The Safe House - Expositions

ABC
January 7, 2003

Ratings Release for "A Higher Echelon"

"Alias" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
"Alias" built on the final half-hour of its movie lead-in by 37% in Adults 18-49 (4.3/10 vs. 3.1/7) and posted the series' highest rating in the key adult demo in over 2 months since 11/03/02. "Alias" took second in the time period in Adults 18-34 (4.0/10) and Adults 25- 54 (5.0/10). In addition "Alias" ranked as the No. 1 drama of the night in Adults 18-34 (tie).

© ABC 2003

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Zap2it
January 6, 2003

Fast National Ratings for "A Higher Echelon"

"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.

© Zap2it 2003

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local6.com
December 31, 2002

@ The Movies: Top 10 In 2002

By Debra Scott

Thanks to SouthernGal, VHo #770. :)

A Second Opinion

Every diagnosis deserves a second opinion -- so here are local6.com film critic Debra Scott's top 10 picks for 2002.

1. "Gangs of New York"
2. "Chicago"
3. "Adaptation"
4. "Frida"
5. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
6. "One Hour Photo"
7. "The Kid Stays in the Picture"
8. "Bowling for Columbine"
9. "The Pianist"
10. "About Schmidt"

© local6.com 2002

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TV Barn
January 1, 2003

The Tommy Awards

By Thomas Heald

The highs, the lows, the unclassifiable: "Remote Patrol" author Tom Heald watched Ryan Seacrest, Anderson Cooper and Dick Clark ring in the New Year's Eve while compiling more than just a top ten list. It's the complete list of the naughty and nice of 2002 -- it's the 2nd annual Tommy Awards.

BEST DRAMA 2002

* "Alias" (ABC)
* "Boomtown" (NBC)
* "Boston Public" (Fox)
* "John Doe" (Fox)
* "Project Greenlight" (HBO)
* "Six Feet Under" (HBO)
* "Smallville" (WB)
* "The Sopranos" (HBO)
* "24" (Fox)
* "Without A Trace" (CBS)

© TV Barn 2003

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USA Today
January 3, 2003

Who made the midterm grade?

By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY

Thanks to pie at TWoP.

Class is back in session. Like teenagers, whose behavior they so frequently emulate, network series operate on a school-year calendar. That means that come December they take a lengthy semester break, returning to work with new episodes as the new year kicks in.

Starting this weekend, most of your favorite series will be back with original outings, ready to start the second-semester push toward the end of the season.

Before they do, we have report cards to hand out. USA TODAY's files a status report on 10 returning series, chosen based on popularity, critical acclaim, Emmy recognition or some combination thereof.

And we'll hope for better grades at the end of the term.

Alias (ABC)

Best episode: Sydney, Jack and Irena go undercover together to disarm some nuclear warheads (Dec. 1). As it turns out, the family that sprays machine-gun fire together stays together.

Worst episode: Jack confesses his sins as an agent and father to a senator inquisitor as Sydney watches over closed-circuit TV (Nov. 10). Victor Garber is an incredible actor, but even he couldn't quite make this Dr. Phil moment work.

Midterm GPA: 4.0

Comments: The focus on Sydney's wildly dysfunctional family has deepened the show's emotional underpinnings without cutting into the spy-fantasy fun. Yes, the plots are convoluted. My advice? Revel in the big picture, and don't sweat the details.

© USA Today 2003

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Belfast Telegraph
January 2, 2003

The new stars who'll shine in 2003

By Sarah Ebner

Thanks to Whoosh.

...

The year starts with a double offering of Leonardo DiCaprio. But while he's tipped for an Oscar nomination for either Gangs of New York or Catch Me If You Can (he recently received a Golden Globe nomination for the latter), it's one of his co-stars who's being backed as the next big thing.

"Jennifer Garner really is someone to look out for," says Ian Freer, associate editor of film magazine, Empire. "She's smart, headstrong and gorgeous. In fact, she's got it all. She's not much more than a cameo in Catch Me If You Can, but she steals every scene she's in."

