Alias (TV Series) Another Mister Sloane (2005) User Reviews

Arvin Clone (or Marvin Sloane?)

[gridoon2024 · 8/10 · 15 January 2010]

Arvin Clone, a guy who looks like Arvin Sloane but not too much (to quote a character, "they both give me the creeps") orders the kidnapping of a female nuclear scientist / engineer to help him build a machine according to Rambaldi's instructions. When the real Sloane convinces the rest of the APO crew that he is innocent of the crimes that have been committed in his name lately, they all begin searching for the clone. And who better to predict his next move that Sloane himself? Ron Rifkin gives yet another brilliant performance in this episode: he can make you laugh (with his barely disguised joy at being allowed to get involved with Rambaldi again), move you to tears (when he tries to convince Nadia that his past obsessions are over), and chill you to the bone with an outburst at the end that, at the hands of a lesser actor, would come across as way over-the-top. When he says "Immortality? You fool!", it's like the writers are speaking directly to the audience: "You think you have the ultimate Rambaldi secret figured out? Think again". As for Arvin Clone, he is potentially just the kind of mysterious, puzzling, elusive antagonist that this season was lacking after the departures of Irina Derevko, Sark and Lauren. *** out of 4.

Sloane goes into the field

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 15 September 2010]

After the events in the previous episode Sydney and Vaughn are convinced that Sloane is working against them; they bring their concerns to Jack who in turn confronts Sloane. After this meeting Jack is sure of Sloane's innocence but to prove it he arranges for Roberts, the man who said Arvin Sloane had employed him to trick Vaughn into believing his father was alive, to identify Sloane, of course when he sees the real Sloane he can't identify him. Mean while the fake Sloane has kidnapped Dr. Dr. Maggie Sinclair in order to complete a Rambaldi device; the problem is they are still missing the coil. When the real Sloane learns what the impostor is doing he sends Roberts to meet him with the coil but the meeting goes badly, Roberts is killed and the coil is taken. In order to catch the impostor Sloane must go into the field with Sydney, something Nadia is worried about; her father was driven to the brink of madness by his obsession with Rambaldi, the last thing he needs is to get involved again. When they get there it looks as if Nadia's fears were correct, Sloane gets that obsessed look in his eye when he gets close to the device.

It was good to see the story get back to Sloane's obsession with Rambaldi, although I almost felt sorry for him when he got involved again, it was like an addict falling off the wagon. Ron Rifkin plays the character brilliantly, he may not be involved in dramatic action like Sydney but Sloane has a charisma that makes his character more interesting. Joel Grey who played the impostor also did a good job mimicking the mannerisms of Sloane and Michelle Forbes but in a fine guest performance as Dr. Sinclair.