Seven Reasons Why Alias Was Good

Alias, the TV drama on ABC, aired its last episode on Monday night. I for one will miss it. Although the plot lines could be uneven, the following list describes why it was a good show.

Number 1: Wigs. According to an interview with Jennifer Garner, aka Sydney Bristow, the costume department housed a collection of "thousands of dollars of wigs." The name of the show is Alias, so it's not surprising that they would use wigs, but the hair was always over-the-top... several times they helped to disguise Sydney as a cool club kid with orange hair, usually at an Eastern European bar blaring techno music.

Number 2: Sark. The best name for an evil-doer in a long time -- sounds like shark, snark, dark, etc.

Number 3: Gadgets. There's Q in the James Bond movies and MacGyver on TV, but in my opinion no one rivals Marshall, the brainiac behind crafty devices including a parabolic microphone shaped like a purse, a voice recorder in a necklace and a sleeping disc that knocks you out on contact.

Number 4: They're spies! How often do you get to imagine the covert missions that go on at the CIA? The characters use code names, handlers, speak several (ok every) languages, diffuse bombs, parachute out of planes, unlock safes, torture people, scale buildings, drive helicopters and pummel anyone who gets in their way.

Number 5: Cool computers. The special ops team on this show can do anything with a basic PC. They use satellites to pinpoint locations, open secure doors, review blueprints, shut off alarm systems, analyze facial features for matches with known criminals. You name it, they can do it.

Number 6: Nostalgia. I was initially attracted to this show for sentimental reasons. It reminded me of my favorite '70s series, Charlie's Angels with Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Jacklyn Smith. Like Sydney, the Angels would go deep undercover joining the rodeo, the circus and the like to catch the crooks.

Number 7: Evil clones. Sydney's DNA was replicated. Her roommate was replaced by a doppelganger. One of my favorite scenes is when Syd calls her father (also a spy) and says, "Dad, I have bad news... I've been doubled!"