Alias- News Archive Part 2

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tapped Alias badass Jennifer Garner to host its annual Scientific and Technical Awards (aka the Sci-Tech Oscars) on Feb. 14. For her troubles, Garner gets to attend the actual Oscar ceremony on Feb. 29 and present the Sci-Tech segment.

FOX took its third straight hour at 9 p.m. as the end of the Panthers' win gave the network a 19.6/28. NBC moved up to second with the 8.0/12 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." CBS was third with the beginning of the movie "Double Jeopardy." ABC was fourth with the 4.7/7 for "Alias," topping the 2.3/3 for The WB's "Surreal Life."

Pity poor Urkel and Screech. Clearly, they were born at the wrong time. Today's TV geeks are such a far cry from the walking punch lines of yore, we're laughing with them more often than at them. And how's this for progress? Some — like Everybody Loves Raymond's unlikely newlywed, Robert Barone — even get the girl. Read on and see for yourself: The tube's new breed of geeks has made it hip to be square.

Seth Cohen, The O.C.:Though his own mom has called this green wallflower a late bloomer, it wasn't long before he put away his toy horse to sow his own wild oats. After all, in the span of a Summer (pun intended), the Chrismukkah elf went from Newport's Most Unwanted to the guy atop two — count 'em, two! — hotties' to-do lists.

Marshall J. Flinkman, Alias: Apparently, the CIA's resident computer nerd knows how to push buttons on more than his PC. His crush, Sydney Bristow, was as shocked as we were to discover that, during her two years MIA, the average Joe had not only gotten himself a sweetheart — fellow operative Carrie Bowman — he'd gotten her pregnant!

Luke Foley, American Dreams: Over on NBC's 1960s-set drama, the times, they are a-changin'. Boy-crazy Roxanne Bojarski got her Dylan-loving, Beatles-bashing record-store coworker to doff his Coke-bottle glasses for a mod makeover. Ever since, the newly groovy dude had to look no further for a date than, of all people, her!

Fred Burkle, Angel: Despite her ability to solve physics problems in her head, Wolfram & Hart's mousy mathlete never comes up with the loneliest number. Since being rescued from an alternate dimension, she's divided two colleagues simply by factoring them into her lineup of suitors, and bewitched winsome Willow to boot.

Kirk Gleason, Gilmore Girls: This season, Stars Hollow's ultimate fifth wheel is on a roll. First, portrayer Sean Gunn got his props as an addition to the series' opening credits. Then, the jack-of-all-trades announced — with trademark subtlety — that his companion at a town meeting wasn't just another date, she was a significant other.

Luke Girardi, Joan of Arcadia: It's a miracle — Joan's kid brother pulled his nose out of his textbooks long enough to develop chemistry with androgynous lab partner Grace Polk. We suspect there's divine intervention afoot, but regardless, since he got himself a kiss, we'd say the honor-roll student deserves another A — this one for achievement.

"Kill Bill" co-star Vivian Fox and her fast-talking director Quentin Tarantino will guest star on ABC's "Alias," two of a slew of high profile cameos on ABC shows planned for the next two sweeps periods.

In the Sunday, Feb. 15 episode titled "After Six," Fox will play a rogue security system designer.

Astute "Alias" viewers may have been expecting the Tarantino appearance. The "Pulp Fiction" Oscar winner and sometime thespian appeared in the two-part episode "The Box" during the show's first season, playing McKenna Cole, a former SD-6 agent turned freelance rogue. The character's employers and motives remained somewhat ambiguous.

During Sunday night's (Jan. 11) episode "Full Disclosure," Jennifer Garner's Sydney Bristow finally uncovered many of the secrets of the missing two years of her life. During the episode, Tarantino made an unaccredited voice cameo that should serve as foreshadowing for his future appearance.

Tarantino's appearance in "After Six" is described as relatively small, closer to a cameo.

ABC also announced that "Home Improvement" star Jonathan Taylor Thomas will return to the network to do a three-episode arc on "8 Simple Rules" starting in February.

Fellow Tuesday night comedy "I'm with Her" will welcome Brooke Shields as a rival to Teri Polo's Alex Young. The series is somewhat based on Shields' relationship with the show's creator, Chris Hunch. The series will also feature Penny Marshall and Joan and Melissa Rivers for an Oscar-themed episode. "Station Agent" star Peter Dink age and Cyril Shepherd are set for future appearances as well.

Seth Green will drop by "Married to the Kelly's" and in May, Sandra Bullock will return to "George Lopez."

The Screen Actors Guild has nominated Jennifer Garner for her role as Sydnet Bristow in Alias. The SAG Awards will air on TNT Sunday, Feb. 22.

Female Actor in a Drama Series
Stockard Channing, "The West Wing," NBC
Frances Conroy, "Six Feet Under," HBO
Tyne Daly, "Judging Amy," CBS
Jennifer Garner, "Alias," ABC
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU," NBC
Allison Janney, "The West Wing," NBC

At opposite ends of the spectrum lie two of the most viscerally satisfying of TV experiences. On the one hand, there's that moment when some great plot twist is revealed, and you leap out of your easy chair, do a victory dance around the living room and shout, "I knew it. I knew it." Then there's the other moment, when your jaw drops open, you shout, "No way" and clasp your hands over your mouth.

Depending on how good a guesser you are -- or how assiduously you seek spoilers on the Internet -- the Sunday, Jan. 11, episode of ABC's spy drama "Alias" may offer thrills from one extreme to the other.

Called "Full Disclosure" and written by series co-producer Jesse Alexander, it sets out to answer -- if not once and for all, at least for the moment -- what happened to CIA agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) during the two-year gap in her memory. In last season's finale, after a bone-crushing fight, Sydney woke up two years later in Hong Kong, thinking it was just the next day. Very quickly she learned otherwise.

Most shocking was the revelation that her love, CIA agent Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan), thinking she was dead, had met and married NSC agent Lauren Reed (Melissa George).

It's been a tangled trail this season, as Sydney has traversed the world and the inner workings of her own subconscious in search of answers about the evil Covenant, her alter-ego Julia Thorne, the enigmatic room "47" and the mysterious scar on her belly.

Some TV shows might have teased all season before answering big questions like these, but "Alias" creator J.J. Abrams just couldn't wait that long.

"It felt like at this moment in the show, the midpoint of the year, that we had this story that this allows us to tell," he says. "It sends the story in a direction that we needed to go. There's nothing more frustrating to me than shows or movies that raise provocative questions only to abandon you, like, 'Go talk about it and figure it out.'

"That's not to say that you always want all the answers. Part of the fun is not getting all the answers, filling in the blanks yourself to some degree.

"But I feel, if you don't provide viewers with some concrete specifics, they start to get disinterested and feel, 'Oh, it's a lot of hot air, smoke and mirrors,' and not pay attention.

"You have to reward your fans."

This is nothing new for Abrams, who upended the show's original double-agent premise partway through its second season, in a big episode that aired after the Super Bowl. Then he did it again in last season's finale. But however the circumstances within the show change, the fundamental theme remains the same, the idea of having an "Alias." It's no different in "Full Disclosure."

"That was always the idea," Abrams says, "the issue of identity and the question of, 'How's Sydney going to figure out ultimately who she is, where does she come from, what's her destiny?' That, to us, is always very interesting."

The show's large revolving cast of characters and inherent complexity -- with shifting family ties, multiple identities, undercover guises and fabulously rococo mysteries -- can be off-putting to novice viewers, who may feel like they need a reference book to keep up. Luckily, for those willing to invest the time and money, the current fad for DVD boxed sets of TV shows is there to help. The first season of "Alias" came out in early September; the second was released in December.

"If people are watching it only on DVD," Abrams says, "that's fine with me."

"Full Disclosure" ends with a moment that could elicit either or both of the two reactions mentioned above. Asked what he hopes for, Abrams says, "I hope people feel that rush of possibility of what comes next.

"Although there are some new questions that are posed, and there's a big twist at the end, the thing that was the most fun for me on this story is it's finally allowed us to tie together these many loose ends. If you've been watching the show and trying to figure it out, this show really does answer so many of the questions and then it raises others.

"To me, it feels like a crucial tent-pole episode for the year, that everything was building to this moment. Then there's this roller coaster because of it, this ride we're going to be on until the end of the year."

Following the startling revelations of last season's finale, fans are no doubt waiting to see how Abrams will top that this year -- and he's even starting to scare himself.

"As we've been talking through ways to take the idea that we have for the end, there have been some ideas recently that are so extreme that if we actually dare to do some of these things, we'd have to be really careful that we don't cross the line.

"Our audience is, for better or worse, really smart. They dissect and analyze in a way that they can sense when something isn't working right. Some of these ideas are so wild that how we execute them is ultimately as important as the ideas themselves."

Also, fans of Sydney's enigmatic espionage nemesis, the cold-hearted Brit Julian Sark (David Anders), have something to look forward to a couple of weeks down the line.

"David Anders must have sold his soul, he's so good," Abrams says. "He's been very patient this year in his role, and his story line amps up in a huge way.

"Wait until you see where his story goes. Starting, I believe, in episode 13, it's huge for Sark. I can't wait to see David pull it off. He is a genius. He is an amazing talent."

The producers of regularly scheduled series "Alias", "C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation", "Six Feet Under", "24" and "The West Wing", were nominated for drama programs.

The Producers Guild winners will be named on January 17.

The star of "Alias" is happy to be home for the holidays.

Jennifer Garner is spending the Christmas season away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and in the town where she was raised. This year, she brought a new family member — her 7-month-old Labrador retriever named Martha Stewart.

"I spend all year waiting to come home," Garner said in an interview with WCHS-TV in Charleston. "I can't wait to go to (a Charleston bookstore) and have my first latte. ... I was raised by the community. I still feel very loved. It's so comforting to be home. I feel like I could come home and sit in a hundred different laps and be taken care of."

Garner, who gained fame as Agent Sydney Bristow on the ABC television series, was nominated for a Golden Globe for best actress in a drama. She won her first Golden Globe in 2002.

The awards gala is Jan. 11 in Palm Springs, Calif.

Garner, 31, said she never wanted to be a star.

"I wanted to be a doctor, a librarian. ... (Acting) wasn't possible to me," she said. "The more I learned what there was to learn about this field, the more hungry I became for it. It comes out of wanting to learn more, as opposed to `I want to be a star.' I never felt that way."

Garner was born in Texas but moved to Charleston and graduated from George Washington High School in 1990.

When ABC relaunches its ratings-challenged gem, Karen Sisco, in March, Carla Gugino's U.S. Marshal will mix a little pleasure with her business. "There will be a romantic story [involving] someone from her past," reports exec producer Bob Brush, who also plans to "set up more conflict between Karen and her dad (Robert Forster)... [all] to put her through some emotional journeys." ABC is sending Sisco on a trip as well: The network is expected move the show to Sunday nights, where it will be paired with fellow tough-chick drama Alias. Predicts Brush: "[They'll] be great together."

Alias' motherless Sydney is about to get the next best thing: An aunt.

Film star Isabella Rossellini will play the sister of Jennifer Garner's MIA TV mom in a multiple-episode arc of the ABC spy series, E! Online TV columnist Kristin Veitch reported Tuesday.

The Rossellini casting comes in the wake of the Lena Olin departure.

Olin costarred on the series last season as Irina Derevko, Sydney Bristow's mysterious, KGB-affiliated maternal unit. To date, the actress has resisted producers' best efforts--financial and otherwise--to get her to reup for more casework. Her character was last seen bungee-cord jumping off a building.

No word on what acrobatic feats will be required of Rossellini. But Veitch's on-set source said the aunt character may enjoy a romantic entanglement with Sydney's father, Jack, played by Victor Garber.

Like Olin, Rossellini is a middle-aged European star, better known for screen time than prime time. The Swedish-born Olin, 47, came to Alias with a rsum highlighted by the likes of The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Enemies: A Love Story.

The Italian-born Rossellini, the 51-year-old daughter of Casablanca legend Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini, is best known for 1986's Blue Velvet. She also served as the longtime face of Lancome cosmetics.

Alias could use a touch-up itself. A critical favorite that has generated bigger buzz than ratings since its 2001 premiere, the series finished a lackluster 62nd place, with 8.6 million viewers, for the TV week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research. For the season to date, the show is averaging 9.1 million viewers.

Polished fashionistas like Jennifer Aniston— who plays a Ralph Lauren staffer on "Friends" — and the makeover crew on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" were singled out for having top tresses in a recent celebrity hair survey.

To determine the year's best and worst in hair, Wella conducted unscientific surveys after the MTV Video Music Awards, the Emmys and the American Music Awards.

Aniston won best overall hair and best highlights, while other TV stars won some other categories: "Miss Match" star Alicia Silverstone's golden locks earned top honors, Jennifer Garner of "Alias" was named best brilliant brunette and "Will & Grace's" Debra Messing was called the most ravishing redhead.

The only pop star to rate a "best" rating was Britney Spears, who was named best blond bombshell along with Pamela Anderson. Christina Aguilera and Pink made Wella's list, but in a "worst" category. Aguilera's "Dirrty" black mane and Pink's streaks were named worst female hair color. Rounding out the "worst" category was red carpet interviewer and E! host Melissa Rivers, who was singled out for the worst red carpet hair.

When it came to the men, the Wella results were mixed. Besides the "Queer Eye" cast, "best" hair honors went to stringy-haired rocker Kid Rock and actor Rob Lowe. For worst male hair, respondents singled out Justin Timberlake as the star they'd like to see with longer hair and Tim McGraw and Adam Sandler as the celebrities who should stop hiding their hair under hats.

The 61st Annual Golden Globe Award nomination were announced Thursday, December 18. And Alias got a grand total of 1.

Best Actress, Drama Series:
Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under
Jennifer Garner, Alias
Allison Janney (news), The West Wing
Joely Richardson, Nip/Tuck
Amber Tamblyn, Joan of Arcadia

Congratulations Jennifer!

At 9 p.m., NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" scored a 9.9/14 to knock FOX from the top spot. CBS moved up to second with the beginning of the People's Choice Awards, while FOX took third with the 6.3/9 average for "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Arrested Development." On ABC, "Alias" had a 5.4/8 for fourth, beating the 3.1/5 season premiere for The WB's "Surreal Life."

At 9 p.m., the CBS movie "The Christmas Shoes" averaged 8.3/13 to hold off NBC's "Titanic," 7.8/12. FOX stayed in third with a "Malcolm in the Middle" repeat, 4.9/8, and a new "Arrested Development," 4.1/6. ABC slipped some with its "Alias" repeat, while a second hour of "Charmed" improved slightly on The WB.

Melissa George, who plays NSC agent Lauren Reed in the Sunday-night ABC spy drama "Alias," is a little groggy this morning, but brightens when she talks about what kept her up the previous night.

She was shooting a scene with co-star Jennifer Garner, who plays CIA agent Sydney Bristow. Sydney is the ex-girlfriend of Lauren's husband, CIA agent Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan). Sydney lost her memory for two years, and when she woke up in Hong Kong, she discovered Michael had gotten married, thinking she was dead. Then she learned she'd been going by the name of Julia and killed people. But, that's "Alias."

Anyway, George says, "We were kicking bad guys. It was really, really cool, and I actually -- you'll be the first to know this -- I put Jennifer through a wall, by accident. They were like, 'You come on this show, and in your first fighting scene ever, you put her through the wall!'

"I didn't hurt her. I just said, 'It's Jennifer's muscles. They're so defined and strong, that she's the one that did it.' It was just all out of hand."

It's not the first time that the 27-year-old Australian has played a tough chick on U.S. television. The same year as "Alias" premiered, George began a brief tenure on the critically praised but short-lived ABC action-drama "Thieves," with John Stamos, playing one of a pair of high-class thieves.

She recalls, "I did a stunt in the pilot for 'Thieves,' rappelling down the side of a building, 75 feet up. John and I were in a harness, and we were running vertically down the building, wearing gloves. The heat from the rope burnt through my gloves, and I was in stiletto boots. It was awesome."

Then, when the call came from "Alias" creator J.J. Abrams, George was hard at work in the two-hour season premiere of The WB's "Charmed," playing the scantily leather-clad queen of the Valkyries.

"While I was working on that, I got 'Alias,'" George says. "I was in my warrior outfit talking to J.J., saying, 'Really? I got the job? You have no idea what I look like right now.'"

Although she's a longtime "Alias" fan, George confesses to have had purely personal thoughts when news of Vaughn's marriage came out in last season's finale.

"I was saying to myself, 'I wonder who the wife is.' Isn't that great? As an actress in L.A., you're thinking, 'Who's going to get the role?' It's just bizarre how things work out sometimes."

A successful actress in her native land, George got her U.S.-television break playing Molly, a character in the short-lived Fox series "Roar," which shot in Australia. Then the show's creator, Shaun Cassidy, cast her in his pilot with Wes Craven, "Hollyweird," which brought George to Los Angeles. That show never made it on the air, but George had a foothold in the business.

"Everything's meant to be," she says. "It hurt at the time. 'Roar' did a lot of things for everybody. Shaun, he's loyal. He's the one who brought me to the States. I thank him for everything."

George also was part of the original cast of the recently axed NBC version of the BBC's "Coupling," playing Susan, the role later given to Rena Sofer.

"They just wanted to go for something entirely different," George says. "They messed it up."

From Ledger and Stamos to Vartan, George hasn't done badly with leading men on U.S. television. But even with all these hunks, her heart belongs to another.

"Doing all right, aren't I?" George says. "But my favorite was Tony Shalhoub, when I did an episode of 'Monk' called 'Monk Goes to the Theater.' We did 35 takes to get one shot done because he was laughing so hard at what I was doing. I was too scared to laugh because I thought, 'My God, if I take 35 takes, they'll kick me off the show!'

"We ended up having to do close-ups without each other in the shot, so we could actually get it done. Isn't that the most ridiculous thing ever? He kept saying to me, 'Thank you for making me laugh so much.' It was just a great time."

George currently shares her Malibu-area home with her husband and her stepdaughter, so that should put to bed any rumors started by her lesbian roles in "Mulholland Drive" and "Friends."

George recalls, "My brother called me and said, 'No, Melissa, no more lesbians on TV, in films! This is ridiculous.' I don't know. I guess they just want a woman who looks so unlike a lesbian, that could be a lesbian."

But there's plenty of girl bonding of other kinds on the "Alias" set, George says. "Jennifer is so cool, we're just two girls on the set now. We talk all sorts of recipes and Martha Stewart stuff. She loves Martha.

"We both are homebodies, in a way. You go and do CIA work, then you go home and have to do something normal."

When George talks about CIA work, she doesn't just mean sitting behind a desk sorting through satellite photographs or baby-sitting evil double-agent Sloane (Ron Rifkin). Lauren has now taken a page from globe-trotting Sydney's book and has headed out into the field.

"We did an amazing helicopter sequence the other day," she says. "Jennifer and I were running into this huge helicopter with Ron Rifkin. We took off in one shot, went around the city and came back. It was fantastic.

"We did it a few times. I was screaming, 'This is the best job ever!'"

CYBERSPATIAL ANOMALIES: For all the Melissa George news that's fit to post, visit her authorized Web site at www.melissageorge.co.uk.

So you've forgotten the past two years of your life. You're also a CIA spy surrounded by shifty foes. You need info! But who you gonna call? For Alias spy Sydney Bristow, the answer is her old buddy Will, who appears in Sunday's episode (9 pm/ET on ABC). And that means fan fave Bradley Cooper is back!

Whatever did happen to Will? Oh, that's right, he was dating Allison — that evil beeyotch who posed as Francie — and she did him wrong. "He's been tortured, he's been stabbed in the aorta by his girlfriend who turned out to be a double... I mean, come on. My man's been through some s---." And yet, Alias fans, he survived....

"He woke up in the bathtub and [there was] the fire and, as he came into consciousness, the CIA had arrived," Cooper explains. "They took him to the hospital and they saved his life." Next, he began a new life in Witness Protection in Wisconsin — where Syd comes after him, looking for answers to combat her amnesia.

As you may recall, Will's love for Syd was unrequited. But look for him to finally get some amorous action. Call it some very friendly comfort between old friends. Oh, by the way, Will — who's learned kickboxing — also has a violent reunion with his fake ex, Allison. Laughs Cooper: "As Evil Francie says at one point, 'I see you've grown a pair.' He definitely has toughened up."

Oh, and we have one last surprise to share. "Will has definitely shaved his head," Cooper says. "It was my idea. I got clippers and clipped my whole head. I told [Alias boss J.J. Abrams] afterwards. The fans'll probably f---ing hate it!"

That music in the background of Bradley Cooper's cell phone might be one of the many live performers on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, where the former "Alias" star is now strolling -- or perhaps not.

"I pay a band to follow me wherever I go," Cooper quips, "because I'm pretty famous, you know."

Apparently his fame has grown since the last appearance of his character, journalist Will Tippin, in last season's finale of the ABC espionage drama "Alias."

"More people stop me now than ever," Cooper says, "way more, saying, 'What the hell happened? Are you dead? Why aren't you back on the show?' I have to keep explaining to them, 'I'm not coming back. Sorry.'"

When last seen, Will was seemingly bleeding to death in a tub in CIA agent Sydney Bristow's (Jennifer Garner) apartment, where he'd been deposited by Allison (Merrin Dungey), the murderous DNA-altered double of Sydney's dead friend Francie.

By episode's end, Sydney and everyone else had been catapulted two years ahead in time, which everyone knew except Sydney, who lost a big chunk of memory. She did learn that Will had survived, and has been trying ever since to figure out where her lost two years went.

Although Cooper won't be rejoining the cast full-time, we do learn what happened to Will in those years, in "Remnants," the Sunday, Dec. 7, episode of "Alias," which also features Dungey and a guest appearance by director David Cronenberg ("Crash," "The Fly").

"Will has been in witness protection for two years in Wisconsin," Cooper says. "Sydney needs information to figure out who she was for two years, and Will has a piece of information that could help her figure out what the hell happened. So she has to go and get Will out of witness protection to help her find something out.

"So they go on a mission together."

Cooper says fans should prepare themselves for a very different Will Tippin. "He's a foreman for a construction company. Big change. He's incognito.

"He's wearing the big boots. He's not sporting the flannel. He's sporting the long undies. He looks much different, though. He shaved his head for one thing, just clipped it with the clippers."

When reminded that Allison's beau, the evil Sark (David Anders), has also gone for the super-short look this season, Cooper says, "I think he has his hair done. There's a big difference between Will putting the clippers to his head, and Sark. Sark has that hair cut with scissors, I'd say."

Although Cooper says he and his castmates are friends and keep in touch, "I hadn't seen the crew in eight months, and that was great. I'm still shooting. I've got three days left. It's been phenomenal. It's a big episode, so I get to work every day, which is great."

Asked if Will gets to see some action in "Remnants," Cooper says, "There's a little bit of juice going on, a little bit of sass."

Cooper says he was "sad to leave the show," but he's keeping busy. He did an episode of NBC's matchmaking romantic comedy "Miss Match" earlier this season, called "I Got You Babe."

"My character was in love with himself," Cooper says. "That was the dilemma."

Next up is "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks," a movie for ABC Family, shooting right now in Canada for a proposed January airdate. Cooper co-stars with Jason Priestley ("Beverley Hills 90210") and Emma Caulfield ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer").

"It's pretty great," Cooper says. "It's about these two guys who go from Boston to Los Angeles when they're 18 or 19, and then 10 years later, one guy, Jason, is a huge star, and the other guy, me, is his manager. But [the star's] career is on the skids.

"The manager concocts this scheme to do a reality show called 'I Want to Marry Ryan Banks,' to rejuvenate his career. It's a great script, well-written."

With casting for the new pilot season right around the corner, Cooper is eager to get back in the game -- depending on who's playing, that is.

"If it's right role and the right people, absolutely. The one thing I learned from doing 'Alias' and even 'Miss Match' is that, I'll tell you, you'd better love what you're doing, because you're going to be doing it for a while. It was a real lucky experience with 'Alias,' because everybody gets along and loves it each other. Ron Rifkin and I live in the same compound. It's just ridiculous."

Prodded for any more hints about his "Alias" episode, Cooper reveals, "I'll say one thing -- Will grows a pair. Let's just say that."

Ain't fame a beeyatch? Just look at Jennifer Garner. This 31-year-old actress has come far since playing mousy Hannah on Felicity. She spied her way to stardom in ABC's Alias, then confirmed her spot on Hollywood's A-list by doing Daredevil with Ben Affleck. On the downside, Garner faces the tabs and their relentless paparazzi, who salivate over her personal life — including her recent split from husband Scott Foley and subsequent hook-up with Alias leading man Michael Vartan — on a weekly basis. How rough is that?

"Luckily for me, most of the time, I'm here [on the Alias set]," she says. "It's very easy to live my life here, because this crew has been with me for three years. They really look after me emotionally, as well as taking care of my day-to-day physical needs."

Apart from the lovely paychecks, of course, it's Garner's bond with boss J.J. Abrams — who created Felicity and Alias — that made her sign on to play super-spy Sydney Bristow through 2007. "The main thing that starts with J.J. and works its way down is a familial atmosphere," she enthuses. "It was that way on Felicity as well. It's why people want to work with him again and again, and it's why he uses actors again and again, because he must believe in this kind of family setting...

"I've really leaned on this crew for support," she adds. "And as far as the photographers at my house, they've chilled out. Of course, I don't like it, but I wasn't ignorant [of the consequences] when I took the role. And the good so outweighs the bad. What are you gonna do?"

So despite the public breakup and all the messy fallout, Garner seems to have her head in the right place. "You know, life is good," she smiles. "My house is not on fire. It has been an incredibly hard year, but it's gonna be okay."

For more on Garner, pick up this week's issue of TV Guide magazine, on sale now.

November 24, 2003 -- "ALIAS" star Jennifer Garner is said to be interested in playing doomed debutante and Warhol muse Edie Sedgwick in the off-Broadway play "Andy and Edie." Playwright Peter Braunstein tells PAGE SIX: "Her people at the Endeavor agency called me and said she's interested. They want me to give her an audition." The chatty Braunstein says surgically enhanced Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson is "obsessed" with playing Sedgwick. "The idea of a millionaire decadent heiress playing another millionaire decadent heiress has a certain cache to it," he mused. "But we'll have to see if she can act." Another contender is Edie's gorgeous real-life niece, Misha Sedgwick. "She is total eye-candy, just like Edie," Braunstein raved. "But casting her in some surprise, smaller role might be the right move for her and for us." Already cast is Andrea Reese - who has been channeling Jackie O in the play "Cirque Jacqueline" - as legendary Vogue editrix Diana Vreeland. "Andy and Edie," set to open next May at the Milagro Theater on Suffolk Street, has already snared a MAC Cosmetics sponsorship - an infusion of cash Braunstein credits to his girlfriend, W beauty director Jane Lark- worthy.

THAT the real reason Ben Affleck got mad at Jennifer Lopez and "postponed" their wedding was because she somehow obtained his password and checked his e-mails, which included messages from flirting female fans and one he wrote to Jennifer Garner consoling her on her marital split . . .

In his spare time, Ben Affleck helps make statues of Mickey Mouse.

So as to not vex Jennifer Lopez, we should point out that Tom Hanks, John Travolta and Jennifer Garner also have taken up the fine art of Mouse carving.

The actors are among the 75 celebrities, organizations and others that lent their name, if not chisels and claw tools, to statues commemorating the diamond anniversary of Walt Disney's signature cartoon creation.

The so-called "InspEARations," each a 700-pound, 6-foot-tall tribute to the tiny toon, were unveiled at Florida's Walt Disney World Resort on Tuesday, precisely 75 years to the day that Mickey debuted in the 1928 animated short, "Steamboat Willie."

The statues are part of Disney's planned 18-month-long celebration for the small gnawing mammal that chewed his way into the homes, and hearts, of millions. (For the record, Disney CEO Michael Eisner prefers Mickey be referred to as "a special friend.")

By Magic Kingdom standards, the Mousekacelebration sounds rather tame--an ice show here, a postage stamp there--but then how many septuagenarians have the constitution for non-stop partying?

The Mickey statues will remain on display at Walt Disney World through April. After, they'll tour the country, with stops in New York City, Dallas, and Southern California's Disneyland, among other destinations.

While the likes of Affleck and Hanks contributed ideas, themes and even clothes to the collection--Red Sox Ben's statue is called "Home Run Hero"; Apollo 13 Tom's "Space Mouse"--the figures themselves were produced by a Minnesota-based design house.

Disney said some celebs, such as Rosie O'Donnell and former Cosby Kid Raven Simone (late of the Disney Channel's That's So Raven), personally put brush in hand and painted their statues. O'Donnell dubbed hers "Mickey: In Yellow"; Raven opted for "Clouded Conscience."

All 75 statues will be auctioned off in 2005, with the proceeds going to the celebs' charity of choice.

How merry Mickey Mouse's ongoing birthday party gets may depend on what happens Thursday. That's when Disney is due to report its fourth-quarter earnings (or losses). It's expected that the Mouse House will report tidy profits.

The media empire that Walt's mouse built is enjoying a big year at the box office. Disney is the studio behind the year's two unequivocal blockbusters, Finding Nemo ($340 million) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ($304 million). Nemo is also helping Disney establish new sales marks in home video, with a record 15 million DVDs sold in its first two weeks.

The Disney-owned ABC, meanwhile, has stopped the ratings freefall precipitated by the turning over of its schedule to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 1999. But in stabilizing, it has settled into fourth place, and has yet to grow a genuine hit comedy or drama. 8 Simple Rules is the network's only scripted series in Top 30 this fall, and even that show's stay among the upper echelon likely will end once curious and/or grieving viewers move past star John Ritter's death.

The less said about the theme-park business, the better as far as Disney is concerned. Profits were down in that already hard-hit division 22 percent through June, according to the BBC.com, with losses mounting at the Euro Disney. (That Paris-based park is only partly owned by Disney.)

Overall, the Mouse, 75 or no, isn't looking too gray yet. He'll even make his CGI-animated debut in the straight-to-video film Twice Upon a Christmas, due next fall.

ECW Press is proud to announce the signing of two new television guidebooks to their list. The first will be a companion guide to the show Angel, written by Nikki Stafford. Stafford, author of the best-selling Bite Me! An Unofficial Guide to the World of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

"I attended a few conventions this past summer as both a fan and an author, and I kept hearing the same two questions over and over," says Stafford. "‘Will you be re-releasing Bite Me! with season seven of Buffy?’ and ‘Why did you put such short episode guides to Angel?’ I love Angel as much as Buffy, but because Bite Me! was intended to be a guidebook to Buffy (and with full Angel episode guides it would have been over 500 pages long) I focused on Buffy instead. As for re-releasing Bite Me! with only one new season in it, it wouldn’t be fair to ask people to plunk down their money to buy the same book with only 50 new pages in it! So I decided to do this book instead."

Stafford’s new guide to Angel will feature full episode guides for seasons one through five, and will also include, as a bonus, season seven of Buffy to complete the episode guide on that show. It will also feature best Angel Web sites and mailing lists, and a rundown of the 2003 Posting Board Party in L.A. "I’m hoping this book could be as much a companion to Bite Me! as it is a guide to the show." The book is due in stores in September 2004.

Stafford will also be co-writing a book on Alias with Robyn Burnett. "I’m a big fan of her previous book on Roswell and thought it would be a lot of fun to work with a fellow writer and fan on this book."

Burnett has been a professional writer for several years, and has done diverse work for ECW Press. She is the author of Crash Into Me: The World of Roswell and co-author of A Chance for Life: The Suzanne Giroux Story. She most recently finished A Journey of Spiritual Awakening with psychic Judy Brown. She is excited to be working on another television guide. "Alias is a fantastic show with an incredibly talented cast," says Burnett. "I was a loyal fan before the book idea came up, so this is a treat for me. I’m also thrilled to be working with Nikki as I have always found her books to be both insightful and entertaining."

Aside from extensive biographies on Jennifer Garner and the other cast members, the book will feature an episode guide chronicling the first three seasons of the successful show, as well as a chapter on the history of the show itself, some interesting tidbits on the CIA, favorite Alias Web sites, the show’s fan following, and more. The guide to Alias is also due in September 2004.

Both books will be unauthorized analytical guides to the show, and will not be affiliated with Twentieth-Century Fox, the WB network, or ABC.

It looks like Alias' Sydney has lost more than two years' worth of memories.

Lena Olin, who played Jennifer Garner's KGB agent mom last season on the ABC spy show, has opted to not return as the mysterious maternal unit.

"After doing everything we possibly could including meeting the agents' requests, Lena ultimately decided it wasn't the right time for her to return to the show," creator/executive producer J.J. Abrams said in a statement released by ABC Friday.

A call seeking comment from Olin's publicist was not immediately returned.

E! Online TV columnist Kristin Veitch reported last month that Alias producers "tried desperately" to book Olin for "multiple episodes," but that attempts reportedly had been thwarted by money issues.

According to the new TV Guide, Olin asked for "Sharon Stone-type" dollars, a reference to the reputed $100,000-an-episode rate Stone quoted for her three-episode arc last month on ABC's The Practice. But per the magazine, not even Olin's salary requests scared off Alias's top agents.

Despite Olin's reluctance to return, Abrams said the show is "hopeful that it will work out in the future."

Also not giving up: The Alias fans behind BringBackLena.com. As its name plainly states, the Website, launched last month, wants Olin back on the show--stat. According to the site, fans aim to take their appeal to the Hollywood Reporter next month in the form of an ad. As of Friday, 66 people had pledged $2438.75 of the $3,300 needed for the ad.

Alias was the 47-year-old Swedish-born star's first TV series work. Forays into Hollywood Homicide aside, Olin is best known for grown-up dramas such as Enemies: A Love Story and Night Falls on Manhattan.

On Alias, she showed off her bungee-cord-jumping style as "The Man," aka Irina Derevko, long-lost mother of Garner's Sydney Bristow.

Olin bowed on Alias' second-season opener in September 2002. Although she greeted her daughter with a hail of hot lead, Irina and Sydney actually went on to bond. Mother was last seen in May's season finale, bounding off a building top, with bungee cord in hand.

That episode was a turning point for the show. Garner's agent Sydney woke up in Hong Kong, two years older, but none the wiser (she and viewers were left in the dark about the missing months); and, Bradley Cooper's journalist Will Tippin got stabbed. While Tippin survived, Cooper wasn't brought back as a regular. He will, however, appear on the December 7 episode, ABC said. Also guesting in that installment: Merrin Dungey, now on recurring status after two solid years of playing Syd's best friend Francie and Francie's genetic double Allison.

Amid the cast turnover, and despite Garner's tabloid-tracked romance with costar Michael Vartan, Alias is averaging 9.3 million viewers for the season to date, slightly below ABC's network average of 9.6 million.

Alias villainess Lena Olin seems to be taking her role as Jennifer Garner's absentee mom, Irina Derevko, a little too literally. As reported in the new issue of TV Guide magazine, the actress nixed a deal to return this season despite the fact that, as a source close to the negotiations puts it, "every single one of her demands were met by ABC and the producers." Among her initial requests: "Sharon Stone-type money," says an insider, referring to the unprecedented $100,000-per-episode salary the Basic Instinct star reportedly pulled in for her recent Practice stint. ABC declined to comment, as did Olin's camp, but Alias exec producer J.J. Abrams is holding out hope that Olin will be back. "[Irina] remains a critical piece of the puzzle." Albeit an expensive one. For more "TV News" scoop including exclusive dish on Las Vegas and Malcolm in the Middle pick up the new issue of TV Guide, on sale Monday.

After Sunday (Nov. 9) night's "Alias" opened with a gory dream sequence in which Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) extracted miles of bloody tubing from a scar in her stomach, many viewers may have felt like they accidentally wandered into a David Cronenberg movie. Those feelings will be amplified on Sunday, Nov. 30 when the Canadian director makes a rare television acting appearance on the ABC spy drama.

Cronenberg will play Dr. Brezzel, an eccentric doctor enlisted to help Sydney recover the missing memories from the two years she lost during last season's finale. The procedure is invasive and potentially dangerous and Sydney's mind proves highly resistant.

Fans of Cronenberg's films know that the director is a big fan of representations of invasive procedures -- surgical, sexual and psychological. The director's love of putting orifices where they don't necessarily belong has been on display in films as diversely disturbing as "Crash," "eXistenZ," "The Fly," "Dead Ringers" and "Rabid."

Cronenberg has won five Genies (Canada's equivalent of the Oscars) for outstanding director. In what can only be described as one of the strangest ties in awards history, he shared the 1984 prize (earned for "Videodrome") with Bob Clark for "A Christmas Story."

In front of the camera, Cronenberg's record has been a bit spottier. His acting credits include "The Stupids," "Jason X" and the NBC telefilm "The Judge."

Alias hunk Bradley Cooper will reprise his role as Sydney's best bud Will in the Dec. 7 episode, TV Guide Online has learned. Word has it, Syd retrieves Will from witness protection and the two go on a big adventure together. Oooh, maybe they're gonna decapitate Lauren!

Alias spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) is about to encounter a truly frightening foe: the boss from The Office. Ricky Gervais, who plays insecure egomaniac David Brent on the BBC America comedy, will guest-star on an upcoming episode as a "juicy, horrible, evil" villain, says the actor, who's set to tape his appearance in early 2004. "[Alias creator] J.J. Abrams is a fan of The Office and offered to write me a part," he says. In fact, Abrams is tailoring the role to Gervais's gift for subtlety. "A good bad guy doesn't have to be arch, over-the-top, mustache-twirly," Abrams adds. "A good bad guy needs to be smart. And certainly, Ricky is smart." Translation: Expect lots of awkward silences.

Richard Roundtree will guest-star on "Alias" during sweeps. Can you dig it?

Roundtree, the original "Shaft," will appear the episode scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 23. He'll play Brill, a freelance operative and a cat who won't cop out when there's danger all about.

In the episode, titled "Breaking Point," Sydney (Jennifer Garner) is taken into custody by the National Security Council, which wants to perform a radical surgery to recover her memory of the past two years. Dad Jack (Victor Garber) and Vaughn (Michael Vartan) want to stop the surgery.

To do that, however, they have to form an alliance with the oily Sloane (Ron Rifkin). Roundtree's character is the head of the team sent in to extract Sydney.

Roundtree burst into stardom in 1971 playing private eye John Shaft in "Shaft." He reprised the role briefly in the 2000 remake starring Samuel L. Jackson.

Other recent credits include a stint on the CBS soap "As the World Turns," the Showtime series "Soul Food" and the 2001 feature film "AntiTrust."

Alias spy Sydney Bristow is turning to an unlikely source to help her fill in those missing years: David Cronenberg. The acclaimed Dead Ringers director appears in an upcoming episode as an "experimental researcher" who employs a radical therapy to help Syd get her memory back. Okay, so long as he's not an OB-gyn.

Jennifer Garner says the media were remarkably kind to her and Scott Foley when they announced they were divorcing.

"I think people understood that we were just two normal people who really loved each other," the star of ABC's "Alias" tells W magazine for its November issue. "You know, we got quietly married in our backyard after being together for a couple of years; we never gave our wedding pictures out to be published. I think they got that we're both pretty brokenhearted about it."

