JJ Abrams' 100+ Episode Thriller Series Has Aged Surprisingly Well For Its Genre

Image via MovieStillsDB Published Aug 12, 2026, 9:30 AM EDT Zach Moser has been writing for ScreenRant since 2022, covering movies, classic TV, and streaming TV. His areas of expertise cover a wide range of genres with a particular interest in horror and drama, and the conversations around the TV and film industry. When he's not covering the latest film releases or chronicling the latest season of a new show, he's writing humor pieces for McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Slackjaw, and Points In Case or working on short stories and his second novel. Sign in to your ScreenRant account J.J. Abrams' thriller series from the early 2000s ran for five seasons and 105 episodes, and it still holds up surprisingly well. It's impressive to look back and see just how long Abrams has been working in Hollywood and on television, and not just in small creative roles or in unknown projects. Abrams began his career as a writer for films like Taking Care of Business and Regarding Henry, then he moved into television, creating the college drama Felicity. He followed this up with a fantastic sophomore effort with Alias, a spy action thriller starring Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow, a double agent for the CIA. Alias ran for five seasons on ABC and earned nine Emmy nominations and five Golden Globe nominations, with Garner taking home the Best Actress - Drama Series award in 2002. The series still holds up, which is particularly impressive considering how much the spy genre can change over just a few years. The spy genre may be the most susceptible to aging of any genre. It has to be futuristic in slight ways, providing the tech that will impress audiences, but unlike in science fiction, it can't be so outlandish as to be impossible, so it's very easy to make something high-tech for 2001 that is commonplace in 2006. Spies need to be stylish, and if there's one thing fashion doesn't do, it's stagnate. Then there is the never-ending supply of spy shows that come out every year. It's very easy to get lost in the avalanche. Alias manages to avoid these pitfalls and holds up as one of the best examples of the genre even 20 years after it ended. Compared To Many Spy Thrillers, Alias Has Aged Surprisingly Well MovieStills DB Alias follows Sydney Bristow, who has been working for a clandestine unit of the CIA for several years. However, in the pilot, Sydney learns that what she thought was the CIA is actually SD-6, a criminal organization completely at odds with the USA. Sydney turns to the real CIA and offers to be a double agent, resulting in the events of the series. Because Sydney works for the CIA, doing primarily undercover work, there's no need for super-high-tech gadgetry in the vein of James Bond. Sydney spends most of her work undercover, wearing different outfits and wigs, meaning there's an in-universe reason why her clothes may eventually look outdated; they're not hers. The series also has everything it needs to stand out among a packed list of great spy shows. The writing, action choreography, and acting are all perfectly executed. Abrams' complex storytelling style also lends Alias to rewatches and ensures that new viewers will quickly get caught up in the series' many webs. Is Alias Due A Revival/Reboot? Or Would That Ruin The Original? Credit: MovieStillsDB There haven't been many shows like Alias since it ended, and while revivals and reboots are often ill-advised, this might be a show that could work in the modern era. The storyline is very solid, an undercover caper with double and triple agents; it's actually a series that could benefit from fewer episodes. One of Alias' problems was that it got too hard to juggle all the balls being thrown in the air. The huge number of episodes meant a huge number of storylines, and the main plot was already confusing enough. A reboot could narrow down the plot and still bring the same excellent storytelling Alias fans expect.