Common Sense Media Review
Smart action drama with a strong female lead.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
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Alias
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say that this show is a thrilling experience with strong action and intriguing plots, enjoyed by a wide range from ages 9 to 50. However, parents should be aware of its violence and mild sexual content, which makes it more suitable for pre-teens and teens, depending on their maturity levels.
- action-packed
- strong characters
- content advisory
- suitable for teens
- viewer's maturity
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
ALIAS follows the adventures of Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), a double agent working for the CIA. 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.
Is It Any Good?
This series 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. But there's 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 the series lost a bit of momentum as it headed toward its conclusion, Alias is still a uniquely well-written, well-acted action drama with more psychological depth than nearly every other show on television.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Alias. How is violence in 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?
How do the characters in Alias demonstrate courage? Why is this an important character strength?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 30, 2001
- Cast : Jennifer Garner , Michael Vartan , Victor Garber
- Networks : ABC , Syndicated
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Courage
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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