Garner and Foley, both 31, met in 1998 on the set of "Felicity," the WB drama in which he co-starred. They married in October 2000; she filed for divorce in May.

But Garner doesn't like to dwell on speculation that her rise to fame playing TV secret agent Sydney Bristow drove them apart.

"Honestly, I just don't have enough perspective on it yet," she says. "I think there are a million reasons why things don't work."

Actor Scott Foley has spoken out about the meltdown of his marriage to Jennifer Garner, insisting there was no cheating involved in their decision to split. Foley and Garner went their separate ways earlier this year after walking down the aisle in 2000. And although Garner is now enjoying a romance with her Alias co-star Michael Vartan, Foley, 31, is eager to point out infidelity was never a factor. He says, "Nobody else was involved. Jennifer became a huge celebrity. She became a huge star, and she deserved everything she got. There was no other relationship, there was no infidelity. People get divorced, you know? Through no one's fault and everyone's fault." Foley recently moved from Los Angeles to New York to prepare for the new play The Violet Hour, and he's no longer interested in life in the spotlight. He adds, "I've seen the demands that it requires, and I don't have the patience for that. If it comes along, it comes along."

"Survivor" moved to a 13.4/20 at 9 p.m. for another CBS hourly win. NBC was second with the first hour of "Secret Santa," which had a 8.0/12. FOX was third with "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.2/7) and "Arrested Development" (3.9/6), which finished ahead of repeats of "Alias" on ABC and "Charmed" on The WB.

The CBS Sunday movie "Undercover Christmas" began at 9 p.m. with an 11.3/17, well in front of second place ABC's 5.4/8 for "Alias." NBC was third with the beginning of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," which beat "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.1/7) and "Arrested Development" (3.9/6) on FOX. The ending of "Oz" and a "Run of the House" episode kept The WB in fifth.

CBS carried the 9 p.m. hour with "Cold Case" (and the beginning of "Finding John Christmas" in some markets), which took an 10.9/16 for the hour (the individual program ratings will be sorted out when the final numbers are released). NBC was second with the 7.7/11 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." On ABC, "Alias" had a 5.9/9 and edged FOX's "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Arrested Development." A Christina Aguilera special on The WB pulled in a 1.7/3 (less than "Tarzan" was earning in the same time slot).

At 9 p.m., the movie "Fallen Angel" continued CBS' strong night with an 11.4/17. NBC reclaimed the No. 2 spot with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 9.4/14. "Alias," 5.4/8, put ABC in third. FOX dropped back to fourth, averaging 5.0/7 with "Malcolm in the Middle" (6.0/9) and "Arrested Development" (3.9/6). The WB's "Tarzan" was fifth.

CBS's creatively titled "The Elizabeth Smart Story" launched at 9 p.m. to a 9.9/15, edging the beginning of "Saving Jessica Lynch" on NBC. Well back in third was ABC's "Alias" with a 6.1/9. FOX was fourth with "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.7/8) and "Arrested Development" (4.2/6). In its first episode since going on production hiatus, The WB's "Tarzan" actually showed minor improvement, taking a 1.9/3 (up slightly in total viewers).

Some TV series are like Hummers -- solid and foursquare. NBC's "Law & Order" comes to mind. One feels the entire cast could be sucked into space, and somehow the show would pop back next season without skipping a beat.

At the other end of the spectrum are shows that are more like unicycles -- kinetic and delicately balanced. ABC's "Alias" comes to mind. It wobbles and dips, careening from one improbable plot twist to another, and yet somehow stays upright.

While much of this is due to the undeniable star wattage of Jennifer Garner, the bulk of the credit for the Sunday-night cult hit has to go to series creator J.J. Abrams.

Two seasons ago, he started with Sydney Bristow (Garner), grad student and secret agent, who worked for SD-6, which pretended to be the CIA but was in fact ultimate evil, under the control by the nefarious Sloane (Ron Rifkin).

Sydney soon discovered her father, Jack (Victor Garber), worked for the CIA against SD-6. Sydney then became a double agent. She lost her fiance when she told him the truth, but later felt romantic stirrings for her CIA handler, Vaughan (Michael Vartan).

After a season of missions, counter missions, fabulous disguises, mysterious Rambaldi artifacts, exotic locations and double/triple-crosses, fans were confused, reeling and addicted.

Season two added more Rambaldi metaphysics, plus the resurrection of Sydney's supposedly dead mother, Irina (Lena Olin), actually a KGB assassin and an ally of Sloane (or ... not).

Midseason, in an episode that aired after the Super Bowl, Abrams upended the whole apple cart. SD-6 was destroyed, along with the evil Alliance that controlled it. Sydney and Vaughn consummated their love, while Sydney's SD-6 partner Dixon (Carl Lumbly) learned his life was a lie. And Sydney's pals Will and Francie (Bradley Cooper, Merrin Dungey) edged into romance, or so it seemed.

By season's end, Sydney learned that an evil double had replaced Francie to pump Will for information; Irina revealed a secret agenda and vanished; Sloane henchman Sark (David Anders) showed an unexpected heart; Will seemed at death's door; and Sloane and Jack faced off.

After a climactic battle that shattered every bit of glass in her apartment, Sydney defeated the evil double. She slumped in exhaustion and passed out -- to awaken in Hong Kong to discover that two years had passed, everybody thought she died (but Will lived), and Vaughn was ... married?

A few fans might still be wearing the neck brace from the head snap at that revelation, but Abrams insists that when season three begins on Sunday, Sept. 28, all will be well (if not immediately explained).

"Whenever you have one great reason to do something," he says, "it's always a good idea to go with it, because other opportunities present themselves."

As for that "one great reason," Abrams says, "We needed to adjust for time in order to tell the story with Sloane we wanted to tell. Given where he was and given where he is, it was something we could have watched happen, but it would have been a lot less interesting than getting him there and telling the story once he was there.

"The happy by-product reasons are numerous: giving Dixon a boost in terms of his career and place in life and state of mind, given what he went through last year; giving characters like Marshall [a spy-gadget guru, played by Kevin Weisman] some spin.

"It's not that you needed to go two years in advance to do these things, but it gave you the carte blanche to say, 'What can happen to someone in two years?'"

If you're Vaughn, that's apparently enough time to mourn Sydney, meet someone new -- NSC agent Lauren Reed (Melissa George) -- and settle down.

"It wasn't meant to make people upset," Abrams says, "but it wasn't meant to make people happy. There really isn't a bad guy, and yet, there are people who love each other and there's a very emotional and understandable reason they can't be together. To me, the great love stories are stories of people who find ways, despite obstacles, over time, to either come together or come to terms with what they have.

"Yes, we've rocked the boat, but the ride to come will prove that it was worth it."

But, fans say, how could Vaughn have remarried so soon? "He did have a period of absolute despair and mourning and loss," Abrams says. "He did drop out of the CIA. It's not like business as usual. It wasn't as if she was missing. In his mind, he believed she was dead. Two years is a long time, and it wasn't an easy time for him.

"When Sydney comes back, it still isn't an easy time for him. The whole idea is, from Sydney's point of view, it was yesterday. That's why the audience is feeling hopefully what she's feeling, which is why you'll appreciate her reaction when the first episode begins. You'll be happy."

After so many seismic shifts, one could wonder what is left of the original "Alias." "Everything important," Abrams says. "What's left is the relationship between Sydney and her father, between Sydney and her handler, between Sydney and Dixon; the mystery of her mother -- though different in some ways, continues; her key adversary being Sloane, the motivations of that guy.

"The notion that, here's a woman who believes and wants to go out into the world and do the right thing and fight for freedom and fight against the people who are trying to destroy this country and Western civilization.

"She's someone who is now doing that in a way that is less circuitous -- given the fact that she was pretending to work for the bad guys while actually working for the good guys -- but she's still doing it."

CYBERSPATIAL ANOMALIES: Confused over "Alias"? "SD-6 HQ," at www.sd-6.com/ is there to help.

Alias studmuffin Michael Vartan has a new safehouse to hole up in. The 34-year-old actor is poised to become a first-time homeowner with the purchase of a $1.6 million crib in the Hollywood Hills. According to the Los Angeles Times, the contemporary-style home boasts three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms and an attached guest house perfect for when a certain superspy wants to spend the night.

Calling all Daredevil movie fans! Pick up autographed goodies from today’s hottest stars and help protect animals at the same time. WSPA (The World Society for the Protection of Animals) kicks off its internet auction to benefit animals at www.GoBid.ca, starting October 1st until midnight October 31st!

Shop your way through “over 130 auction items, including those of interest to action movie fans:

1- Daredevil Digital Press Kit Signed by Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Aniston and Edie Falco won't just look good at Sunday's Emmy Awards. They'll be doing good, too.

Gowns worn by the actresses and other TV stars at the ceremony or other awards shows will be auctioned for charity.

This is the second year of the "Clothes Off Our Back" fund-raiser, created by actress Jane Kaczmarek, an Emmy nominee for "Malcolm in the Middle."

"We aren't asking celebrities for time or money, just the clothes off their backs," she said in a statement Wednesday.

More than 35 celebrities will donate their red-carpet outfits, including fashions from Prada, Vera Wang and Hugo Boss, Kaczmarek said. Proceeds benefit the Cure Autism Now Foundation and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Last year, "Friends" star Aniston donated her dress after winning the award for best actress in a comedy series. Her outfit raised $50,000, Kaczmarek said.

Stars participating this year besides Aniston and Falco ("The Sopranos") include Cynthia Nixon, Sean Hayes, Dule Hill, Debra Messing, Ellen DeGeneres, Bernie Mac and Jennifer Garner.

The eBay auction is to begin Sunday evening and run for 10 days. Each winning bid will receive the outfit, a photo of the star on the red carpet and a note from Kaczmarek and her husband, Bradley Whitford (news) of "The West Wing (news - web sites)."

The Emmy Winner's in Creative Arts were announced this past weekend. Alias took home one trophy.

Makeup for a Series (Nonprosthetic): "Alias: The Counteragent," ABC.

The CBS special scored its highest hourly ratings at 9 p.m. with a 12.4/18. NBC was a convincing second with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Over on ABC, "Alias" had a 6.2/9 for third. FOX was fourth with the 6.8/10 for the "Malcolm in the Middle" season premiere and a 5.2/8 for the debut of "Arrested Development." Continuing a slow ratings decline, "Tarzan" had a 1.9/3 on The WB.

NBC moved into first for an hour at 9 p.m. with the 10.3/16 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," but CBS wasn't far off with an 8.3/13 for the first hour of the Mel Gibson comedy "What Women Want." ABC was third with a 6.2/10 for "Alias," beating the second encore of the "Skin" premiere on FOX. "Tarzan" slumped to a 2.0/3 on The WB.

FOX stayed well in front at 9 p.m., beating the 9.5/14 for NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The first hour of CBS' movie "The Hollywood Wives Club" beat ABC's "Alias," which did a 5.8/9 for the hour. "Tarzan" swung to a 2.6/4 on The WB.

'ALIAS" stars Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan might be hot-and-heavy offscreen - but they're duking it out on the ABC drama.

"It wasn't really a fight. Well, all right, there was a fight scene," Vartan told SCI FI Wire about the dustup between his character, CIA agent Vaughn, and Garner's Sydney Bristow.

"But I was blindsided," Vartan said. "I just want to say that she took me completely by surprise and kicked my [butt]. And she stabs me too."

"Hey now!" Garner shot back.

The fight between Vaughn and Bristow is the continuation of last season's cliffhanger, when it was revealed that Sydney awoke in Hong Kong with the realization that two years have passed since her last memory.

The fight scene between Vaughn and Sydney occurs in an early third-season episode, according to SCI FI Wire.

"We already shot the scene," Garner said. "It was, as you can imagine, incredibly intense. And I did give him an actual pretty good wallop to the stomach, which I felt a bit guilty about later."

"Don't forget the elbow to the temple," Vartan added.

"And an elbow to the temple," she said. "But, you know, we're all OK. We're smiling. We're here."

Garner's marriage to ex-"Felicity" star Scott Foley has busted up - allegedly because Foley was jealous of Garner's skyrocketing career - and she's now taken up with Vartan.

"Alias" returns Sept. 28.

ABC is calling in the Secret Service for its fall 2004 development.

The network has picked up a character-driven gritty procedural drama from "Alias" executive producers Alex Kurtzman-Counter and Roberto Orci. The duo will write and executive produce the project for Touchstone TV.

Also executive producing is Francie Calfo, with "Alias" executive producer/director Ken Olin attached to direct.

The yet-untitled project, which Kurtzman-Counter describes as a "cross-pollination" between "The French Connection" and "thirtysomething," centers on a young woman who struggles to balance her marriage with the demands and dangers of her career in the Secret Service.

"The idea is that when other agencies hit a wall in their investigations, they call the Secret Service because the Secret Service has access to procedures and technology that's unavailable even to the CIA Kurtzman-Counter said. "Because they haven't been represented on television yet, we're looking at an untapped wealth of stories with a unique point of view."

The show will dispel a lot of misconceptions about the Secret Service, the agency set up to protect the president and solve classified crimes.

"Most people think of the Secret Service as men with sunglasses on, running next to a limousine; they think (Secret Service agents) only protect people and don't know that they start off as detectives," Orci said. "In the 140 years since its inception, they've turned into one of the most complicated agencies in the entire government. Their duties are huge, and no one knows that."

Kurtzman-Counter and Orci are developing the project as part of the development deal they recently signed with Touchstone TV that also covers their services as executive producers on "Alias." They started as supervising producers on J.J. Abrams' stylish spy drama in its first season.

On the feature side, the duo is doing a rewrite for the sequel to the 1998 hit "The Mask of Zorro," with Martin Campbell, who helmed the original, attached to direct.

The duo also has the spec script "The 28th Amendment" set up at Warner Bros. Pictures and has adapted Harlan Coben's novel "Tell No One" for Columbia Pictures.

Cynthia Littleton in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Film star Djimon Hounsou (Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Amistad) has been cast as the new baddie on Alias this season. According to Variety, Hounsou will play the head of an evil new criminal organization that Sydney will attempt to take down.

"Alias" creator J.J. Abrams didn't initially envision his spy drama as a video game, but it also didn't take him long to realize the show was well suited to the idea.

The ABC series, which Abrams describes as a "weird twisted family drama set against the world of international espionage," has a structure that he recognized would translate easily into gaming.

"As a fan of video games myself, I knew this would be an excellent video game," Abrams said. "So many games have used this sort of episodic adventure paradigm, from something as simple as 'Tomb Raider' to as dark as 'Max Payne,' where it's a character you're following."

Even so, he admitted to some trepidation.

"With the linear experience of television, you can structure revelation and storytelling, and you're able to be elusive when necessary and spoon-feed when necessary," Abrams said. "But how do you make an interactive experience that you control into something that delivers emotionally? And on an aesthetic level, it has to be a satisfying game-play experience if it has the 'Alias' name on it. I was a little nervous."

For Abrams, the answer was to be involved from the very earliest stages. He also made sure that game developer Acclaim used series star Jennifer Garner and the other actors along with the writers, composer, set designers, costume designers and other members of the "Alias" team.

"It had to stand on its own, but at the same time, it had to feel like an extension of the show," Abrams said.

The bargain bins are full of tie-in games that were poorly done or unsuccessful for other reasons. Abrams, being a game fan, was well aware of the need to avoid that fate.

"Many games were inspired by a movie or TV show but ultimately were uninspired," he said. "The key to making it work is the personality of the characters and not having them secondary to the special effects and the spectacle."

Abrams has taken great pains to prevent the "Alias" game from being generic. Besides striving for authenticity, he also was particularly happy with a split-screen innovation Acclaim devised. While the main action is on one side, the other side is showing impending disaster.

"Your heart starts pounding because you see the bad guys coming after you, and know your time is limited," Abrams said, adding that this echoes the pacing of the television show.

Ultimately, the bottom line for Abrams is that the "Alias" game is not just a licensing deal but is a legitimate extension of his creation into another medium.

"There's a reason why someone like Steven Spielberg was smart enough to get involved in video games early on," Abrams said. "He knew that they weren't just products."

In addition to creating the series, Abrams executive produces along with John Eisendrath, Ken Olin Alex Kurtzman-Counter and Bob Orci.

"Alias," which also stars Victor Garber and Michael Vartan, is about to begins its third season.

Former "Thieves" star Melissa George has been cast as the woman who steals Vaughn's heart on "Alias."

George will join the cast of ABC's spy thriller this fall as Vaughn's (Michael Vartan) wife, National Security Council agent Lauren Reed.

The show has jumped ahead in time for its third season. Last season's finale ended with Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) waking up in Hong Kong to find that two years had passed and she has no recollection of them. Everyone else, meanwhile, assumed Sydney was dead, which explains why her boyfriend is now married.

The recovery of Sydney's memory will be a major theme for the coming season, as her mind may hold information that is valuable to people on all sides of the intelligence community, including bad guy Sloane (Ron Rifkin).

George, a native of Australia, starred in ABC's short-lived "Thieves" in 2001. Her other credits include "Sugar & Spice," "Down with Love" and guest roles on "Friends" and "Monk."

Spike TV and FX have emerged as front-runners to air reruns of ABC's espionage drama "Alias," sources said.

"Alias" syndicator, Disney's Buena Vista Television, made a presentation at Spike TV, according to sources close to the network, which is very interested in the series but has yet to make a formal bid. FX and Spike TV declined comment. A spokeswoman for Bune Vista also declined comment.

With a sexy star in Jennifer Garner and critical buzz still growing, "Alias" would be a fine addition to such male-skewing cable networks as FX and Spike TV, Lifetime senior vp research Tim Brooks said.

"It could be a real brand builder if you're looking for a distinctive series to add to your schedule," he said.

However, "Alias" isn't likely to carry a steep price tag because its ratings are nowhere near hit status and its intricate multiepisode story lines make it a tougher sell than the self-contained plots in single episodes of syndicated war horses like "Law & Order."

"'Alias' has to be watched sequentially, which is not good for syndication," Brooks said. "You can't just pick up the series in the middle and understand it."

The show begins its third season this fall.

Enough with Bennifer already! It's officially open season on "Gartan"-watching, and Night One couldn't have been more intriguing as Alias star Jennifer Garner looked on in bewilderment as (newly confirmed) boyfriend and co-star Michael Vartan nearly collapsed after consuming bad sushi.

Garner, 31, who has filed for divorce from Scott Foley, made her first professional appearance with Vartan, 34, as a couple Tuesday night. They attended an event that previewed the new Alias video game and promoted next Tuesday's release of the show's complete first season on DVD.

It was apparent something was not quite right with Vartan the minute he took his place at a news conference dais alongside Garner, producer J.J. Abrams and several other cast members, including Victor Garber and Ron Rifkin. Midway through the question-and-answer session, Vartan began perspiring profusely "pouring sweat," as co-star Merrin Dungey described it. He quickly shed his black pinstriped jacket before excusing himself and dashing off. Moments later, a series of loud clunks were heard backstage, prompting Abrams to joke that Vartan had taken a tumble down the stairs. Everyone laughed but Garner.

Downstairs at the after-party, the actress told USA TODAY that "Michael went home" and wouldn't be coming back. Garner, looking like a candy striper in a white and pink striped dress, soon hightailed it, too.

Garber, Garner's TV dad, arrived late to the after-party after driving Vartan home. "Michael told me he started feeling (sick) right after he walked on and thought, 'Oh no, it'll go away,' but if he had stayed one more minute it would have been all over," Garber said. "But he'll be fine. Just a bad piece of fish."

During the party, guests sipped from Alias martini glasses and sampled appetizers served by women wearing the bright red wigs Garner's Sydney Bristow routinely sports on the show.

Though the subject of her off-camera relationship with Vartan had been taboo at the news conference, Garner did say she's looking forward to the love triangle heating up on-screen between Sydney, Vartan's Vaughn and newcomer Melissa George, who debuts in the upcoming third season's second episode as Vaughn's new wife, Lauren. "I'm loving the aspect of this triangle," Garner said. "They both love this man, and Sydney loves him enough to let him go."

Abrams didn't mind opening up a bit more about art imitating life: "It's interesting that Michael and Jennifer's dating coincides with a story line where they're not together on the show."

The CIA keeps a lot of secrets, but its opinion of ABC's "Alias" is not one of them.

The spy show's star, Jennifer Garner, said she has been asked to contribute to an official video promoting the government agency.

"It's not a commercial," she said. "It's a recruitment video (to show) university graduate students."

Chase Brandon, film industry liaison for the CIA, confirmed that the project was in the works.

"We very much would like to continue our discussions with Miss Garner and possibly other cast members to work with us on a recruitment video," he said. "We feel that Miss Garner, both in character as agent Sydney Bristow and as herself, embodies the intelligence, enthusiasm and dedication that we're looking for. Our continuing efforts to enlist the best and the brightest would be admirably served by having her support."

Garner would provide an introduction to the video that the CIA shows to prospective agents. "It talks about the nature of the work, the context and the qualities we're looking for," Brandon said. "Her participation would add a human touch to the message we're trying to convey."

Producers on "Alias" worked with Brandon in the early stages of the show, and the writers still occasionally contact him to check facts and details. Beyond that, Brandon said, "Miss Garner has a standing invitation to come by the agency, where she is guaranteed to meet a vast number of fans."

NBC moved into the lead at 9 p.m. with the 9.1/14 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," beating the 7.3/11 for the end of "Cold Case" and the beginning of the Sunday movie "Footsteps." ABC was third with the 5.7/9 for "Alias," beating the ending of "Varsity Blues" on FOX. On The WB, "Tarzan" dropped to a 2.5/4 in its second week.

At 9 p.m., "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" gave NBC a win with a 9.4/14. FOX stayed in second with the Cubs-Braves game, and the CBS movie "Blessings," 7.9/11, was third. "Alias," 6.2/9, was fourth for ABC. The premiere of "Tarzan," 3.2/5, didn't set too many hearts aflutter.

NBC moved up to first at 9 p.m. with the 10.2/15 season premiere of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." CBS was in second for the hour with the first hour of the Tom Selleck original film "12 Mile Road" (the movie averaged a 10.3/16 across its two hours) .The season premiere of "Alias" earned a 5.9/9 on ABC, beating the 4.5/7 for the final hour of "Mary" on FOX. The WB put up a good fight with the 4.0/6 for the second hour of "Charmed."

At 9 p.m., "Without a Trace" and the start of the movie "Out of Sight" scored a 7.1/10 to keep CBS on top. NBC improved to 6.6/10 with the conclusion of the "Women of Comedy" show and the first half-hour of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien's" 10th anniversary special. "The Lost World" head steady for FOX, while "Play for a Billion" grew to a 4.6/7. A repeat of "Alias" on ABC brought up the rear.

Jennifer Garner's got someone new to kick around on Alias this season. Actress Melissa George has been cast as Lauren Reed, the mysterious Brit that Vaughn (Michael Vartan) went and married during Sydney's two-year brain freeze. The Aussie import — best known as John Stamos' partner in crime on ABC's short-lived Thieves — will debut in the show's second episode. TV Guide Online spoke with the femme fatale just hours after she nabbed the plum part, so forgive her if she's a little giddy.

TV Guide Online: How did you get the part?
Melissa George: I read like everybody else in L.A.

TVGO: It's a good role, huh?
George: Oh, it's so good. And it started out as a guest-recurring, and, after I read with Michael Vartan, [series creator] J.J. Abrams called me directly and asked me if I'd like to be on the show permanently — long-term. And I'm like, "Are you kidding me?" It was a very beautiful moment. I was so happy. It's the best show.

TVGO: You're a fan?
George: I'm a huge fan. I met J.J. when Thieves was released [in fall 2001] at the same time as Alias, and I just kept thinking to myself, "Oh, I should be on that show." (Laughs) And look what happened. I'm so high right now that no one can touch me.

TVGO: Did you know Michael?
George: I had never met him. But the funny thing is, with an actor, you feel a connection. And when I read with him, I left the room thinking, "If I don't work with him, I'm going to be very disappointed." It was so right.

TVGO: I imagine it's not too hard to pretend you're in love with Michael Vartan.
George: (Laughs) Right. Exactly. It's very easy to visualize being married to this man.

TVGO: Have you met Jennifer yet?
George: I had met Jennifer [before], and then I saw her again last week at the [Alias] photo shoot. I just think she's a wonderful girl. She hasn't changed at all, and that's so great.

TVGO: Of course, it's only a matter of time before the two of you go at it. I mean, you've got her man.
George: I've got her man, so you can kind of tell what could happen. (Laughs) At the moment, it's sort of all in [the early stages] so I'm really kind of going with it as it happens. But you can tell it's going to be incredibly interesting.

TVGO: Has J.J. told you to brush up on your kickboxing?
George: I did a lot of that training for Thieves, and I did a lot of it last week. I'm so perfect for that kind of kick-ass, stylish... it's just a real perfect role for me.

TVGO: What can you tell me about your character, aside from the fact that she's married to Vaughn?
George: She will be working in the intelligence community, [but] I'm not saying which part. And she's just an incredibly... I'm not going to make her unlovable. Every woman can relate to being married to somebody [with] another woman [in the picture], and that's basically what is going to be going on. And she's a very ambitious, very strong, very intelligent woman; she's not going to let too much go past her. And she's very protective of her man, as every woman would be. But at the same time, she really looks up to Jennifer's character. She knows about her, she's read about her, so there's that whole thing going on as well. I think she's going to be fighting a lot of emotions.

TVGO: In other words, she's going to be a villainness.
George: But it's not her fault. She's going to protect her man — any woman would. I think the audience will be understanding. But yeah, she's the new blonde on the show, so there's that whole other element as well. (Laughs)

TVGO: Let's face it: Vaughn and Sydney will eventually reunite, so where will that leave you?
George: She does work in the intelligence community, so I think she would just [continue] working that. And who knows? They're probably plotting it right now. I'm sure they're going to be doing something to keep me there. Maybe they become friends.

Alias co-stars Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan are dating, Us Weekly reports. The unsurprising news follows Garner's split from husband Scott Foley. The couple announced on April 1 they had "mutually decided to separate."

A spokesperson for Garner, 31, tells Us that Vartan and Garner "were friends, and they recently started dating." Sources tell the mag that they've been dating since the ABC show resumed taping two weeks ago, usually spend the night together and that Vartan, 34, has been in love with his co-star for years.

But rumors have been swirling about Garner and the French actor since the breakup of her marriage.

Love also had been growing between their Alias characters, but that's on hold now that Garner's character has mysteriously lost two years out of her life. During that time, Vartan's character got married.

Garner and Foley, 31, married in October 2000; they met when she did three 1998 guest spots on his show, Felicity.

Actress Jennifer Garner is preparing to stay on the spy-fi TV beat for a long time to come. Sources said the actress is finalizing a new deal that will keep her on the ABC drama "Alias" through the 2007-08 season.

Garner, fresh from her second straight Emmy nomination for her role as undercover agent Sydney Bristow, is expected to receive a substantial salary bump under the new deal, which extends her commitment to the Touchstone Television show by an additional year, through its seventh season.

Representatives for Touchstone and Garner declined comment.

Under the new pact, Garner -- who is said to have started on the show in 2001 with about $40,000 an episode -- will be paid about $150,000 an episode, sources said.

"Alias," which is returning for a third season in the fall, has enjoyed strong critical buzz and a rabid cult following but has yet to blossom into a broad-based hit for ABC.

In addition to her two Emmy nominations, Garner's high-kicking performance on "Alias" has earned two Golden Globe noms and a win in 2002.

On the feature side, Garner, who appeared in "Daredevil" and "Catch Me If You Can," recently wrapped a starring role in "13 Going on 30." She is next slated to star in the indie "Happy Endings," opposite Lisa Kudrow.

The Emmy nominations had barely been announced Thursday before an online bookie was offering odds on who will win come September.

The odds, offered in the major Emmy categories by online gaming site BetWWTS.com, went up within a few hours of Thursday's (July 17) nominations. As with the nominations themselves, the early lines aren't full of surprises.

One notable exception is "Alias" star Jennifer Garner, installed as the favorite among nominees for lead actress in a drama. The site puts Garner's odds of winning at 8 to 5, while "The Sopranos' " Edie Falco -- considered the front-runner by a number of critics and other observers -- was at 5 to 2. Frances Conroy (4 to 1), Allison Janney (9 to 2) and Marg Helgenberger (5 to 1) are also nominated in the category.

"The Sopranos," returning to the Emmy race after being ineligible last season, is the favorite among drama series at 9 to 5. Fellow HBO series and leading nominee "Six Feet Under" is given 2-to-1 odds, while last year's winner, "The West Wing," is at 7 to 2. FOX's "24" (4 to 1) and CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6 to 1) are longer shots.

The early lines in the comedy races also favor HBO series. "Sex and the City" (2 to 1) and its star, Sarah Jessica Parker (8 to 5), top the best comedy and best actress in a comedy categories, while "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Larry David is a 2-to-1 favorite for best actor in a comedy.

BetWWTS apparently doesn't consider any of the major nominees as huge long shots. Eric McCormack, nominated for lead actor in a comedy series for his work on "Will & Grace," has the longest odds of winning at 8 to 1.

This fall, FOX's animated centerpiece "The Simpsons" will enter its 15th season with a diverse slate of vocal talent including several returning celebrity favorites.

In the season's premiere episode, "My Mother the Carjacker," Glenn Close will return as Homer's fugitive mother who returns to Springfield only to get sent to jail. Later in the season, Jackie Mason reenters the cartoon fold as Rabbi Krustofsky, father of television's Krusty the Clown.

The 14th installment of the series' "Treehouse of Horrors" series will feature "Alias" star Jennifer Garner and boxer Oscar De La Hoya playing themselves themselves and Jerry Lewis will also make a cameo as, fittingly, the father of the show's nutty Professor Frink.

As has already been reported, the Simpsons will go to England in the episode "The Regina Monologues." Prime Minister Tony Blair, J.K. Rowling, Ian McKellan and Evan Marriott will voice yellow versions of themselves. Jane Leeves also adds her pipes to the episode as Grandpa Simpson's old flame.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, Simon Cowell, Mr. T and the late Robert Stack will also be featured during the season.

Nominees for the 55th annual Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced. The awards will be handed out Sept. 21 on the Fox broadcast network.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Jennifer Garner, "Alias," ABC; Marg Helgenberger, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS; Frances Conroy, "Six Feet Under," HBO; Edie Falco, "The Sopranos," HBO; Allison Janney, "The West Wing," NBC.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Victor Garber, "Alias," ABC; Michael Imperioli, "The Sopranos," HBO; Joe Pantoliano, "The Sopranos," HBO; Bradley Whitford, "The West Wing," NBC; John Spencer, "The West Wing," NBC.

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Lena Olin, "Alias," ABC; Tyne Daly, "Judging Amy," CBS; Lauren Ambrose, "Six Feet Under," HBO; Rachel Griffiths, "Six Feet Under," HBO; Stockard Channing, "The West Wing," NBC.

Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series: "Alias: Phase One," ABC; "Sex and the City (news - Y! TV): Plus One Is the Loneliest Number," HBO; "Six Feet Under: The Opening," HBO; "The West Wing (news - web sites): 20 Hours in America (Parts 1 & 2)," NBC; "Without a Trace: Birthday Boy," CBS.

Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series: "Alias: Double Agent," ABC; "CSI: Miami: The Simple Man," CBS; "Six Feet Under: Nobody Sleeps," HBO; "The West Wing: Holy Night," NBC.

Costumes for a Series: "Alias: Phase One," ABC; "American Dreams: Where the Boys Are," NBC; "Sex and the City: I Love a Charade," HBO; "Six Feet Under: Tears, Bones and Desire," HBO; "That '70s Show: Ramble On," Fox.

Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: "Alias: Phase One," ABC; "The Sopranos: Whoever Did This," HBO; "24: 5:00 A.M. — 6:00 A.M.," Fox; "24: 8:00 A.M. — 9:00 A.M.," Fox; "The West Wing: 25," NBC.

Hairstyling for a Series: "Alias: The Counteragent," ABC; "American Dreams: I Want to Hold Your Hand," NBC; "MADtv: No. 805," Fox; "Sex and the City: Plus One Is the Loneliest Number," HBO; "Six Feet Under: Perfect Circles," HBO.

Makeup for a Series (Nonprosthetic): "Alias: The Counteragent," ABC; "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Lady Heather's Box," CBS; "MADtv: No. 801 Eighth Season Premiere," Fox; "Sex and the City: Plus One Is the Loneliest Number," HBO; "Six Feet Under: Perfect Circles," HBO.

Sound Editing for a Series: "Alias: Phase One," ABC; "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Fight Night," CBS; "ER: Chaos Theory," NBC; "Third Watch: The Price of Nobility," NBC; "24: 10:00 P.M. — 11:00 P.M.," Fox.

Stunt Coordination: "Alias: The Telling," ABC; "Fastlane: Asslane," Fox; "Third Watch: Crash and Burn," NBC; "24: 10:00 A.M. — 11:00 A.M.," Fox.

A pair of world-weary government agents are among the latest additions to the list of presenters at Sunday's Primetime Emmy Awards.

Victor Garber, who's up for a best supporting actor in a drama for his work on "Alias," and "Without a Trace" star Anthony LaPaglia, will take the stage Sunday (Sept. 21) to present awards. LaPaglia's co-star Poppy Montgomery, Bonnie Hunt ("Life with Bonnie") and Courtney Thorne-Smith ("According to Jim") will also hand out Emmy statues.

Garber's nomination is his second for playing CIA operative Jack Bristow, the father of fellow agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner, also a nominee and presenter). He earned two nods in 2001, for a guest role on "Frasier" and for his part in the ABC movie "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows."

LaPaglia won an Emmy last year for his guest role on "Frasier." He was also nominated in 2000 for playing Daphne's (Jane Leeves) brother Simon.

Critical favorite Hunt, Montgomery and Thorne-Smith are all Emmy newcomers. The Emmys are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX.

"Alias" star Jennifer Garner and a trio of past winners lead the latest round of Emmy presenter announcements. Last year's best actor and actress in a drama series, Michael Chiklis and Allison Janney, and four-time best actor winner Dennis Franz will also give out shiny golden trophies. The Emmys will air live on FOX on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET.

Both Chiklis and Janney are nominated again this year. This is Chiklis' second nomination for his work on "The Shield," while Janney's performance as Press Secretary C.J. Cregg on "The West Wing" has now earned her four nominations (and three wins). After eight straight years with nominations, this is Franz's second straight season without recognition for "NYPD Blue."

Though she may lack the honors that have been heaped on her fellow presenters, Garner is assembling a strong resume full of prizes. In the two seasons that "Alias" has aired on ABC, Garner has been nominated for two Emmys and two Golden Globes, winning the Globe in 2002. She also recently won an MTV Movie Award as breakthrough female performance for "Daredevil."

Chiklis, Janney, Franz and Garner join an impressive assortment of past winners and nominees slated to present. Among those already confirmed are "Will & Grace" stars Debra Messing and Eric McCormack and "The Sopranos" stars Edie Falco and James Gandolfini.

FOX also announced that "Entertainment Tonight" anchors Bob Goen and Jann Carl will host "Countdown to the Emmys," a celebrity-laden pre-show event beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

NBC moved to the front at 8 p.m., as "Dateline" and the Presidential address did a 6.0/10. CBS was second with a 5.3/9 between "Without a Trace" and the Presidential address. "City Slickers" and the Presidential address took a 3.9/7 on ABC, beating "Crouching Tiger" and the Presidential address on FOX. Over on The WB, which didn't bother to cover the address, "Charmed did a 3.0/5.

Things stayed confusing at 9 p.m. except for on NBC. The peacock won the hour with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," at 7.4/12. CBS was second with the ending of "Without a Trace" and the beginning of the night's movie, "Breakdown." With a 4.0/6, "Charmed" put The WB in third for the hour. FOX took fourth, averaging a 3.5/5 for the ending of "Crouching Tiger," which ABC trailed with the ending of "City Slickers" and the beginning of "Alias."

A repeat of "Law & Order" scored an 8.3/14 for NBC at 10 p.m., making it the night's highest rated program. "Breakdown" had a 5.2/9 for CBS, trouncing the ending of "Alias" and the beginning of "The Practice" on ABC.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 6.2/12, put NBC in the lead at 9 p.m. The CBS movie "Entrapment" finished second with a 5.3/10. Two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" averaged 3.0/5 for FOX. ABC's "Alias" repeat brought up the rear.

At 9 p.m., the original movie "Code 11:14" began with a 7.3/12 in its first hour, outdistancing the 6.1/10 for NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." FOX was third with a 4.4/7 average for two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle," while ABC dropped to fourth with "Alias." "Charmed" on The WB took a 2.7/4.

Jennifer Garner won't be ditching her small screen career in favor of feature films anytime soon. According to reports, the actress is thisclose to signing a new deal that will keep her on Alias through the 2007-08 season. The pact would likely increase Garner's per-episode paycheck from $40,000 to about $150,000.

The night's highest rated program was NBC's 9 p.m. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," with a 7.7/13. CBS was second with the first hour of "Picnic" averaging a 4.6/8. FOX took third with "Malcolm in the Middle" (3.7/6) and another episode of "The Simpsons" (3.9/6), beating ABC's "Alias." On The WB, "Boarding House: North Shore" had a 1.5/2.

Former "Felicity" co-star Greg Grunberg has joined the cast of the Coen brothers' crime caper "The Ladykillers" and the indie feature "Poker Night."

He will shoot the projects simultaneously this summer before returning to his regular post on ABC's "Alias."

"Ladykillers," a Disney remake of a 1955 British comedy, centers on an eccentric Southern professor (Tom Hanks) who puts together a gang of double-crossing thieves to rob a riverboat casino. They rent a room in an old woman's house, but when she discovers the scheme, somebody must do away with her. They find out that's harder than it seems. Grunberg plays a manic commercial director. Joel Coen will direct from a script he wrote with brother Ethan, who will also serve as a producer.

"Poker Night" centers on a group of friends, all of whom run scams, who gather for a weekly poker game. Grunberg will play a compulsive gambler in danger of losing his best friend. Dennis Farina also stars. Cassidy Harrison directs.

Grunberg recently starred on the big screen in Warner Bros. Pictures' "Malibu's Most Wanted."

JENNIFER Garner and "Alias" co-star Victor Garber hanging with a party of 10 at Dos Caminos in SoHo

Alias creator J.J. Abrams is developing a new drama for ABC that revolves around bounty hunters. Alias sidekick Greg Grunberg, who also starred in Abrams's late, great WB drama Felicity, has been tapped to play the male lead.

