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I'll admit, upon first viewing this season I was somewhat dissapointed. The stand-alones seemed undeeded in a place where we could have used a greater story arc.
However, once I purchased this DVD set I quickly realized the stand-alones, which I had at one time dissliked, were not that useless at all. Each episode contained at least one clue as to what was building up for the rest of the season.
Many episodes in this set shine as some of my all time favorite episodes of the seires. "Nocturne" was a brilliantly executed glimpse into the subconscious of Sydney Bristow.
"Tuesday" was a hilarious - yet subsequently dramatic - episode which focused on a fan favorite character, Marshall Flinkman.
"In dreams..." was Jennifer Garner's directorial debeut, and quite an impressive one. The episode shed light on Sloanes past, including the truth about Jaqulin ... a mystery which was brought up weeks earlier in the also excellent "Another Mr.Sloane".
Possibly the season's (and series') best episode was "Mirage", in which Sydney used the guise of her mother to guid the dreams of father Jack (the always outstanding Victor Garber).
As per usualy, the season went out with a bang in the episode "Before the flood" - Sydney gives an answer to Vaughn's proposal, Irina (Guest star, Lena Olin - an Alias Emmy nominee)tortures sister Elena, Nadia becomes infected with a deadly mind-altering illness, and Sloane's true loyalties are revealed. But still nothing compares to the immaculate final moments, in which Vaughn (Michael Vartan) divuldges a deadly secret to Sydney ... one that will change her life forever. And just when we think we've gotten our cliff-hanger moment a shocking twist is thrown at us in the seasons stunning final seconds.
Having been nominated for 4 Emmy's and having won a Golden Globe & Screen Actors Guild Award, it was a sure thing that Jennifer would shine this season - and she did. Garner is undoubtably one of - if not THE - most versitile actress' on telivision. She perfectly protrays CIA agent Sydney Bristow as she lives a life of intruige and espionage. At every turn Syd encounters a deadly family secret or discovers an equaly deadly terror plot, and Garner pulls the role off with such grace and depth that it's almost impossible not to be sucked in.
While action and adventure are a must-have in each episode, it is the heart-wrenching drama that keeps true fans hooked. Season four deals with redemption, death, lies, secrets and a slew of unpredictable familial issues (A father who will stop at nothing to protect his daughter, a mother who has tried to kill her daughter, half-sisters who discovered eachother 30 years after birth ... )
The directing is great, the ensamble cast is flawless and each episode is packed full of tears, laughter and great twists. Guest stars inclued; Joel Grey, Angela Basset, Issabella Rosellini, Lena Olin and former series regular David Anders (amoung others). Theres music by U2 ("Bad"), Jet ("Cold Hard bitch", "Are you gunna be my girl?"), Sarah McLachlan ("World on fire") and the fantastic use of Bob Dylans "Lay Lady Lay" as the season comes to a close.
So whats not to like?
Alright, there is ONE thing. "The Road Home", an episode with no real point. Sydney meets a guy named Sam while on a mission (No point). Jack strangled a guy (No point), and Vaughn got some usless info about his father.
Besides that though, I would put this season up with the first two - one of televisions best. A must have for any true Alias fan.
It's Ok For A "Spy Opera"
Taking any single season of Alias into account, one's left with the idea that this is a fairly OK show. The minute you throw another season into the mix you realize that Alias is mostly pretty bad - suffering from a multitude of flaws that are impossible to overcome.
Alias wants to pass itself off as a serious show but doesn't want to do any of the heavy lifting that is required in keeping a multi-season show serious. Most of the problem seems to be that the first season introduced a cast that succeeded in pulling the show off and now the producers don't want to change that cast-formula. The result is that characters, which logically should have been out of the series two seasons ago, keep coming back via progressively absurd plot devices. Subsequently the audience is forced to watch the same conflict arguments between main characters over and over and over again every couple of episodes.
Another problem has to do with the writers introducing genuinely compelling ideas and plot twists and then completely dropping them, unresolved. More than once the audience is left sitting three episodes later thinking, "Hey! What ever happened to.....?" Some of these unresolved plots go on for several episodes before they mysteriously disappear.
Probably the biggest problem in the series has to do with everyone involved in the show being lazy and re-using the same directorial choices over and over again. Each season seems to have at least one or two "Climax at the start then cut to 3 days earlier" episodes. And how many times do we need to see the female characters strutting their stuff, slow-motion, through some posh or grungy night club before THAT gets old?
Also, the writers fall back on the "Brief mission. Start mission. Screw up mission. Save screwed up mission" formula far too often.
On a personal level, I don't find Garner a believable actor or sympathetic character but many of the actors around her are excellent and make up for her weakness.
Back on Track
Things are once again changing in Sydney's world. She has been recruited to join a new black ops unit of the CIA. Called APO (short for Authorized Personnel Only), Syd's thrilled to be part of the exclusive team. Until she meets her new boss. Sloan has not only been pardoned, but he's in charge of the new unit. On the plus side, all her friends are part of the team, which means she'll have lots of help making sure Sloan is really on the up and up. Also joining them is Sydney's half sister Nadia. Their missions, while dangerous, seem fairly routine, until hints begin to emerge that there is a greater danger afoot. Is Sloan up to his old Rimbaldi tricks? Or is someone from Sydney and Nadia's family tree behind the trouble?
After season three, I was hoping the show would get back on track, and with this season it did. The set-up feels a little too much like they were trying to recreate the first season magic, and that's just not going to happen. But they did do a good job of telling great stories over the course of the season.
Many fans didn't like the first third, which were mainly stand alone episodes with hints of a plot thread moving through them. Personally, I found them just as engrossing as the regular episodes. By the mid point of the season, things are beginning to gel with the storyline about Vaughn's father taking the forefront. The last third was another can't miss thrill ride that ended with the end of the world - almost - and the best cliffhanger of the series. Although I really wish they'd dump the Rimbaldi storyline already. That's the one aspect of the show I've never liked.
This six disc set continues the great season DVD sets this series has already been given. All twenty-two episodes are presented in full surround and wide screen, looking better then originally aired. Four episodes get commentaries by members of the cast and crew, which are always fun and informative. There are the usual deleted scenes and bloopers as well as a profile of new cast member Mia Maestro, an interview with Jennifer Garner, director's diary, info on Marshall's gadgets, and other behind the scenes featurettes.
While I don't think this show will ever regain the magic of its first season, this season was still well worth watching. In many ways, it could stand alone, although watching from the first episode would certainly help understand all the relationships and nuances. This is still one of my favorite TV shows currently on the air.
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DVD's
A splended, unpredictable family drama 
It's Ok For A "Spy Opera" 
