12 TV Shows That Don't Live Up To Great Premises

When it started out, Alias was a taught spy thriller, bringing Hollywood quality action and intrigue to the small screen. Created by J.J Abrams and starring Jennifer Garner, a slimy Ron Rifkin, and a pre-superstardom Bradley Cooper, the early years of Alias had a neat premise – Garner as a double agent in too deep – and the kind of high wire plotting that keeps you coming back.

Unfortunately, things got a little bit daft around midway through the show. The series’ villain, Arvin Sloan, was obsessed with a Renaissance-era figure who he believed had discovered the key to immortality. As this became increasingly prominent, Alias took a bizarre swing into sci-fi and even fantasy territory.

It wasn’t bad so much as a bit of a jolting change of pace. The first few years of Alias were all about espionage, hidden identities and secrets. The final season was dedicated primarily to a strange fetch quest that never seemed to mesh with the earlier days of the show.

Many aspects were strong throughout, and there’s nothing wrong with trying to freshen things up, but the fantastical elements were a little much.