The awards are scheduled to air Wednesday, Aug. 6 on FOX. Teens can vote on several categories at TeenPeople.com (a subscription is required). Here's a list of Alias' nominations:

Actor -- Drama Series
Bill Bellamy, "Fastlane"
David Gallagher, "7th Heaven"
Joshua Jackson, "Dawson's Creek"
James Marsters, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Gregory Smith, "Everwood"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24"
Michael Vartan, "Alias"
Tom Welling, "Smallville"

Actress -- Drama Series
Jessica Biel, "7th Heaven"
Jennifer Garner, "Alias"
Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Katie Holmes, "Dawson's Creek"
Kristen Kreuk "Smallville"
Brittany Snow, "American Dreams"
Tiffani Thiessen, "Fastlane"
Emily Van Camp, "Everwood"

Sidekick
Keiko Agena, "Gilmore Girls"
Mika Boorem, "Dawson's Creek"
Alyson Hannigan, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Allison Mack, "Smallville"
Erik Per Sullivan, "Malcolm in the Middle"
Michael Rosenbaum, "Smallville"
Wilmer Valderrama, "That '70s Show"
Kevin Weisman, "Alias"

Drama Series
"24"
"7th Heaven"
"Alias"
"American Dreams"
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
"Dawson's Creek"
"Fastlane"
"Smallville"

Breakout Male TV StarCedric the Entertainer, "Cedric the Entertainer Presents"
Wesley Jonathan, "What I Like about You"
Andrew Lawrence, "Oliver Beene" George Lopez, "George Lopez"
Gregory Smith, "Everwood"
George Stults, "7th Heaven"
Mark Valley, "Keen Eddie"
Michael Vartan, "Alias"

Emmy voters, whose ballots for this year's nominations are due back at the Television Academy this week, often linger behind the curve: too slow to recognize the rise of new shows or the decline of old ones. USA TODAY's Robert Bianco offers a cheat sheet for the voters -- a sample ballot of those who really deserve a shot. (Nominations will be announced July 17.)

Drama- Series

24 (Fox) Familiarity seems to have caused some people to forget what a remarkably audacious accomplishment this time-driven series really is.

Alias (ABC) This hugely entertaining spy drama is as deft a mix of serious, silly and sexy as you're likely to find.

Boomtown (NBC) The season's best series wasn't just interested in leading its cops to a solution. It tried to lead them -- and us -- to the truth.

The Sopranos (news - Y! TV) (HBO) By Sopranos standards, this season was one of the show's weaker ones. By television standards, the Mob drama remains one of TV's strongest series.

The Wire (HBO) If any show has a right to challenge Boomtown's claim on the Emmy, it's this realistic, chilling look at cops, dealers and inner-city drug wars.

Drama- Actor

David Boreanaz (Angel) Emmy voters have little use for ''genre'' shows, and even less for WB. But no actor turned in a more diverse star turn.

Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace) No voter who saw him grill a child abuser in the season's standout episode is likely to forget it.

Kiefer Sutherland (24) Hour by hour, his quietly powerful performance forced you to suspend disbelief. He's the spring that keeps the clock ticking.

Donnie Wahlberg (Boomtown) Genuinely heroic as a good man with a guilty conscience, Wahlberg held Boomtown together.

Dominic West (The Wire) Equally admirable in a more unconventionally heroic role than Wahlberg's, West also provided a steady and appealing central point for a complicated series.

Drama- Actress

Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy) This may not be the kind of role that wins actresses Emmys, but Brenneman has created a character, and carries a show, that millions of viewers love.Edie Falco (The Sopranos) Here's a role that wins Emmys. It wasn't a great season for Falco, but all that counts is her powerhouse performance in the finale.

Jennifer Garner (Alias) Garner propels Alias with her talent, charm, athleticism and strangely changeable girl-next-door beauty.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer (news - Y! TV)) With Buffy gone, will voters finally give the show and its talented star due recognition? No, but it's nice to dream.

Sonja Sohn (The Wire) She created one of TV's most original cops: a smart, black lesbian who refused to let the old-boy network use any of that against her.

Drama- Supporting actor

Xander Berkeley (24) His carefully balanced portrayal of an unpleasant man forced by imminent death to deal with the emotional wreckage of his life anchored 24's most compelling subplot.

Victor Garber (Alias) If Alias is more than just an adventure romp, and it is, it's because terrific actors like Garber ground the plots in emotional truth.

Larry Gilliard Jr. (The Wire) As a young drug dealer trying to make his profession less violent and more consumer-friendly, Gilliard adroitly embodied his show's moral ambiguity.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue (news - Y! TV)) He brought new energy and sex appeal to the series. And in his scenes after the death of his father, he held his own with the incomparable Dennis Franz.

Neal McDonough (Boomtown) One of the season's true breakout stars, McDonough was brilliant as a district attorney succumbing to all of his worst impulses.

Drama- Supporting actress

Tyne Daly (Judging Amy) There is no braver, better actress working in TV today.

Laura Harris (24) As a deceptively sweet, homicidal bride, Harris pulled off one of the season's most unexpected plot twists.

Penny Johnson Jerald (24) But what would 24 be without Johnson Jerald's amusingly pitched version of Lady Macbeth?

Lena Olin (Alias) If you're looking for a single reason Alias was an even better series this year than last, look no further than Olin's addition as Sydney's impossible-to-read mother.

CCH Pounder (The Shield) I don't share the Emmy voters' fondness for this show and its male star, but Pounder is wonderful as the station's smartest, most moral cop.

In this last of TV Guide Online's series of helpful memos to members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, critic Matt Roush, Michael Ausiello and our bumper crop of professional couch potatoes pick the best of the tube's top dramas. Of course, we're not saying the Academy must nominate the shows we suggest. Us? No way. We wouldn't dream of doing a thing like that. As if! All we're implying is, if there is any justice whatsoever in the world, when the actual nods are announced on July 3, we'll find the Academy has given these programs the props they're due. And the contenders oughta be:

24: By now, even as cool as the one-day-per-season gimmick is, we're over it. What we aren't — and can't get — over is the mind-blowing consistency with which this show surprises us. In a year in which the show's filthy-rich baddies sought to start WWIII, the only thing we could be sure of week in and week out was that, dang, there isn't a single thing that we can be sure of!

Alias: Besides giving babe-watchers a post-millennial Emma Peel who's as stimulating to the mind as she is to the eyes, this spy game knocks us out by taking more chances in 60 minutes than many series do in their entire runs. This season alone, the show turned itself inside out by blowing up SD6 (aka Villain Central), then by ending the year with the theft of two years from heroine Sydney. Caramba!

American Dreams: To appear edgy, some series flash a little skin, and others throw in the occasional curse word or engage in ultra-violence. But this show? Nope. It simply, frankly refocuses the tumultuous 1960s through the wide eyes of an American Bandstand teenybopper. The result? Surprise — it's profoundly affecting. Plus, it's got a beat, and you can dance to it.

Boomtown: Its high concept notwithstanding — casework is played from a variety of points of view within the same episode — this cop show succeeds on the merits of its top-drawer acting and pitch-perfect writing. Moreover, while we may not always like the core crimefighters, we always get them — no mean feat, that.

The Shield: In its sophomore season, this police drama has continued to pick up where NYPD Blue left off, eschewing watercooler flirtations in favor of gritty street conflagrations. Better still, in its adamant refusal to trade in black-and-white characterizations, it's reminded us that while black can be beautiful, shades of gray are dazzling.

TV critics like their cop shows complex and their news with a heavy dose of humor, based on nominations for the annual TV Critics Association Awards.

HBO leads all networks with 10 nominations for the annual awards, voted on by the 200 or so members of the association. NBC got eight nods, PBS six and CBS five.

Among individual programs, Comedy Central's "Daily Show" and NBC's "Boomtown" each earned four nominations, including nods for the TCA's top award, Program of the Year. FOX's "American Idol" and "24" and HBO's "The Wire" are also up for the award.

"The Daily Show" pulled off the rare double of being nominated for both outstanding comedy and outstanding news and information program.

The TCA Awards will be handed out Saturday, July 19 in Hollywood. Wanda Sykes is scheduled to host the ceremony.

Here's a complete list of nominees:

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
"American Idol" (FOX)
"Boomtown" (NBC)
"The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
"24" (FOX)
"The Wire" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
"Andy Richter Controls the Universe" (FOX)
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
"The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
"Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS)
"The Office" (BBC America)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
"Boomtown" (NBC)
"The Shield" (FX)
"Six Feet Under" (HBO)
"The Sopranos" (HBO)
"24" (FOX)
"The Wire" (HBO)

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
Brad Garrett, "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS)
Bonnie Hunt, "Life With Bonnie" (ABC)
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk" (USA)
Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
Edie Falco, "The Sopranos" (HBO)
James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos" (HBO)
Jennifer Garner, "Alias" (ABC)
Neal McDonough "Boomtown" (NBC)
Kiefer Sutherland, "24" (FOX)

OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
"American Dreams" (NBC)
"Boomtown" (NBC)
"Everwood" (The WB)
"Lucky" (FX)
"The Wire" (HBO)

HERITAGE AWARD
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (UPN)
"Law & Order" (NBC)
"Reading Rainbow" (PBS)
"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
"60 Minutes" (CBS)

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Larry Gelbart ("M*A*S*H")
Don Hewitt ("60 Minutes")
Carl Reiner ("Your Show of Shows," "The Dick Van Dyke Show")
Aaron Spelling ("Charlie's Angels," "Beverly Hills, 90210")
Oprah Winfrey ("The Oprah Winfrey Show")

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION
David Bloom (NBC)
"The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
"Frontline" (PBS)
"Nightline" (ABC)
"60 Minutes" (CBS)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
"Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
"Liberty's Kids" (PBS)
"Nick News" (Nickelodeon)
"Reading Rainbow" (PBS)
"Sesame Street" (PBS)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINISERIES AND SPECIALS
"Door to Door" (TNT)
"Hitler: Rise of Evil" (CBS)
"Live from Baghdad" (HBO)
"Manor House" (PBS)
"Taken" (Sci Fi)

As members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences mull over the actors they'll choose to nominate for this year's 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, we have one teensy-weensy piece of advice: Listen to that little voice in your head. You know, the one that says it's not too late to make up for ignoring Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Farscape all these years. It's also the one that whispers names you might not realize you should know — mysterious monikers like Reiko Aylesworth and Neal McDonough. Perhaps most importantly, that voice belongs to people like us — TV Guide critic Matt Roush and your pals at TV Guide Online. So, without further ado, here's the drama-series acting lineup, which we suggest you peruse closely:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Ben Browder, Farscape: Far more than just another handsome mug, Sci Fi's lost-in-space cadet spent his final season in orbit coaxing out of his alien posse — and, in turn, viewers — attributes that are decidedly human. Whatever the constellation, this guy's a star.
Michael Chiklis, The Shield: Not since Dennis Franz's NYPD Blue heyday has there been as complicated a detective on the beat as this white knight in a black hat... or is it the other way around? Either way, we marvel all the same at the way his portrayer deftly plays both good cop and bad cop.
James Gandolfini, The Sopranos: Forget the Emmy, slip this really, really goodfella a Zoloft! While Tony's marriage came crashing down, the HBO made man made us understand why his salary demands were an offer that his bosses ultimately couldn't afford to refuse.
Peter Krause, Six Feet Under: Although his mortician character's relationship with Lili Taylor generated no more passion than the average funeral march, HBO's brooding poster boy mustered up enough intensity to bring the whole show to life.
Kiefer Sutherland, 24: As the hardest-working agent in counterterrorism, Donald's son plays everything from addled dad to action hero. And don't be fooled by how easy Sutherland makes the juggling act look: This sort of tour-de-force performance is not all in a day's work!

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Amy Brenneman, Judging Amy: A soap-opera heroine couldn't ask for a broader range of calamaties than that which befell her honor this year: a custody clash, the murder of her stalker, the death of her would-be stepdaddy... Seriously, if Brenneman doesn't deserve an Emmy trophy, then at least her character ought to be allowed to carry one around — you know, for protection.
Edie Falco, The Sopranos: If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, then a woman scorned must take notes from Carmela's portrayer. The outrage she unleashed on James Gandolfini's two-timing Tony packed a bigger punch than the bruiser could possibly hope to deliver with his meaty fists.
Jennifer Garner, Alias: Whether Sydney is up to her corset in espionage or under the covers with her baby-faced colleague, Garner keeps the action admirably rooted in real emotion. Heck, she even made us feel her pain when she was forced to finish off her beloved roommate's evil twin.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Isn't it about time that Sunnydale's Chosen One was the Academy's chosen one, too? Not only has Mrs. Freddie Prinze Jr. been saving the world in halter tops since before girl power came into vogue, she's done so with a tongue that's as sharp as her wooden stakes.
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU: Due to the fact that Det. Benson deals with one horrifying case after another, it could be argued that, to do her job, all Hargitay need do is look... well, horrified. But watch closer, and you'll see the way she deftly hints at the mounting toll Benson's profession is taking, even as she maintains an air of femininity and righteous anger. It's a neat trick made all the neater by the fact that it's so easy to miss.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Xander Berkeley, 24: George Mason may have been one nasty SOB, but damn if, in the end, the contrarian's alter ego didn't make it hard for us to hate him. Sacrificing himself to save the life of his foil, Kiefer Sutherland's Jack, Berkeley made the g-man's final hour his finest one.
Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos: We know we're supposed to just say no to drugs, but we can't deny it — when Christopher began his downward spiral, we were hooked. What's more, Imperioli's hopped-up high jinks made the episode in which the Sopranos laid down the law must-see intervention.
Tom Lenk, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Thanks to erstwhile Nerd of Doom Andrew, although it was the end of the world as we know it (again) this year, we felt fine. Lenk's adorably dippy line readings broke up the maiming and killing, and made him a shoo-in for future sitcom stardom, if not an Emmy.
Neal McDonough, Boomtown: D.A. David McNorris may be the most obnoxious tube good guy this side of Xander Berkeley's 24 alias, but if there's one thing he believes in, it's justice. That said, there is but one way that the Academy could see that justice is served: Give a nod to the guy who plays him.
Donnie Wahlberg, Boomtown: The haunted look in Joel Stevens's eyes never lets us forget that if we were to walk a mile in this cop's shoes, we'd get a broken heart, as well as sore feet. So our hats off to Marky Mark's big bro, who has taken pains — and we do mean pains — to make this average Joel extraordinary.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Reiko Aylesworth, 24: Dressler may be the least showy role in this category, yet Aylesworth — whom we once dubbed TV's best-kept secret — still manages to shine. Rarely moving from behind a computer, she makes a big impact by imbuing her character's little gestures with hidden meaning and untold import.
Penny Johnson Jerald, 24: Turncoat. Traitor. Bitch. There's no end to the names you could call vengeful former First Lady Sherry. However, we can come up with only two words to describe the work of her portrayer: absolutely dazzling. Wickedness hasn't been this much fun since J.R. got out of the oil business.
Gail O'Grady, American Dreams: On its face, NBC's Sunday-night sleeper hit looks at the 1960s through the eyes of its endearing teen heroine. But below the surface, it's mom Helen who is undergoing the more stunning awakening. Every time a radical notion occurs to her, and O'Grady's lovely peepers light up, we share her excitement and anxiety.
Lena Olin, Alias: In any acting contest this year, Jennifer Garner's double-agent Mommie Dearest is bound to have an edge, because, for all practical purposes, she's playing a dual role. How do you top a double bill? Well, in Olin's case, she takes both of Irina's two faces and makes each of them fascinating.
CCH Pounder, The Shield: Pounder has always been a performer of uncommon power and presence — and an entity that Hollywood has rarely been able to figure out what to do with. But at last, in Det. Claudette Wyms, she's found a part to which she can give her all. The results? Kaboom. The lady blows us away.

The 29th Annual Saturn Awards, honoring the best in science fiction, fantasy and horror film and television, turned into a tribute to Stephen Spielberg on Sunday night (May 18) and those accolades carried over to television.

Spielberg, who was on hand for the awards, took home the best director prize for his work on "Minority Report" and watched his film pick up the trophy for best science fiction film. The director also joined Leslie Bohem in receiving the award for best single TV program presentation for the 20 hour SciFi miniseries "Taken."

On the TV side, "Alias" scored two big awards despite only a tenuous claim to either horror, science fiction or fantasy. In the category honoring best network television series, J.J. Abrams' spy drama topped the more easily classified likes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Enterprise."

"Alias" dominated the acting awards with Jennifer Garner topping Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kristin Kreuk and Charisma Carpenter, Emily Bergl and Claudia Black for best actress. Victor Garber snagged the supporting actor prize, beating actors like Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover of "Smallville" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" co-star James Marsters.

The other two acting prizes went to "Angel" star David Boreanaz for best actor and Alyson Hannigan won best supporting actress for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Best syndicated/cable television series went to SciFi's late, lamented "Farscape."

Those pesky irreconcilable differences have struck again in Hollywood.

This time the victims are once hot couple Jennifer Garner and Scott Foley.

Garner dispatched her lawyers to the courthouse Monday to file for divorce from her hubby of two-plus years.

Six weeks ago, the couple announced their separation in a press release, saying it was a mutual decision but providing no reason. Today's court papers did little more to explain the split, citing simply irreconcilable differences in the standard-issue petition. They have no children.

Garner, 31, and Foley, 30, have been on opposite career trajectories since their October 2000 nuptials.

After years bouncing around Tinseltown's minor leagues (a stint on the failed Party of Five spinoff, Time of Your Life, and big-screen bombs like Mr. Magoo), she landed her star-making turn as butt-whomping super-spy Sydney Bristow on ABC's Alias. Between magazine covers and roles in little movies like Catch Me If You Can and Daredevil, she has made a charge at Hollywood's A-list.

When they first hooked up--shooting a first-season episode of Felicity in 1998--Foley was the one who seemed destined for that perch. He was already a certified Tiger Beat pinup thanks to the WB show. But Felicity was all buzzed out by last year, and Foley was relegated to family second fiddle. (From the sad coincidence department: His Felicity follow-up, NBC's woeful comedy A.U.S.A., was officially deep-sixed by the network on Monday, the same day the former missus filed for the big D.)

In recent months, Garner had alluded to the difficulty juggling budding superstardom and home life. The there's-trouble-brewing whispering started in earnest in March, when Garner showed up for her presenting stint at the Academy Awards sans Foley. At a subsequent Los Angeles fundraiser for women's cancer research, Foley attended minus Garner.

She has since been spotted on the party circuit with her Alias costar Michael Vartan, but reps insist they're just good friends.

Aside from another season of Alias, which begins shooting this summer, Garner will also slip into the spandex for a planned Daredevil spinoff based on her karate-chopping character Elektra. Foley, meanwhile, will next appear in a Wes Craven-Kevin Williamson werewolf flick called Cursed.

"Alias" star Jennifer Garner didn't start her acting career to find fame — she just wanted to emulate the Charleston Light Opera Guild's director.

Nina Denton Pasinetti was an early mentor for Garner, who grew up in Charleston and performed as a child in local guild productions.

"I didn't get into this to be famous," the 31-year-old actress said this week during a visit to her hometown. "I wanted to be Miss Denton."

Garner, who co-starred with Ben Affleck in the recent action film "Daredevil," is getting used to being recognized in Los Angeles. But when she returns to West Virginia, she wants to relax with her family and catch up with friends.

She visited her alma mater, George Washington High School, on Thursday but left when television crews showed up.

"I didn't want anybody to know about it," she said. "I just wanted to be there for the kids and to see my school. I did it from my heart; it wasn't a publicity stunt."

Fortunately, she said, most people in Charleston respect her privacy.

"I'm a normal Garner girl," she said. "I may be famous to the rest of the world, but I'm not to myself, and I'm not to my mom and to my friends."

Actress Jennifer Garner ("Daredevil") is replacing Gwyneth Paltrow on Don Roos' "Happy Endings." The film also stars Lisa Kudrow ("Analyze That").

The film involves three intertwining stories with 10 characters set in modern-day Los Angeles. The first story is about a father and son who are involved with the same woman (Garner). The second focuses on two couples in which one of the men may have fathered the other couple's child. The third is about a woman (Kudrow) who gave up a baby for adoption 19 years ago and meets a blackmailing documentary filmmaker who might know where the child is. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, a masseur, may be giving out "happy endings" at the massage parlor.

Paltrow quit the project because she needs to grieve the loss of her father, Bruce Paltrow, who died in October while she was in production on "Ted and Sylvia," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Garner is currently shooting Gary Winick's "13 Going on 30" opposite Mark Ruffalo.

Production on "Happy Endings" takes place this summer in Los Angeles.

Sexy actress JENNIFER GARNER's DAREDEVIL spin-off movie is set to begin filming in 2004, during the star's hiatus from her hit TV show ALIAS.

The shapely brunette, who recently announced the meltdown of her marriage to actor SCOTT FOLEY, pleased movie bosses so much with her portrayal of ELEKTRA, she was given the opportunity to headline her own action franchise.

The film will follow her injured assassin character as she recovers from a near-death experience and the battles the HAND, the organization of killers which trained her and then turned against her.

Jennifer Garner (Sydney, Alias) has 2 nominations at the MTV Movie Awards this year. The winners will be revealed at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards ceremony on May 31, in Los Angeles.

The nominees for the 2003 MTV Movie Awards were chosen through a national poll of MTV and MTV2 viewers and the winners will also be determined by viewers. In addition, votes can be cast from April 15 - May 16 online by visiting MTV.com.

Breakthrough Female
Nia Vardalos - "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (IFC Films)
Beyonce Knowles - "Austin Powers in Goldmember" (New Line)
Jennifer Garner - "Daredevil" (20th Century Fox)
Eve - "Barbershop" (MGM)
Kate Bosworth - "Blue Crush" (Universal)
Maggie Gyllenhaal - "Secretary" (Lions Gate)

Best Kiss
Tobey Maguire & Kirsten Dunst - "Spider-Man" (Sony)
Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner - "Daredevil" (20th Century Fox)
Nick Cannon & Zoë Saldana - "Drumline" (20th Century Fox)
Leonardo DiCaprio & Cameron Diaz - "Gangs of New York" (Miramax)
Adam Sandler & Emily Watson - "Punch-Drunk Love" (Sony)

NBC moved in front at 9 p.m.as "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" took in a 6.3/11 for the hour. CBS was second with the second hour of "Instinct." FOX stayed third as two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" combined for a 3.9/7. On ABC, "Alias" trailed with a 2.4/4. "Charmed" gave The WB another 2.3/4 for the hour.

The night's highest rated program was NBC's 9 p.m. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," with a 7.7/13. CBS was second with the first hour of "Picnic" averaging a 4.6/8. FOX took third with "Malcolm in the Middle" (3.7/6) and another episode of "The Simpsons" (3.9/6), beating ABC's "Alias." On The WB, "Boarding House: North Shore" had a 1.5/2.

At 10 p.m., NBC stayed in the lead with a 7.1/12 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," the night's highest rated show. "Analyze This" increased to a 5.7/10 average for CBS in second. FOX averaged 3.7/6 between two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle," beating ABC's "Alias." On The WB, "Boarding House: North Shore" surfed to a 1.5/2.

NBC kept the lead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 6.9/12. CBS' movie averaged 5.3/9 for the hour. FOX moved up one spot with "Malcolm in the Middle" and a second "Simpsons," while ABC's "Alias" repeat managed only a 2.6/5. The WB closed out its night with a repeat of "Boarding House: North Shore."

The final hour of "Independence Day" posted a 6.6/11 for FOX at 9 p.m., edging out "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" on NBC, 6.4/11. CBS was third with its Will Smith movie, "Wild Wild West" (4.5/8 from 9 to 11 p.m.). A repeat of "Alias" was fourth for NBC, ahead of "Boarding House: North Shore" on The WB.

NBC had the night's highest rated program at 9 p.m. with the 7.2/12 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The first part of CBS' "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town" averaged a 5.1/9 for second. While FOX stayed in third with "True Lies," the Schwarzenegger film won the demographic race for the hour. On ABC, "Alias" had a 1.8/3. A reairing of "Boarding House: North Shore" surfed its way to a 1.7/3 on The WB.

NBC began to pull away at 9 p.m. with a 7.0/12 for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The first hour of the CBS movie "Guilty Hearts" was second with a 4.5/8, ahead of the FOX duo of "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Oliver Beene." On ABC, "Alias" was fourth with a 2.7/5. "Boarding House" averaged a 1.8/3 on The WB.

"A Time to Kill" scored a 7.5/12 to edge NBC's repeat of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," though NBC actually attracted more viewers for the 9 p.m. hour. "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Oliver Beene" kept FOX in third as a repeat of "Alias" earned a 2.6/4. On The WB, "Black Sash" had a 2.0/3.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 7.1/13, kept NBC in front at 9 p.m. CBS' movie and FOX's racing coverage tied for second at 4.8/8. A repeat of "Alias" went undercover, scoring only a 2.3/4 for ABC.

NBC pulled ahead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which earned a 9.6/15. The second hour of "Lucy" scored a solid 9.0/14. FOX was third with "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Oliver Beene." The first part of the "Alias" finale on ABC earned a 5.8/9. On The WB, a "Charmed" repeat was at 2.8/4.

The highest rated program of the evening that NBC's repeat of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at 10 p.m., bringing in a 9.9/16. CBS held onto second with the conclusion of "Lucy." ABC was third with the finale of "Alias," which shocked enough viewers for a 6.1/10.

Always leave 'em wanting more.

No show is more faithful to that old show-business bromide than Alias, one of TV's best serials -- and certainly its most breathless. Over the past two seasons, Alias' clever creator, J.J. Abrams, has written his heroine into a dizzying array of inescapable corners, only to pull her out at the last moment and spin her off into some new peril and direction.

Prepare to be spun again, in an unflaggingly entertaining two-hour season finale that once again launches the show into uncharted territory. In true serial fashion, secrets are revealed and mysteries are solved (though not all of either), and old dangers lead to shocking and unanticipated complications.

Does it all make sense? To the extent anything on Alias makes sense, yes. This is, after all, a show that asks you to believe in the existence of a 15th-century seer who invented a nuclear device while predicting Hiroshima. Let's just say Sunday's twists are more satisfying and convincing than David Carradine's cameo last week as a Lost Horizon monk.

The early focus is on Will (Bradley Cooper (news)), who is suspected of being a spy, thanks to the work of a genetically altered ''double,'' Francie (Merrin Dungey). The plot expands to reunite Jack (Victor Garber (news)) with Sloane (Ron Rifkin (news)), and Irina (Lena Olin (news)) with her daughter, Sydney (Jennifer Garner).

As always with Alias, some of the twists are a bit hard to follow, and many of them seem designed simply to get Garner into yet another out-there outfit. Not since Charlie's Angels has a series been as amusingly upfront about the market value of its star's feminine allure. And few stars have ever complied with as much style and humor as Garner.

Still, the key to Alias' success is that while the plots are bizarre, the characters basically are not. Alias isn't camp; the emotions and performances are meant to ring true -- as you'll see in the outstanding performances this week from Cooper and Carl Lumbly. But the entire cast works as one to invest these stories with depth, from the delightful Garner to the invaluable Garber to the charismatic Michael Vartan.

Naturally, this high-class serial ends with a cliffhanger, and as hangers go, it's a beaut. From here, there's no telling where the show is headed -- or how it got there. You'll just have to return in September.

Which is the entire point of leaving you wanting more. Alias

ABC, Sunday, 9 p.m. ET/PT

* * * * (out of four)

In "Countdown," the episode of ABC's spy melodrama "Alias" airing Sunday, April 27, at 9 p.m. ET, Sloane (Ron Rifkin), the former head of evil espionage agency SD-6, heads to Nepal to receive a life-changing revelation from a mysterious monk, concerning his quest for the artifacts of the 15th-century prophet Rambaldi.

To likely no one's surprise, "Kung Fu" star David Carradine plays that monk, oddly named Conrad.

"Well, they needed [a monk]," says Carradine, "and I'm almost the only game in town for that. I think it would be interesting if fans didn't know about it until it happened, but how do we get them to watch it except to tell them it is going to happen?"

Coincidentally, Carradine just finished shooting the feature film "Kill Bill" with director Quentin Tarantino, who has been a guest star on "Alias."

"He did two of them," Carradine says. "They told me about it. I haven't actually talked to [Tarantino] about it. This came up after the picture was wrapped, and Quentin is almost incommunicado right now, because he's buried in his editing."

Asked if he watched "Alias" -- which stars Jennifer Garner as beautiful spy Sydney Bristow, who used to be a double agent at SD-6 and now works solely for the CIA -- Carradine says, "I don't watch much television, and I fell into 'Alias' accidentally a couple of months ago in passing. I went, 'What the hell is this?' When I found out I was going to do one ... I got a hold of JJ [Abrams], who's the executive producer, and I said, 'Look, could you give me a couple of segments?'"

"And so he gave me the pilot and one that he thought was really interesting in the middle. I think he gave that one to me because it kind of related to the one that I did."

"So I made sure to watch -- not just because I wanted to get to know the series or just because I wanted to know what I was doing -- but because I wanted to get the feeling that it was a series that I watched, and I was just so happy to be in it and now, as a fan, I've been brought into this fantasy world that I've been interested in."

"This was the exercise that I gave myself, and it worked pretty good. There I was, I knew what was going on, and it just felt so delicious that I actually possessed secrets that the people in the show, when you watch them, don't have."

Unfortunately, Carradine didn't get to work with most of the show's cast, but he did have a unique experience with Rifkin.

"I got to look at Ron Rifkin and watch him cry all day long. He didn't cry for the entire day, but in virtually every shot we did, there's this moment we come around to again where a tear comes to his eye. Watching him produce that tear, maybe 30 times in a day, was a remarkable feat of acting. And it helped me a lot."

"It's a very emotional show. It's not just shoot 'em ups and intrigues and stuff like that. Basically, what this show's about is love and lost love and loyalties and betrayals and all of these really deep emotions that go on. It's the ties that bind, and the fact that there's more going on than we can possibly realize, and I know that's true."

Carradine also became a fan of Abrams'. "He reminds me of a pint-sized Quentin Tarantino. There's that same boundless enthusiasm and total knowledge of film."

As to whether Conrad might return to "Alias," Carradine says, "You know, they haven't told me. It's entirely possible. At least they didn't kill me. This guy, he knows more about Rambaldi and all of that than anybody. He's the guy that set Sloane on his quest in the first place, though Sloane is really pissed when he shows up."

"I sent him off on a kind of new quest, which I won't spoil everything by telling you about. He also needs to know that it wasn't all in vain. This is kind of a cliffhanger. It's going to be interesting, not to say that every damn segment of the thing isn't pretty damn interesting."

ABC will mark a half-century as a full-fledged TV network with a three-hour special in May.

The special, scheduled for Monday, May 19, will reunite stars of ABC shows from years past, offer highlights from news and sports programming and the slew of clips you'd expect from a retrospective.

Among those expected at the celebration are Roseanne, Tim Allen ("Home Improvement"), Henry Winkler ("Happy Days"), Peter Falk ("Columbo") and John Travolta, who first became famous on "Welcome Back, Kotter" in the mid-1970s. Current ABC stars such as Jennifer Garner ("Alias"), Bonnie Hunt ("Life with Bonnie"), Jimmy Kimmel ("Jimmy Kimmel Live") will also be there.

The show will also feature reunions of the casts from some of the network's most popular shows, including "Kotter," "The Love Boat" and "The Mod Squad." Clips from memorable sports and miniseries events will also be part of the show.

The American Broadcasting Company actually came into being in 1943, when businessman Edward J. Noble -- who invented LifeSavers candy -- bought NBC's "Blue" radio network and renamed it. In the earliest days of television, ABC produced a handful of shows for other networks. The 50th anniversary dates from the time that ABC merged with United Paramount Theaters and went national on TV.

It's the youngest of the big three networks -- CBS and NBC both have roots in radio that stretch back to the 1920s.

'ALIAS" star Jennifer Garner and her actor husband, Scott Foley, are having their own private cold war.

US Weekly reports that Garner and Foley, both 30, are putting their 2 1/2-year marriage on ice.

"They're going to separate and announce the split very soon," an insider tells the magazine.

Suspicions of trouble in their marriage began to surface last month when Garner showed up at the Oscars with a female friend.

She told reporters asking about Foley that she wasn't with her husband because it was a "girls' weekend" - a statement that now appears to have been a convenient excuse.

According to US Weekly, Foley watched the Oscars at home - alone with his dog.

The break-up puts Garner, one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood right now, back on the dating circuit.

Garner's critically acclaimed ABC series has generated reams of good press. But her meteoric success has apparently also caused problems in her marriage.

It hasn't helped that Foley's new NBC midseason sitcom, "A.U.S.A.," has been a ratings disappointment. Foley shot to fame as Noel, Felicity's (Keri Russell) on-again, off-again boyfriend, on "Felicity."

A source connected to Foley's new show tells the magazine that "jealousy issues" seem to be playing a part in the couple's marital woes.

Garner and Foley were married on Oct. 19, 2000 after meeting on the set of "Felicity," where Garner played Noel's ex-girlfriend, Hannah.

A representative for Garner and Foley could not be reached.

Jennifer Garner has a new alias: Single gal.

The Alias star, currently kicking butt on the big screen in Daredevil, has split with Felicity grad Scott Foley, her husband of two-plus years, the couple's publicist announced Tuesday.

The separation was described as mutual, per a statement from rep Nicole King. There was no mention of the D-word.

Garner, who turns 31 on April 17, and Foley, 30, wed in October 2000.

At the time, Foley was the star of the family, a WB hunk in good standing on Felicity. Garner, meanwhile, was a prime-time actress waiting to come into her prime after a string of failed series, including the 1999-2000 Party of Five spinoff, Time of Your Life, and forgettable films such as, um, Mr. Magoo.

But within a year of their nuptials the roles were reversed. Foley's prime-time run was on the wane, with Felicity graduating last May. Garner's career, meanwhile, was on the rise thanks to buzz series Alias.

The spy show, executive-produced by Felicity's JJ Abrams, catapulted Garner onto magazine covers and into juicy roles in the hit movies Catch Me If You Can and Daredevil.

Still, Garner and Foley were a cute couple that engendered more "Awwws..." than nasty whispers. Not that there weren't whispers, of course.

Garner, a presenter at last month's Academy Awards, attended the ceremony minus Foley. At a recent Los Angeles fundraiser for women's cancer research, Foley attended minus Garner.

In February, Garner conceded to the Los Angeles Daily News that juggling an in-demand TV and film career was "interesting way to be [a] newlywed."

"But so far, so good," she told the paper. "[Foley is] my biggest support, I'm his biggest fan...He is definitely my first priority outside of what I need to do for my job."

In the same interview, Garner spoke of being "thrilled" for her husband over his new NBC sitcom, the now-struggling A.U.S.A.. "He's never done something this funny on TV before," Garner said. "He certainly is funny all the time at home."

Garner and Foley met in 1998 on the set of Felicity, a first-season episode in which she played the college undergrad's girlfriend back home.

After their first script read-through, Foley reportedly told a roommate, "Today, I met the girl I'm going to marry."

As solo acts now, both Garner and Foley will have work to keep them busy. Garner is set to star in a planned Daredevil spinoff about her spandex-clad character, Elektra. Foley is next up in a Wes Craven-Kevin Williamson werewolf flick. Its name? Cursed.

The night's highest rated program by a large margin, "A Painted House" scored a 12.3/19 at 9 p.m. to give the hour to CBS. NBC was second with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at 8.8/13. "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Oliver Beene" gave FOX third. After several weeks of repeats, "Alias" returned in fourth with a 5.0/8.

Hot Hollywood couple JENNIFER GARNER and SCOTT FOLEY have split. On Tuesday afternoon, the pair's publicist's confirmed to ET that they "have mutually decided to separate." The new issue of Us magazine, on stands Friday, speculates that the busy careers of the star couple caused the rift in their marriage.

In addition to her demanding 'Alias' schedule, Jennifer has been fielding numerous film offers after starring opposite BEN AFFLECK in 'Daredevil' and LEONARDO DiCAPRIO in 'Catch Me If You Can.' In fact, there have been reports that Jennifer's 'Daredevil' character, Elektra, may get her own spin-off movie, and she is scheduled to start filming the romantic comedy '13 Going on 30' this month in L.A. Scott has been keeping himself busy headlining his new NBC series, "A.U.S.A.," and is set to star in 'Cursed,' a werewolf movie from 'Scream' team WES CRAVEN and KEVIN WILLIAMSON.

One of the couple's last public appearances together was at the February premiere of 'Daredevil.' Scott did not go with Jennifer to the Academy Awards®, prompting rumors that something was amiss. Although, just two days after the ceremony, Scott told our own JANN CARL that he didn't escort his wife because she had a girlfriend in town who wanted to go.

Tonight (4/1)on ET, get more details on Jen and Scott!

ABC acknowledges that much of its success in February sweeps, which end Wednesday night, is due to unscripted programming like "The Bachelorette" and the "20/20" special about Michael Jackson.

Still, scripted comedies and dramas are "the bread and butter of what we have here, and really our greatest pride and joy," ABC Chairman Lloyd Braun says.

In a demonstration of that pride, Braun and ABC Entertainment President Susan Lyne announced Wednesday (Feb. 26) that the network has picked up "Alias" and all six of its Tuesday and Wednesday comedies for next season.

ABC has also ordered another season of "America's Funniest Home Videos" and a fourth edition of "The Bachelor"; the network picked up "NYPD Blue" for another year earlier in the season.

"That's 10 shows on our schedule next year, and that will form the foundation of our continuing rebuilding process," Braun says.

ABC has improved its performance among both total viewers and the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 group this season. And while lately the numbers have been driven by reality shows and sweeps stunts, Braun and Lyne believe that long-term success will be built on scripted shows.

The six comedies -- "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," "According to Jim," "Life with Bonnie," "Less than Perfect," "My Wife and Kids" and "George Lopez" -- have delivered decent, if not spectacular, ratings and have allowed ABC to regain a foothold on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, where it had traditionally been strong. The network is also pleased that "Alias" has received a ratings bounce since its post-Super Bowl episode, drawing about a million viewers a week over its season average.

The network will continue to try out new reality series on Thursday nights for the rest of the season in an effort "to see if anything else pops" the way "The Bachelor" did last spring. "Until we come up with that big monster show that we can put in to compete on Thursday, [reality shows will] allow us to show up on that night," Braun says.

The Thursday-night hole was created by the failure of "Dinotopia" and "Push, Nevada" in the fall. Lyne says that because the network was so focused on re-establishing itself in the 8 p.m. hour, it was left wanting for dramas that could work later in the evening.

"Our drama development this year is much more targeted at nine o'clock and especially 10 o'clock, where I think we really need to develop the next generation of great ABC dramas," Lyne says.

The evening sweep continued at 9 p.m. for CBS, with "Becker" earning a 7.8/12 and the first half of a "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" doing a 7.5/12. NBC was second with a repeat of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at 7.4/12. FOX was third with "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.2/8) and "The Pitts" (3.9/6), topping a repeat of "Alias" on ABC. "Black Sash" earned a 2.7/4 on The WB.

Twentieth Century Fox officials confirm Wednesday (Feb. 26) to Zap2it that they're gearing up for a "Daredevil" sequel as well as a new movie franchise based on the female warrior Elektra.

"Alias" starlet Jennifer Garner will reprise her role in the comic-to-big-screen blockbuster which has raked in nearly $70 million since it opened Feb. 14 and is the best box office hit so far of the year.

Fox and Regency Enterprises announced that in addition to a "Daredevil" sequel starring Ben Affleck, they are moving forward with a new event film based on the Elektra character -- who appears to have died in the first "Daredevil."

