10 Great Episodes of ‘Alias’ to Stream

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Like a falling star that burned bright for a brief moment and then faded into the night sky, J.J. Abrams’s spy serial Alias enjoyed two seasons of sky-high critical and fan acclaim, before plunging back to Earth in its final three years. How forgettable did the show become by the end of its run? Well, this weekend marks the 10th anniversary of the show’s 2006 series finale and we challenge you to recall a single thing about how the twisty saga of double (or maybe triple?) agent, Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) ended. Even in its later, lesser years, though, Alias still managed to recapture its youthful magic in a handful of episodes. To celebrate this decade without Alias, here’s a 10-episode binge-watch playlist — two episodes from each season — you can assemble from the show’s current home on Netflix. These installments highlight why we stuck with the show even after it vanished down its own rabbit… um, make that Rambaldi hole.

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“The Box” Parts 1 and 2 (Season 1, Episodes 12 and 13)
Let’s be clear: Almost every episode in Alias’s stellar first year was a two-parter, because Abrams made a point of always ending on a breathless cliffhanger that left you wanting the next chapter right away. (And remember, this was back in the days before binge viewing was a thing, which meant having to wait a week between episodes or waiting until the whole season was on DVD.) But “The Box” was an official double-sized episode that boasted a big-name guest star as the bad guy: superstar director (and less-than-superstar actor) Quentin Tarantino. His presence, plus the limited setting and expansive runtime — the whole thing takes place almost entirely within the confines of SD-6, the fake branch of the CIA that Sydney works for and then against — makes the whole thing feel like a Reservoir Dogs sequel in Alias clothing.

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“Almost Thirty Years” (Season 1, Episode 22)
Fair warning: You’re going to be seeing a lot of season finales on this list, because Alias knew how to end on a strong note, even when the middle bars got muddy. (That makes the fact that they whiffed the series finale all the more surprising.) Season 1 started that tradition with a high-stakes hour that climaxed with Sydney coming face-to-face with the biggest threat she’s faced yet: her mother, Irina.

“Phase One” (Season 2, Episode 13)
Alias used its post-Superbowl slot to essentially reboot the entire series, wiping out SD-6 and shaking up almost all of the pre-existing relationships. It’s like a series finale for longtime fans and a pilot for newbies. And it kicks butt either way.

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“The Telling” (Season 2, Episode 22)
Speaking of cliffhangers, Season 2 ends on a doozy: “Since that night, you’ve been missing for almost two years.” So says Sydney’s on-again, off-again spy lover, Vaughn (Michael Vartan), just before the episode cuts to black. And we thought there was no way the finale could top the bruising fight between Syd and Evil Francie that happened moments before.

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“Remnants” (Season 3, Episode 10)
Bradley Cooper’s path to stardom started with Alias, but the actor hasn’t been shy about expressing his disdain for his role as Syd’s best friend (and secret admirer) Will Tippin. After requesting that he be written out during Season 2, he nevertheless returned for a one-episode guest spot in the show’s third year, and we were as happy to see him again as Sydney.

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“Resurrection” (Season 3, Episode 22)
If Season 3 taught us anything, it’s that you should never be the person who comes between Sydney and Vaughn. Poor Melissa George had to serve as the “One True Love” spoiler that year, playing Vaughn’s new wife, Lauren Reed. With fans instantly poised to hate her anyway, the writers made that easier by revealing her to be a double agent working against her husband. Like Poochie the dog, Lauren is unceremoniously dispatched back to her home planet (re: six feet under) in the season finale, a satisfying end to an often-frustrating season.

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“The Orphan” (Season 4, Episode 12)
The revelation that Sydney had a half-sister — Argentinian agent Nadia (Mía Maestro) — was an eye-rolling development from a narrative standpoint, and one of many signs that Alias was running out of gas. But against the odds, we grew to kinda like Nadia, especially after learning her backstory in this well-done origin episode.

“Mirage” (Season 4, Episode 18)
Jack Bristow aka Spy Daddy (Victor Garber) takes the lead in a showcase hour that messes with his memory, transporting him back to the early ‘80s. Bonus points for casting Michael McKean as the doctor who holds the answer to Spy Daddy’s condition.

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“The Horizon” (Season 5, Episode 9)
To quote the Lonely Island, Sydney’s on a boat! And Irina put her there to be mind-probed! Thanks, Mom.

“Reprisal” (Season 5, Episode 16)
There’s a lot of place setting in Alias’s penultimate episode, with Sydney’s current headquarters being destroyed and another key Rambaldi device being uncovered. But all the set-up turns out to be far more satisfying than the series finale follow-through.

All five seasons of Alias are currently streaming on Netflix.