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Common Sense Note

Parents should know that this show features a significant amount of violence. This includes a few graphic shooting deaths and frequent fistfights. Characters are constantly deceiving one another, which could encourage young viewers to be overly suspicious of others.

Families who watch this show might want to talk about the violence on primetime network television. How is violence in action shows, like this one, different than violence in more realistic shows, like CSI? Does it have less of an impact here? When it comes to how much is too much violence, where would you draw the line?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Elliot Panek

ALIAS follows the adventures of Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), a double agent working for the CIA who has infiltrated the ranks of a secret terrorist organization. Her life is a series of double-crosses and revelations and is constantly being reshuffled and remade as is necessitated by the identity shifting required by her profession.

Everyone in Sydney's life seems to be part of the world of international intrigue -- her father, Jack (Victor Garber), is a fellow double agent, and her CIA handler Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan) becomes a close friend (and maybe more...). There are occasional forays into the fantastic -- some shady, evil organizations take their cues from a 500-year-old prophecy, for example. Meanwhile, things like brainwashing and hallucinogens sometimes prevent Sydney from being sure of anything, yet she carries on, foiling plots and trying to maintain some semblance of a life.

The show expertly draws out mysteries over the course of each season, and for this reason, it might be tough for new viewers to understand the intricate plot if they come in late. However, there is also pleasure in each individual episode, especially for those keen on the tone, style and intensity of creator J.J. Abrams' other smash hit series Lost. Though it has begun to show some signs of losing momentum as it heads toward its conclusion, Alias remains a uniquely well-written, well-acted action drama with more psychological depth than nearly every other show on television.

In addition to Lost and CSI, Alias fans might also enjoy the fast-paced 24.

Season 5 Notes (Includes spoilers)
At the start of this season, Sydney and Vaughn have just been in a shocking car crash. Vaughn is whisked away while Sydney must flee an immediate attack. The two are reunited just long enough to say goodbye for good, as Vaughn is gunned down by a shadowy group of men in suits. Sydney never has the luxury of time to mourn such losses, continuing her quest to track down the latest terrorist threat without missing a beat. The total lack of separation between Sydney's personal and professional lives continues as she learns that she's pregnant a moment before parachuting off a cliff to avoid capture.

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Content
		CS	adults	kids
Sexual Content When Sydney goes undercover, she often wears revealing outfits.
Violence Frequent onscreen graphic shooting, punching, and kicking.
Language Fairly mild ("bitch," "damn").
Message
	Social Behavior The main characters catch terrorists and arms dealers. The bad guys are sometimes glamorized.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Characters use sometimes use alcohol and "knock out" drugs to catch villains.

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