The new Elektra story will be set after the events depicted in the first film, and the script development will begin immediately.

Elektra first appeared in "Daredevil" comics in 1980 with words and art by comics legend Frank Miller. The character is the daughter of powerful and rich Greek business tycoon Nikolas Natchios and the girlfriend of Matt Murdock aka Daredevil. Although she possesses no superhuman abilities, Elektra is a consummate practitioner of the martial arts, and wields a pair of three-pronged daggers, or sai.

"Daredevil" writer and director Mark Stephen Johnson hinted from the beginning that he thinks a sequel and a spin-off of Elektra is a good idea. After all, Marvel Comics spun the "Daredevil" character into the star of her own comic book series.

"'Elektra and Wolverine' is so interesting, [as well as] 'Elektra and the Order of the Hand,' when she became a ninja," says Garner. "Elektra is out for blood. ['Alias'] Sydney fights because she has to; she's either defending herself or she's getting rid of someone in order to go and get what she needs. And that's a huge difference in the way you approach a fight. Other than that playground fight, which is a flirtation and a courtship -- Elektra is just ready to take anybody down. She's looking for it."

As normally happens on Sundays, NBC took over at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which was the night's highest rated program with a 9.5/14. ABC finished second with a new "Alias" infiltrating a 5.8/9, just ahead of the first hour of the CBS movie, "Shanghai Noon." FOX was fourth with "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.8/9) and the so-so premiere of "The Pitts" (5.0/9). In another premiere, The WB's "Black Sash" scored a 3.4/5.

Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
Friday April 4, 2003: Michael Vartan

In the March issue of InStyle (Sherly Crow cover) there is a photo of Jennifer Garner from the Golden Globe Awards as well as how to look like 'Electra' (Garner's Daredevil character) with how-to hair & make-up tips.

Jon Favreau's guests are Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell and director Kevin Smith.

Mon Mar 3 08:00P IFC- Independent Film Channel
Mon Mar 3 11:00P IFC- Independent Film Channel
Tue Mar 4 09:00P IFC- Independent Film Channel
Sat Mar 8 07:30P IFC- Independent Film Channel

On "Alias," the parade of guest agents continues, with comedian Richard Lewis following the undercover likes of Ethan Hawke, Peter Berg and Quentin Tarantino.

Lewis appears on the Sunday, March 2 episode of the ABC drama playing a CIA agent named Yeager. Agent Yeager provides Sydney (Jennifer Garner) with information that causes her to question the loyalties of her boyfriend/handler Vaughn (Michael Vartan). The episode was written by Jesse Alexander and directed by Ken Olin.

A stand-up comic and the author of "The OTHER Great Depression," Lewis has also starred in TV series including "Anything but Love" and "Hiller and Diller." In addition to a guest arc as a rabbi on "7th Heaven," Lewis appears regularly as himself on Larry David's HBO comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm." He's currently taping episodes for the fourth season of "Enthusiasm."

Lewis' work in feature films has been diverse, ranging from the broad parody of Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" to more serious work in "Drunks" and "Leaving Las Vegas."

"Alias" airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Jennifer Garner won't need an alias on Sunday, March 23 when she will be one of the many stars to present an Academy Award on Oscar night.

Garner is making her first Oscar show appearance at the 75th Academy Awards, announced Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Gil Cates on Monday, Feb. 24.

The actress, who can currently be seen in the box office topper "Daredevil" and the ABC TV series "Alias," plays a supporting role in one of the nominated films, "Catch Me If You Can." Her other film credits include "Pearl Harbor," "Dude Where's My Car?" and "Deconstructing Harry."

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2002 will take place at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre and televised live by ABC beginning at 5 p.m. PST with a half-hour arrival segment.

More information about the 75th Anniversary Academy Awards can be obtained at the Academy's website, oscar.com.

J.J. Abrams can list any number of reasons why "Alias," the cool and complicated spy show he created, has begun moving in an entirely new direction in the past few weeks.

Yet they can be encapsulated, more or less, in a couple of sentences. This is Abrams speaking as a TV viewer who hasn't seen the show before:

"Wait a minute -- she's a good guy working for the bad guys, but they don't know they're bad guys? And then this bad guy has to pretend he's a good guy?"

The ways in which Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) -- the good guy (or girl, in this case) -- had to conceal her identity as a CIA mole from her co-workers and superiors at SD-6 -- the bad guys, although some of them didn't know it -- had become increasingly convoluted, and they were impeding the direction Abrams and the "Alias" writers wanted to take the series.

So they devised a fairly radical solution: SD-6 and its partners in the evil Alliance were taken down in the ABC show's post-Super Bowl episode on Jan. 26. It was a compelling hour of TV, but it left the show's loyal fans wondering, What now?

"We looked at what made the show interesting and what made it work," Abrams says. "There are, I believe, a lot of elements that make 'Alias' special. One of them, but only one of them, was the idea that [Sydney] had to be a double agent. But the tradeoff was this litany of things" that the show couldn't do because of that structure.

In addition to the potential confusion the double-agent scenario presented for casual viewers, Abrams says it also kept the show's writers from delving into the characters of Dixon (Carl Lumbly) and Marshall (Kevin Weisman), SD-6 agents who thought they were working for the government; often relegated Ron Rifkin, who plays former SD-6 leader, now freelance evil genius Arvin Sloane, to expository dialogue and shots of him brooding behind a desk; and erected an artificial and highly annoying barrier to the romance between Sydney and her CIA handler, Vaughn (Michael Vartan).

"I've said before if there was one more scene in which Sydney and Vaughn look at each other longingly and then walk away, I was going to kill myself," Abrams jokes.

Another problem was that SD-6 was apparently clueless about the fact that it had double agents -- Sydney's father, Jack (Victor Garber), also works for the CIA -- in its midst.

"After a while, it felt like either SD-6 is really stupid for not realizing she's a double agent, or she's really stupid for not taking them down," Abrams says. "That was getting hard."

Abrams acknowledges that ABC had some concerns about first-time viewers grasping the show, but he says the network didn't force the change in direction. (The two episodes following the Super Bowl show have drawn 11.4 million and 10.3 million viewers, an improvement over the show's season average of 9.3 million.)

"If you're a fan of the show, [the convoluted premise] has no bearing on you," Abrams says. "But if you're someone who just happens to tune in -- you couldn't deny the constant anecdotal evidence that people did have trouble understanding what the show was about. Even fans of the show would have difficulty sometimes."

The "Alias" staff felt the same way, and it was from that that the change in premise was born. Abrams doesn't necessarily agree, however, with the shorthand description that the show has been "simplified."

"I think [viewers] are going to find that the premise of the show is definitely easier to understand," he says. "But anyone who's watched the show post-takedown of the Alliance sees we're in no way making it simplistic or broad-stroked. ... We love the show too much to ever dumb it down or adjust it to become a lowest-common-denominator program."

Because the change opens up possibilities for other characters, Abrams believes "Alias" can keep its signature elements -- Sydney's high-stakes missions and myriad disguises and the complex relationships between the characters -- and tell better stories involving Dixon, Marshall and especially Sloane -- who, it turns out, helped cause the takedown of the Alliance for his own gain.

"We'll have in fact more realistic tension of will [Sydney] be found out within different storylines," he says. "And we still have Sloane as our resident bad guy, who's doing now far more interesting and complex acts of evil than he ever had to do as a cog of this big machine."

Although ABC hasn't said yet whether "Alias" will return for a third season, the show's writers are proceeding as if that were the case. The end of this season is already planned, and Abrams is clearly excited about it.

"The way last year ended" -- with Sydney's presumed-dead, ex-KGB-agent mother (Lena Olin) revealing herself as a rogue agent opposing both SD-6 and the CIA -- "I loved where we were going ... and I feel like this year we have an even better ending," he says. "If you're a longtime or a new fan of the show, I think it will blow your mind. It's that feeling of I have a giant secret that I just can't wait for everyone to see."

And don't be surprised if, another year or two down the line, there's another major shift in store for "Alias."

"I hope there will be another shift like this ... where we take what's going on and what you expect and twist it in a way," Abrams says. "To me it feels like the show is like that. Whether it's in sort of a micro way, where you say it's a story twist, or a macro way where you say the premise adjusts, 'Alias' must be a show that surprises you and does things you don't expect."

After raking in more than $45 million in its opening weekend, "Daredevil" has practically guaranteed that it will return with a sequel -- and maybe even a spin-off.

"Daredevil" writer and director Mark Stephen Johnson says he is considering created a film around "Daredevil" love interest Elektra Natchios, played in the film by "Alias" star Jennifer Garner.

"Elektra is such a dark character," Garner tells MTV.com. "If you read especially the [Frank Miller] comic books and even after that, she is dark. She just gets darker and darker. I mean, the chick visits her own grave -- it's not normal.

Marvel Comics spun the "Daredevil" character into the star of her own comic book series, and Johnson is considering doing the same on the silver screen. Johnson says he may ask fellow "Daredevil" fan and filmmaker Kevin Smith ("Dogma"), who appears in a brief cameo in the film, to adapt his own brief run as a writer for the comic book series into a screenplay. Or Johnson may write the script himself and base it on Frank Miller's gritty Elektra "Resurrection" story.

If "Elecktra" were to spin-off into a separate film, Garner sounds as if she would be interested.

"'Elektra and Wolverine' is so interesting, [as well as] 'Elektra and the Order of the Hand,' when she became a ninja," says Jennifer Garner. "Elektra is out for blood. ['Alias'] Sydney fights because she has to; she's either defending herself or she's getting rid of someone in order to go and get what she needs. And that's a huge difference in the way you approach a fight. Other than that playground fight, which is a flirtation and a courtship -- Elektra is just ready to take anybody down. She's looking for it."

A big of a fan of Elektra's comic book exploits, Garner reveals that there are still a few things she would rather not explore in an "Elektra" movie -- including the character's stint as a prostitute.

"When she's an assassin for hire, that's one thing," the actress jokes. "When she's, like, an assassin for hire, that's another!"

Everybody likes to get those crunchy candy hearts with the simple sayings on Valentine's Day. USA TODAY's Scott Bowles, Kelly Carter and Jeannie Williams asked celebrities to call on their inner poets and tell us what their candy hearts would say.

* Jennifer Garner: ''The boobs are real.''

Alias star Jennifer Garner — aka Mrs. Scott Foley (A.U.S.A.) — has come a long way, baby. She went from playing Felicity's mousy Hannah to feisty Sydney on ABC's spy thriller, and now it's on to comic-book heroine Elektra in Daredevil (opening tomorrow). But will all this kung fu kickass typecast Garner as an action chick?

"I did go through [worries about] that," the 30-year-old beauty tells TV Guide Online. "'Is it so boring? Is that what's expected of me? Should I do the opposite?' Then, I thought, 'Why? I really want to do the movie. I want to do this! I want to work with Ben Affleck and learn what this movie has to teach me.' In the end, it was a no brainer."

Alias fans needn't fret about losing Garner to the movies, though. "I'll stay really as long as the writing stays as sharp as it is, and as emotional as it is," she smiles. "And as long as [ABC] keeps picking us up, I'll be there."

The actress clearly was pleased by the post-Super Bowl episode, when Alias shed some of its murky mythology by allowing CIA mole Sydney to destroy SD-6, the terrorist cell where she worked as a double agent. "It blows the walls off and we can do anything now," she enthuses. "We're not restricted by, 'Some people can't know this and some people have to know this...' It does make the show less confusing and more accessible to people, and that's great. It was time for us to evolve."

Now, fans wait in suspense for Syd to realize that roommate Francie (Merrin Dungey) has been killed — and replaced with a devious double! Will we see these lethal ladies bare their claws? "Me and Bad Francie?" Garner chuckles. "I don't want to fight Merrin. She wants to fight me; I don't want to fight her. Fighting girls hurts! I'm not afraid I'd hurt her. . . It's just we have less meat on our bones, so it hurts. There's no padding!"

Irish actor COLIN FARRELL had a tough experience acting alongside screen beauty JENNIFER GARNER in their new movie DAREDEVIL - she was too fit to keep up with.

The MINORITY REPORT star - renowned for his penchant for drinking and smoking - admits the sexy ALIAS brunette was a hard act to follow while they were filming the upcoming action flick, which also stars BEN AFFLECK.

Farrell says, "She's really tough man. Yeah, she's a tough bird, she's a fit girl. We would do a take or two and I'd be in the corner wheezing, and Jennifer would be like, 'Can we go again straight away?' I'd be going, 'She's gonna kill me!'"

But Garner insists that Farrell was the one who proved to be hard work to star alongside.

She counters, "I've never seen anyone more determined to kill me in his whole life. Colin was so into our fight scene; it's a good thing he smokes as much as he does, otherwise I don't know if I'd be sitting here with you right now."

As if being TV's toughest she-spy weren't good enough, now Jennifer Garner has secured her "don't mess with me" image as Elektra Natchios--you know, Daredevil's smokin' hot ninjitsu-schooled contract killer? Plus, she even does double duty in the movie as both a bad guy and love interest. Can't she slow down?

E! cornered Garner (very carefully, of course) and got the skinny on bowling, J.Lo and how everyone fights better than Affleck. Especially Garner. Listen up.

Alias, Catch Me If You Can and Daredevil--and two years ago, you were just one of the babes in Dude, Where's My Car?
I've made my living as an actress for eight years, seven of them in anonymity. I thought I was doing just fine. I considered myself successful. What did I know?

Were you familiar with Daredevil and Elektra before you did the movie?
I grew up with three girls. We were much more into Little House on the Prairie than comic books. Having said that, I wish I had read Elektra's storyline when I was younger because I think it's pretty empowering. This woman can take care of herself and is as smart as any man--stronger than most. I, of course, have now read all of Elektra's saga and most of Daredevil's. Unfortunately, I did it out of order, so I'm very confused. Don't ask me anything about it.

Isn't a show like Alias enough punishment? Why put yourself through so violent a movie?
The first year of Alias was kind of my boot camp for Daredevil, and I did Daredevil because I wanted to learn what I could and take it back to Alias. Obviously, there are other reasons, but I went into it prepared to take on the next challenge, which was learning to fight with weapons--fighting every single day and learning to do extensive wire work.

How'd you like that?
It's so much fun. You feel like you can fly. Master Cheung-Yan Yuen and his wire team are the best in the world, and they demanded precision from us. We were happy to try our best to give it to them. Of course, they hated everything we did. They were very quick to tell us, "No, that was not good enough, start again." But we admired them for that and were always willing to go again.

What was Ben like? Fun to be with? Nice to kiss? Easy to beat up?
I fight all the time on Alias and work with different cast members every single day. I love each of them, but there was nothing like having a partner like Ben all summer long. I was so grateful to him just for being with me every step of the way.

Have you always been so athletic?
I didn't realize I was. Because I was a ballet dancer as a kid, I thought I was very fouffy and not capable of sports. Consequently, when something like that comes up on Alias, I always go, "Oh, gosh." But I can really do it.

Is there anything fouffy about you now?
I do care more about clothes than I used to, simply because they fit me better than they used to. And I can afford nicer ones than I used to be able to afford.

Ivo Vynckier was kind enough to send us some photos of Jennifer Garner (Sydney) from Premiere magazine. You can view them in our Jennifer Garner Photo section by clicking here (#71, 72 & 73).

THE highly complex plots of ABC's cult spy-hit "Alias" are getting simplified. The hope, according to ABC sources, is that more people will tune in to watch the show if it's easier to understand.

Last year, with about 9.8 million viewers, the critcally acclaimed show did not achieve the massive ratings ABC desperatly needs to keep the show going at the end of this season.

Part of the problem, according to industry execs, is that the show's twisty plots have been too hard to follow.

ABC officials declined to comment yesterday.

But last month, more than an hour after the Super Bowl ended, the network aired an episode of the show that took it in a new and much simpler direction.

And in the handful of episodes that have aired since then, the ratings have gone up slightly. Last week the show was seen by about 11.4 million viewers

Since it began last year, Golden Globe-winning actress Jennifer Garner has played Sydney Bristow, a double agent for the CIA and an evil spy-organization called SD-6.

Here's where it began to get confusing: most of her co-workers at SD-6 believed that they worked for the CIA. But Sydney and her father Jack Bristow both would attempt to foil SD-6 by reporting to the real CIA.

In the episode that aired after the Super Bowl, Sydney obtained enough evidence to set up a raid that shattered SD-6 for good and now allows her and her friends to work directly for the CIA.

"It's really exciting," Garner told a SCI FI wire. "We've made a kind of big change. . . Sydney's no longer a double agent. She's a CIA agent."

The move also opened up the door for Sydney and her CIA handler, Michael C. Vaughn (played by Michael Vartan) to have a romantic relationship without SD-6 discovering her connection to the CIA.

"So they have to figure out what they're going to do trust wise. And they've both been trained to lie all their lives, so what's that going to do to them?" says Garner.

It appears that some of Sydney's co-workers at SD-6 will also join the CIA as well. "All these characters who worked at SD-6 and thought they were working for the CIA and couldn't know that it wasn't the CIA, that kind of stunted all those characters," Garner says.

Bradley Cooper (Alias' Will Tippin) is in the Feb/March issue of Teen Vogue (with Gwen Stefani on the cover).

Alias fans weren't the only folks shocked by last Sunday's post-Super Bowl episode, which climaxed with the murder of Sydney's (Jennifer Garner) sweet roommate Francie (Merrin Dungey) at the hands of her never-before-seen evil double. Not even Dungey's closest friends knew the actress would soon transform into a femme fatale. Since October, she's been suffering under a vow of silence about the plot twist, and now she's dying to tell us all about it!

"J.J. [Abrams, the show's creator] said he'd send my character to Disney World, never to return, if I said anything," she tells TV Guide Online. "I've been holding this secret and living [like] Sydney Bristow... No one knew what was happening for so long. I'm breathing a sigh of relief and can't stop talking about it now!"

Dungey knew something had to change for her character, who'd been pushed to the sidelines to make way for the arrival of Syd's mother (Lena Olin). "I was getting frustrated because I'd come in once a week and say, 'Hey guys, do you want to try my soup, or bouillabaisse or brownies?'" she laughs. "I walked in my trailer, and I was like, 'If I see one more apron... Am I Florida on Good Times?'"

For months, Abrams and Dungey discussed different scenarios for the character, hoping to find a way to make the switch ring true. (Yeah, and we all know doppelgangers are quite a natural part of the real world.) Next thing the 31-year-old knew, she was training with world champion kickboxer Benny "the Jet" Urquidez, who's taught the likes of John Cusack, Jean-Claude Van Damme and David Lee Roth. "Jennifer is a badass... She is it," sasses the seasoned sitcom guest-star. "And if I'm going to have to get in there and tangle with her or any one of her fellow foes on the show, I've got to be ready."

Of course, before Dungey gets to threaten the free world with her deadly moves, she's got to keep up the best-friend act a little longer. "Even though some of the situations seem to be similar — me and Sydney in the house talking — you know Bad Francie is up to no good," she says with glee. "It's sooo good now. It is just delicious every time I get to jump into 'the Francinator.'"

Come fall, video gamers will have the chance to make Sydney Bristow do whatever they want.

Video-game maker Acclaim has reached an agreement with Disney Interactive to release a game based on ABC's spy thriller "Alias." The game will be released across all platforms.

Details of the "Alias" game are few at this point. Acclaim says players will be able to control Sydney (played by Jennifer Garner on the series) and attempt to complete a number of missions involving espionage, combat and stealth tactics.

Acclaim says the show, with its multiple locations and high levels of action, "lends itself perfectly to interactive entertainment."

The "Alias" game is scheduled for release in the fall.

Mark Ruffalo will star opposite "Alias" heroine Jennifer Garner in "13 Going on 30," a romantic fable that will begin filming in April.

While Garner makes her feature starring debut as Elektra in "Daredevil," which opens on Feb. 14, "13 Going on 30" will be her first seven-figure payday.

She plays a gawky preteen whose desperation to be popular makes her an easy mark for cruel classmates. Five days before her 13th birthday, the girl is tricked and locked in a closet, where she makes a crazy wish to be popular. She emerges in the full-grown form of Garner, a popular and successful ad agency exec five days shy of her 30th birthday, having skipped 17 awkward years. She also realizes she's in love with the nerdy kid next-door. Full-grown, he's played by Ruffalo.

Gary Winick ("Tadpole") will direct the Revolution Studios project. The shoot will coincide with Garner's "Alias" hiatus.

Ruffalo, who broke through with "You Can Count On Me," currently is starring alongside Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst and Elijah Wood in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and next will be seen opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in "A View From the Top." He just completed the Jane Campion-directed "In the Cut" opposite Meg Ryan, which Screen Gems will distribute in the fall.

If you thought last night's post-Super Bowl episode of Alias was big, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Exec producer J.J. Abrams confirms to TV Guide Online that there have been some informal discussions about transporting Jennifer Garner's double-agent alter ego onto the big screen in an Alias feature film.

"It has come up, and... it's an interesting idea," he says. "My agents have talked to me about it, and I know that they have talked to Disney about it, but it's nothing that is seriously being pursued.

"Given the fact that we try every week to do a movie version of the show, it's not clear to me what we would try to do that we aren't already trying to do," adds the former Felicity auteur, who in addition to his Alias duties, is penning the script to the next Superman pic. "And I wouldn't want to make the show look small by doing a [movie]. You have to be careful of that."

Consequently, Alias will most likely arrive in a theater near you after it ends its run on the small screen. Of course, given the drama's ongoing ratings woes, that day might not be too far off. Abrams, however, remains optimistic that ABC will grant Sydney Bristow and Co. a third season.

"I'm betting it will [be renewed]," he says. "But I haven't heard anything official, and it's up to them to say no. But we're plotting our stories ahead as if we'll get picked up, just as during the first season, we were plotting ahead as if we'd get picked up for a second."

Well, there's one thing Alias fans can count on come fall: The show's first season will be released on DVD. "There are going to be a lot of great special features," he says of the mult-disc set, which is slated to arrive in stores on Sept. 2. "When I filmed the pilot, a good friend of mine shot like eight or nine hours of behind-the-scenes footage and did interviews with most of the cast. So, in addition to a number of other really cool features, we're going to edit together a behind-the-scenes piece on the making of the pilot."

Up-and-coming movie babe JENNIFER GARNER reveled in her character in new film DAREDEVIL and got a real kick out of fighting Hollywood hunk BEN AFFLECK.

The actress, who plays female superhero ELECKTRA in the movie, is gradually coming to terms with her transition from broke waitress to A-list movie star.

Garner, 30, says playing alongside Affleck was quite an adrenaline rush: "I was in a kind of combat mode. I really wanted to fight Ben Affleck."

She says her character "is both good and evil. She's very fierce and much more aggressive than anyone I've ever played before.

"Elecktra goes looking for a fight. She's a strong, confident and sexy woman who is not afraid to use her sex to throw people off guard."

Meanwhile, STEVEN SPIELBERG, who worked with Garner in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, has boosted the actress even more by saying, "She is going to be huge."

She says, "I never expected to find myself in this magical position. I consider myself one of the luckiest girls in Hollywood.

As Garner explains, It's a far cry from her days as a waitress in New York: "I was broke at the time. I'd walk across New York rather than take the subway so I could spend the fare on pasta."

LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- The hobbit cloaks of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and the jazzy tap shoes of "Chicago" were among the onscreen accessories that caught the eye of members of the Costume Designers Guild, which unveiled the nominees for its fifth annual Excellence in Costume Design Awards on Tuesday.

In the contemporary film category, costume designer Joanna Johnston was nominated for Universal Pictures' "About a Boy," Wendy Chuck for New Line's "About Schmidt," Sarah Edwards for MGM's "Igby Goes Down," Ellen Mirojnick for 20th Century Fox's "Unfaithful" and Susie DeSanto for Warner Bros. Pictures' "White Oleander."

In the period or fantasy film category, Miramax led the pack with costume designer Colleen Atwood's work being recognized for "Chicago" and Julie Weiss for "Frida." Ngila Dickson got a nom for New Line's "Two Towers" and Albert Wolsky for DreamWorks' "Road to Perdition."

HBO dominated the contemporary television costume design category. Patricia Fields was nominated for the urbane look she gives the stars of HBO's "Sex and the City (news - Y! TV)." Also vying for honors in that category are Julie Polcsa for "The Sopranos (news - Y! TV)" and Gail McMullen for "Six Feet Under." Laura Goldsmith was nominated for her work on ABC's "Alias."

For period or fantasy costume design for TV, Jane Anderson is up for NBC's "American Dreams," Mayes Rubeo for the Showtime miniseries "Fidel," Karen Perry for CBS' "The Rosa Parks Story" and Melina Root for Fox's "That '70's Show."

Winners of the fifth annual CDG Awards will be announced March 16 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. The event marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the guild.

A string of high-profile guest stars on "Alias" will continue when Christian Slater makes an appearance on the show during February sweeps.

Slater, who recently played a Navy officer and love interest for Donna (Janel Moloney) on "The West Wing," is scheduled to appear in the Sunday, Feb. 9 episode of ABC's spy thriller.

He plays a scientist kidnapped by SD-6 head Sloane (Ron Rifkin) and ordered to piece together mysterious artifacts left behind by 15th-century scientist and apparent visionary Milo Rambaldi. Also in the episode, Dixon (Carl Lumbly) comes clean about his job to his wife and Sydney (Jennifer Garner) -- who apparently has been attending class off-camera -- finally finishes grad school.

Slater's appearance on "Alias" will come one week after Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke ("Training Day" ) plays a possible double agent on the show. In its two seasons, the series has also attracted such guest stars as Faye Dunaway, Quentin Tarantino, Peter Berg and Roger Moore.

There's no word from NBC as to whether Slater will turn up on "The West Wing" again.

NBC took over at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which won the hour at 8.3/13. Two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" put FOX in second. "Alias" averaged a 5.7/9 to give ABC third. The first hour of "Mafia Doctor" on CBS trailed with a 4.8 for the hour. "The WB's Outrageous Outtakes" earned a 2.9/4.

In addition to being the biggest hit on TV, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" is also one of the best-looking shows on the air, with all its dark shadows and neon lights of Las Vegas at night.

Accordingly, episodes of the show -- and the people who filmed them -- are up for two awards at the American Society of Cinematographers' annual honors. The series' crossover episode that launched the spinoff "CSI: Miami" is also nominated.

The society's annual awards honor cinematographers in three categories: episode of a regular series; broadcast movie, miniseries or pilot; and cable movie, miniseries or pilot. CBS -- the three "CSI" episodes -- and NBC programs each earned three nominations, while FOX and ABC each got two. Seven other networks -- The WB, UPN, TNT, HBO, Showtime, Hallmark Channel and Sci Fi -- each earned one nod.

Michael Barrett, who shot one of the two nominated "CSI" episodes as well as the "CSI: Miami" pilot, is nominated in two categories. He's only the second cinematographer to be nominated in more than one category.

The society will hand out its awards Sunday, Feb. 16. Below is a full list of nominees ("ASC" after a name denotes a member of the society):

EPISODIC

Michael Barrett, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (episode "Snuff" ), CBS
Michael Bonvillain, "Alias" (episode "Page 47" ), ABC
Frank Byers, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (episode "Fight Night" ), CBS
Thomas Del Ruth, ASC, "The West Wing" (episode "Holy Night" ), NBC
Billy Dickson, ASC, "Ally McBeal" (episode "Reality Bites" ), FOX
Robert Primes, ASC, "MDs" (episode "Wing and a Prayer" ), ABC
Bill Roe, ASC, "The X-Files" (episode "Release" ), FOX

BROADCAST MOVIE/MINISERIES/PILOT

Michael Barrett, "CSI: Miami" pilot ("Cross Jurisdictions" ), CBS
Victor Goss, ASC, "Carrie," NBC
Clark Mathis, "Birds of Prey" pilot, The WB
Brian J. Reynolds, "American Dreams" pilot, NBC
Peter Wunstorf, "Haunted" pilot, UPN

Christian Slater has signed on to do two episodes of ABC's spy yarn to air Feb. 9 and 16.

Victor Garber isn't quite sure why "Alias" isn't doing better in the ratings than it is.

"I think it's a difficult show. It's not an easy show for people to follow," says Garber, who plays double agent Jack Bristow, the brooding father of lead character Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) on ABC's spy drama.

He's also not sure the show's Nielsen numbers -- it's averaging about 9.3 million viewers a week -- are fully representative of its audience. Based on his own experience, anyway, he thinks there might be some uncounted fans out there.

"Everywhere I go, someone walks up to me and says 'I never miss your show,' every town I'm in," he says. "That, to me, is indicative of something."

Whatever the reasons for "Alias' " viewership not meeting its buzz level, Garber thinks that may change following the show's post-Super Bowl episode Sunday, Jan. 26. The game typically delivers a big audience to whatever airs immediately after it, and Garber says the episode will be accessible to people who haven't followed every episode.

"Because there are some big changes coming up in the next few weeks, the Super Bowl episode is like starting over. It's almost like a pilot episode," he says.

In the episode, Jack and Sydney are taken aback when nefarious spy organization SD-6 brings in a new director (guest star Rutger Hauer) to replace Arvin Sloane (Ron Rifkin), who's gone AWOL to be with his presumed-dead-but-really-alive wife (Amy Irving).

(ABC originally scheduled an episode featuring Ethan Hawke as a guest star but decided to hold that hour for the February sweeps period.)

Garber also says that future episodes will be somewhat more self-contained, as opposed to the cliffhanger-a-week form of the show's first season.

"It was a very conscious choice on the producers' part, and I think it will possibly help" the show's ratings, Garber says. "You can start at the beginning and get to the end without feeling like you've missed anything."

The post-Super Bowl "Alias" will go on the air at roughly 10:15 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 26.

'ALIAS" has fumbled its big, mega-hyped post-Super Bowl episode starring Ethan Hawke.

Instead, another episode, "Phase One," starring "Blade Runner" baddie Rutger Hauer, will now air after the Super Bowl around 10:15 p.m. on Jan. 26.

A spokeswoman for Touchstone Television, which produces "Alias" for ABC, said show creator J.J. Abrams was behind the last-minute switch - because he felt the episode that's being substituted "was stronger."

"J.J. prefers it this way," she said, adding that ABC will announce shortly an air date for the Hawke episode.

ABC announced the change yesterday - via a two-line mention in its daily press release.

In "Phase One," Sydney and Jack (Victor Garber) are confronted by the new director of SD-6, who's played by Hauer. The new director replaces the missing Sloane (Ron Rifkin) - whose motives and whereabouts are unknown.

In Hawke's episode, he will portray CIA agent Lennox, whose identity is called into question by Sydney (Jennifer Garner) and dad Jack (Victor Garber) after Lennox's "deep cover" mission is blown.

Jennifer Garner will be on Independent Film Channel's "Dinner for Five" with host Jon Favreau in the near future (likely date is Jan 20). The other guests include Kevin Smith, Colin Firth and Jennifer's Daredevil co-star Ben Affleck. Check your local listings for the time & date in your area.

Sexy actress JENNIFER GARNER's husband is becoming increasingly frustrated with his wife's role in the hit show ALIAS - because she's constantly taking a beating during filming.

Garner, 30, married to actor SCOTT FOLEY, does her own stunts when she plays CIA stunner SYDNEY BRISTOW on the spy drama, which means she often arrives home black and blue - much to the disgust of her spouse.

She says, "I show my bruises to my husband and he goes, 'Don't show me that anymore, it makes me angry! I don't want you to get beat up at work. For a while, I thought it was funny, but now it is really getting serious.

"I really do get the snot kicked out of me. I am working 83 hours a week and I can't put my wedding band on anymore because my hands are so swollen from hitting all the time. It's really tough."

FOX won most of the TV-related awards at the 2003 Golden Satellite Awards Sunday night (Jan. 12) with its sophomore series "24" and "The Bernie Mac Show." The winners are picked by more than 200 international and domestic entertainment writers from the International Press Academy.

The ground-breaking "24" not only took best TV drama, but also best actor and supporting actress in a drama for Kiefer Sutherland and Sarah Clarke, beating past winners from "The West Wing," "ER," "Alias" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "The Bernie Mac Show" won best comedy TV series and star Mac won best actor in a comedy series.

Jeremy Suarez, who plays Mac's 8-year-old son Jordan on the show, accepted the award at the Beverly Hills Hotel Grand Ballroom, saying, "Bernie says he's glad that we're making people laugh at local and international levels."

Victor Garber from "Alias" won best supporting actor in a drama and Debra Messing won for best actress in a comedy for "Will & Grace" while Eric Roberts took best actor in a comedy for "Less Than Perfect" and "Everybody Loves Raymond's" Doris Roberts won best supporting actress in a comedy.

An overwhelmed Roberts looked over the list that of other nominees which included "Sex in the City's" Cynthia Nixon and "Gilmore Girls'" Kelly Bishop, and said, "I'm the mother of them all. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is what happens when you're young and sexy."

The 73-year-old actress tells Zap2it.com "I'm going to keep on kicking, I'm going to keep on acting, why not? I have so much more knowledge than I did 20 years ago."

Across town, in Pasadena, her show's creator and star, Ray Romano, was accepting his People's Choice Award. "It's a joy to go to work every day with that cast, he deserves every honor he gets," Roberts says.

This is the seventh awards show for the International Press Academy, which is the largest association of professional entertainment journalists in the world, honoring entertainment categories in TV, film, Internet and interactive media. With a membership of full-time working press representing both domestic and foreign markets, the academy reaches more than 500 million people globally via major print, television, radio, cable, and new media outlets and the Internet.

Best actress in a TV drama went to C.C.H. Pounder of "The Shield" who said, "The great reward for people like myself is to get the job. I am amazed I have been honored."

The big winner in the motion picture made-for-TV awards was TNT's "Door to Door" -- a true story about a man with cerebral palsy who struggles to become a salesman. It won for best motion picture made for TV, best actress in a supporting role in a movie or miniseries for Helen Mirren and best actor in a movie or miniseries for TV for the co-writer and star William H. Macy.

"The tough part was portraying someone's real life, we had to be true to Bill Porter's life, and I had to do that in the writing and in the acting," Macy says. Carrying the heavy two-foot-tall bronze statuette of a woman holding a satellite dish, Macy quipped, "It's a dish carrying a dish, it's definitely one of my more unique awards."

Vanessa L. Williams won best actress in a miniseries or motion picture for TV for "Keep the Faith, Baby," and Linus Roache won best supporting actor in a miniseries or motion picture for "The Gathering Storm."

Eight-year-old Dakota Fanning, who won an award last year for her role in "I am Sam" accepted the best miniseries award for the Sci-Fi Channel's "Taken." Accepting with co-star Julie Benz, Dakota charmed the 200 actors and journalists in the audience by saying, "I want to thank executive producer Steven Spielberg for picking me, every day I want to thank him." She'll next be seen in the big screen version of "The Cat in the Hat."

Other TV actors in attendance included John C. McGinley from "Scrubs," Maria Conchita Alonso, John Savage, Ed Lauter, Patrick Sullivan, Blayne Weaver and Michael Constantine who won for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" but is looking forward to the TV show version of it, CBS' "My Big Fat Greek Life."

Heading out to join the film cast for a night of partying because of their big win at the People's Choice Award for Best Comedy, Constantine said, "I'm looking so forward to working with these great people in a TV series. They're all so talented and clever."

The international writers also honored Murray Weissman and Dick Delson as longtime publicists, George Lucas for his filmmaking and Bob Evans of "The Kid Stays in the Picture" with the Mary Pickford Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the Entertainment Industry.

To see a list of all the awards go to www.pressacademy.com, and check Zap2it.com's movie section to read about all the film awards.

Jennifer Garner (Sydney, Alias) and Ben Affleck (Mr. Jenny from the block) are on the cover of February issue of Premiere magazine to promote their up coming film Daredevil. There's a nice article and a great full page photo of Jennifer as her Daredevil character Electra.

The 1972 movie classic "Sounder" is getting a new spin on ABC.

The network is remaking the movie, about an African-American boy's journey through the Depression-era South to find his father, to air as part of its "Wonderful World of Disney" franchise. It's scheduled to air Sunday, Jan. 19.

Carl Lumbly ("Alias") stars as the Father, a sharecropper who steals a ham to feed his family and is sentenced to five years of hard labor for his crime. Newcomer Daniel Lee Robertson III plays the Boy, whose journey takes him from boyhood to manhood as well as across Louisiana in search of his dad.

Suzzanne Douglass ("The Parent 'Hood") plays the Mother, while Paul Winfield -- who played the Father in the 1972 movie -- plays a teacher who encourages the Boy's love of books.

"Sounder" was nominated for four Oscars in 1973, including best picture. Winfield earned a best actor nomination.

Kevin Hooks, who played the Boy in the original, is directing the remake. He's worked as a director on numerous TV series over the past 20 years, among them "NYPD Blue," "Homicide," "ER" and "St. Elsewhere."

ABC is promising three musical hours of pleasure with a presentation of "Meredith Willson's The Music Man" on "The Wonderful World of Diseny," Sunday, Feb. 16.

The television movie, originally scheduled to air on Feb. 23, tells the story of a man who tries to instill moral righteousness in his fellow townsfolk and stars Tony Award winners Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth, as well as Emmy nominees Victor Garber, Debra Monk and Molly Shannon, and Broadway star David Aaron Baker.

The stars are also all involved in a behind-the-scenes scoop of the movie although a network spokesman says there are no details available on when or where it will air.

How many women would chose to spend a Valentine's evening watching a blind superhero who parades around in a skintight, red leather bodysuit? Plenty, hopes 20th Century Fox, who is gambling that viewers will line up to see "Daredevil" On Feb. 14.

Based on a comic book, the film stars Sexiest Man Alive Ben Affleck as about a blind man who is a lawyer by day and a superhero by night. To compensate for his blindness, Daredevil's remaining other senses grew extraordinarily powerful. In addition, he developed a "mental radar" that he uses to help him fight evildoers.

The film costars "Alias" headliner Jennifer Garner as well as Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Green Mile") and Colin Farrell ("Minority Report").

At 9 p.m., NBC took over with an easy win for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" which averaged a 9.7/15. FOX finished a distant second with a new episode of "Malcolm in the Middle" (6.0/9) and a repeat of "Malcolm" (5.6/9). The CBS movie "Return to the Batcave" was third averaging a 4.9/8 for the hour. A repeat of "Alias" on ABC finished fourth. A repeat of "Charmed" earned a 2.9/4 on The WB.

NBC took over at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" taking the hour with a 10.8/16. A new "Alias" on ABC was second at 6.1/9 followed by "Malcolm in the Middle" and a repeat of "That '70s Show" on FOX. CBS trailed for the hour with the miniseries "Salem Witch Trials" which brought in a 5.1/8. The second hour of "Charmed" had a 3.4/5 on The WB.

From 9-10 p.m., "The 45th Annual Grammy Awards" averaged 15.7/23, ahead of the building NBC movie. The second hour of "The X-Men" was good for third with 5.3/8, beating a new episode of "Alias" on ABC with a 5.1/7. Two more episodes of "The Surreal Life" averaged 2.2/3.