Garner might just have a cameo in Catch Me If You Can, but she's the leading lady opposite Ben Affleck in Daredevil, which is released in February.

© Belfast Telegraph 2003

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MediaWeek.com
January 2, 2003

TV Tidbits: Notes of Interest

By Marc Berman

With Oscar season looming here are the top 10 movie picks from critics extraordinaire Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, hosts of weekend half-hour Ebert & Roeper from Buena Vista. Of their 10 best, only three of the same movies are on both lists.

Roger Ebert:
1. Minority Report
2. City of God
3. Adaptation
4. Far From Heaven
5. 13 Conversations About One Thing
6. Y Tu Mama Tambien
7. Invincible
8. Spirited Away
9. All or Nothing
10.The Quiet American

Richard Roeper:
1. Gangs of New York
2. 25th Hour
3. Minority Report
4. Y Tu Mama Tambien
5. Adaptation
6. Signs
7. Rabbit-Proof Fence
8. About Schmidt
9. One Hour Photo
10.About a Boy

Look for Ebert & Roeper: The Best of 2002 in syndication this weekend. Hey, syndicators, how about a show with two TV critics talking about the best in television each week?

© MediaWeek.com 2003

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The Boston Phoenix
January 2003

I swear!

The year in review

BY JOYCE MILLMAN

Anna Nicole Smith. The Bachelor. American Idol. What can I say about TV in 2002, except, "My eyes! My eyes!" But there were also a few shows and moments that made me glad I remembered to pay the cable bill. Here are 10 of them.

1. Alias (ABC). Hour for hour, J.J. Abrams’s spy fantasy was the best drama of the year. Any doubts that a college student/CIA agent could infiltrate a nefarious spy organization were quickly erased by Jennifer Garner’s starmaking performance as spy Sydney Bristow. Both dimpled and steely, Garner was as believable in the big moments of emotional intrigue (she discovered that the aloof dad who had raised her was a double agent too) as she was in the butt-kicking action scenes. Underneath it all, the first season of Alias was the story of a motherless girl slipping in and out of different versions of herself, trying to find the one that fit. In the current season, Sydney is the object of an emotional tug-of-war between her resurgent, stone-cold KGB killer mom (Lena Olin, who may or may not have reformed) and her bitter, fragile dad (Victor Garber). Like any child of a broken home, she has to play referee. But how many children of broken homes have to play referee while treading through a minefield in Kashmir in pursuit of stolen nukes?

© The Boston Phoenix 2003

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San Francisco Examiner
December 30, 2002

Nothing but the best

By SONIA MANSFIELD Of The Examiner Staff

Thanks to Laura. :)

I don't do the whole "10 Best of 2002" thing. That's just soooo TV Guide.

All the TV critics do top-10 lists. I'm a rebel dammit! My column, my rules, folks. If you don't like it, go read TV Guide where they write about how "Everybody Loves Raymond" still has it and "ER" is all that.

So, instead of a top 10, I'll give you a breakdown of the best TV had to offer with my own special, little awards -- no sitting through a four-hour broadcast required.

...

Best On-screen Duo (aka the Uncouple)
Sydney (Jennifer Garner) and Vaughan (Michael Vartan) from "Alias." Runner-up: Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Donna (Janel Moloney) from "The West Wing."

© San Francisco Examiner 2002

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The Hollywood Exclusive
January 1, 2003

STARS SHARE HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS FOR 2003

By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

Happy New Year -- and how is your outlook for 2003? Herewith, we share some of the stars' hopes and aspirations for the year ahead.

SCOTT FOLEY: "If I had 2002 to do over again, I'd try not to work so hard. A month after I finished 'Felicity,' I started preparations for my upcoming NBC series, 'A.U.S.A."' Foley, who is wed to "Alias" lead Jennifer Garner, adds, "My wife works remarkably hard. She can't slow down with her show. But I wish I had been able to spend more time with her in 2002 -- and somehow plan to in 2003."

© The Hollywood Exclusive 2003

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