If not the acting, then the writing is the most important thing that makes a television show work. Without quality words for those actors to yell out at the top of their lungs, there is nothing. One of my favorite parts of Alias are the smart-ass puns and the irony that resonates throughout the show. I couldn’t find one, so I started my own comprehensive quote history....
Season One Quotes Plot Discrepancies
While in New York City, some street vendor in Soho yells at me, “Hey, would you like to buy a movie script?” Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to look, I flipped through his piles to find some interesting items, the pilot of Alias among them. Of course, I whipped $15 dollars out and smacked it in his hand. It provided lovely reading on the 2 hours flight home... [series & stand alone fiction]-[alias quotes]-[links]-[big fat disclaimer!!]-[home]
Season Two Quotes
Here is the initial description of each main character. They are all copied DIRECTLY from the script I bought, an early draft of the pilot.
“CLOSE-UP of a WOMAN’S FACE
In SLOW MOTION – she’s scared to death, eyes wide, looking right at us. Her DYED RED HAIR an ethereal aura because she’s underwater – being held underwater.
We study the fear in her eyes – more than fear, actually, it’s shock. Shock at the certainty that she’s about to die.
This is SYDNEY BRISTOW, 26, and unless things turn around real soon, the world’s about to lose a hero.”
“SYDNEY and DANNY, 28, walk across the campus lawn, backpacks slung over shoulders. Danny’s in scrubs and long white coat, on hospital break. Handsome and low-key, he seems a bit preoccupied.”
“FRANCIE, Sydney’s best friend, 26, stands in the apartment doorway, ogling Sydney’s engagement-ringed hand.”
Dixon was originally:
“Sydney walks swiftly down the cubicle alleys, arriving at AGENT LARRY HIRSCH’s desk. He’s 45, currently talking into his headset, ending an endless call in perfect Hebrew.”
“MUSIC STOPS AS WE DOLLY AROUND the conference table in the darkened room as Sydney and Hirsch are addressed by 50 year-old branch director ARVIN SLOANE. Another dark suit. He wears glasses, which reflect the images displayed on the wall-mounted flat-screen monitor. Currently, a black and white MUG SHOT of a 40ish, ragged-looking MAN.”
“The other guy sitting here is MARSHALL. Oddly, he’s a mess. Scraggly facial hair and a mullet cut. He wears a vest over an old black Motley Crew T-shirt, rounded by his pot belly. He just sits there, checked out…
Sloane nods to Marshall, who comes to life. Relatively speaking. When he moves, it’s slow, and when he speaks, it’s without much force. He’s sort of an idiot savant. The overall impression is that his brain’s fried from years of severe drug use.”
Will was originally:
“Sydney completes her run with CLAY GIBBONS, her good-looking ‘guy friend.’ He almost asked Sydney out years earlier… but didn’t. A week later, she met Danny. His lifelong regret. Suffice it to say, Francie was right about this guy.”
“Hours later, Sydney sits there, waiting, drained. Finally the door opens and the CIA Agent enters, sits across from her. By the way, he’s a very handsome guy, 33 years old, and his name’s AGENT VAUGHN…
Beat. Agent Vaughn nods. We can tell: he likes her.”