NBC took the lead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 10.1/15. CBS' movie "Profoundly Normal" (7.8/12 from 9 to 11 p.m.) was second. Two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" on FOX averaged 6.0/9 to beat ABC's "Alias" by a tenth of a point. The WB ended its night with "High School Reunion."

Sexy Jennifer Garner traded in her leather Elektra gear for a frilly ball gown to attend the premiere of Daredevil at Manns Village Theater in Los Angeles, while swordsman Colin Farrell, whose interview in Playboy is too X-rated to even papaphrase, left the starlets alone for the night and brought his mom to the superheroic premiere.

THE WAYNE BRADY SHOW, syndicated
Th 2/13: Victor Garber, Carnie Wilson, Engelbert Humperdinck

THE VIEW, ABC
Fr 2/14: Matthew Broderick, Molly Shannon, Victor Garber, Kristin Chenoweth

Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
Fr 2/21: ESPN anchor Rich Eisen, Jennifer Garner, guest co-host Janeane Garofalo

THE CAROLINE RHEA SHOW, syndicated
Fr 2/7: Jennifer Garner

LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS
Mo 2/10: Jennifer Garner

LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY, syndicated
Tu 2/11: Jennifer Garner

LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC
Th 2/13: Jennifer Garner

At 9 p.m., NBC took the top spot with the highest-rated and most-watched show of the night, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 10.0/15, causing CBS to drop to second with its movie "Brush with Fate" (8.2/13 average from 9 to 11 p.m.). ABC and FOX tied for third with "Alias" and back-to-back episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" all averaging a 6.7/10 for the hour.

The end of the Super Bowl and postgame festivities averaged 33.7/48 at 10 p.m. NBC moved up to second with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 6.6/10, with CBS' movie in third.

Airing outside of primetime in most of the country, the postgame episode of "Alias" scored a 13.3/23.

At 9 p.m., football continued to dominate, posting a 21.3/31. The Golden Globes averaged 13.8/20. FOX's movie wrapped up with a 4.0/6. ABC finished fourth with a repeat of "Alias."

For all those who think an SD-6 mole is either a rare skin disease or the scientific term for Cindy Crawford's birthmark, we have a mission: possible for you: Stick around Sunday immediately following ABC's telecast of Super Bowl XXXVII for a special Alias and get caught up on the best spy game in town. And don't let the show's intricate plots and labyrinthine mythology intimidate you. As exec producer J.J. Abrams explains to TV Guide Online, this particular installment has been tailor-made for folks who wouldn't know a Rambaldi artifact from a rubber ducky. "It's an episode that I definitely wanted to make [accessible] to non-viewers," he says. "You never have to have seen the show to understand it, and yet, if you have seen the show, some of the stories will have more meaning." Even better, there's a fantastic chance you'll get to see two of the best-looking people on the planet — Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan — make the biggest score of the night! Now that we've hooked the novices, here's a treat for all you Alias diehards. The crucial extra points...

TV Guide Online: So, what's the basic gist of Sunday's episode?
J.J. Abrams: Sydney Bristow (Garner), as a CIA operative acting as a double agent within SD-6, confronts the new boss of SD-6 and, in doing so, ends up learning of a potential vulnerability within this evil agency. This vulnerability, she believes, can bring this evil organization to its knees. So, it's about her leading the charge with the CIA to destroy this enemy. In a way, this episode sort of breaks the dam and lets us do the stories that I, as a writer, have personally been dying to do, but have been unable to, given the structure of the premise and the paradigm of the show. This lets us go places that we've wanted to go for quite a while.

TVGO: Will there be any major romantic developments between Sydney and Vaughn (Vartan)?
Abrams: Yes. If I had another scene of Jennifer and Michael staring longingly at each other and not saying anything, I was going to lose my mind. It was a relationship that we were not letting ourselves get that deep into, [and by moving it forward], it allows [Sydney] to experience as much joy and pleasure as heartache and stress and anxiety and fret. And unless you get her to that place, the relationship ends up existing forever in a somewhat sophomoric, juvenile place where we're not allowing it to deepen. I'm not saying that I wanted them to get together at the beginning of the first season — or even at the end of the first season — but I feel like we're at a place where they clearly have come together far enough that to not allow them to get together feels false. Like we're trying to create a Moonlighting situation, as if the show needs that.

TVGO: Why was the episode featuring guest star Ethan Hawke — originally slated to air after the Super Bowl — delayed until Feb. 2?
Abrams: It's an incredibly strong episode, but the story didn't address some of the things that the episode following the Super Bowl needed to address. Basically, we wanted to feature all of our characters in a way that would allow a mass audience of new viewers who had never seen the show before to really get a taste of who is who and what the show is about in a larger sense.

TVGO: So, it won't affect continuity?
Abrams: No. We never would have done it if it would have been a bizarre reverse thing. We made the choice early enough so that creatively, it fit perfectly.

TVGO: Christian Slater recently signed on for a couple of episodes (the first of which airs Feb. 9). Who will he be playing?
Abrams: A scientist who is kidnapped and forced against his will to assist Sloane (Ron Rifkin) in the hunt for Rambaldi.

TVGO: So, we haven't seen the last of Sloane?
Abrams: You'll have to see what happens, but I can tell you that his story is the most compelling now, given [what happens] in the post-Super Bowl episodes.

TVGO: Are you still planning to bring Keri Russell on as a guest? (Abrams was Russell's boss on the WB's late, great Felicity.)
Abrams: We talked about it a couple of times and the fact is, though her name has come up for things, I haven't written anything for her. I haven't had the role that I thought was the right one for her. But I'd love to have her on because I really miss working with her. I think she's a genius. But there's no plan at the moment.

TVGO: What big-name movie star are you currently trying to recruit?
Abrams: The deals aren't closed, but I am certain that by the end of the year there will be a handful of [A-list celebs] on the show.

ALIAS. Sunday after Super Bowl, ABC.

ABC's post-Super Bowl showing of its sophomore spy series, "Alias," is a bold and risky move. It's aimed at converting more viewers to the network's delightful drama - but for it to work, the episode has to catch, and keep, people who aren't familiar with the show's complex relationships and plots.

I've seen the episode, which ought to show up shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, and all I can say is that creator J.J. Abrams has delivered his part of the bargain.

The first images showcase Jennifer Garner, the show's immensely talented star, strutting in a way that makes the wrestling women of that Miller Lite commercial look demure. The last image is also likely to draw gasps, but for a different reason.

This hour of "Alias" has surprises that it's not fair to ruin. What it also has is a straightforward narrative that wraps up more than one plot line and, while setting the stage for the second half of the season, stands alone as an action-packed hour.

And if you choose Sunday to watch "Alias" for the first time, you'll witness what fans of the series have been thrilling to all along. Garner, as secret agent Sydney Bristow, is delivering an astoundingly consistent and complicated performance each week. Yes, she looks great in her undercover costumes - but she'll also pull you in with the depth of emotion in her closeups.

More often than not, the Super Bowl has been used to launch pure junk. Every once in a while, though, something special gets the nod, like "The Wonder Years" or "Homicide: Life on the Street."

"Alias" belongs in that impressive company. And even if the show doesn't receive a long-term ratings spike because of this high-profile spot, ABC was right - and uncharacteristically intelligent - in giving "Alias" the show of faith.

In an era when reality TV dominates, scripted dramas are being crowded out of prime time. When you have a show as good as "Alias" - and right now, it's one of the best shows on television - it deserves to be nurtured.

In the program's last few telecasts, certain plots have developed that allow Sunday's episode to move forward at warp speed. All you need to know, if you're hopping aboard for the first time, is that Sydney works for SD-6, a spy operation that recruits its operatives as an arm of the government, but is actually one of 12 secret cells working for a multinational enemy organization known as the Alliance.

Sydney knows SD-6 is not what it purports to be, and so does her father, Jack, played so smartly by Victor Garber. But other agents, like Carl Lumbly's Dixon (Sydney's partner) and Kevin Weissman as tech wizard Marshall (their version of 007's Q), are good guys who don't know they're working for the bad guys.

Meanwhile, Jack and Sydney are double agents working undercover for the CIA, and Vaughn (Michael Vartan), whom Sydney secretly loves, is their contact. Tied into all this are the mercurial loyalties of Sydney's mother, played by Lena Olin, a traitor who has appeared to prove loyal to her daughter, and the sinister Sloane (Ron Rifkin), the head of SD-6, who had Sydney's fiancé killed in the series premiere.

There's no use denying that loyal viewers will get a bit more out of Sunday's episode than first-timers. But even as a first trip, this "Alias" is a thrill ride.

The episode of "Alias" scheduled to air after the Super Bowl will feature Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke in a guest role.

The network announced in November that Hawke, who earned his Oscar nod for "Training Day," would make an appearance on the series but didn't specify when. Rather than wait until Feburary sweeps for his episode, the network decided to go with the high-profile post-Super Bowl slot.

Hawke will play a CIA agent whose undercover mission is compromised. Sydney (Jennifer Garner), her father, Jack (Victor Garber), and her CIA handler Vaughn (Michael Vartan) plan a rescue, but they discover evidence that points to Hawke's character possibly being a double agent.

Also in the episode, Sydney's friends Will (Bradley Cooper) and Francie (Merrin Dungey) begin ot have romantic feelings for one another.

ABC, which is broadcasting the Super Bowl, this year, is hoping the game's typically giant audience will stick around for "Alias" and then follow it for the rest of the season. Although the show, in its second season, is a critical favorite and has a devoted core following, it hasn't yet become a breakout hit. It's averaging 9.3 million viewers a week so far this season.

The episode will air after the Super Bowl on Sunday, Jan. 26, at roughly 10:15 p.m. ET.

MICHAEL Douglas did it. So did Heidi Klum and J.Lo.We're talking, of course, about romantic upgrades, a bona fide celebrity tradition.

Last year alone, Kate Winslet finalized her divorce from assistant director Jim Threapleton and shacked up with Oscar-winning helmer Sam Mendes.

Jennifer Connelly split with the unfortunately missing-in-action Josh "Sports Night" Charles to romance her "A Beautiful Mind" co-star Paul Bettany.

Gwyneth ditched a string of suitors - including two princes - to take up with rock royal Chris Martin of Coldplay. And who can blame Kirsten Dunst for dropping spider-boy Tobey Maguire to take up with his even hotter look-alike, rising star Jake Gyllenhaal?

And then there are the stars who might want to consider getting an upgrade. To wit:

* REESE WITHERSPOON and RYAN PHILLIPPE

"My husband supports me in a lot of stuff," Reese told us at the "Sweet Home Alabama" premiere.

That was before "Alabama" took in a purdy $125 million at the box office. Is America's new sweetheart too big for her Ryan?

The Phillippes are supposedly in couples therapy, which is good news. They have a beautiful daughter, Ava.

But Reese is just 26 years old. Would anyone blame her for acting her age and having a little fun? We hear Irish import Colin Farrell is single.

* CAMERON DIAZ and JARED LETO

According to the January Vanity Fair, Cameron just wants to have burping contests. But Jared seems too self-important to indulge her.

There are a lot of pretty boys in Hollywood, including Cameron's "Gangs of New York" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. And the two were recently spotted dining at Da Silvano.

While they might have needed a Duraflame to get a single spark in "Gangs," that generally bodes well for off-screen dalliances. (Ever seen "Proof of Life"?)

This seems to be Cameron's lucky year, kick-started by a Golden Globe nod. Catch him if you can.

* JENNIFER GARNER and SCOTT FOLEY

When "Felicity" charmer Scott Foley wed Jennifer Garner, she was a veteran of several canceled TV shows with a supporting role in "Dude, Where's My Car."

Now she's the Golden Globe-trotting star of "Alias."

And, she's starring as the femme fatale Elektra opposite Affleck in "Daredevil." (Her contract guarantees a sequel and an Elektra spin-off.)

Scott's got a midseason replacement on NBC called "A.U.S.A." And the good news is it's funny. (With a strong lead-in, it may even do better than "Alias.") But is she out of his league?

Thankfully Jennifer doesn't seem to play that game. And it's easy to see why.

Scott is a total gentleman, entirely respectful of his wife's talent and her portfolio. The Post caught up with him at the "Rules of Attraction" premiere where he charmed us with his self-deprecating wit.

"It's an empowering thing for a woman to be able to contribute some extra cash to a household. Or in my case, the majority of cash," he said. Here's to hoping Scott doesn't spend Valentine's Day watching "Daredevil' with the other geeks.

* JULES ASNER and STEVEN SODERBERGH

The Oscar-winning blowhard director is reportedly co-habitating with E!'s Jules Asner. Someone here might consider an upgrade - we're just not sure whom.

For all the it's-not-as-good-anymore talk about "The Sopranos" in the early part of its fourth season, the show redeemed itself in the eyes of TV critics with its powerhouse final episodes.

The show has reclaimed the top spot in the semiannual critics' poll taken by Electronic Media magazine. Because of its 16-month absence from HBO, it wasn't eligible for the past two polls taken by the trade publication.

FOX's "24," which held the top spot in the previous two polls, dropped one spot to second. HBO's comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was third among critics, jumping up from No. 19 in the spring/summer 2002 poll.

The magazine asked 41 TV critics from across the country to rate the 20 best and 10 worst shows on television. Original episodes must have aired in the summer or fall of 2002. A No. 1 ranking in the best-show category received 10 points, while a worst-show No. 1 vote received five points.

The best-shows list is a mix of big hits -- "CSI," "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" are in the Nielsen top top 10 as well as the critics' -- and lesser-watched series like "Gilmore Girls," "Alias" and the cancelled "Robbery Homicide Division."

Although "The Osbournes" made the top 20 list, critics showed a disdain for several other reality shows. E!'s "Anna Nicole Show" was rated the worst of all, with "The Bachelor" and "Fear Factor" also in the bottom 10.

Five new series made the top 20, but overall critics say the quality of TV has suffered this season. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed say this season's prime-time lineup is worse than last season's.

Following are the best and worst lists compiled by Electronic Media. Numbers in parentheses in the best list reflect each show's position in the spring/summer 2002 poll.

THE BEST

1. "The Sopranos," HBO (not eligible)
2. "24," FOX (1)
3. "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO (19)
4. "Boomtown," NBC (new)
5. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS (7)
6. "The West Wing," NBC (3)
7. "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS (11)
8. "Six Feet Under," HBO (2)
9. "Gilmore Girls," The WB (8)
10. "Friends," NBC (6)
10. (tie) "The Simpsons," FOX (15)
12. "The Wire," HBO (new)
13. "The Osbournes," MTV (new)
14. "Scrubs," NBC (10)
15. "Alias," ABC (12)
16. "The Bernie Mac Show," FOX (5)
16. (tie) "American Dreams," NBC (new)
18. "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," FOX (not ranked)
18. (tie) "Robbery Homicide Division," CBS (new)
20. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," UPN (20)
20. (tie) "The Daily Show," Comedy Central

THE WORST

1. "The Anna Nicole Show," E!
2. "Bram and Alice," CBS
3. "girls club," FOX
4. "The Bachelor," ABC
5. "Good Morning Miami," NBC
6. "In-Laws," NBC
7. "Hidden Hills," NBC
8. "Fear Factor," NBC
9. "Dinotopia," ABC
10. "The Grubbs," FOX

ITALIAN actress Monica Bellucci is the sexiest woman on the planet, or so says Stuff magazine. The lascivious lad-mag put Bellucci atop its "103 Sexiest Women in the World" list over Jennifer Lopez (No. 2), Cameron Diaz (No. 8), "Alias" hottie Jennifer Garner (No. 11), Angelina Jolie (No. 18), Charlie Sheen's wife Denise Richards (No. 21) and professional sexpot Carmen Electra (No. 42). Can't get enough of quantifiable cuties? Don't miss PAGE SIX's "50 Most Eligible Babes in New York," who'll be unveiled here on Thursday.

"Alias" producer J.J. Adams picked up Ipods for Jennifer Garner and the rest of the cast.

The 10 Best

1. Boomtown (NBC). This latest addition to TV's collection of great crime dramas has been praised justifiably for its stylistic flourishes: the differing points of view, the cuts between time and space, the puzzlelike structure that slowly reveals the truth. But no TV show prospers without great writing and acting, and Boomtown has both. Like any series, and particularly any new series, the show has had some uneven installments, but its best episodes, from the sad collapse of a former TV star to the unraveling of a district attorney, have been as good as any you'll see.

2. 24 (Fox). If 24 isn't TV's best show, it's as close to it as one second is to the next on that tension-building clock that defines the series. In May, this crackling spy drama produced one of the year's most indelible scenes: Jack cradling the body of his dead wife. Now in its second season, 24 may be even better, thanks to the developing dynamic between Jack and Nina, so exquisitely played by Kiefer Sutherland (news) and Sarah Clarke (news). Pulling off this time-trick of a show once was nearly miraculous; twice may count as divine.

3. Alias (ABC). Mother, please! With the addition of a delicious Lena Olin (news) as Sydney's mom, this cleverly complex spy fantasy has morphed into a bitterly funny commentary on the problems of dealing with estranged parents, though I doubt many families have ever attempted to reconnect over a trio of machine guns. Like all great series, Alias offers the thrill of constant surprise as it gets its characters out of jams they can't escape, and back into jams you couldn't foresee. What it also offers is an unexpected emotional hook, and, in Jennifer Garner (news), the joy of seeing a young actress turn into a genuine TV star.

4. The Wire (HBO). Though it was the least watched and least discussed of HBO's big dramas, The Wire was by far the best. This painfully realistic series about cops and pushers in Baltimore's inner city treated the drug war as a battle of entrenched bureaucracies: the dealers on one side, the cops and politicians on the other, with neither serving society's best interest. Terrifically written and acted, The Wire cast a bright, searing light on corners that most of us would rather leave out of sight.

5. Friends (NBC). What a year this has been for Friends, starting with a Joey/Rachel/Ross romantic triangle that brought new maturity to the characters and ending with a new season that will keep those characters maturing longer than we anticipated. And why not, when the characters and actors have lost none of their appeal? We always knew friends were important. In the current sitcom climate, Friends seems indispensable.

6. The Sopranos (news - Y! TV) (HBO). Rebounding from a disappointing season, Sopranos returned with a solid run that focused on the deteriorating marriage of Tony and Carmela. There were low points along the way. (Tony moping over an ex-lover's suicide, for one.) But the closing string of episodes more than made up for them. Sopranos may no longer be TV's best series, but it set the standard against which those series are judged.

7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (news - Y! TV) (UPN). Another series on the rebound and back in form. It turns out what was missing last season was not so much a sense of humor as a sense of purpose. No such problem this season, as Buffy once again fights to save the world and to keep her former high school intact. Along with its spinoff, Angel, which is having an exceptional season of its own, Buffy remains TV's best developed and most entertaining fantasy.

8. Gilmore Girls (news - Y! TV) (WB). Few TV series have been more entranced by the sheer joy of words, or more adept at exposing its heroine's habit of hiding behind them. As on The West Wing (news - web sites), that unquenchable flow of dialogue can become a bit much. (The teenagers, in particular, are beginning to sound too much alike.) Still, the glow provided by stars Lauren Graham (news) and Alexis Bledel (news) has not faded, and the show's open-hearted embrace of the exaggerated eccentricities of small-town life can still warm a winter's night.

9. American Idol (Fox). The year's biggest surprise hit was a standard-issue talent show with two clever twists: one supremely nasty judge in the studio, and millions of phone-in judges at home. Still, neither gimmick would have mattered if the ''talent'' part of the talent show hadn't delivered. Did it create idols? Probably not. But it may very well have produced a few stars with staying power.

10. Monk (USA). Innovation isn't everything. Monk is an old-fashioned (and under-budgeted) detective show, with Monk little more than an American Hercule Poirot, ratcheted up from fussy to obsessive-compulsive. Still, there's comfort to be found in old fashions. Add in some witty scripts and a wonderful partnership between Emmy-worthy stars Tony Shalhoub and Bitty Schram, and you get one of the year's most enjoyable hours.

The 10 worst

1. The Anna Nicole Show (E!). The noxious muck under the bottom of the reality barrel, this loathsome exposure of a life of sloth disgraced all involved. At least Smith can fall back on her detachment from reason as an excuse, but what excuse can there be for E!'s executives? And if this marginal success is the best they can do, how do they remain executives?

2. Crime & Punishment (NBC). A show only a fascist dictator could love. Callously slanted toward the prosecution, this supposed salute to the justice system actually was an attack on its very foundations: our insistence that people are innocent of crimes until proven guilty, and that punishment is not a form of public entertainment. Thank goodness it was so dull. Imagine the damage it might have done had people felt more inclined to watch.

3. Hidden Hills (NBC). And now, from the network responsible for such recent heights of hilarity as Inside Schwartz and Watching Ellie comes this suburban sitcom that is just like your life! Assuming, that is, that you and all your friends are repulsive sex addicts. If NBC needs more money for Friends, I can think of an easy cost-saving measure: Find the people who thought Hidden Hills, In-Laws and Good Morning, Miami were funny, and fire them.

4. Dinotopia (ABC). Here's a TV maxim so simple, even a dinosaur could grasp it. Turn a terrible miniseries into a series and you're almost certain to get a terrible series. And one that is now, thankfully, extinct.

5. Girls Club (Fox). Still, in the long run, it's probably better to have a bad idea than no idea at all, the flaw that doomed this fast-folding legal drama from David E. Kelley. Badly cast and not even minimally conceived, this Club should be used to beat the next executive who agrees to schedule a show without seeing a script.

6. Atomic Twister (TBS). Some movies you love for the title alone. This enchantingly terrible marriage of Twister and The China Syndrome starred a crazed, computer-generated tornado that for some reason seemed to be stalking a nuclear engineer. It's an ill wind, you know.

7. Law & Order (NBC). There's a special place in TV purgatory for producers who destroy once-entertaining shows out of sheer arrogance. Apparently, L&O's ability to withstand the departure of good actors has led producer Dick Wolf to believe his show is impervious to bad ones. It isn't, as anyone who has tried to sit through a scene involving Elisabeth Rohm (news) and Fred Thompson can attest.

8. Presidio Med (CBS). Then there's Presidio Med, which proves once again that even though good actors are necessary, they are not sufficient. Indeed, you wouldn't think it was possible for a show starring Dana Delany (news) and Blythe Danner (news) to be so completely devoid of interest, and yet there you have it, a TV hour so mind-numbing, it could be used as an anesthetic.

9. That '80s Show (Fox). This faded copy of That '70s Show was the most ridiculous example of TV's rush to franchise. Yes, one can successfully clone a format, as witness Law & Order and CSI. You can't, however, clone a mere title, nor can you build an entire series around the perceived humor of '80s trends and fashions.

10. The Mind of the Married Man (HBO). More like The Mind of HBO, which has become so used to success that it's unable to admit to failure. This terrible show shouldn't have lasted one season, let alone two. If the goal was to test the limit of subscribers' patience, let's hope HBO has found it.

The Golden Globes will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 19 on NBC. The only Alias nod goes to last years winner in the same category Jennifer Garner (Sydney)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Drama:

Edie Falco, "The Sopranos"
Jennifer Garner, "Alias"
Rachel Griffiths, "Six Feet Under"
Marg Helgenberger, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
Allison Janney, "The West Wing"

NBC edged out CBS to win the nine o'clock hour with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 10.4/15, as CBS' "60 Minutes" lead into the People's Choice Awards. FOX stayed in third with "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" averaging a 5.8/7 for the hour, just ahead of ABC's "Alias," 5.6/8. The WB finished off its night with "High School Reunion," 4.1/6.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 9.7/15, claimed the top spot for NBC at 9 p.m. "The Crooked E" (7.6/11 average from 9 to 11 p.m.), CBS' movie about the fall of Enron, was second. FOX dropped to third with the conlcusion of "King of the Hill," "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," averaging 5.7/8 for the hour. "Alias" averaged 5.4/8 for ABC, and the premiere of "High School Reunion" on The WB posted a 4.3/6.

An attractive female star, innovative filmmaking techniques, an ingenious story line and the coolest music since "Miami Vice" ... with all the advantages of good television, what's keeping "Alias" from being a smash hit?

ABC Chairman Lloyd Braun says, given the quality of the show, it should be doing a great deal better.

Spearheaded by the creator and executive producer of "Alias," JJ Abrams, the Network has taken a closer look at viewer reactions to the show that airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. It seems "Alias" might almost be too intelligent for its ratings to peak anywhere near what critics make it out to be.

"We have to make the show more receptive to non-viewers. There is a feeling among people who have not watched the show, that it's tough to break in," says Braun.

With a complicated family drama intertwined in a complex spy game between the CIA and its false affiliate SD-6, it is quite a task to stay on top of things.

"The episodes are still a little too confusing," says Braun about viewers who may be joining the show half way into the second season.

"JJ has been incredible with figuring out ways with dealing with this issue," Braun continues, regarding some of the techniques "Alias" has been engaging to clarify the plot, giving the 10-minute summary at the beginning of each episode as an example.

However, even wiith the show's reluctant success, ABC still has no plans to change its night or timeslot.

Braun says that eventually the ratings are going to "bear out" that decision.

ABC says that "Alias" will get the plum post-Super Bowl spot on Sunday, Jan. 26. Although stylish spy show the generates big critical buzz, it hasn't thus far drawn huge audiences. Lyne hopes that will change following the Super Bowl.

"The episode that [series creator] J.J. Abrams has written to air post-Super Bowl is ... maybe the best hour of pure entertainment we've seen," Lyne says. "This is a show that we have always believed deserved a bigger audience, and the Super Bowl will help introduce it to millions of new viewers."

Friday December 13, 2002 Alias star Jennifer Garner (Sydney Bristow) will be on NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno". The other guests include actor John C. Reilly and musical guest Prince.

Thursday December 5 CBS is airing a repeat of "The Late, Late Show w/ Craig Kilborn" from October 11, 2000. Michael Vartan and Jennifer Love Hewitt are the guests. Check your local listing but it's set to air at 12:35 on CBS after Letterman!!!

Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke will make his first foray into series TV with a guest appearance on ABC's "Alias."

Hawke's episode is likely to air in January, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He's the latest high-profile guest to sign on to the series, joining a list that includes Roger Moore, Quentin Tarantino and, most recently, Faye Dunaway.

Hawke will play a CIA agent whose life falls into jeopardy when cover is blown. Sydney (Jennifer Garner) is sent on a rescue mission to save him.

However, the agency doesn't know that Hawke's character may have become a double agent, making Sydney's rescue efforts all the more dangerous.

Hawke's role in last year's "Training Day" earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. His other credits include "Gattaca," "Reality Bites" and "Dead Poets Society."

"I have a Michael Vartan shrine. He's perfect. I will propose to him within the next two years."- Jennifer Love Hewitt on Michael Vartan (Alias) in the December 2 issue of People Magazine (Sexiest Man Alive, Ben Affleck cover)

INT. SD-6 CONFERENCE ROOM, DAY: Gadget guru Marshall addresses Sydney, Jack, Dixon and Sloane.

MARSHALL: OK, so, uh, hi everybody. So this is just, you know, your basic feature story, right? You go online, type type type, there it is on your screen, and oh, no sir, I wasn't looking at any pictures, no, I'm just -- anyway -- it may look like just your everyday story, but what it really does is give you the scoop on how all the gear I give you guys on "Alias" is really made.

CUT TO: Sloane giving Marshall a bemused, get-on-with-it look.

Before Marshall (Kevin Weisman) hands any bit of high-tech gadgetry to his Sydney (Jennifer Garner) or any of the other SD-6 agents on "Alias," Chris Call and Chris Redmond have to build it. They're the prop masters on ABC's spy show, and they're responsible for anything that the actors pick up or use.

Their work covers things as simple as a lipstick to intricate pieces like a centuries-old clock -- pretty much whatever the show's creator, J.J. Abrams, and writers can dream up for Sydney and Co. to use.

"We have a relationship with the writers," says Call, a 20-year veteran of the business. "They conjure up these ideas and then come to us [asking] can we do it."

More often than not, their answer is "yes." They've designed a briefcase that turns into a rocket-powered luge and two creations -- the aforementioned clock and a music box -- of Milo Rambaldi, the show's Renaissance-era Italian scientist whose ahead-of-his-time works are pursued by SD-6, the CIA and several rogue groups.

Abrams insists that, for the most part, the spy gear be at least slightly tethered to reality, which is why the show has so often used cell phones as spy equipment.

"Part of the basis for that is that they're spies, and a cell phone is an innocuous item," Redmond says. "It's going to pass scrutiny if anyone's walking around with one."

Redmond and Call have worked together on a number of feature films and TV series, including "American Pie," "Apt Pupil" and The WB's "Popular." They say they get a kick of out working on "Alias" because, despite television's accelerated production schedule compared to that of movies, they're given a chance to offer substantive input on how a prop will look or how it will work.

"One reason we got hired and why they like is us we're able to bring stuff to the table," Call says. "There's a lot of room to be involved because it's a very complicated and busy show, and they're very open to people's input."

Once they're given an idea for a prop, Call and Redmond research what it should look like, whether it has moving parts and how they'll make those parts work. Once they have a design worked out, they send it to a company called Neotek to be manufactured.

"They're the real magicians behind all this," Call says of Neotek. "The writers dream it up, we fine-tune it, and they actually make it happen. Then I bring it to the set, and Chris fixes it."

"Fixing" usually means modifying a prop to fit a last-minute change made by the writers or the director. Call and Redmond had to improvise with the Rambaldi music box featured in this season's third episode.

"They wanted a delay mechanism built in, so that basically it would magically come to life without anyone touching it," Redmond says. The problem was, they didn't design the music box to do that. "So then you get into questions of do we use monofilament [fishing line], do we drill a hole in the bottom and put some kind of lever in it, or do we tell them to [freeze the film] and then start it."

Ultimately, Redmond says, they chose the latter option, achieving the effect through editing.

There are times, though not often, that nothing will work.

"One of the things we struggle with," Call says, "is the writers will conjure up an idea, and it doesn't really have a firm basis in ... ."

"Physics or reality," Redmond finishes.

"So we work with them and say, 'It can't do this, can we do this [instead]?'" Call says. "And there's a lot of movie magic as well."

Call says he's particularly proud of the Rambaldi devices he's worked on, but he's as much "in the dark" as the next person about what their significance is.

"I try not to think about it too much, because I know once I figure it out, they'll throw another twist my way," he says. "That's one of the beauties of the show -- it really keeps you on your feet."

A photo of Jennifer Garner (Sydney) from the Emmy Awards is in the November issue of InStyle magazine with Faith Hill on the cover. It's on stands now.

Faye Dunaway is set to infiltrate "Alias" in a three-episode arc.

The actress is scheduled to start shooting her role on the ABC drama Friday. Episodes featuring Dunaway as head of counterintelligence for the Alliance -- a group of crooked spies the CIA (news - web sites) is trying to bring down -- are expected to air early next year.

Dunaway's character will investigate the death of the wife of Ron Rifkin's character.

Rifkin portrays Arvin Sloane, head of SD-6, for which series lead Jennifer Garner's character Sydney Bristow is a CIA double-agent. Sloane was instructed earlier this season to kill his wife, played by Amy Irving (news), because she discovered that SD-6 is not the classified CIA division it's disguised as.

The deal for Dunaway is among a series of high-profile castings on the show. Lena Olin joined "Alias" this year as Sydney's mom, and helmer Quentin Tarantino (news) made an appearance last season.

Devoted "Alias" fans are outraged over ABC's last-minute decision to air a repeat of the show on Sunday night - opposite Game 7 of the World Series - after promising all week to show a new episode.

A show spokeswoman called it a "last-minute decision" that was made in the 7th inning of Saturday's game - when the Angels staged a come-from-behind rally to force a Game 7.

But "Alias" fans say they were robbed.

"I am super annoyed that tonight is a rerun," wrote "bristowannabe" on ABC's Web site.

The network had heavily hyped Sunday's new chapter in the saga of super-spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), and the episode was still listed as new on ABC's Web site on Sunday.

"If ABC lies again, I will personally whack every exec over the head with a fish," wrote a fan who calls herself "spygirl" on the site.

And, in a show that revolves around conspiracy theories, many fans wondered if ABC's decision was made because it owns the Anaheim Angels - who ultimately beat the San Francisco Giants to win their first-ever World Series.

"Since the [Angels] were playing Game 7 of the World Series televised on Fox, it wouldn't have been a good idea to have two shows Disney has an interest in to air against each other."

Sorry friends, due to the World Series extending to a seventh game, last night's episode was a rerun of "The Enemy Walks In."

The choreographers behind "Lagaan," "Alias" and "That '70s Show" were among the winners at the eighth annual American Choreography Awards at L.A.'s Orpheum Theater last Sunday.

Saroj Khan, Raju Khan, Ganesh Hegde, Vaibhavi Merchant and Terence Lewis were feted for "Lagaan" in the feature film category; John Medlen took honors for fight choreography for "Truth Be Told," an episode of "Alias"; and the winner for achievement in TV, episodic or sitcom, was Marguerite Derricks for "That '70s Musical," an episode of "That '70s Show."

NBC is repeating Jennifer Garner's September 27 appearance on The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno on Monday October 21.

Those who create the hit ABC Sunday-night espionage drama "Alias" know that the character of Will, played by Bradley Cooper, has not always been a fan favorite. He's the journalist buddy of secret spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), and he spent much of the show's first season trying to uncover the truth about the death of Sydney's fiancé -- and unwittingly putting Sydney in mortal danger along the way.

This season, Will has been drawn into Sydney's world, at the expense of his career and no doubt a big chunk of his peace of mind -- but at least he's not dead.

"People smartly didn't like Will," says series creator J.J. Abrams, "and the way he was nosing around, looking for stuff. They felt frustrated by him. He was annoying."

Asked if he gave serious thought to eliminating Will, Abrams says, "He has an important role in the show that wasn't being well-told, which is, Will seems to be the person that was bridging Sydney's normal life with her spy life. The way it was being done, the audience was ahead of him the whole time, so we could never be with him. When people started to really like Will was at the end of the year, when he started realizing, 'Oh my God, this is what's going on.'"

"He was kidnapped, and suddenly we weren't ahead of him anymore. We were like, 'What is happening to Will?' This year, we're never ahead of him. We're always with him."

"To me, the big fault was thinking that he was either going to get himself or somebody killed, snooping around him. It was hard to like him that way, especially when you had Vaughn (Sydney's CIA handler, played by Michael Vartan), who was clearly an immediately likeable guy, and you're thinking, 'Oh my God, is he also a threat to Vaughn? Well, kill him.'"

"We got some letters from people who were like, 'Please kill him.' Bradley's a really good actor; he's a great guy; and I think his character's in a really good place."

This is despite the fact that Will screamed when he first spotted Sydney in spy mode.

"God bless him," says Abrams, "I thought that was the greatest. I loved it."

CBS reclaimed the lead at 9 p.m. with another "Becker," 7.3/12 and its movie "A Town without Christmas" (7.0/12 average from 9:30 to 11 p.m.). NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" took second, 6.7/11. ABC's "Alias" and FOX's comedies "Malcolm in the Middle," 4.8/8, and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," 3.5/6, tied for third, while The WB finished its movie.

CBS reclaimed the lead at 9 p.m. with its movie "The Man Who Saved Christmas" (7.2/11 average from 9 to 11 p.m.). NBC's showing of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" took second, with ABC's "Alias," 6.3/10, in third. FOX averaged 5.3/8 with "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe." The WB ended its night with an "Angel" repeat.

At 9 p.m., a rerun of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" won the hour for NBC with an 8.2/12. CBS fell to second with a "King of Queens" rerun and its movie "The Locket." ABC's "Alias," 6.0/9, placed third, while FOX dropped to fourth with a repeat of "Malcolm in The Middle," 5.6/8, and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," 4.1/6. An "Angel" rerun averaged 2.2/3 on The WB.

CBS took the lead at 9 p.m. with its original movie "The Christmas Shoes" (11.5/18 average from 9 to 11 p.m.), while NBC took second with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" with a 9.3/14 for the hour. ABC was third with "Alias", while FOX slipped to fourth with "Malcolm in the Middle", 5.7/8, and a premiere of "Andy Richter Controls the Universe", 4.2/6. The WB was fifth with "Angel" with a 2/3 for the hour.

NBC took the lead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 10.2/15. ABC was second with "Alias," 6.3/9. CBS slipped some more and stayed in third for the rest of the night with the conclusion of "Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story" (5.4/9 average from 9 to 11 p.m.), while FOX was back in fourth with two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" taking a 5.7/9 for FOX. A new episode of "Angel" finished off the night for The WB, 3.5/5.

(Friday October 11) "Access Hollywood" will be airing a story on Jennifer Garner, featuring clips from this weeks "Cipher" episode. Check your local listings but it's set to air tonight at 7:30 on CBS. Also, on "The Late, Late Show w/ Craig Kilborn", Michael Vartan will be a guest. Check your local listing but it's set to air at 12:35 on CBS!!!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Jennifer Garner, who is bringing her superpowers to the big screen to star opposite Ben Affleck in Daredevil.

Some people really do seem superhuman. jennifer garner, for example, basically flew in from out of the blue to carry ABC's sly spy trip Alias on her statuesque shoulders, then nabbed a Golden Globe and cleared a path to movie stardom with the sort of BIFF! BAM! POW! vigor that makes the rest of us feel like shlubs. This month, she plays a call girl alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. In February, Garner stars as Ben Affleck's leather-clad, butt-kicking love interest Elektra Natchios in the comic book-based Daredevil. And from there, she leaps to a starring role in 13 Going on 30, about a girl who literally grows into popularity. Garner, 30 herself, can relate: For 13, she nabbed a reported $3 million salary and-ZONK!-director approval.

When the latter is noted, it's as if she's been hot-potatoed some kryptonite. "Oh, gosh, what a horrible thing to talk about," she says with a laugh. But while Garner is smartly taking pains to keep her ego in check, she's obviously savoring her new powers in Hollywood. "I don't know if I'm in the place to trump Joe Roth [head of Revolution Studios, which is making 13], but I do have a say," she says. "It's important to me because I know that I'm a director's actor." Movies, she notes, are a fairly new world to her. "So I need somebody solid to help me figure it out."

Garner needn't fret. Before she was cast as righteous double-agent Sydney Bristow in Alias, she was used to playing "the girl next door who was vulnerable and cried all time" on some short-lived TV shows as well as the very popular Felicity. Despite her contention that she's really a "wuss," she prepared for her exhausting Alias role by studying martial arts. And for Daredevil, she and Affleck worked with Hong Kong stunt whiz Yuen Cheung-yan, practicing three hours a day, six weeks straight on wires that dangled them 100 feet in the air. "Ben and I were really serious" about mastering the art, she says. "I love being on a wire, being up high and looking down. And there's nothing like the camaraderie of falling on your face with someone."

Balancing several projects can't be all that easy, either, what with her ungodly hours. Just try to reach her on her cell phone ("I'm so sorry!" she says, "I've been in Siberia!"). And good luck finding a couch in her house. The place "looks kind of like my dorm room looked-very unfurnished, workout clothes spilling out of every drawer," says Garner, who has at least successfully converted one bedroom into a gym. But there's no time for bitching. "Sometimes I hate that my interviews are about how long my hours are and how hard I work because who cares? The whole country works," says Garner, who every Sunday prepares her own food-mainly salads and lasagna-for the week. "I love what I do, so I just keep looking forward."

