustrated that I never got to see the Mira episodes. Though I recognized her voice in the pilot.*g*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Excellent post, you're making me want to watch further than season 1 of Alias (I guess this was part of the idea of the post, LOL!).

I first saw Patricia Wettig in thirtysomething, which also starred Ken Olin. I love the idea that all the people in thirtysomething were secretly KGB or CIA.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Such was my sinister purpose. Let me give you some more pictorial reasons (http://www.livejournal.com/users/selenak/165613.html#cutid1). And some meta fun. (http://www.livejournal.com/users/selenak/167802.html)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think Sloane is the best thing in it (don't like the performance by the guy who plays Jack). All right, maybe I'll think about borrowing season 2 off someone... ;-D

[altariel.livejournal.com]

And I like Amy Irving a great deal.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Oh, I agree about Sloane, no big surprise there.*g* And Amy Irving is wonderful as Emily. You must watch season 2 for two episodes named The Getaway and Truth Takes Time alone - the later is one of my all time favourite episodes of the show, and one I would not hesitate to nominate for all time favourite tv episodes, full stop, which I wouldn't with many Alias episodes, despite my fondness for the show. And it's a showcase for her and Ron Rifkin as Sloane. (Not many shows would devote that much care and attention to their villain's relationship with his wife of 30 years.)

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Oh, excellent! (I do love your illustrated analyses v. much.)

And, you've got mail.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Also, applied for community membership on your advice.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Very good! Let me recommend you...

::has recommended you::

& :-)

(Could you use the info I sent you? I know it's not terribly convenient, but all the info you need should be in there -- try pasting it, e.g. in Semagic, maybe?)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Yes, I could use it!

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Glad!

[deborah-judge.livejournal.com]

You're making me want to watch 'Alias'. Is it on DVD yet?

Re: Ellen: I always assumed she was Saul's age and had lots of plastic surgery. If she were actually as young as she looks I don't think she (or their relationship) would interest me as much.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Yes, Alias is out on DVD. It wasn't love at first sight with me, as it was with, say, BSG, but I was intrigued enough by the first season and the three middle-aged characters therein to continue watching and fell in love during the second.

Ellen: plastic surgery makes sense to me, too. She and Saul do give off a long, long married vibe, not of a couple that is together for, say, ten years max. And she is the type who would go for plastic surgery.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Also, let me give you some more pictorial reasons (http://www.livejournal.com/users/selenak/165613.html#cutid1) to watch, as well as spoilery textual ones (http://www.livejournal.com/users/selenak/163979.html#cutid1). And there is always meta fun to be had. (http://www.livejournal.com/users/selenak/167802.html)

[leia-naberrie.livejournal.com]

I knew there was a reason why I absolutely loved that show! It reminds us all that 20 years from now, we'll be kicking even bigger butt!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Quite true, though in my case, it's not that long away.*g*

[leia-naberrie.livejournal.com]

lol. well, you know what i mean. :p

you know, some people could almost make a case over the over-profusion of strong female roles in that series. the young gen - Syd, Nadia, Francie/Allyson, even Lauren... then the old gen - as mentioned above. But what do we have for male roles - with the exception of Jack, Arvin and Dickson, we're stuck with the likes of Wrinkle-Forehead and one-episode villians.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Well, there is also Marshall whom I love dearly, Sark whose popularity mystifies me a bit but who is an important male recurring character, and in season 2, we had Terry Quinn's character. This being said, I do agree the women have the advantage, by and large, but hey, given the number of shows where you're lucky if there are one or two interesting female characters around, it's only fair.*g*

[leia-naberrie.livejournal.com]

I wasn't complaining! ::grins::

Oh yes, I love Marshall, but he's somewhat stereotype, isn't he? Token nerd - TV's version of Q? Sark's cool. There was some interesting personal conflict with the whole father/Covenant arc in Season 3 (really liked the scene when he and Lauren remind Sloane of the sacrifices they've made for Rambaldi (sp?)) but they didn't go too much into that, did they?

Terry Quinn was another good one. I was very happy with his resurrection. I'd like to see more of him later.