Alias (TV Series) A Free Agent (2003) User Reviews

Legally, he's right. Ethically, he's an ass

[gridoon2024 · 8/10 · 7 November 2009]

Sydney thinks about quitting the CIA, when she receives a phone call from Sloane at home, warning her not to come after him. The next day she learns that Sark, apparently still working for Sloane, has kidnapped a geometrist (guest star Christian Slater) and his family. Moreover, the CIA has not located any Rambaldi artifacts in the Alliance facilities, which makes them think that Sloane has moved them to a new location. Sydney feels it is her duty to participate in the hunt for Sloane, and with the help of the CIA's newest asset, Marshall, they all begin tracking Sloane's steps after he disappeared. A well-balanced episode, mixing action (another good Sydney fight, ending with the grisliest death so far, though it's kept mostly off-screen), drama (Dixon's realization that he has been deceived and used all these years makes him bitter and causes problems in his marriage; Carl Lumbly's acting is strong), comedy (Marshall, unlike Dixon, has few problems adjusting to his new environment and soon he is his usual happy-go-lucky self), detecting (sure it's a great coincidence that the tech guy that Sloane shot just happened to be half-blind and had a camera in his left eye (!) - but would you prefer it if they had lost his tracks forever?), and suspense. My only complaint: why use a big name like Christian Slater for such a minor part? Ethan Hawke got a much better deal in the previous episode. *** out of 4.

Sloane is back in the game

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 9 April 2012]

Having helped bring down SD-6 and the rest of The Alliance Sydney is ready to leave the CIA and get on with a normal life; although if she does she will lose the right to visit her mother. That soon becomes a moot point however as she receives a call from Sloane telling her how he had engineered the destruction of The Alliance and warning her to stay away from him. Sloane has also arranged for Sark to kidnap mathematician Neil Caplan and his family in order to force him to assemble a Rambaldi device made up of various components he had acquired over the years. In order to do this Sloane will have to steal a device from a bank vault in Switzerland. By the time Sloane has got to the bank Sydney and Vaughn are on his trail thanks to help from Marshall who is now working for the CIA.

This was another gripping episode and it is a mark of the series quality that they managed to get a big name actor like Christian Slater to play Caplan; it wasn't a big part but I'm sure we'll be seeing more of the character in the next episode at least. Fan's of Kevin Weisman's portrayal of former SD-6 Tech-wizard Marshall Flinkman will be pleased to learn that he is now working for the CIA so won't be leaving the series; at this point it is impossible to tell whether or not Carl Lumbly will be staying on as Marcus Dixon; his character is still highly conflicted and his wife isn't keen on him working for the CIA... it would be a pity if he did leave as he has done a great job so far. As is so often the case Ron Rifkin's portrayal of Sloane is great; he may be an evil man but I'm glad he escaped the CIA's net as he is a great villain. The episode contains some great action including a scene where a henchman goes through an aircraft's propeller; it may be a little cliché but it is entertaining in a bad taste sort of way!