The Houston-born Garner and her two sisters were raised in West Virginia, protected from the frivolity of TV, makeup, and jewelry. Her parents, Bill and Pat, were "a tad conservative," allows Garner, who devoured Babette's Feast when they weren't looking and developed her penchant for discipline practicing ballet six hours a day. She swears she didn't secretly yearn to go glam as a kid, but she did have romantic notions early on. "I so badly wanted to play Juliet before I even knew what acting was. In kindergarten, I named my hermit crab Juliet."

It took her a while to come out of her own shell. At Charleston's George Washington High, she played sax in the band ("I was a little bit nerdy"). After graduating from Ohio's Denison University in 1994, she moved to New York, where she lived on a futon in her landlord's kitchen for $400 a month and understudied for $150 a week in A Month in the Country. "I should have been more scared than I was," she says. "I walked around with my jaw on my chest. I was so excited to be there."

Then came the milestones: her TV debut in a 1995 Danielle Steele mini- series, those teary tube roles, and a tiny part in Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry. In 1998, she wound up with a recurring role on Felicity, which introduced her to future husband Scott Foley-whom she joined in last year's unreleased indie heist flick Rennie's Landing-and show-runner J.J. Abrams, future Alias creator. Abrams, who is scripting the next movie version of Superman, doesn't have far to look for inspiration. "Jennifer jumps into things fearlessly," he says. "It's amazing to watch someone who's so game, so hungry to do work. And what she can't do, she figures out how to do. She's wildly capable and smart."

Garner does have some mere mortal moments. She has an odd thing for kindred-if more suspect-über-go-getter Martha Stewart ("I find watching her to be the most soothing activity in the world"). She recently found time to make a donation to her favorite L.A. public alterna-rock radio station. ("They mentioned my name on air?" she sighs, making it clear she'd opted for incognito.)

But all demurring aside, isn't Garner having at least a little fun eenie-meenie-miney-mo-ing over directors for 13 Going on 30? Again, she dons her playful cape. "We're thinking either Spielberg or Scorsese, and I'm going to say no to everybody else." ZAM!

Charlie_AllAlias: Jesse - was there ever a time where you wish that an Alias episode had turned out another way - i.e. you didn't like how it turned out?

_JesseSD6: uhmm... Originally the Box was conceived to be one episode... I wish that we'd been able to get it all done in one... I think it would've been far more powerful...
_JesseSD6: I'm pretty happy with most of the others...

Charlie_AllAlias: ok thanks

Charlie_AllAlias: do you ever get a chance to visit Alias fan sites? What do you think of them?

_JesseSD6: I think the ALIAS fan sites are amazing... I skim them often... I can't believe the work people put into them...
_JesseSD6: We are always checking message boards to see how people react to things... The Will story from last year is one that was steered in a new direction based on how the fans were reacting to it...
_JesseSD6: It depends... We have our main arcs and character movements that were married to... But if details aren't working or something needs to be clarified... then we make adjustments...

AliasJunkie: Do any of the actors/actresses ever add to the script?
AliasJunkie: Suggest storylines?
AliasJunkie: If so..example?

_JesseSD6: sometimes...
_JesseSD6: On a few occasions Ron Rifkin has had some specific ideas about words his character would say... sometimes our dialog can be a bit writerly...
_JesseSD6: I just wrote an episode where Bradley's character is at a specific type of meeting... And Bradley had been to a few of these for research and gave me some tips...
_JesseSD6: As far as storylines go we haven't had any really input from the cast.... often they will help us understand what their character is going through...
_JesseSD6: Sorry if I'm not typing fast enough...

Cora: I work for Central Casting, and haven't been able to get on the show as an extra can you help?

_JesseSD6: uh... hmm... uh... I wouldn't know how to be honest with you...

KevinG: yes
KevinG: Jesse – how do you think the Vaughn/Syd relationship will evolve this season?

_JesseSD6: I think it's clear to everyone that Vaughn and Sydney have very deep feelings for each other...
_JesseSD6: Maybe they aren't clear about it yet... but this year their situation will become clearer for them as well

: Where's Sark? Sipping wine in a swank French Resturant? What kind of role will he play in the coming season?

_JesseSD6: Vaughn and Syd have a tough time... Their jobs prevent them from being together in public... but on missions they can savor their time...
_JesseSD6: Sark rules!
_JesseSD6: He's the coolest guy ever and will be super important this season!
_JesseSD6: Sark and Syd have exceptional chemistry together...
_JesseSD6: I loved Sark's latajang fight with Syd last year...
_JesseSD6: In the Denpassar marketplace...

Nicole87: I do
Nicole87: I know that you do some writing for the show, and I was just wondering where you got your ideas? Are they from actual events that you've went through ot read about in real life, or do you just come up with all this great stuff in your mind?

_JesseSD6: great q... hmmm...
_JesseSD6: My stuff tends to come from things I've read... seen... or want to see... and conversations we have in the writers room...
_JesseSD6: It's an incredible process at ALIAS... about 10 of us in a room together all day everyday talking about our characters and where we want to take them and have them doo...
_JesseSD6: What we want to have them do...
_JesseSD6: What kind of trouble we want them to be in... does that make sense..

Northstar: Who is the easiest character to write for? Who is the hardest?

_JesseSD6: Wow... I like writing Jack... He is so cool and has so much going on... he's my favorite character... Syd is probably the hardest...
_JesseSD6: Her voice is so important...
_JesseSD6: the toughest part of writing the show is getting the story across...
_JesseSD6: There is so much exposition we have to impart and yet we don't want to get too confusing... we're successful most of the time...
_JesseSD6: And we want our characters to sound like real people... its tough when there is so much recap... tonight's episode was particular tricky with all that... I think Syd going to Barnett really helped frame things...

SweetP: Jesse - how far in advance are you writing your arc? Do you have an idea for Season Three and beyond? Also a little hint - Vaughn and Weiss get drunk! ;-)

_JesseSD6: I'm waiting for my wife to get dressed for the party and that could take a while... wink wink...

AliasJunkie: *lol*
AliasJunkie: We're going to continue with questions. How long do you have Jesse?

_JesseSD6: ten more mins

AliasJunkie: So we know how many questions to give you.

_JesseSD6: bring em on

Wag_: Keep the questions coming
Wag_: Jesse is ready

AliasJunkie: Your questoin Alias?

_JesseSD6: Weiss rules!

AliasJunkie: *lol yes he does*

alias311: what happened to the school element of Sydney's life? is that going to continue?

_JesseSD6: oh... you noticed that?

alias311: it seems to be really downplayed now

_JesseSD6: Juggling school has been as hard for the writers as it is for Syd...
_JesseSD6: There is so much going on in her life and in our episodes that it's almost impossible for us to figure out how to feature it...
_JesseSD6: We have a major school story planned that should clarify things soon...

NikitaFan: Yes - How many people writing for the show have a background in intelligence, can they say?

_JesseSD6: nobody does... Rick Orci and myself are steeped in the mythos of the intelligence community and are constantly doing research on that subject...
_JesseSD6: we read websites, magazines, newspapers, books, all of it.... It's just something that we're into...
_JesseSD6: One of our new writers this year did work for the State Department and we've been joking around that she's a CIA mole...

AliasJunkie: Melissa...what's your question for Jesse?

Melissa: I apologize if anything of this nature has been asked earlier, but I was wondering what effect the early internet fans' opinions of Will have on the current storylines?

_JesseSD6: The Will comments from last year were something that deeply affected how we perceived his character...
_JesseSD6: The writers looked at him in a way that the fans did not... we've adjusted his character accordingly and think he will soon become a fan favorite... Bradley is a terrific actor and will have alot to chew on this season...
_JesseSD6: The fans always saw will as working against Syd and putting her in danger...
_JesseSD6: The writers just thought of him as being her friend and trying to help...
_JesseSD6: So we made him pay for his curiosity...

Wag_: Do we have a few more questions

AliasJunkie: Okay Walk_In...Do you have a question?

_JesseSD6: I hope everybody knows about the new ALIAS book coming out.... ALIAS: DECLASSIFIED... It is amazing... beuatiful and has major detail about the show... it comes out in early october...

AliasJunkie: We're all very excited about it Jesse.
terra: I know we're all looking forward to it
AliasJunkie: I have a quick question..one you might be able to answer
AliasJunkie: Is there one thing that's going to happen this season you can spoil us on?
AliasJunkie: We love spoilers

_JesseSD6: Is that Zephyr Hex who played the ALIAS game last year?
_JesseSD6: I just saw your name on the list...

rmsilver7: lol, Jesse

Wag_: We'll be giving everyone on the team more information on the book next week. Including the Los Angeles book signing event.

_JesseSD6: Spoilers... hmm...
_JesseSD6: Let me think for a sec... I don't want to ruin anything...

rmsilver7: oh Ruin PLEASE!
rmsilver7: lol
AliasJunkie: lol
AliasJunkie: yes ruin us
AliasJunkie: we don't mind
terra: those who don't want to be spoiled please close your eyes

_JesseSD6: Sark and Sloane will meet again... How about that?

AliasJunkie: Sounds good for us!
AliasJunkie: Thanks for the spoiler.

[aliasMV9901]: What about Vaugh and Syd this year?

_JesseSD6: They will go on more missions together...
_JesseSD6: It's really the only time they can enjoy each others company for more than a few moments...
_JesseSD6: It's there version of dating...

cliffhanger: Yes. How long does it take to complete an episode from beginning to end, on average? What part of production do you enjoy the most? And if you see David Morizot tell him Bruce and Leigh said hi. Thank you for the great show.

_JesseSD6: Hmm... Being to end... 9 days of shooting a week or so of post production... three weeks to write... what does that add up to... I'll see David tonight and tell him...
_JesseSD6: month and a half?
_JesseSD6: I love breaking stories with all the writers in the room...

cljagg2000: how tied in are the show and the online game going to be this season? and is the beta game still tied in and moving forward?
_JesseSD6: beta game?

rmsilver7: Jesse, how much time do you have left?

_JesseSD6: ALIAS: UNDERGROUND will feature the best missions from this season and last...

cljagg2000: the "test" leading up to the "real" game...

_JesseSD6: And we're trying to intergrate the Weiss Bot game into the show... It's tricky though... it should start to sync up... I don't think we have a game in beta right now...
_JesseSD6: I'm just waiting for my wife to get dressed so I could be here all night... she loves to play dressup...

AliasJunkie: Just so you know..we're all fans of the Weiss game. It's very entertaining.

_JesseSD6: It's amazing... Keith Tralins has done a phenom job with that... And hopefully we will start adding new content to the main ABC site...
_JesseSD6: We're trying to integrate the Weiss game with the Alias: Underground game as well...

chienhuey: are there women writers on the show? one of the things i hear is that men tend to have a hard time writing women roles - how do u guys/gals do it so well?

_JesseSD6: We're also doing a Playstation game with Akklaim... This will come out late next year...
_JesseSD6: We have three women writers... And it's not so hard... You just have to try and keep it real...
_JesseSD6: understanding what anyone would be going through in theses situations...

edendion: First off, thanks for spending time with us, Jesse. My question is how much will Marshall affect the storyline this season?

_JesseSD6: Sure... Marshall is awesome... And we'd love to get him into the field...
_JesseSD6: Oh! My wife is finally ready! It's time for me to go! Thanks for letting me hang out with you all!

Michael Vartan is hoping 11 Emmy nominations and two wins will get more people to watch "Alias" when it starts its second season on Sunday night.

Despite the critical acclaim and all the publicity actress Jennifer Garner has received, Vartan believes many viewers still aren't aware that "Alias" is on the air.

"But people really don't know what 'Alias' is," the 33-year-old actor told reporters. "I think that it definitely has the potential to be a much bigger show than it is with the proper backing."

Vartan portrays Agent Vaughn in ABC's drama opposite Emmy-winner Garner, who plays Sydney Bristow.

"Alias'" time slot puts it head-to-head with HBO's mob drama "The Sopranos," and analysts believe that has hurt the show's ratings.

However, Brad Adgate, senior vice president of the advertising firm Horizon Media, thinks "Alias" may take off due to Garner's star power.

"I think Jennifer Garner is really the next big star," Adgate said.

Vartan agrees.

"Jennifer is somehow, I think, gotten bigger than the show," Vartan said. "She's amazing. I think people really like her."

"Good Morning America" will be airing an on-set piece on "ALIAS," tomorrow morning (Friday, September 27th) at 7:00 a.m., on ABC.

Check out "E" TV on October 1st. Michael Vartan will be included in the "RANK: 25 Sexiest Men In Entertainment" special!!!

September 26 on Extra: Jennifer Garner gives us a look at the second season of "Alias." (Check your local listings for the time and station)

You asked for it and we got it. Check out this hilarious MNF ALIAS spoof by clicking here!

"WILL & Grace" star Debra Messing was the greediest gal of them all at last weekend's Cabana Beauty Buffet at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, where scads of celebs in town for the Emmy Awards helped themselves to free beauty products and services. Messing made off with $7,000 worth of freebie Dior cosmetics and skin care products, a leather bomber jacket, Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses, a Tracy Allen diamond necklace and a Fifi and Romeo cashmere blanket. "She left with like, 30 bags," said one awestruck witness. Other fab freeloaders included Daryl Hannah, who spent five hours on Saturday getting a free facial, manicure, pedicure, hair, make-up and massage services. Other bold-faced babes gorging at the celeb-only grabathon included Jennifer Garner, Jill Hennessey, Rachel Hunter, Rosanna Arquette and Gretchen Mol, who all left with bulging goodie bags.

There are no plans for a DVD of season one just yet, BUT... we have news on another DVD. Two ALIAS books are scheduled for release October 8th. The first book is called, "Alias Declassified: The Official Companion." It's the "manual" containing interviews with J.J. Abrams, and serves as a complete guide to ALIAS, its characters and events. One hundred thousand copies of "Declassified" will include a DVD, which features video promos, interviews and bios on Jennifer and the cast. The second book is the first prequel called, "Recruited: An Alias Prequel." It focuses on Sydney's life as a student prior to joining SD-6.

On Tuesday, October 8th, there will be an ALIAS book signing event. It will take place at Barnes and Noble inside "The Grove" shopping center from 8-10pm. Scheduled to attend are; Jennifer Garner, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin, Michael Vartan, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Weisman, Merrin Dungey, Carl Lumbly and the man himself, J.J. Abrams! It will be an ALL STAR evening!

Check the September 16th issue of "US" magazine in the "Loose Talk" section, as they mention Jennifer's first acting gig. There's a photo, as well!

In the October issue of EMMY magazine, J.J. Abrams was interviewed for their story, "25 Hottest Television Writers."

NBC took the lead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 10.6/16. CBS moved to second with Part 1 of "Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story" (7.3/12 average from 9 to 11 p.m.), and ABC stayed consistent in third with "Alias," 5.5/8. Two episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" took a 5.3/8 for FOX. A new episode of "Angel" finished off the night for The WB, 3.2/4.

NBC took the lead at 9 p.m. with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 10.2/15. CBS moved to second with its movie and ABC stayed consistent in third with "Alias," 6.2/9. FOX tumbled to fourth with the season premiere of "Malcolm in the Middle," 6.5/9, and a repeat, 5.5/8, averaging a 6.0/9 for the hour. A new episode of "Angel" finished off the night for The WB, 3.2/4.

At 9 p.m., the World Series averaged a 14.2/21 as NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" finished second, 9.5/14. CBS started its television movie "Double Jeopardy" in third as ABC aired a repeat of "Alias" (4.6/7). The WB trailed with "Angel," 3.3/4.

At 9 p.m., NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (9.5/14) still wasn't enough to break FOX's baseball streak with 9.9/15. CBS started its television movie "Dancing at the Harvest Moon" in third as ABC was a close fourth with "Alias" (5.9/9). The WB stayed in fifth with "Angel," 4.0/6.

At 9 p.m., NBC pulled ahead with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at 9.2/14. CBS followed with "Bram and Alice" (7.7/12) and the start of the movie "Gleason" starring Brad Garrett (7.4/12). ABC was in third with "Alias" (6.1/9) as FOX continued with baseball. The WB stayed in fifth with "Angel," 3.7/5.

An Alias Marathon will air on ABC Family Channel on September 29 from 12 Noon to 9:00 PM EST.

Look for Jennifer Garner on the cover of the new TV GUide (USA) on stands now. In other news singer David Bowie is rumored to be making an appearance on an upcoming episode

ABC is once again turning to former Millionaire man Regis Philbin to save the network. Philbin and Live co-host Kelly Ripa have been tapped to host Regis & Kelly in Primetime, a special that is essentially a 60-minute promotional vehicle for ABC's fall lineup. It airs Tuesday September 17 from 10-11 pm/ET. Guests include Alias badass Jennifer Garner, 8 Simple Rules... star John Ritter and Push, Nevada producer Ben Affleck.

The Creative Arts Emmys were held September 10 and Alias walked away with a pair:

Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series

"Alias" • Truth Be Told (Pilot)
ABC • Touchstone Television
Scott Chambliss, Production Designer
Cece De Stefano, Art Director
Karen Manthey, Set Decorator

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series

"Alias" • Truth Be Told (Pilot)
ABC • Touchstone Television
Michael Bonvillain, Director of Photography

ABC is hoping that online game addicts may be more interested in watching Sydney Bristow after they can be the "Alias" character in a interactive game.

The network has launched "Alias Underground" as a free download from ABC.com. Two missions are now available, Agent Training Mission and Turkish Embassy Mission. A total of ten episodes will be offered. Players must watch “Alias” each week to gather codes and information to continue game play.

"Alias Underground" will feature spy technology such as fingerprint scanning gloves, eyeglass cameras and safe-cracking devices, as well as voice prompts from SD-6’s gadget guru, Marshall. Other "Alias" elements in the game are video clips from the show, theme music and effects provided by series creator J.J. Abrams. Series sponsors Ford and Nokia are financing the 3-D action game, which will feature key product placements.

We’re always looking for innovative ways to increase awareness and tune-in,” says Mike Benson, SVP of marketing, advertising and promotion at ABC. “In developing this game, we wanted to bring an added value to the more passive on-air viewing experience with active participation during and between episodes. We anticipate this game to be viral and addictive.

A third mission, “Raid on SD-6,” will launch following the “Alias” season premiere on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. ET. A new mission will become available approximately every five weeks throughout the upcoming season.

The following contains information about the upcoming season of Alias, if you don't want to know ahead of time stop reading now.

Agent Vaughn doesn't drown thanks to a hand-powered tool and that wwasn't plain old water closing in on him either.

In order to cover what he knows Will tries heroin.

Irina has a secret about Jack that could ruin his relationship with Sydney.

Sloane is haunted by what he did to Emily.

Dixon's troubled brother shows up and Marshall goes on one of tthe missions.

Francie opens a restaurant.

The show is in line for the post super bowl slot.

Disney's tradition of intelligent, live-action family period cinema is magnificently revived in "Tuck Everlasting."

Director Jay Russell, following his family pic triumph "My Dog Skip," is proving himself to be this era's Robert Stevenson, the Mouse House's reliable helmer of such '50s and '60s tales as "Old Yeller" and "Mary Poppins." "Tuck" is even closer to the studio's past than Disney's earlier 2002 hit, "The Rookie," while being a fine version of Natalie Babbitt's elegantly written youth novel pondering deep matters of life, death and immortality. Pic should ride current wave of family-friendly B.O. with well-timed fall release.

Following a teasing prelude showing a young man on a motorcycle entering a present-day small town, Elisabeth Shue's inviting, third-person narrative voice establishes the story's thoughtful, metaphysical mood ("Time is like a wheel, turning...") as action shifts back to 1914 in the town of Treegap. While Mae Tuck ( Sissy Spacek) meets sons Jesse ( Jonathan Jackson) and Miles ( Scott Bairstow), back home after being away in France for a decade, young teen Winnie Foster ( Alexis Bledel) feels stifled under the strict upbringing of her proper mother ( Amy Irving) and father Robert ( Victor Garber).

Russell's exceptionally attuned eye for presenting characters in their surroundings quickly sets up the contrasts between Winnie's starchy life and the Tucks' rambling, backwoods style, and James L. Carter's luscious widescreen lensing draws us into the nearby woods as much as Winnie, who has a tomboy itching to get out. The danger appears not from the dense forest itself, but from the mysterious Man in the Yellow Suit ( Ben Kingsley), who the Tuck boys have noticed has been following them and who momentarily meets Winnie and her mom one night.

More than Babbitt's yarn, Jeffrey Lieber's and James V. Hart's screenplay cleverly delays and draws out the Tucks' wonderful yet terrible secret -- a natural spring bubbling from the base of a large tree whose water gives immortality to anyone who drinks it. The Tucks are the only people who have imbibed, some 90 years prior, making 17-year-old Jesse actually 107 years old, and Miles old enough to have fought in the Civil War. Adaptation's smart change makes Winnie and Jesse nearly the same age, so that when he discovers her near the spring, compelling the clan to kidnap her to ensure their secret, an effortlessly natural love story emerges.

Pic's midsection is filled with the two families' concerns over Winnie, but for vastly different reasons. The Foster homefront, feverish with concern over Winnie's disappearance, sends out a search party. For the Tucks, Angus takes Winnie out on the nearby lake for a talk about what, decades later, feels like the curse of immortality and how it violates nature's course, no matter the temptation to resist dying. Rarely has an American family pic so beautifully passed along to smaller viewers the hard, tough facts of death.

Final confrontation with the Man in the Yellow Suit (who strikes a deal with the landowning Fosters to buy the forest -- with his own plans to promote the fountain of youth) works better than an earlier, strained section as forlorn Miles tells Winnie his own tragic history in stylized flashback. Though events force the Tucks to flee Treegap, splitting Winnie from Jesse, windup back in present ends the tale on a tender, contemplative and bittersweet note.

Making a memorable feature debut on the wave of well-liked WB television series "The Gilmore Girls," Bledel seems like a young American version of Helena Bonham Carter, with timeless facial features and a manner that can shift from willowy to sinewy-tough. Her suggestion of sexual blossoming fits snugly inside pic's soft PG rating, and she has an outstanding partner in Jackson, who connects resoundingly.

Youngsters are never overshadowed by their superbly cast elders, all at the top of their game. Hurt and Spacek make such an ideal couple it's amazing they've never been cast opposite each other before, and their levels of expressiveness are rich and subtle. Irving and Garber are just as apt, and Irving reveals in a final scene touching feelings under her Victorian visage. Kingsley's elusive yellow-suited man is a model of understatement, resisting every temptation to ham it up.

At times, production package renders pic almost achingly beautiful, and it's not surprising that the name of Terrence Malick, noted for pops up in closing thank-you credits.

Winnie Foster ........... Alexis Bledel

Angus Tuck .............. William Hurt

Mae Tuck ................ Sissy Spacek

Jesse Tuck .............. Jonathan Jackson

Miles Tuck .............. Scott Bairstow

Man in the Yellow Suit .. Ben Kingsley

Mother Foster ........... Amy Irving

Robert Foster ........... Victor Garber

Narrator ................ Elisabeth Shue

A Buena Vista release of a Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Beacon Pictures/Scholastic Entertainment/Jane Startz production. Produced by Jane Startz, Mark Abraham. Executive producers, Armyan Bernstein, Thomas A. Bliss, William Teitler, Deborah Forte, Max Wong.

Directed by Jay Russell. Screenplay, Jeffrey Lieber, James V. Hart, based on the novel by Natalie Babbitt. Camera (Technicolor, Panavision widescreen), James L. Carter; editor, Jay Cassidy; music, William Ross; production designer, Tony Burrough; art director, Ray Kluga; set decorator, Catherine D. Davis; costume designer, Carol Ramsey; sound (Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS), Kirk Francis; supervising sound editors, Charles B. Maynes, Stephen Hunter Flick; choreography, Scott Cunningham; assistant director, John Rusk; second unit camera, Marty Layton; casting, Mary Gail Artz, Barbara Cohen. Reviewed at Harmony Gold Theater, L.A., Aug. 27, 2002. (In Toronto Film Festival -- Contemporary World Cinema.)

"Alias" star Jennifer Garner will definitely make it to the podium at the 54th annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Whether the first-time nominee wins is still up in the air, but Garner will be on stage as a presenter at the Sept. 22 ceremony. Fellow nominee Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") and "CSI" star Marg Helgenberger have also been added to the roster of presenters.

Others scheduled to appear include nominees Bernie Mac ("The Bernie Mac Show"), Martin Sheen ("The West Wing") and Debra Messing ("Will & Grace"), as well as Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette ("Good Morning Miami"), Eric McCormack ("Will & Grace"), Garry Shandling and Ellen DeGeneres.

Garner, nominated for outstanding lead actress in a drama, will also be a presenter at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 14. Grammer, a three-time Emmy winner, won his ninth nomination for playing neurotic psychiatrist Frasier Crane.

Helgenberger, a nominee last year, missed the cut this year, but "CSI" is up for best drama.

The Emmys are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Sept. 22 on NBC.

Jennifer Garner is featured in September issue of Complete Woman Magazine. The article is on "ass-kicking" women on primetime TV.

Entertainment Weekly will feature a cover story on Jennifer Garner which will run in the September 6th, Fall Preview Issue.

Friday September 13 on NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly: Amanda Peet, Michael Vartan, David Lee Roth

A host of TV stars will be on hand to give awards to the people who make them look good on camera at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in September.

Jennifer Garner ("Alias"), Zach Braff ("Scrubs"), Jorja Fox ("CSI" ) and Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under") are among the actors scheduled to present awards at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 14. "Saturday Night Live's" Darrell Hammond is host of the ceremony, which will be broadcast on E!

"We are excited to have such an eclectic group of talent from a myriad of television genres and networks," says the show's producer, Spike Jones Jr. "It's great to see that this show has grown enough to demand such a positive response from TV stars."

The list of presenters also includes John Cleese, Richard Schiff ("The West Wing"), Cedric the Entertainer, Catherine Bell ("JAG"), Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Illeana Douglas and Diedrich Bader ("The Drew Carey Show").

In addition to numerous awards for technical and behind-the-scenes work, the Creative Arts Emmys will also include the awards for guest actors and actresses, outstanding reality program and outstanding animated program.

The 54th Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22 on NBC.

ABC’s Primetime stars are coming to DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE park this weekend -- August 24 & 25 -- for the first-ever “ABC Primetime Preview Weekend.” The stars will be participating in Q&A sessions, there will be a daily “ABC Happy Hour” Trivia Challenge and an “ABC Primetime Parade of Stars”. Among those scheduled to appear are cast members from The Drew Carey Show, ALIAS, NYPD Blue and Monday Night Football.

You’ll be able to check out sneak previews of returning hit programs (ALIAS) and new, highly anticipated shows (Push Nevada), plus standup comedy from George Lopez (The George Lopez Show). There will be live performances by Jim Belushi (According To Jim) and his band, the Sacred Hearts as well as a Drew Carey-hosted “Whose Line is it Anyway? LIVE performance.

To get a list of attending stars and other information, please visit the official ABC Preview Website:

http://abc.abcnews.go.com/primetime/previewweekend

First-time director Danny Glover sneaks in under the radar with an evocative but uneven coming-of-age film crafted from an original story by "The Wonder Years" producer Ken Topolsky.

"Just a Dream," intended as a slice-of-life drama, is a hodgepodge of mixed messages and characters thrown together in a rather bland concoction.

To his credit, Glover makes the most, visually, out of the Topolsky and Melanie Wilson script about a 12-year-old boy and an unforgettable summer in 1960 Nevada. But acting performances run the gamut from effective to just confounding.

Pic opens with dreamy sepia-tone images and an Ed Harris voiceover recalling the summer when everything was different. For the sheltered Henry Sturbuck (Jeremy Sumpter), son of the town doctor ( Robby Benson), life gets a lot more interesting when he takes his first job at the Crest Saloon run by the feisty Cindy Wilder (Amy Madigan).

Henry comes face to face with the locals of Dayton, Nev., including bartender Cecil Running Bear ( Rodney A. Grant), and the only African-American in town, mechanic J. M. Hoagland (Carl Lumbly). The Crest becomes Henry's school of hard knocks, learning responsibility from Cindy, colorful vocabulary from Cecil and, among other things, a love of the movies from J.M.

Henry's new experiences, however, often conflict with the messages he receives at home. His mother, Maureen, ( Ally Sheedy) is fearful and suspicious while his father is cryptic and dismissive.

Increasingly J.M. takes the tenderhearted Henry under his wing and the two become friends. When a Hollywood production company invades town to film "The Misfits," Henry sees it as an opportunity for J.M. to meet his dream girl, Marilyn Monroe.

"Just a Dream" is an inventive attempt to offer a more cerebral and meaningful family film. While the overall delivery falls flat, the best moments come from Lumbly and newcomer Sumpter, who gives Henry genuine charm -- a rare gift among child actors who usually aim for cute and come up somewhere between precocious and precious.

His relationship with J.M. develops naturally and believably, thanks in part to Lumbly. He skillfully balances J.M.'s simmering anger with quiet resilience and empathy.

Unfortunately, Benson mishandles the crucial role of Henry's father, overplaying his smarmy nature right down to a ridiculous Snidely Whiplash mustache. He's matched scene for scene by Sheedy, whose distractingly bad hair seems to drive people out of her home.

Topolsky and Wilson overburden the film with conflicting messages -- follow your dreams, but hope that they don't come true because illusions can be shattered. There's also a subplot about tolerance and oppression, but they never really come to fruition. Even the general tone vacillates from good-natured to kind of creepy.

Glover and d.p. Charles E. Mills appear to be collaboratively well matched, creating a visually stunning look for the film.

Les Boothe's detailed set and Patrice Rushen's music are crucial in establishing an authentic time frame for the film.

J.M. Hoagland ........... Carl Lumbly

Dr. Sturbuck ............ Robby Benson

Maureen Sturbuck ........ Ally Sheedy

Cecil Running Bear ...... Rodney A. Grant

Henry Sturbuck .......... Jeremy Sumpter

Cindy Wilder ............ Amy Madigan

Lynette McKee ........... Julie-Ann Liechty

Jesse Brewer ............ Scott Subiono

Marilyn Monroe .......... Marilyn B. Monroe

Paula Strassberg ........ Micaela T. Nelligan

Filmed on location in Utah by DBA Movies Production. Executive producers, Ted Weiant, Robert Halmi Jr.; producer, Dave Bell; director, Danny Glover; writers, Ken Topolsky, Melanie Wilson; camera, Charles E. Mills; editor, B.J. Sears; music, Patrice Rushen; casting, Beth Klein, Catrine McGregor, Jeff Johnson.

Just a Dream (Sun. (25), 8-10 p.m., Showtime)

Jennifer Garner (Sydney) will be on the cover of September's Allure magazine which is on sale Tuesday Aug 27, 2002. The issue features a photo shoot & interview with our favorite secret agent.

When last we saw Michael Vartan, his Alias alter ego was submerged in a tidal wave of trouble on the show's season finale. But in real life, the 33-year-old French hottie — who finds himself being stalked by Robin Williams in the new indie thriller One Hour Photo (opening Wednesday) — was alive and well enough to dive head-first into our Seven Silly Questions.

TV Guide Online: What was it like being naked in front of Robin Williams for One Hour Photo's climax? Did he behave himself?
Michael Vartan: There were a lot of air conditioning jokes made — even though it was 150 degrees in the room. But that's Robin for you. I grew up in France and played sports all of my life, and not to sound weird or anything, but you see guys naked in the locker room all the time. Nudity is really not a big deal to me. If you've never seen a penis, you need to get out a little more — whether you're a man or a woman.

TVGO: Had you met Drew Barrymore when she was in high school, would you have been able to resist her the way your character did in Never Been Kissed?
Vartan: The way she looked in that movie? No. I have a penchant for curves, I must say. But my high school experience was so dull and weird and awkward that I don't think I would ever have had the guts to go up to her — or even look at her for that matter.

TVGO: How long can you hold your breath under water?
Vartan: Well, apparently for a whole summer. No one's happier than me that I'm back at work [on Alias].

TVGO: You've worked with both Gwyneth Paltrow (in The Pallbearer) and Madonna (in The Next Best Thing). Maybe you can shed some light on how these two could be best friends.
Vartan: Are they really?

TVGO: Yes.
Vartan: That absolutely perplexes me. I thought you were kidding. I can't think of two more diametrically opposite people. My experience working with Gwyneth was absolutely wonderful; she was incredibly charming and sweet. Madonna, on the other hand, was a different experience. And I'll definitely leave it at that.

TVGO: One of our producers here, Oda Chan, wants to know if you'll marry her. So... will you?
Vartan: Okay, no problem. Just have her send me a picture. I have to get married in Vegas because of my schedule, though.

TVGO: I don't think she'd object. Would you ever consider marrying a groupie à la Notting Hill?
Vartan: Sure. Everyone is entitled to enjoy someone's work, or just the way they look. I've certainly been a groupie of certain women, either because of their talent or their art. It doesn't mean I'm a freak.

TVGO: Do you ever look in the mirror and think, "Wow. I am hot."
Vartan: Never. I think a lot of that is a function of being a guy. We just don't do that. As long as my hair doesn't look ridiculous, I'm ready to go. I'm not a bad-looking guy. I consider myself decent.

From Andy Dick to Damon Wayans, Drew Carrey to Dennis Franz, the stars will be on parade at Disney.

Disney's announcing an unprecedented number of ABC primetime stars scheduled to appear at Disneyland's California Adventure Park for the first "ABC Primetime Preview Weekend."

The special will be taped over two days, Aug. 24 and 25, and open to the public.

The latest additions scheduled to walk through the park are Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin (“My Wife and Kids”), Dick (“Less Than Perfect ”), Mark-Paul Gosselaar (“NYPD Blue”), and Victor Garber (“Alias.”)

The talent includes more than 60 ABC primetime stars so far. But sports fans will also be thrilled to see some Super Bowl and NBA stars working throughout the park to celebrate ABC's “Network for Sports Championships,” hosted by KABC Entertainment Reporter George Pennachio.

Throughout the weekend, Disney visitors can see:
Live performances of the Drew Carey-hosted Whose Line is it Anyway? LIVE
Question and answer sessions with all the ABC stars
A daily “ABC Happy Hour” Trivia Challenge
The daily ABC Primetime Parade of Stars
Sneak previews of returning hit programs and new, highly anticipated shows
Stand-up comedy from George Lopez
Live performances by Jim Belushi and his band the Sacred Hearts

The list of stars scheduled to appear also include: Dylan McDermott and Jessica Capshaw, “The Practice"; John Ritter, Katey Sagal, “8 Simple Rules...;” Gordon Clapp, Henry Simmons, Bill Brochtrup, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon and Charlotte Ross, “NYPD Blue;” Bonnie Hunt, Mark Derwin and Anthony Russell, “Life with Bonnie;” Diedrich Bader, Kathy Kinney, Ryan Stiles and Cynthia Watros, “The Drew Carey Show;” Ron Rifkin, Bradley Cooper, Merrin Dungey, Carl Lumbly, Kevin Weisman and David Anders, “Alias;” Al Michaels and Melissa Stark, “Monday Night Football;” Courtney Thorne-Smith, Kimberly Williams and Larry Joe Campbell, “According to Jim;” Constance Marie, Belita Moreno and Valente Rodriguez, “George Lopez;” Colin Mochrie, Brad Sherwood, Chip Esten, Jeff Davis, and Linda Taylor, “Whose Line is it Anyway?;” Michelle Kwan, Keith Jackson, Dan Fouts and John Davidson, ABC Sports; Sara Rue, Zachary Levi, Sherri Shepherd, Andrea Parker and Eric Roberts, “Less Than Perfect;” James Bulliard, Tyler Labine and Bess Armstrong, That Was Then; William Fichtner and Jane Lynch, MD’s."

'ALIAS" creator J.J. Abrams says his hit spy-thriller will be even more of a family affair next season.

The show, which follows the adventures of Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) - a high-kicking double agent for an evil spy agency and the CIA - will add a few new characters to the mix, including Sydney's mom.

Since the show debuted last season, Sydney's secretly had some help from her dad, Jack (Victor Garber) who's also a double agent.

"With the mother [Laura Bristow, played by Lena Olin,] being around, it has a profound impact on Sydney," Abrams told the Web site Sci Fi Wire.

"Obviously [she has also an impact on Sydney's father, who was abandoned by this woman; and also on Sydney's CIA handler [Vaughn, played by Michael Vartan], whose father was killed by Sydney's mother," Abrams said.

"So you've got this woman showing up, suddenly affecting everyone in a huge way. There are a lot of great secrets, great mysteries revealed. And we're approaching this year from the point of view that, if you've never seen the show, this is the time to watch, because we're making the stories accessible, whether you've ever seen the show before or not," he said.

Abrams also said the show's going to cut back on its cliff hanger endings each week. The story-telling tool had been criticized for making the show harder to watch for new viewers who felt left out if they missed an episode the week before.

"You don't have to have seen the week before to get into it," he said. "Our cliffhangers are going to be a little bit less. We'll still do some the way we did, but there will be a little bit less of the immediate life-and-death-moments kind of cliffhanger, and the episodes will be satisfying in and of themselves. But there will always be something, a little nugget, to intrigue you to watch next week."

And look for more new faces on the show besides Sydney's mom, Abrams said.

"We're working on some really cool guest stars, new ones and return. I promise we're going to do everything we can to sort of outdo last year."

"Alias," which was largely credited with helping to kill off "X-Files" last year, returns for a second season in time-slot, starting Sept. 29.

ABC is giving the second season premiere of "Alias" the royal treatment: the network is speeding up production on its buzzworthy Prince William biopic to ensure the movie will be ready for broadcast Sunday, Sept. 29, as a lead-in to the sophomore bow of the femme spy show.

"Prince William," which stars Jordan Frieda ("Band of Brothers") as the young royal, had been intended as a November sweeps tentpole. Instead, it will serve as the season premiere for "The Wonderful World of Disney," airing from 7- 9 p.m. "Alias" will follow, with the season premiere of "The Practice" scheduled for 10 p.m.

What's more, ABC will promote the "Alias" season premiere via a 60-second theatrical trailer that will play on several thousand screens nationwide. The trailer, which was approved by "Alias" creator J.J. Abrams, will play only in PG-13 and R-rated pictures.

Despite strong critical notice, lots of Emmy nominations and solid ratings last year, "Alias" producers will no doubt take all the help they can get. This fall, the Jennifer Garner starrer will be up against the much-anticipated return of HBO's "The Sopranos," as well as Fox's "Malcolm in the Middle."

ABC says it's fully committed to making sure "Alias" both survives and thrives. "There's no greater priority at the network this season," said a top-level network executive.

Alas ABC, which did not have too much else to smile about last season, isn't yet prepared to give "Alias" the biggest boost it might offer the show: a better time slot.

Outstanding Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series:

Alias • Truth Be Told (Pilot) • ABC •
Six Feet Under • Back To The Garden • HBO •
Six Feet Under • Pilot • HBO •
24 • Midnight - 1:00 a.m. (Pilot) • FOX •
The West Wing • Manchester (Part 2) •

Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series:

Alias • ABC •
Law & Order • NBC •
Once And Again • ABC •
Six Feet Under • HBO •
24 • FOX •
The West Wing • NBC •

Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series:

Alias • Truth Be Told (Pilot) • ABC •
Ally McBeal • Reality Bites • FOX •
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • Identity Crisis • CBS •
Six Feet Under • Driving Mr. Mossback • HBO •
The West Wing • Bartlet For America • NBC •

Outstanding Costumes For A Series:

Alias • Truth Be Told (Pilot) • ABC •
Farscape • Into The Lion’s Den (Part 1): Lambs To The Slaughter • Sci Fi •
Sex And The City • Defining Moments • HBO •
Six Feet Under • Back To The Garden • HBO •
That ‘70s Show • That ‘70s Musical • FOX •
Will & Grace • A Moveable Feast • NBC •

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Series:

Alias • Q & A • ABC •
Six Feet Under • Pilot • HBO •
24 • Midnight - 1:00 a.m. (Pilot) • FOX •
24 • 7:00 a.m - 8:00 a.m. • FOX •
The West Wing • Bartlet For America • NBC •
The West Wing • 100,000 Airplanes • NBC •

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Series:

Alias • Q & A • ABC •
Buffy The Vampire Slayer • Hell’s Bells • UPN •
Enterprise • Two Days And Two Nights • UPN •
Sex And The City • Ghost Town • HBO •
Six Feet Under • I’ll Take You • HBO •

Outstanding Makeup For A Series (Non-Prosthetic):

Alias • Q & A • ABC •
Buffy The Vampire Slayer • Hell’s Bells • UPN •
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • Slaves Of Las Vegas • CBS •
MADtv • MADtv’s 7th Season Premiere • FOX •
Six Feet Under • Pilot • HBO •

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series:

Alias • ABC • (Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow)
Judging Amy • CBS • (Amy Brenneman as Judge Amy Gray)
Six Feet Under • HBO • (Rachel Griffiths as Brenda Chenowith)
Six Feet Under • HBO • (Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher)
The West Wing • NBC • (Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series:

Alias • ABC • (Victor Garber as CIA Agent Jack D. Bristow)
Six Feet Under • HBO • (Freddy Rodriguez as Federico Diaz)
The West Wing • NBC • (Dulé Hill as Charlie Young)
The West Wing • NBC • (John Spencer as Leo McGarry)
The West Wing • NBC • (Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman)
The West Wing • NBC • (Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination:

Alias • Q & A • ABC •
Band Of Brothers • Part 3: Carentan • HBO •
Malcolm In The Middle • Company Picnic • FOX •
Third Watch • Superheroes • NBC •
Uprising • Part 2 • NBC •

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series:

Alias • Truth Be Told (Pilot) • ABC •
ER • On The Beach • NBC •
The Shield • Pilot • FX •
24 • Midnight - 1:00 a.m. (Pilot) • FOX •
The West Wing • Posse Comitatus • NBC •

Jennifer Garner is set to appear on The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno on September 27th.

At 9 p.m., NBC was in first with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at 9.5/15. CBS began its film, "Hell on Heels," in second as "Alias" (6.0/9) came in third on ABC. FOX continued with baseball as The WB trailed with the season premiere of "Angel," 3.7/5.

The return of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" kept NBC in the lead with 10.6/16 followed by the season premiere of "Alias" (7.3/11) on ABC. CBS' film was third, followed by FOX's movie in fourth. A repeat of "Angel" fared poorly on The WB, 2.0/3.

At 9 p.m., NBC pulled ahead with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" taking a 6.1/12. CBS began its film "The Biographer: The Secret Life of Princess Diana" to take second (3.8/8 average from 9 to 11 p.m.). On FOX, "Malcolm in the Middle," 3.5/7, and "Grounded For Life," 3.0/6, came in at third, as ABC's repeat of "Alias" was fourth, 2.9/4.

There's one feminine enigma Sandra Bullock doesn't solve in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: Who will play the Amazonian adventuress in that long-in-the-works Wonder Woman movie? Bullock's name has long been attached to the project, but she tells TV Guide Online, "I just don't have the time or the capability to think that I can pull that off."

Indeed, it takes Herculean chutzpah to play bullets and bracelets! So who's woman enough to fill Lynda Carter's magic girdle? "Somebody who is really athletically inclined and can kick ass," Bullock muses. "She's agile. She's like a cat. That's what it deserves — it deserves someone who can enjoy the camp, but also play the serious or the dark side. Because Wonder Woman has such a dark core to it, if [producers] embrace that, there's a couple of women that could do a good job." Here's a list of ladies we could see piloting an invisible jet.

Pamela Anderson: With V.I.P.'s recent cancellation — she played a busty, baddie-bashin' bodyguard — this supervixen is out of work! But can the ex-Baywatcher convey Wonder Woman's sharp intellect? More importantly, would she make a convincing brunette?

Yancy Butler: Using Wonder-gear like an enchanted lasso — and a tiara that doubles as a boomerang — shouldn't daunt Butler. She currently wields a mean magic glove on TNT's Witchblade. Let's just hope the recently-rehabbed starlet stays off the sauce — otherwise she'll be Woozy Woman!

Jennifer Garner: On Alias, this TV spy has brains, beauty and brawn. Too bad she's already doing the comic book thing as Ben Affleck's super-sidekick, Electra, in Daredevil (due out Feb. 14).

Sarah Michelle Gellar: This fierce beauty can so save the world from vampy villains — she does it weekly on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Plus, she even paid homage to Wonder Woman by turning into her at this year's MTV Movie Awards. Holy hint-dropping, Batman!

Lucy Lawless: A long-rumored contender for the role, the Xena: Warrior Princess star already has played an Amazon royal who consorts with Greek gods. And since her Xena character always displayed lesbian leanings, Lawless shouldn't have any trouble fitting in on the females-only Paradise Island!

Jennifer Lopez: Voluptuous and curvy, J.Lo can fill out Wonder Woman's one-piece well enough to do Lynda Carter proud. Moviegoers who saw Enough also know she'll gladly open up a can of whupass on trifling male dogs! (Poor Billy Campbell.)

Kelly Osbourne: This reality TV brat's already an unlikely model and pop star, so why not a big-screen superhero? Actually, she'd be better off filling Debra Winger's old boots as WW's frumpy little sister, Wonder Girl.

Michelle Yeoh: Who cares if the comic-book icon isn't Asian? In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yeoh showed the menacing moves (and compassionate heart) needed to do Diana Prince justice. And you just know she'd pull off that classic "transformation twirl" with style and grace.

I was watching "Inside The Actors Studio" with guest Jack Lemmon filmed in 1994 and Alias star Bradley Cooper (Will Tippin) was one of the students in the audience.

Heartthrob Michael Vartan (Agent Michael Vaughn) is in the August Issue of Esquire Magazine which is on stands now.

Ben Affleck discussed his work on the Daredevil film at a press conference last week. Affleck wore a tuxedo as they were working on a ballroom scene at the time. Obviously, he was in Matt Murdoch mode, since the Daredevil alter-ego wears red tights, not black ties. He explained how Daredevil was the culmination of years of involvement with the comic books.

It was my favorite comic as a kid,” Affleck said. “It was an enthusiasm that I shared with Kevin Smith, who I worked with on Mallrats, Chasing Amy, etc. Kevin was a fanatic collector of comics and had all these comic books. He was impressed that with my knowledge of the Daredevil storyline whereas my knowledge of other comic book storylines was considerably lacking. So he believed me that I was a real fan. What he ended up doing was writing a series of the comics. And when they later compiled them into what they call a graphic novel, he called me, and said, ‘Do you want to write a foreword to this?’ And I thought would be a really cool, fun thing, particularly since, in the comic book, he had somebody talk about Matt Murdoch having tickets to the Good Will Hunting premiere, kind of a nod to me and Matt. I thought that was very sweet. Tangentially, my name appeared in the comic book. Anyway, so I wrote the foreword and talked about how much I loved the comic, and I guess that was out there. And when [the producers] came to me about doing it, it was sort of no-brainer to me. Everybody has their one thing from their childhood that they really remember and that really affected them and moved them, and this was that thing for me. So it was really a no-brainer and I was excited to do it.

Since Matt Murdoch is blind, Affleck did study the mannerisms of blind people. However, he was quick to distinguish that Daredevil’s enhanced other senses allowed him flexibility as an actor.

It's kind of misleading. In a way, he is blind, yes. He's technically blind. But because he's able to kind of cobble together a sort of mosaic impression of everything around him based on his heightened other senses, he is able to navigate the world. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to do any of these things that you see. So, through smell and hearing and through a kind of evolved sense almost like a sonar, which will be represented in the movie by this really cool series of effects, this kind of shadowy world, he sees things, but he can't really see texture. He knows where things are, but he still has to fold his bills the way a regular blind man folds his bills, so he doesn't get a one and a five confused. He still has to read Braille tags on his clothes. It’s an interesting combination of the vulnerability of the handicap with the kind of extra abilities. But at the heart of it, he's really a man. Everyone else thinks he's blind. So playing it is sort of tricky, because he really can get around, he sort of has to look like an actual blind person, and doing that, I talked to a guy who came to the set and visited quite a bit, Tom Sullivan, who's blind, an extraordinary overachiever. Great skier, jumps out of planes and does all that kind of stuff that I'm way too scared to do. He was very helpful just in terms of rudimentary stuff like how to use a cane. I have these contacts that I wear, because his eyes were injured. And the contacts are this like deep murky blue, so actually, when I wear them, I am in fact blind. So the challenge is actually not stumbling, walking into furniture, because he wouldn't do that. So, it's interesting and sometime awkward, but it's been fun.

Affleck is joined by an eclectic supporting cast. Michael Clarke Duncan plays the villain, Kingpin. Jon Favreau plays Matt Murdoch’s friend, Foggy Nelson and Jennifer Garner plays Elektra. Garner defended the film’s use of a black leather costume, whereas comic book fans are more familiar with something a bit more revealing.

Actually, Elektra has two different costumes in the comic,” Garner said. “The one that's more well-known is the red with the sashes with apparently nothing underneath. I have to say I had nothing to do with changing the look. She does also wear a black leather costume. The costume is not something I would choose to wear in life, but you kind of have to go for it. And Ben's in tights, pretty much. The costume designer is James Acheson, and he's done an incredible job of taking something that could be so embarrassing and making it as cool as possible. All the superhero costumes have a real hip element to them, and they are not your average man in tights. And mine is no exception to that.

Duncan embraced the chance to play the villain. “I was very familiar with Kingpin,” Duncan said. “I read the comic books. When they came to me and said that I get to be the Kingpin and Ben and I get to fight, I said, ‘Yeah. That’s like a dream come true.’ You dream about something like this, to work with great actors, a great director, great producers.

Favreau was also a fan of the comics, but was a bit surprised by the role for which they chose him. “I was in high school about the time when I first saw the [comics]. The Frank Miller series was sort of Daredevil in its heyday and it was breaking new ground. I was very aware with what was going on with it so it was very exciting to me. I worked with Mark Steven Johnson on The Replacements and he told me about this pet project he was working on. Finally, I ran into him at one point and he said it was going to happen. When I saw the script I was really impressed and I thought, ‘What superhero does he want me to play?’ And he says, ‘Well, Jon, start eating a little bit more. We want you to be Foggy Nelson, basically the Richard Jeni from The Mask character.’ On the one hand, I’m so excited to be part of this great production, but on the other hand, I feel like the butt of all jokes.

Affleck concluded that the chance to portray a superhero was grand escapism for him. “I don’t have any illusions about being a superhero when I go home. I'm acutely aware of how not a superhero I am. I'm decidedly not a daredevil kind of guy, which it makes it fun, because I get to do the kind of stuff I'd never really do in life.

Daredevil opens in theatres February 14th, 2003.

Winners of the Teen Choice Awards will be determined by a vote of the readers of Seventeen magazine. There's also a ballot online at seventeen.com. The awards cover TV, movies, music and sports.

The awards will be taped Aug. 4 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles for broadcast Aug. 19 on FOX.

Best Actress in a Drama: Jessica Alba ("Dark Angel"), Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under"), Jessica Biel ("7th Heaven"), Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls"), Jennifer Garner ("Alias"), Sarah Michelle Gellar ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Katie Holmes ("Dawson's Creek"), Keri Russell ("Felicity")

Best Drama/Action Adventure: "Alias," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Dark Angel," "Dawson's Creek," "Felicity," "Gilmore Girls," "7th Heaven," "Smallville"

Best Actor in a Drama: Jennifer Garner's husband Scott Foley ("Felicity"), Joshua Jackson ("Dawson's Creek"), James Marsters ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Jared Padalecki ("Gilmore Girls"), Scott Speedman ("Felicity"), Barry Watson ("7th Heaven"), Tom Welling ("Smallville"), Shane West ("Once and Again")

The Man's right-hand man will have a bigger role on "Alias" next season.

ABC announced Thursday (June 20) that David Anders, who played cunning freelance spy Mr. Sark in several episodes of "Alias" last season, will be a regular member of the cast this fall. His expanded role will probably mean that Sydney (series star Jennifer Garner) and her SD-6/CIA colleagues will have more face-to-face confrontations with The Man's organization.

The Man, audiences discovered in the first-season finale, is not a man at all, but in fact Sydney's mom. She will be played by Lena Olin.

Anders, 21, has to fake the British accent of Mr. Sark -- he's from Grants Pass, Ore. "Alias" is his first major TV role, although he did have a bit part in the Olsen twins series "So Little Time" on the Fox (now ABC) Family network. He's also appeared in stage productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "The Diary of Anne Frank."

LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Rising starlet? Try catapulting star. "Alias" television actress Jennifer Garner, a virtual unknown one year ago, is in negotiations to earn in the neighborhood of $3 million to star in Revolution Studios' "13 Going on 30."

No helmer is attached to the project, though Garner is said to have director approval on the film, which is expected to go into production next year while the actress is on hiatus from her ABC series, which begins its second season in the fall.

Written by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, the project is described as a female "Big." It's about a 13-year-old girl who dreams of being popular. During her birthday party, she engages in a party game called Seven Minutes in the Closet. It turns out to be a humiliating experience for her, and she refuses to come out of the closet and be subjected to more embarrassment. When she eventually does emerge, she finds herself five days shy of her 30th birthday, looking fabulous and extremely popular.

Susan Arnold and Donna Arkoff Roth are producing the project with the writers' manager, Gina Matthews.

Garner, who won a best actress Golden Globe this year for "Alias," has suddenly found herself emerging as a top choice for projects around town, landing a near-$1 million payday to star opposite Ben Affleck in 20th Century Fox/Regency Enterprises' "Daredevil," now in production. Additionally, Steven Spielberg handpicked Garner for a role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in DreamWorks' "Catch Me If You Can" (HR 2/28).

Garner is repped by Endeavor and attorney Jason Sloane.

Michael Vartan (Agent Vaughn) can be seen in People's Top 50 Bachelor's Issue. On stands soon.

The awards are given for shows that aired new episodes between May 23, 2001 and May 22, 2002.

The TCA awards will be handed out Saturday, July 20, during the association's summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif.

Outstanding New Program of the Year

"24" (FOX)
"Alias" (ABC)
"The Osbournes" (MTV)
"The Shield" (FX)
"Six Feet Under" (HBO)

Fans of "Alias" know that The Man, the shadowy mastermind behind all manner of nefarious activities on the show, is, in fact, lead character Sydney Bristow's mom.

Now, we know who the mom is. Academy Award nominee Lena Olin is joining the regular cast of ABC's spy drama next year, a network spokesman confirms.

The casting of Olin resolves one of the mysteries by the show's season-finale cliffhanger. A captive Sydney (Jennifer Garner) is introduced to The Man, and a figure steps out of the shadows to say -- with a woman's voice -- that she's waited almost 30 years for this moment. A flash of recognition comes across Sydney's face, and she says "Mom?" just before the credits roll.

Olin, a native of Sweden, earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination in 1990 for her role in "Enemies, A Love Story." She's also appeared in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," "Romeo Must Die," "Chocolat" and "Queen of the Damned," among numerous other films. "Alias" will be her first TV series role.

Olin is no relation to Ken Olin, the former "thirtysomething" star who's a co-executive producer of "Alias" and directed several episodes last season.

Lena Olin will join the cast of ABC's "Alias," signing on for a guaranteed 16 episodes next season. She'll play the mother of secret agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) whose identity served as the cliffhanger of the finale of the drama's freshman season.

The veteran Swedish actress recently wrapped the Matthew Ryan Hoge-directed "The United States of Leland," a film that co-stars Don Cheadle, Jena Malone and Kevin Spacey.

Olin first came to notice in Hollywood for "The Unbearable Lightness of Being." She was Oscar nominated for 1989's "Enemies: A Love Story," and in 2000 starred in "Chocolat," the film directed by her husband, Lasse Hallstrom. She has been picky in choosing roles that take her away from the Gotham base of Hallstrom and their two children.

Even though "Alias" shoots in L.A., Olin jumped when asked by executive producers J.J. Abrams and Ken Olin to play a shadowy secret agent character believed to be working for the enemy of her daughter's government employers in the Disney-produced drama.

According to TV Guide veteran Swedish actress Lena Olin has landed the coveted role of Sydney's mother Laura Bristow, and will appear in at least 16 episodes next season.

Look for Ron Rifkin (Arvin Slone) in the new Ben Affleck/Morgan Freeman film "Sum of All Fears" which is in theaters now.

Alias finshed the season tied (with Millionaire & 20/20) at #55 with an average of 9.7 million viewers per epiode. Shows finishing just ahead of Alias include Watching Ellie, According To Jim, Ed & Philly. Just behind Alias were The Bernie Mac Show, Ally McBeal & The X-Files.

Since villains as treacherous as Alias secret-agent woman Sydney Bristow's mother, Laura, are hard to come by in the real world, we can all rest a little easier. The ABC sleeper's producers, on the other hand, can't afford a moment's shut-eye. Since they teased the character's introduction in the season finale, they now are faced with the formidable task of filling the role — no mean feat, considering that the double-dealing spy babe, also known as Irina Derevko, is hot enough to have enticed Sydney's dad, Jack, into marriage and cold enough to have iced good guy Michael Vaughn's father. "We are on the verge of casting it," series creator J.J. Abrams tells TV Guide Online. "It's very exciting!" But, before the powers that be settle on an actress, perhaps they should break into our top-secret files and peruse the list of contenders we think might kick butt as the ex-KGB conniver.

Mimi Rogers: Her hiring by The X-Files as David Duchovny's old flame marked the onset of that show's decline. However, the gig did give the first Mrs. Tom Cruise "FBI training" and a chance to prattle on about conspiracy theories while modeling trench coats.

Lois Chiles: Not only does the Bond girl have the look and credentials of an enigmatic Mata Hari, but if Moonraker doc Holly Goodhead's arrival doesn't spike the ratings, she can always dial 0-0-7 and call retired operative Roger Moore back into service.

Diane Lane: Now that she's riding high on the success of Unfaithful, she might be too big for the small screen. Then again, perhaps she — like unfortunate ticket buyers — hasn't forgotten Jack and Judge Dredd. In any case, just imagine the love scenes!

Jennifer Hetrick: Besides possessing as square a jaw as would-be daughter Jennifer Garner, she once had a recurring role on L.A. Law as two-timer Corbin Bernsen's wife. So she already considers getting into bed with untrustworthy sleazebags all in a day's work.

Michelle Pfeiffer: So she hasn't done TV since B.A.D. Cats in 1980. Now that Ashley Judd has purr-loined the lead in the Catwoman movie, the Batman Returns villainess might be in just the mood to scratch out someone's eyes — whatever the medium.

Roberta Weiss: Want international intrigue? Pick a foreign femme fatale. Stateside, the native of Canada is best known as a soap sexpot (Santa Barbara). Overseas, though, the star of such exotically titled features as La Danse du Scorpion had audiences at bonjour.

Kathleen Turner: Since Laura was nicknamed "The Man," maybe he... er, she would be best brought to life by the guy... er, gal who bent her gender as Matthew Perry's pop on Friends, then generated ultrafeminine body heat by stripping on Broadway for The Graduate.

Madonna: What's the point of the Material Mom building up her biceps if she's not going to pummel anybody? Plus, portraying a turncoat whose motives are never clear could be the ideal showcase for her infamously blank line readings, if not her prefab English accent.

20th Century Fox has pushed back the release date of its Marvel Comics feature Daredevil from Jan. 17 to President's Day weekend next Feb. 14, Variety reports. Fox hopes debuting the pic on a holiday weekend will maximize its gross potential. The film stars Ben Affleck and Alias badass Jennifer Garner.

NEW YORK (CP) - Don't expect to see Victor Garber crack a smile. He's too busy executing covert operations, battling enemies of the state and mending fences with his estranged daughter.

Toss in some major conflicts in the workplace and a dead wife resurrected, and you'd find it tough to smile, too. This, of course, is the Garber we see onscreen in Alias, this season's action-packed spy drama in which he stars as uber-spy Jack Bristow, aloof father to superagent Sydney Bristow (Golden Globe winner Jennifer Garner), who's joined Dad in the family business of kicking butt.

Garber's onscreen world may be all about tension, drama and danger, but offscreen, he has a lot to smile about: two Emmy nominations, four Tony nominations, a leading role in last summer's smash hit Legally Blonde and a high-octane role in one of the year's most celebrated new series.

"It's been a great year," Garber says on the telephone from Los Angeles. "Every once in a while I stop to catch my breath."

Not surprising considering the pace of a typical Alias episode - breakneck, usually, with a healthy dose of edge-of-your-seat suspense. His spy-fathers-spy character gets plenty of action.

"Alias has turned out to be such a high and just so much fun to work on," he says.

The fun reaches its climax this Sunday for the season finale, which is rumoured to be as explosive a cliffhanger as any in recent memory.

Garber gets to exercise his acting chops in addition to his karate chops with the role of Jack, whose tenuous relationship with daughter Sydney provides much of the dramatic force.

"He's a complicated guy, and the whole relationship with Sydney is so tortured," he says. For example, a major breakthrough occurred months into the season when Jack briefly touched Sydney's hand.

Fortunately, their onscreen tension is the result of an easygoing offscreen relationship.

"It's such a joy to work with her," says Garber. (Garner has affectionately referred to him as a "big bear.")

Garber, who is square-jawed and strapping, could well have the strength of a large brawny animal but, as a few renegade Cubans found out, his reflexes are quite a bit quicker.

Indeed, while watching Alias it is no stretch to believe that he and the lissome Garner could be related, in ways both athletic and esthetic.

Though the 53-year-old thespian is no stranger to critical acclaim, this is the first time he's been acclaimed for hitting bad guys instead of high notes.

A regular on the Broadway stage, Garber earned praise for his roles in shows like Sweeney Todd, Noises Off, Art and Damn Yankees, for which he earned one of his four Tony nominations.

Although he'd had a number of strong supporting roles in films like Sleepless In Seattle and The First Wives Club, his most significant movie moment came when he was cast as the genteel Master Shipbuilder Thomas Andrews in the box-office blockbuster Titanic.

"I think everything sort of changed for me with Titanic," he says, recalling how he was suddenly recognized in public following the film's release. "That broadened the audience for me considerably."

With his role as the lecherous Prof. Callahan in Legally Blonde and now with Alias, that audience has expanded into a completely new demographic. He reaches Felicity-aged fans who hang on to Jack Bristow's every terse word and testify to his appeal on Internet message boards (from the chat rooms of fan site www.Alias-Online.com: "He is the ultimate spy!" "I want to see Jack in action more often!" "I think he's rather cute for an older guy.")

Series creator J.J. Abrams isn't at all surprised at Garber's appeal. He still recalls seeing Garber 20 years ago in Noises Off.

"I've been aware of his work onstage for years," says Abrams. "What I love about Victor is he's done such incredible, varied material and he's got a real facility for adapting to different genres - perfect for a show about a spy."

Abrams invited Garber to read for the role of Jack Bristow, which was done via a closed-circuit television between New York (still Garber's home) and Los Angeles, where Abrams was in pre-production for the show. After two decades and across three time zones, Garber still made an impression.

"He's truly the consummate performer," enthuses Abrams. "He brings such depth and thought and complexity to his role - he's the dream pro."

Abrams, who wrote the Alias theme music, knows he's sitting on a triple threat in Garber and admits that he's considered how Jack Bristow might work a little song and dance into the world of international espionage.

"It would require a mission with a tight squeeze, the only way out of which would be to have him perform," muses Abrams.

"We have to find some way to do it - it would be so wonderful and fun."

Garber is a bit more skeptical: "I doubt that it will happen but it's a funny idea - you never know."

You never know, indeed.

Forty-three years ago in London, Ont., Garber was a 10-year-old performing in children's shows at the Grand Theatre. At 15, he enrolled in a summer acting workshop at the University of Toronto's Hart House and moved to Toronto shortly thereafter, joining teen singing group The Sugar Shoppe, with whom he performed on the Ed Sullivan Show.

His real break came a few years later when was cast as Jesus in the Toronto production of Godspell along with fledgling talents Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Paul Shaffer. He later moved to New York to star in the 1973 film version.

As the saying goes, he never looked back.

Though New York remains his home, Garber often returns to Canada to visit with family or, quite often, for work.

"I love coming to work up there," says Garber, who most recently filmed Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story and the Judy Garland biopic Me and My Shadows in Toronto, and will be returning later this month to film an adaptation of Broadway's The Music Man with Matthew Broderick and Molly Shannon.

Though season two of Alias won't start until September, Garber aficionados can catch him in the upcoming Tuck Everlasting with Sissy Spacek, William Hurt, Alexis Bleidel and Alias guest star Amy Irving.

In the meantime, theatre fans will have to wait a little longer to see Garber back in the floodlights, as his current shooting schedule precludes a return to the stage.

"Doing a musical on Broadway is a year of your life," he explains.

For the pistol-packing, punch-throwing, drop-kicking Garber, right now it's as simple as the fun he's having.

"Frankly, I'm just happy we've been picked up for another season and I get to come back and do it again for 22 episodes," he says. "It's a great job, and I'm having a great time."

Victor Garber's next role on ABC will be decidedly less menacing than the one he currently plays on "Alias."

Garber has joined the cast of "Meredith Wilson's The Music Man," an adaptation of the beloved musical that will air during the 2002-03 season. He'll play George Shinn, the mayor of River City. Matthew Broderick plays the con man who dupes the town, and Kristin Chenoweth will play the librarian Broderick's character falls in love with.

"The Music Man" is being executive produced by Storyline Entertainment's Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. It's the fourth collaboration between Garber and the two producers, following "Cinderella," "Annie" and "Me and My Shadows: Life with Judy Garland."

"It's our annual reteaming with Victor Garber," Meron tells The Hollywood Reporter. "He has been and hopefully will continue to be our good luck charm ... every time we have any prejoect that comes along, we instantly think of Victor."

Production on "The Music Man," which also stars "Saturday Night Live" alum Molly Shannon, is set to begin in late May in Toronto.

Sarah Shahi ("Alias") have joined the cast of "Class of '06," an ensemble comedy pilot for NBC about six freshman friends and roommates.

Principal photography has begun on the action-adventure thriller DAREDEVIL, starring Ben Affleck, and written & directed by Mark Steven Johnson. The film will shoot entirely on location in Los Angeles, and is scheduled for release on January 17, 2003.

Regency Enterprises and Twentieth Century Fox are bringing Marvel's legendary comic hero -- known as the Man Without Fear -- to the big screen. Attorney Matt Murdock is blind, but his other four senses function with superhuman sharpness. By day, Murdock represents the downtrodden. At night, he is Daredevil, a masked vigilante stalking the dark streets of the city, a relentless avenger of justice.

DAREDEVIL stars Ben Affleck (the upcoming ``The Sum of All Fears,'' ``Pearl Harbor,''), Jennifer Garner (``Alias''), Michael Clarke Duncan (``The Green Mile''), Colin Farrell (``Hart's War''), Jon Favreau (``Made''), Joe Pantoliano (``The Matrix''), David Keith (``Behind Enemy Lines'') and newcomer Scott Terra (the upcoming ``Eight Legged Freaks'').

Jennifer Garner stars as martial arts femme fatale Elektra Natchios, Matt Murdock's new love interest and the daughter of a powerful Greek business tycoon. Garner recently received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Sydney Bristow on ABC's ``Alias.'' Garner's film credits include ``Pearl Harbor'' (co-starring with Ben Affleck), ``Dude, Where's My Car?,'' ``Mr. Magoo,'' ``Deconstructing Harry,'' ``1999'' and ``Washington Square.''

Golden Globe-winning actress Jennifer Garner has landed a small role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in DreamWorks' "Catch Me If You Can" for helmer Steven Spielberg.

The actress will shoot the project concurrently with her commitment to the ABC series "Alias" -- in production -- and before she segues into the female lead in 20th Century Fox-Regency Enterprises' big-screen adaptation of "Daredevil," which she begins shooting May 1.

"Catch," a cat-and-mouse story, centers on Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio), who worked as a doctor, lawyer and co-pilot for a major airline -- all before his 18th birthday. A master of deception, he also was a brilliant forger, leading him to become the most successful bank robber in the history of the United States and the youngest person to land on the FBI (news - web sites)'s Ten Most Wanted list. Garner will play a classy, gorgeous call girl who catches Abagnale's eye.

Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen are among those who co-star. Jeff Nathanson adapted the script, which is based on the autobiographical book of the same name by Frank Abagnale Jr. and Stan Redding.

Spielberg and DreamWorks head Walter Parkes are producing, with Barry Kemp, Laurie MacDonald, Michel Shane and Tony Romano executive producing. Daniel Lupi is co-producing.

Garner, repped by the Endeavor Agency, most recently starred on the big screen in the Walt Disney Co.'s "Pearl Harbor." She won a best actress Golden Globe last month for her performance on "Alias."

"Alias" baddie Gina Torres has joined the cast of Joss Whedon's pilot "Firefly" along with Ron Glass ("The Education of Max Bickford") and Summer Glau, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The trio helps round out a cast that already includes Nathan Fillion ("Two Guys and a Girl"), Adam Baldwin ("The X-Files") and Jewel Staite. The sci-fi pilot, to which FOX gave a 13-episode commitment based on Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" track record, is set several hundred years in the future and follows the crew of a transport ship as they move from job to not-always-legal job.

Whedon has described the pilot as a Western set in space.

Torres plays Anna Espinosa, the nemesis of lead character Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) on ABC's "Alias." She also starred in the syndicated series "Cleopatra 2525." Glass is best known for his role as Detective Harris on the 1970s comedy "Barney Miller."

Whedon is writing and directing "Firefly's" two-hour pilot, which is scheduled to begin production in March.

Starting Friday February 22, ABC Family Channel premieres a new Friday night line-up featuring Alias at 9pm. The show will be shown from the premiere onwards, giving viewers another great chance to catch up with Alias.

Ron Rifkin, who plays the nefarious Sloane on ABC's hit spy series Alias, told SCI FI Wire that he is contracted for the entire run of the series, whether or not his character ever discovers that the Bristows are double agents for the CIA. Rifkin only gets new scripts the week before he films, but he said in an interview that he was confident the writers would give his character, the leader of SD-6, plenty of interesting storylines.

"There are so many twists and curves on this show, so many surprises," Rifkin said. "Maybe Sloane is a double agent. Maybe you're going to find out in four or five years that I'm also CIA. Wouldn't that be interesting?" In the most recent episode, Sloane lost his finger. But Rifkin assured viewers that the finger would return to Alias. "They're sewing it back on. By the next episode, I will have my cast off." Alias, starring Jennifer Garner, airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Charlie's Angels helmer McG is jumpstarting Warner Bros.'s Superman franchise, signing on to direct the Man of Steel's next big-screen adventure. Acclaimed TV writer-producer J.J. Abrams (Felicity, Alias) will write the script.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Michael Clarke Duncan and Jennifer Garner have signed to play roles opposite Ben Affleck in the upcoming feature-film version of Marvel Comics' Daredevil series. Duncan will play Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, and Garner will take on the coveted role of Elektra, as previously rumored.

Writer-director Mark Steven Johnson will begin shooting March 25 for Fox. Colin Farrell will play the role of the villainous Bullseye. The last lead role, of Foggy, is expected to be filled soon.

Tyesday September 3 on NBC's Today Show: Michael Vartan

Tuesday September 3 on ABC's The View: Wesley Snipes, Michael Vartan

August 19, 2002- An "Alias" romance - heartthrob Michael Vartan's steamy secret.

At 9 p.m., NBC pulled ahead with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" taking a 8.3/14. CBS began its film, "Sealed With a Kiss" to take second. On FOX, "Malcolm in the Middle" (4.4/7) and "Grounded For Life" (3.6/6) came in at third, as ABC's repeat of "Alias" was fourth, 2.9/5. The WB's "Angel" was last with 1.5/2.

At 9 p.m., NBC pulled ahead with a second "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" taking a 7.9/13. CBS began its film, "Three Blind Mice" (6.5/12) to take second. On FOX, two repeats of "Malcolm in the Middle" were good enough for third, 4.5/8 as ABC's repeat of "Alias" was fourth, 2.6/4. The WB's "Angel" was last with 1.4/2.

At 9 p.m., NBC held first with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 7.2/11. CBS began the film "Missing Pieces" (5.3/8), as FOX stayed in third with a double dose of "Malcolm in the Middle" taking in 4.8/7. ABC's "Alias" managed a 3.5/5 at fourth. On the WB, "Angel" earned a 1.3/2.

At 9 p.m., NBC tied the third hour of "Jerry Maguire" with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" drawing a 5.9/10. CBS began its film, "Holy Joe" to take a close third with a 5.8/10, while ABC's "Alias" captured fourth with 2.5/4. The WB's "Angel" took in a 1.4/2 at fifth.

Look for Jennifer Garner to be a presenter on the the two-hour World Stunt Awards show, which will air on the ABC Television Network on May 31.

Jennifer Garner (Sydney) make's this years edition of People magazine's The 50 Most Beautiful People. The issue with Nicole Kidman on the cover hits newsstands Friday (May 3).

Friday May 3, 2002 Alias star Jennifer Garner (Sydney) will be on CBS' Late Night with David Letterman

April 10, 2002: Jennifer Garner, Eminem and Mandy Moore are all vying for superstar of tomorrow. Find out how to cast your vote for ?Extra? and Movieline magazine's Young Hollywood Awards.

Jennifer Garner is a master of disguise. Odds are, few who saw the 29-year-old actress in her drab, short-lived Fox series Significant Others could have anticipated her Golden Globe-winning turn on ABC's Alias as Sydney Bristow, a physically intimidating yet emotionally vulnerable CIA agent/grad student pretending to be a counterspy pretending to be a banker.

And no one watching her glam appeal on Alias — a show that features the most outrageous array of sexy costumes since Cher went off the air — would expect the fresh-faced, open young woman who shows up for an interview at a trendy Brentwood restaurant sans makeup and without any of the pretensions that often attend sudden stardom. The only clues that she stars on TV in an action-adventure hour are physical: a few bruises from a day spent jumping out of a ceiling vent and hauling herself in again, and a bump on her forehead from where she slammed her head into the camera during a fight scene.

"Thank goodness I love my job," Garner says.

But then a lot of people love the job she's doing, and not just the idiosyncratic voters who hand out the Globes. A complex, rapid-fire, wildly eccentric mixture of La Femme Nikita, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. and Once and Again, Garner's Alias is one of the few buzz-hot shows of this TV season. While it isn't a huge ratings hit along the lines of CSI, Alias does well with the younger viewers that networks are so eager to court — so well that ABC already has renewed it for next season.

As of now, however, success does not seem to have gone to Garner's head.

A newlywed, she gushes happily about her husband, Felicity star Scott Foley, whom she met during a 1998 guest stint on his show. She praises her producer, J.J. Abrams, who also created Felicity, and her three veteran co-stars — Ron Rifkin, Victor Garber and Carl Lumbly. ("It's not like I just appreciate them; I revere them.")

Most endearingly, she's humorously modest about her own contributions to Alias and blessedly unjaded about Hollywood. When a little girl asks for her autograph, Garner sweetly engages her in conversation.

Yet when Tracey Ullman takes the table behind her, Garner virtually freezes in adoration: "I'm such a huge fan of hers. It's making me sweat that she's sitting next to us."

Garner's levelheaded attitude is no surprise to Abrams, who attributes it to maturity and family. "She's 29. She's had a lot of time to not work. She's a married woman. She has a down-to-earth family. She's not 19 and new to town. She's a real human being with a real solid perspective."

Of course, stardom and success are still new to her, and she owes them all to that shot on Felicity she almost didn't get. "J.J. made me audition five times for that. For a guest spot. For one episode."

Whatever he thought of her audition, something in her performance won Abrams over. When he created Alias, he told Garner he wanted her for the lead role. She was, to say the least, surprised.

"I asked, 'What did you see me in that made you think I could do this. Mr. Magoo? Dude, Where's My Car?' "

Not exactly, Abrams says. "There was something about her that I just thought was really special. I always thought she had something in her personality that was funnier and sexier and smarter and more mischievous than anything I'd seen her do. And when I wrote Sydney, I wanted to show that."

As for Garner, she says she leaped at the chance to work with Abrams again, particularly if it meant playing an action heroine. ("I love that adrenaline rush.") But she was nervous, because Sydney is more than just tight costumes and high kicks.

Indeed, what separates Alias from the spy pack is Sydney's incredibly complicated emotional life — and the honest, just-under-the-surface fragility Garner brings to the role. Sydney is a woman in hiding: hiding her identity as a spy from her friends, and her identity as a CIA agent from her employer, a nefarious spy ring known as SD-6. To make the hiding harder, in a mere 12 episodes, she has found her fiancé murdered in her bathtub (a victim of SD-6), she has learned that her estranged father is actually a double agent for the CIA, and she has discovered that her late mother, whom she adored, was a KGB killer.

So you can excuse Garner if she thinks the physical side of the role is the easy part. "People talk like suddenly I'm action chick. The hard stuff is the acting. It's like I do an emotional Olympics every week."

What makes the show even more demanding, she says, is that she has to make the big emotional scenes seem small and subtle, which is new for her. "I've never been subtle in my whole life. Either I play subtle characters very largely, or I play big characters."

That delicacy extends to the action/adventure side of the show, the spy capers that drive the plot. The goal, she says, is to make the spying seem real, to convey to an audience that Sydney is resourceful, yet also afraid, all without seeming melodramatic or "hokey."

And yes, sometimes hokeyness creeps in. "Sometimes I'll say, 'No, wait, that was a VIP moment.'... Sometimes I'll make these huge faces. I have a big face."

Still, you can be forgiven if you're paying less attention to Sydney's suffering and more to her physical stunts — many of which Garner does herself. Though she doesn't have a background in martial arts or gymnastics, she was trained in ballet, which gave her strength, flexibility and an ability to remember complex choreography.

Hesitant to grab undue credit, Garner rushes to add that she doesn't do anything really dangerous. Explosions and complex fights are left to her stunt double. But she can get hurt: She bruised herself so badly getting in and out of that vent, the masseuse at a vacation spa tried to give her a lecture on spousal abuse.

As fans will attest, the physical demands of the role extend beyond fighting.

Garner has one of the sexiest strides on television — she even runs sexy, which can't be easy in skintight dresses and stiletto heels. That style didn't come naturally, so she's glad you have noticed.

"My trainer would be so pleased. She's worked on me. In real life, I have kind of a ducky walk. That's just me trying to be as kick-ass as this chick deserves to be."

That dedication to giving Sydney the proper style also explains her willingness to wear some of costume designer Laura Goldsmith's more out-there outfits.

"I've never worn a bikini in my life. My dad didn't like them. ... So, of course, when Laura first came to me with the rubber dress or the lace dress with only the bra underneath, my initial reaction was, 'Absolutely not.' But she very calmly shows me how she's gonna do this, and she's gonna cover that, and the next thing you know, I'm in a bikini."

The bikini isn't the only stretch for Garner, who grew up in a conservative household in Charleston, W.Va. Garner is the second of three daughters, none of whom dressed like Sydney.

"I'd hate to say it was strict. It was just not condoned. I never felt hemmed in. But I'm the middle of three girls, and none of us pierced our ears, none of us wore makeup or nail polish. We had straight hair, one length. It was just kind of the Garner Girl aesthetic. We didn't really question it; it was just the way we looked. Kind of no fuss."

Garner left Charleston to go to college at Ohio's Denison University, where her interest in acting began. With her parents' support, she moved to New York after graduation and got her first job as an understudy in the 1995 Broadway play A Month in the Country. One of the stars? Ron Rifkin.

Though she moved to Los Angeles soon after, she retains the no-fuss Charleston look and her affection for West Virginia. But she has a special place in her heart for L.A., because it's where she met her husband — a romance that went from "flirting like crazy" on the Felicity set to slow and steady courting. The big step came when Foley asked her to spend New Year's Eve 1998 with him in Paris.

"I was so nervous to tell my parents, because that's a kind of crazy thing to do. But he took care of everything. ... That was it. I fell in love with him there, if I wasn't already."

Garner says she and Foley would like to have children some day, though since they've been married only a year, "some day" is not on the immediate horizon. That should come as good news for ABC, because it's hard to imagine a pregnant Sydney karate-kicking her enemies in a blue rubber dress.

"Scott and I feel like when we're ready, we'll address it. But it's definitely a priority. And it definitely conflicts with my job," she adds, laughing, "so addressing it will be an interesting problem."

If anyone can solve it, bet on Garner. Think of it as one more unexpected role for her to master.

Alias badass (and current Rolling Stone cover girl) Jennifer Garner will reprise her role as Noel's ex-girlfriend Hannah during Felicity's two-hour series finale on May 22, TV Guide Online has learned. In real life, Garner is wed to Noel's portrayer, Scott Foley.

Felicity's Greg Grunberg — who has been juggling his role as madcap inventor Sean on the WB drama with a recurring gig as a wisecracking CIA agent on ABC's Alias — insists that Keri Russell and co. are not bitter that he was chosen to make the jump to the acclaimed spy caper and not them.

"So far, they've been really great," Grunberg winks to TV Guide Online. Besides, he adds, "you can't have more than one [Felicity castmember] on Alias. It gets weird."

Grunberg confesses that his friendship with J.J. Abrams — the creative force behind both shows — likely gave him the edge over his co-stars. "I've known J.J. my whole life," he says, "so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it."

The actor's side job at ABC also has caused little — if any — friction between him and his WB bosses, although he did have to make one small concession. "You'll notice that I don't get any on-screen credit [on Alias]," he points out. "It's sort of like a cool cameo that I'm doing."

Grunberg did, however, receive credit for his multiple-episode arc as a sleazy bar manager last season on NYPD Blue — a show he previously couldn't get arrested on. "I auditioned for them 12 times before I got Felicity," he reveals. "I've always wanted to do that show. But the problem with Blue — as far as an actor trying to get work — is they hire the real deal. A heroin addict on that show? Probably a heroin addict. The actors they get are so phenomenal."

J.J. Abrams puts a new spin on the term multitasking. Not only did he create the hit TV series ''Felicity,'' but he's a screenwriter (''Armageddon'') and a composer who writes the theme songs for his own shows. With the debut of his la femme secret agent series ''Alias'' (ABC, Sundays at 9 p.m. EST), he's becoming a webhead, too. We asked the high-tech raconteur to bring us up to date on his latest project:

What are your online plans for ''Alias''?
What's fun about this show and the site is that there's a detailed mythology to [''Alias'']. We're able to address things on the Web that we don't have time to address on the show. We have the official site, at ABC.com, which is going to be an entertaining wealth of information about ''Alias.'' And then there's an alternative secret Web presence that I don't want to give any details about. It's a very cool and very compelling, unadvertised project that I think is going to be, ultimately, the most exciting part [of the campaign]. There are certain things we're doing that, if I were a fan of the show, I would find to be as interesting and compelling as the series itself.

Sounds a bit like the online scavenger hunt tied to the movie ''A.I.'' this past summer.
The thing about the ''A.I.'' campaign that I thought was really cool was all the oblique references. What was frustrating, though, was that it didn't connect to the story at all.

Did you compose the techno-flavored theme song for ''Alias'' in a studio -- or with computer software?
Anyone who knows me says that I create TV shows so that I can create themes to them. I did this entirely in a program called Reason. I've been using all sorts of audio music programs for years. The amazing thing about this one is it's like having a rack of synthesizers and samplers and drum machines and loop players all in one program. I actually wrote and recorded this theme while we were doing the color correction on the pilot [episode]. I had this little mini keyboard and my Titanium PowerBook, and I was sitting there like an idiot with headphones on. And then when it was done, I burned the CD and gave it to the sound guy. What's also cool is that my friend Rob Letterman and I did the opening-title graphics on the same PowerBook. And then I edited it to the music.

Did the recent terrorist attacks affect creative decision making on ''Alias''?
Obviously, Sept. 11 has affected all of us in ways that we can't possibly imagine or even predict. Our show is very much a comic book come to life. The only change we had to make was on a story that involved a bomb and the World Trade Organization. The network never requested any changes, but just based on good taste and judgment we changed the name of the organization. Doing a show like ''The Agency'' [a new series about the CIA on rival network CBS] would be, for me, a burden I wouldn't know how to deal with. I respect them for trying. I just don't know how I would do it.

Anyone interested in "Alias" may have noticed the lack of enthusiasm on the Internet for character Will Tippin, one of Sidney Bristow's best friends and a local reporter who's working on a story that might have deadly consequences.

"I'd just as soon see J.J. [Abrams, 'Alias' creator and executive producer] kill him off and, if he really likes the character, then let him die saving Syd's life. It would be at least one redeeming part of an otherwise worthless and misplaced character," writes one user on Alias-Online.com.

Turns out, Sidney's a spy, and a double-agent to boot, therefore the story Will is researching about her fiancé's death might not only get him killed, but her as well. For actor Bradley Cooper, who plays Will on the ABC series, he first found out about the fans' annoyance with his character when his sister forwarded him some of the messages posted on ABC's own message boards.

"I was a mess," he tells Zap2it.com "I never even contemplated that he was jeopardizing Sidney. It was so clear to me what Will's doing, he's trying to save her life. So the fact that the audience saw him putting her life in danger -- it was like, 'Don't they realize that he doesn't know anything about that?' He has no idea that she's a double agent."

"It wasn't so much I felt personally [attacked], but I thought, oh wow, I'm totally going to get fired because they hate the character. Everybody hates Will," Cooper says.

He hopes with the next couple episodes, people will have more understanding of what his character is trying to do.

"The whole reason why he's going after [the story] is to protect her because he thinks Danny was involved with something that could be life-threatening to Sidney. But he has no idea that Sidney is actually the reason that Danny got killed."

In last night's episode (March 3), Will was told ("He gets more than told, he gets shown," Cooper says) to give up the story. But Will, who anything if not persistent, isn't likely to give up that easily.

The story is "just so intoxicating" to Will, Cooper says. "There's just so much there that need to come to the surface that he can feel."

In addition, his mysterious source is still feeding him clues and hints that are leading him to SD-6, the rogue intelligence agency where Sidney works. Cooper says he doesn't know the identity of the "deep throat," but that doesn't mean he doesn't have his guesses.

"For a while I thought it was Jack, but it can't be Jack, can't be Sloane. But, if it is Sloane and he's trying to take down SD-6, that's insane," he laughs. "Personally, I think it's somebody who got screwed over by SD-6, like Quentin [Tarantino's character, Cole McKenas]."

Also on the horizon, fans will get to learn a lot more about the hickey Will was sporting on his neck in a recent episode.

"I know -- what is happening?" he laughs. "I just keep reading the script and going, 'Wow, this is interesting.' He's bedding secretaries at work -- what?"

But, if case there's any confusion, Ms. Bristow is still the No. 1 lady in Will's heart.

"He's definitely in love with Sidney, but he missed his chance a while back -- meaning, before she met Danny. It's one of those things where he's trying to deal with life without her," Cooper says. "I think Jenny is just a physical thing. They have a great time together, but it's nothing more than that."

Cooper, whose credits before "Alias" include the film "Wet Hot American Summer" and a guest-stint on "Sex and the City," says that he owes the role to a pair of corduroy pants he was wearing on the day he tested for the role with "Alias'" creator.

"Will is sort of a retro character. I think [Abrams] just dug the corduroy. It had nothing to do with me," he laughs, adding that he had the pants laminated. "I shrunk them down and laminated them. They're in my wallet."

Seriously, he says that he almost didn't take the part.

"I had a small role in a film and it conflicted. For five minutes I said 'no,' and then I thought about it." Later that day, Cooper decided that Abrams "knew exactly what he wanted when I was in the room with him, and I just got to follow him and do what he says."

It's been a good-news/bad-news kind of year for writer-producer J.J. Abrams.

His WB Network coming-of-age drama, "Felicity," which launched to critical acclaim in 1998, then never quite hit those heights again, is currently winding down to its series finale on May 22. At the same time, his ABC espionage series, "Alias," one of the few bright lights on the beleaguered network's schedule, is riding a wave of enthusiasm from fans and critics alike -- enough to earn it an early renewal for next year.

"It's a miracle to get a show picked up," Abrams says. "It's a double miracle to have it on the air long enough to enjoy it. And it's, at the moment, a three-peat because we know it's going to be on next year. To have a show on for two years -- think of the possibilities."

For those who haven't caught up yet with "Alias," it airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET (in reruns Fridays at 9 p.m. ET, on ABC Family). Dimpled, doe-eyed Jennifer Garner stars as Sydney Bristow, a student and alleged international banker who was secretly recruited out of college to work for what she thought was the CIA.

She went against orders and told her fiance about her moonlighting job, which cost him his life. Then, to her horror, Sydney found out that SD-6, the group she works for, is not CIA at all, but a rogue agency working for the very people she thought she was fighting. After going to the CIA for help, she was sent back into SD-6 as a double agent, only to discover that her estranged father (Victor Garber), whom she thought was a businessman, is also a double agent in SD-6.

In the meantime, her journalist friend, Will Tippin (Bradley Cooper) -- who has long pined after Sydney, recent hickeys from office interns notwithstanding -- has been diligently investigating her fiance's murder, unaware that his investigation puts both his life and Sydney's at risk.

So, Sydney's caught between the flimsy facade of her personal life and the dangerous dance of divided loyalty and double-dealing that she's doing betwixt her CIA handlers and SD-6 boss Sloane (Ron Rifkin). That's not even taking into account the do-or-die, intercontinental missions that require her to regularly avert global disaster (while wearing a dizzying array of wigs and costumes). Along the way, there have been shocking revelations about Sydney's supposedly deceased mother (who had -- or has -- more in common with her daughter than Sydney knew) and a centuries-old prophecy that may involve Sydney (or her mother).

There's a lot more to the twists and turns of the show, which has amassed a rabid fan base and a passel of Web sites devoted to speculations, explanations and recaps.

"It's just been this incredibly satisfying ride," Abrams says. "I don't know quite what the evolution is, because we're so in the middle of it, but it's cool."

"We got to do this really fun story about this incredibly confused, sweet, kick-butt girl. It's the most fun hard work of all time."

"At its core, you have a story about the most dysfunctional people of all time, and how they interact. So you've got this interpersonal stuff, these intimate stories full of heartbreak and emotion, disappointment and joy. Then you've got the other insane, intense spy world. Combined, it's a fun cocktail."

As this season of "Alias" ramps up to what Abrams promises will be an "incredibly dramatic ending," not everything has worked out quite the way he hoped. "I felt that Will's character was going to be a stronger anchor for her normal life. What we found out pretty quickly is that his investigation -- because we were ahead of him -- frustrated people."

"Because everyone thought he was about to be killed, people were afraid to emotionally connect with him. Then as soon as he started acting smarter and protecting people, the viewers started to say, 'I sort of like him.'"

"By the way, our story has not changed with him, just the way we're treating him, so we can allow people to realize he's not an idiot, and he's not a bad guy."

"We, on occasion, had him do some things that were perceived as stupid, because we knew he was playing with fire, even though it made sense from his point of view. We knew that bomb was in the trunk, and it's like, 'Don't open the trunk. Don't open the trunk.'"

Despite his busy TV schedule, Abrams has found time to become the latest screenwriter attached to the new feature version of "Superman," which, despite much buzz -- including a long-reported pairing of star Nicolas Cage and director Tim Burton, which came to naught -- remains vaporware.

"I'll do the best I can," says Abrams, "then if the powers that be don't like it, I'm sure there will be a 50th writer. I think it's become one of the requirements of the WGA (Writers Guild of America), that at some point you have to be hired to write 'Superman.'"

"We're starting fresh. I haven't read the other scripts yet. I'm excited about it, because I used to love Superman so much when I was a kid. My son goes to bed every night with a Superman shirt on. He's three-and-a-half. I feel like I couldn't pass this up."

Putting love into his work means a lot to Abrams, who wants "Alias" to be about more than spy escapades and explosions. "Even in handling the rough-and-tough stuff," he says, "the key is that Sydney has to be accessible. She has to be vulnerable and real and emotional."

"If she's a superhero, if she's this intractable, untouchable, stoic figure, there's no connection."

Among programs which started in the 9 o'clock block, CBS led the way with "Joan of Arc, Part 2" (4.3/8), followed by "Looking for Love in Alaska" (4.0/7) on FOX and ABC's "Alias" (3.1/5).

ABC began its schedule with a repeat of the movie "Switching Goals," which came in last in its two-hour run averaging a 2.6/6. At 9 p.m. a rerun of "Alias" didn’t help the network move out of last place, pulling a 3.1/5. A repeat of "The Practice" followed at 10 p.m., again in last place, 2.8/5.

At 9 p.m., CBS' movie "Little John" captured a 9.1/15, followed by FOX's "The X-Files" (5.1/8), ABC's "Alias" (5.0/8) and The WB's "JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (2.5/4).

ABC's spy drama "Alias" has landed the king of spies, Agent 007.

Roger Moore will guest star in the March 10 episode as Edward Poole, the British director of SD-6, the show's rouge worldwide spy organization. Poole is a powerful member of SD-6's "Alliance of Twelve" and an apparent ally of Sloan, the corrupt boss of Sydney Bristow, the show's protagonist.

Countering statements made by some in the industry, such as "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf, that "Alias" is a "cartoon," Moore says he finds the show to be "very realistic."

"I don't think it's silly at all," the actor tells Zap2it. "I think it's a very cleverly made show; it's very well conceived and very well written."

Although not the first to portray Bond (nor, by many fans reckoning, the favorite), Moore was author Ian Fleming's original choice to play the shining star of Her Majesty's Secret Service. However, his role in the television series "The Saint" prevented him. Eventually though, he went on to appear in seven Bond films, including "The Man with the Golden Gun" and "The Spy who Loved Me."

"Alias" creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams says, growing up, Moore was always his favorite James Bond, every since he went to see "Live and Let Die" (Moore's first spin as 007).

"When I found out it was a possibility that he could work on 'Alias', I just went insane," Abrams says. "When I went to see my first James Bond movies, for me, that was just who James Bond was."

"Well, you see, [he's just saying that] because he couldn't get Sean Connery," Moore replies.

The "Alias" featuring Moore will air Sunday, March 10. Not-so-coincidentally, ABC will begin airing Roger Moore's 007 films on March 9, starting with "Live and Let Die," in continuation of its "The Bond Picture Show" series on Saturdays.

While he's currently only scheduled for the one episode of "Alias," there's a chance Moore could return for more.

"Well, they didn't kill me at the end," Moore says, adding that he would be delighted to return. "Everybody's been so nice to me, of course I would."

Comparing Bond to "Alias'" Sydney Bristow, the actor says, "I don't think James Bond would have stood a chance against Jennifer Garner. She's tough."

Working out and forgoing those shaken martinis might be part of it. While Garner will get to the set at 4:30 in the morning to work out for an hour before shooting starts, Moore jokes that in his spy heyday he would "just try to get out of bed in the morning."

At 9 p.m., the CBS movie "Double Jeopardy" received a 10.2/17, followed by NBC's "L.A. Law: The Movie" (7.6/13), "Alias'" season finale on ABC (6.5/11), FOX's second-to-last "The X-Files" (6.2/10) and The WB's "JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (2.4/3).

Secret Agent Woman: "Sydney's much cooler than I am - just rockin'. I'm such a girl, but I so badly want to kick ass! My instinct is an emergency would be to duck and hide behind a car, while hers would be to come out fighting!"- Jennifer Garner plays Sydney, a CIA double agent, on ABC's Alias, which airs Sundays at 9 P.M. Here, she tangos with her costar, Michael Vartan, who plays fellow CIA agent Vaughn. "Vaughn's no pencil pusher," Vartan reveals. "I might have to take martial arts so I can look geniune when kicking butt."

Pale shimmery eyes play off lush red lips - one of the season's standout looks.

Skin: "Natural-looking skin is key here; it's more modern. You shouldn't be heavily made up when wearing strong red lips," says Strettell. To even out your skin tone, apply sheer base (Prescriptive Traceless) with a sponge. Contour cheekbones with a peach hue (Christian Dior Multi-Touch No. 10).

Eyes: Wash the entire lid in a liquid shadow that reflects light, such as Stila Eye Glaze in Honey. "The shimmer just opens the eyes up," Strettell says. Define eyes with liquid liner on the underside of top lashes (Helena Rubinstein Spectacular liner in black). Finally, apply a thickening mascara such as Lancome Amplicils in black.

Lips: Find a creamy red lipstick for your skin tone (if your skin is olive, a brown red; for pink-toned skin, one with blue undertones). Use a lip brush to concentrate the color in the middle of the lips, then use your finger or a Q-tip to soften the edges. If you have thin lips, first trace the lip line with a matching pencil.

They're on your screen on this fall's biggest shows and they're deeply in love - five cool couples and their romantic secrets.

ONSCREEN: She plays a graduate student who moonlights as a spy on ABC's new Alias; he's the sensitive Noel on the WB's Felicity.

HOW THEY MET: Garner guest-starred on Felicity as Foley's ex-girlfriend Hannah in October 1998. At first she wasn't sure if they had chemistry: "You can flirt with the character or with the person. I didn't know which he was doing." Foley claims to have known from the start: "It was love at first site," he said. They married last October in Los Angeles, where they live.

SWEET SUCCESS: "I worked at the Mrs. Field's and existed on day-old cookies," said Kansas-born Foley of his early days in Hollywood. But now, he says, "My cookie-eating days are over." So are Garner's: to help her achieve the lean physique of a CIA agent for Alias, she cut out sugar and flour from her diet.

TAKING HER LUMPS: Garner, who was born in Houston, insisted on doing almost all her own stunts for her new role, even when she need makeup to cover her bruises. "I feel like I'm in fighting form," she said after weeks of grueling workouts with fitness trainer Valerie Waters. Foley probably won't be joining her. "I hate working out," he says.

Keep an eye out for these bankable TV TALENTS. Breakout Bets: #1 - Jennifer Garner

Angelina Jolie, watch your back. As CIA agent Sydney Bristow in ABC's nail-biter Alias, Garner combines martial arts moves with caper-solving skills. But Garner (formerly of Felicity) isn't just a master karate chopper -- she's got acting chops to boot.

Those eye-catching billboards promoting ABC's critically acclaimed spy caper Alias — featuring a provocative image of the show's leading lady, Jennifer Garner, sporting a candy-apple dye job — have been stopping traffic nationwide since making their roadside debut in August. Garner herself slammed on the breaks the first time she saw the IMAX-sized work of art.

"It really knocked me off my feet," recalls the 29-year-old Texas native, who was driving with her actor-husband, Scott Foley (Felicity), at the time of the sighting. "Even though I was expecting it, and I knew that they were out there and I knew what they looked like, I was completely overwhelmed and thrilled.

"But it's really not that big of a deal," she adds. "It's exciting the first time you see it, and then you let it go and move on."

Despite the ambitious ad campaign — and the promising ratings for Alias's first three episodes — Garner has yet to be recognized on the street. Of course, it helps that the actress rarely leaves the house with a red coif — let alone any of the other numerous disguises her double-agent character slips into.

"Besides, I don't think I'm particularly recognizable anyway, because it's never been an issue," notes the former star of Fox's short-lived Jennifer Love Hewitt vehicle Time of Your Life. "So, my life hasn't changed at all. I'm just working and hoping that we do well enough to go a full season and another season after that."

At 9 p.m., the CBS movie "Two Against Time," starring Marlo Thomas, led the way with an 8.6/14 average through the remainder of the evening, followed by NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (7.4/11), ABC's "Alias" (5.5/8), FOX's "The X-Files" (5.2/8). "JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" pulled in a 2.9/4 for The WB, followed by "Off Centre" (2.5/4).

CBS' "The Pilot's Wife," starring Christine Lahti, received a 12.4/20 average for a 2-hour block and led both the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. timeslots. Next in line at 9 p.m. was NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (6.7/10) followed by FOX's "The X-Files" (5.1/8) and ABC's "Alias" (4.8/8). "JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" received a 3.1/5 on The WB, followed by "Off Centre" (2.7/4).

Sunday's (March 17) episode of "Alias" promised to reveal key information about SD-6 double agent Sydney Bristow's past, and possibly her future as relayed in a mysterious prophecy.

Fans, about 10.7 million of them, tuned in -- except in Connecticut, where the ABC affiliate, WTNH, bumped "Alias" for a syndicated rerun of "The Practice." "Alias" aired at 11:35 p.m. that night instead of in its normal 9 p.m. slot.

Sandra Butler-Jones, director of broadcast operations at the station, explains the switch by telling the Hartford Courant that "We have to make decisions based on what we think is in the best interest of viewers." However, the ratings don't seem to bear that out. Whereas "Alias" has averaged about 53,000 viewers for WTNH in its last four regular airings, the "Practice" rerun, from three seasons ago, drew an audience of only 36,219.

Nationally, the flashback-laden "Alias" revealing that Sydney's (Jennifer Garner) mother may still be alive performed better than its season average of 9.8 million viewers.

Networks allow their affiliates to replace a set number of programs, but the pre-empting is usually done with reruns, not original episodes. Affiliates get a greater chunk of ad revenue from airing a locally syndicated show than from a network broadcast.

The Rosie O"Donnell Show Wednesday March 27: Jennifer Garner, Destiny's Child (Repeat from 11/28/02)

Doing a show as full of action as "Alias" can be a bit tiring. Still, the cast and crew of ABC's spy thriller met fans Monday (March 11) during the Museum of Television and Radio's William S. Paley Television Festival to discuss their work on the show and to give a sneak preview of what's coming up.

The audience was treated to a rough cut of next week's episode, which not only offers new viewers a chance to catch up with all of the show's history, but takes the ongoing legend of Milo Rambaldi a step further. The episode also featured various clips of star Jennifer Garner's exploits thus far, and for the uninitiated, a look at all of her various looks and outfits. Most of all, it recaps the show's action and international feel -- which can drive those behind-the-scenes crazy since the show never leaves Southern California.

"We've discovered corners of Burbank that no one has ever seen," show creator/executive producer J.J. Abrams jokes, explaining that even with locales like Brazil and Russia, the only time the show has gone on location is to Las Vegas.

"It's like doing an action movie with no prep time," co-executive producer/director Ken Olin says of the work involved each week. "I have no slots left in my brain."

According to Garner, 80-hour work weeks are the norm, and though she has become a breakout star and favored cover girl, she doesn't have time to enjoy it.

"I'm just going to work every day. A lot," she says. "I really have been able, so far, to avoid it just hitting me."

The hard work is showing no signs of slowing down. The show has already been picked up for a second season, and Abrams is looking even further ahead.

"We have ideas for year three," he says.

Still, fans are more interested in what's happening now, and that includes whether Garner's Sydney Bristow will become romantically involved with the men in her life -- FBI agent Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan) or reporter Will Tippin (Bradley Cooper). Abrams promises some changes coming up.

"It's a good time to re-enter the dating world," Abrams says of Sydney. However, it won't be with either Will or Michael, whom he says Sydney has a very traditional relationship with.

"It's very hard to find two people who cannot be together," Abrams says of Michael and Sydney. "It's not the kind of thing you jump into too quickly.

Actor Roger Moore, the retired James Bond, is stretching his acting muscles, taking a turn as a flamboyant gay man in his next film.

Moore, 74, hopes his appearance in "Boat Trip" with Cuba Gooding Jr., to be released this summer, "will make the audience raise their eyebrows a little bit."

Moore's role on the March 10 episode of "Alias" will be more familiar to fans. He plays British spy Edward Poole, the head of an intelligence agency that the double agent played by Jennifer Garner infiltrates.

"I think they were trying to drum up a little news that I might still be alive," Moore said in Monday's edition of TV Guide.

Moore also will be on the small screen Saturday, hosting a screening of his "Live and Let Die" on ABC's "Bond Picture Show."

As for the future of his famous character, he thinks Ewan McGregor would make a good James Bond.

"Fine actor, good looking, (he) has the right characteristics," Moore said.

Saturday, Feb. 2 (8:00pm/9c) -- "Alias" stars Michael Vartan, Kevin Weisman and Victor Garber will host the primetime presentation of this second installment of the James Bond franchise, 'From Russia With Love' released in 1963. In the film, S.P.E.C.T.R.E., a crime cartel, seeks to avenge the loss of its prime operative, Dr. No, by offering to deliver a Soviet encryption device to James Bond. The offer is strictly to lure 007 to his death. Sean Connery stars.

NEW YORK (AP) - Golden Globe winner Jennifer Garner says she just isn't comfortable among the glitz and glamor of Hollywood parties.

Garner, who won an award last week for her role as a double agent on the new TV series ``Alias,'' didn't stick around for the fanfare after the ceremony, she told Time magazine for a story in Monday's issue.

``We were out of there so fast,'' she said. ``When we got to the party, people started coming up to me, and I felt, 'I just don't belong here.'''

She and husband Scott Foley skipped out and were in their sweats, eating pizza in front of the TV before the show finished airing on the West Coast.

``We felt like we had gotten away with something big,'' she said.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the February 12, 2002 issue of Rolling Stone which features Alias star Jennifer Garner on the cover, plus a story & photos inside. Read how 'Alias' star Jennifer Garner, a nice girl from the Bible belt, grew up to become the ass-kickingest babe on TV.

"I don't know if you saw Ben tonight, but he looks pretty handsome. So that's a very nice prospect!" — Alias's Jennifer Garner discussing the possibility of starring opposite Ben Affleck in the comic book flick Daredevil at last night's Golden Globe Awards.

ABC announced Sunday (Jan. 13) that they have given full season orders for the 2002 season to their freshman drama "Alias," freshman comedy "According to Jim" and sophomore comedy "My Wife and Kids."

"They have earned our vote of confidence," says Susan Lyne, who was named President of ABC Entertainment on Monday.

The family comedy "My Wife and Kids" is ABC's No. 1 comedy in Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34, while the flashy spy drama "Alias" is the second-highest-rated new drama of the season among Adults 18-49.

While no announcement was made concerning the Steven Bochco legal drama "Philly," the network expressed pleasure in the way the show has performed and grown creatively this season.

The number of actresses vying to star opposite Ben Affleck in the Marvel Comics adaptation "Daredevil" has been wittled down to four with no final decision having been made yet.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jennifer Garner, Jolene Blalock, Rhona Mitra and Mia Maestro are being considered to play Elektra, Daredevil's ex-girlfriend turned assassin-for-hire.

Garner may have the most experience for such a role as she stars as the butt-kicking spy in the ABC TV show "Alias," while Blalock plays the Vulcan aboard the latest "Star Trek" series "Enterprise."

Mitra is best known for her role on the ABC's "Gideon's Crossing" and as the anonymous woman that Kevin Bacon assaults in "Hollow Man." Latin actress Maestro's credits include "Timecode" and "Tango" and the upcoming "Frida."

Jennifer Garner: Not your typical, primetime knock-out. The fast-rising star of "Alias" had to enroll in a karate class she found in the Yellow Pages when she relaized didnt know how to punch someone.

E! Online columnist Wanda reports Quentin Tarantino will take center stage on an upcoming episode of ABC's Alias, playing a villain who takes over the SD-6 headquarters.

"Alias" is going British. The UK satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting is holding on to its reputation as the location for high-profile U.S. series by picking up the ABC spy drama and NBC's comedy, "Scrubs," as part of its winter lineup.

The channel, aimed at viewers ages 16 to 34, will also premiere UPN's "Enterprise," the newest "Star Trek" installment that it picked up from Paramount International Television last summer, according to Variety. "Enterprise" will debut on the channel early next year.

Returning U.S. shows on the channel's lineup include "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," "The X-Files," "Mutant X," "The Simpsons," "South Park," "Temptation Island" and "Malcolm in the Middle."

In the 9 o'clock block, CBS once again led the way with the Michelle Pfeiffer movie "The Deep End of the Ocean," which pulled in a 9.6/14 average. NBC was next with its special "50 Years of NBC Late Night" (8.7/13), followed by ABC's "Alias" (6.7/10) and FOX's "The X-Files" (5.6/8). The WB pulled in a 3.1/4 for "Jamie Kennedy Experiment" and a 2.4/3 for "Off Centre."

CBS' "9/11," hosted by Robert DeNiro, pulled a 21.6/31 during its first hour, while NBC drew its highest numbers of the night with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 5.8/9. ABC's "Alias" was third, 5.5/8, while FOX's "The X-Files" was close behind with a 5.3/8. The WB aired "Off Centre," 2.2/3 at 9 p.m. and "For Your Love," 2.2/3 at 9:30 p.m.

Friday March 1, on 'Live with Regis & Kelly' they are airing a clips show feature old interviews including Clip show featuring George Clooney, Jenna Elfman, Jennifer Garner, Josh Hartnett, BBMak.

Jennifer Garner (Sydney) will be on ABC's Downtown on Wednesday March 6 at 10pm/9c.

Los Angeles' Museum of Television and Radio has released this year's lineup for its annual William S. Paley Television Festival, taking place Feb. 26 through March 12.

The yearly television festival, named after the founder of both CBS and the museum, is presenting 14 events, all based on specific shows or personalities, which will include a screening and a panel with executive producers, stars and others who work on the projects.

This year's diverse lineup includes, for the first time, a Spanish-language program, "Cristina," as well as evenings devoted to the FOX shows "Futurama," "The Bernie Mac Show" and "Undeclared," NBC's "Scrubs" and "St. Elsewhere," ABC's "Alias," CBS' "King of Queens" cable's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," "Queer as Folk," "Six Feet Under" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and tributes to comedians Martin Short and Fred Allen.

The 2002 William S. Paley Television Festival schedule is as follows (all times Pacific):

Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. -- "Cristina"

Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. -- An evening with Martin Short

Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. -- "Futurama"

Friday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. -- "The Bernie Mac Show"

Friday, March 1 at 9:30 p.m. -- "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. -- "Queer as Folk"

Monday, March 4 at 7 p.m. -- "Undeclared"

Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m. -- "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. -- A salute to Fred Allen

Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m. -- "St. Elsewhere"

Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. -- "Scrubs"

Saturday, March 9 at 7 p.m. -- "Six Feet Under"

Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. -- "Alias"

Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. -- "The King of Queens"

Tickets for the events can be purchased by calling Tickets.com at (800)225-2277, or directly from the museum. For more information call the festival hotline at (310) 786-1010.

If you think of Hollywood as high school, only with fewer zits and bigger allowances, then the Academy Awards ceremony is, in essence, graduation day. It's a stuffy affair where mooning is discouraged and a year's worth of hard work pays off for a select few in commencement to the next level — which, in this case, means getting added to Steven Spielberg's speed-dial rather than being admitted to Harvard. By contrast, the Golden Globes get-together is, for all practical purposes, prom night, an anything-goes keg party at which it truly doesn't matter whether you win or lose — it's all about how you play, period. In fact, until we couch potatoes start handicapping the Oscar nominees for our office pools, we're likelier to laugh together about which Golden Globe victor gave the best reaction shot than we are which one most deserved his or her statuette. And, of course, we vote on our class favorites. Based on last night's briskly-paced yet relatively low-key live broadcast of the 59th annual blowout, here are our picks for:

Most likely to moonlight as stand-up comics: Jennifer Garner and Harrison Ford. The Alias actress expressed her amazement that boss J.J. Abrams cast her as his series's lead by cracking, "I know I was good in Dude, Where's My Car?, but seriously!" Later, lifetime-achievement recipient Ford deadpanned, "Since I thought it might be a long night, I'll give you the short [version of my speech]: Thank you." (He also went on to reveal the long version: "Thank you very much.")

While Emmy might overlook shows that have been on for years, the Golden Globes has no problem lauding fresh faces.

Sunday night was no different. FOX's "24," which only premiered two months ago in November was honored with Best Actor Drama going to Kiefer Sutherland.

"I'm was just so happy to be invited to the party -- I'm in shock," Sutherland said.

ABC's flashy spy-girl drama "Alias" was similarly blessed with the Best Actress Drama award getting snagged from such established actresses as Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco and Sela Ward to go to Jennifer Garner.

The actress' win is the second for a female lead of a J.J. Abrams' show. Actress Keri Russell won in 1999 for her first season starring on Abrams' WB drama "Felicity."

Seemingly stunned by her win, Garner began her speech saying, "I'm really glad I had that first glass of wine; I'm kind of regretting the second."

She went on to joke about her disbelief that she was ever cast as the lead in "Alias."

"I know I was good in 'Dude, Where's My Car?,' but seriously."

Another freshman drama, HBO's "Six Feet Under," also got to take home two statues. In addition to being named Best Drama Series, Australian actress Rachel Griffiths was named Best Supporting Actress for her role as Brenda Chenowith, the complicated girlfriend to Peter Krause's reluctant mortician.

Wearing a dress featuring lavender feathers and her hair in curls, Griffiths started off with, "I'm not tanked, but now I'm legless" and then went on in a rather rambling manner.

"To the producers: you crazy bastards. What were you thinking?" she asked, before paying tribute to her "beautiful homeland."

Jennifer Garner, star of the TV show "Alias" confirmed to Zap2it.com at the People's Choice Awards that she is indeed being considered for the role of Elektra in the Marvel Comics adaptation "Daredevil" starring Ben Affleck in the title role.

When asked if she's on for the part, Garner replied, "That's a very good question. I don't have an answer for that," indicating that she wasn't yet allowed to talk about it. "I'm up for the role," she added.

Variety reports, though, that Garner is about to sign on the dotted line to play Daredevil's love interest-turned-assassin-for-hire.

Mark Steven Johnson ("Simon Birch") will direct from his own script, and Colin Farrell ("Tigerland") is in talks to play the villain Bullseye. The obese crime boss Kingpin is expected to be cast shortly.

Garner's had small parts in the movies "Mr. Magoo," "Dude, Where's My Car?" and "Pearl Harbor," but first received attention as a recurring character on TV's "Felicity." The producer of that show, J.J. Abrams, also handles "Alias."

Other actresses that were reportedly in contention for Elektra were Jolene Blalock (TV's "Enterprise"), Rhona Mitra (TV's "Gideon's Crossing") and Mia Maestro ("Timecode").

Think you've got a tough job? Try playing an action hero every week on TV. But you won't catch Alias badass Jennifer Garner complaining about her heavy workload. "It's not like I'm the only person in the country working 16- or 17-hour days," she tells TV Guide Online of her physically demanding role as double agent Sydney Bristow. "Yeah, it's exhausting, but it's also exhilarating.

"The physicality of the role actually gets me pumped up," continues the 29-year-old Golden Globe nominee, who's married in real life to Felicity dreamboat Scott Foley. "It just seems to happen that the big fight scenes are shot in the middle of the night, and the crew is always saying, 'Oh Jen, are you okay?' And I always say, 'You know what? I'm probably better off than you guys. Because I'm up and my adrenaline is going.'"

All of her hard work is paying off: Garner has been heralded by critics as the breakout star of the 2001-02 TV season. But despite all of the potentially head-swelling acclaim, Garner isn't anxious to leave TV behind for a career in movies. As it is, the actress admits that a plum part like Sydney comes around but once in a lifetime.

"I can't imagine a role that is as challenging or as interesting as the one that I'm playing," she confesses. "I can't imagine getting a script that I would love as much as I love every script I get. So, it'll be tough to find something that I fall in love with.

"And I'll still have to get the job," she modestly adds. "It's not like the scripts are pouring in."

NBC rose to first place at 9 p.m., thanks to "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," 7.9/12, followed by ABC's "Alias," 6.6/10. CBS premiered the original film "Crossed Over," starring Diane Keaton, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Maury Chaykin, which landed in third place with a 6.3/10. FOX's "The X-Files" averaged a 5.5/8, while The WB's "Off Centre" pulled a 3.1/4 at 9 p.m. and "For Your Love" grabbed a 2.9/4 at 9:30 p.m.

The Olympic games helped NBC pull the highest numbers of the night at 9 p.m., 24.8/35, while CBS' original movie, "The Rosa Parks Story," followed with a 6.6/10. A repeat of FOX's "The Simpsons" was third with a 6.1/9, but the network dropped to fourth place at 9:30 p.m. while it aired a repeat of "Bernie Mac," 4.4/6. ABC's "Alias" pulled a 5.6/8 for the hour, while The WB aired a second episode of "Off Centre," 2.0/3 and finished off the night with "For Your Love," 1.8/2

The Olympic Games continued to lead the way at 9 p.m., taking in a 19.5/28. CBS' original miniseries "Guilty Hearts" pulled a 6.4/10, while FOX pulled a 6.4/10 in the first half-hour with a repeat of "The Simpsons" and a 4.9/7 at 9:30 with a rerun of "The Bernie Mac Show." ABC's "Alias," featuring guest-star Quentin Tarantino, placed fourth in the first half-hour and third in the second with an averaged 6.0/9.

At 9 p.m. belonged to FOX who took a 36.3/53. CBS gave over the rest of its night to the Harrison Ford remake of "Sabrina," 4.7/7 (5.3/8 average from 9 to 11 p.m.), while NBC stuck with "Fear Factor" clips, 3.8/6. ABC showed an "Alias" repeat, 3.6/5.