I know how I missed “Alias” the first time.
It was 2001, I was 23 and busy, and I didn’t own a TV with a recording device.
Thank goodness I missed it, though. In May, all five seasons dropped on Amazon Prime, right when I needed it.
Many of us are seeking out the hit shows we skipped over the years. For me, “Alias” was always the one that got away.
The J.J. Abrams series, starring Jennifer Garner and Victor Garber as double agents who work for the CIA, is Jason Bourne meets . . . well, every story I like about a young woman in control. It’s fast-paced, with a compelling love story.
There are also surprising guest stars such as Ethan Hawke, Christian Slater, Faye Dunaway, Gina Torres, Justin Theroux, and Djimon Hounsou.
When I started watching, under a blanket with lemon cookies, I was surprised to see another familiar name in the credits of every episode; Ken Olin, who I knew as a star of “Thirtysomething,” was one of the show’s executive producers and frequent episode directors. After “Thirtysomething,” he also produced and directed series such as “Brothers & Sisters” and “This Is Us.”
I became so deeply attached to “Alias” as my pandemic watch that I reached out and asked for an interview. Olin was kind enough to tell me all about his time with the show. He also updated me on the “Thirtysomething” reboot. Consider this a companion piece for your rewatch, or your guide if you’re seeing “Alias” for the first time like me.
Q. I have “Alias” questions that I promise are not too in the weeds. I know it’s been a while.
A. The other night, Patti [actress Patricia Wettig, Olin’s wife and ”Thirtysomething” co-star] and I were just like, “OK, let’s” [watch “Alias”]. I wanted to watch the first one I directed, which is the one after the pilot. And I was like, “This is really, really great.” Most of the time if I’ve gone back to look at things that I did as a director, I feel like, “Well, the writing is still pretty good but the pacing is off.” The rhythm and the sensibility didn’t seem dated to me. I think part of the thing about the show was that it was always [supposed] to become this huge, huge hit. And it was very zeitgeist-y, and it got a lot of attention for a network that was really struggling. To J.J.‘s credit, he sticks to his guns creatively, and he really wanted to pursue that kind of comic book, labyrinthian kind of story. It became a little more genre than the network had expected. It was always really loved, especially the first four seasons, but it never had the kind of success that “Lost” had. We were a little more of a niche.
Q. How did you get involved with the show?
A. If I ever saw [Abrams] at the Emmys or something, he was so nice to me. When he did “Felicity,” I had been directing, and they asked me to come direct an episode. I loved it. When they did “Alias” they were lining up directors and looking for someone to direct the second episode. I saw the pilot — it was one of the best pilots I’ve seen. I think that probably took like 23 days of shooting — [it was] really ambitious and big action — and I said there’s no way in the world that I’m going to walk into that, now doing the second hour of the show in eight or nine days. I said, if you make me a producer on the show, so I have some more control and involvement, I would definitely do it.
I learned an incredible amount from J.J. in terms of editing. I came from doing a lot of stuff in television that was more, you know, behavioral and idiosyncratic and emotional and character driven. J.J. brought to “Alias” this cinematic sensibility, this boldness of filmmaking. There’s one scene where [Garner’s character Sydney Bristow] comes back after having accomplished the mission. She walking through [the office], and wherever she’s looking, people start to stand. My instinct would be no, underplay it, maybe people would be looking at her, saying something to each other [about her], but no, with J.J., they stand. That’s the kind of thing I learned from him. But I think, for whatever reason, I always understood the tone of it. It has something to do with humor and fun and the kind of honest vulnerability that [Garner] would bring to these things.
Q. I’m watching with a younger friend, and we debate whether we would have known Bradley Cooper would become such a big star. He plays the sidekick friend [Will Tippin] — the guy you know isn’t going to get the girl.
A. I remember when I saw the pilot thinking, wow, that guy’s really unique. I don’t think that anybody knew, “Oh, [Bradley Cooper is] going to be one of the last huge movie stars.” Why I was always very close to him was because he worked so hard. That’s why it seems so easy when you watch him. He was completely devoted to it. Also Michael Vartan . . .
Q. He’s delightful.
A. Jen and Michael had this major chemistry. Michael was really the one.
Q. There’s a writer, Alanna Bennett, who’s written about actors who can really look at a love interest onscreen. Like, give her a perfect long look. Michael Vartan does that.
A. I think that’s true. One of the things with really great leading men is the way that they endow the actresses that they’re working with. Bradley was in a different position; he was sort of fawning over her. Michael Vartan looks at her and takes her in in a way that’s very . . . it’s like sexy but it’s also, you know, it’s a whole thing.
Q. I’m interested in the show debuting right after Sept. 11, 2001, and how the series doesn’t shy away from referencing it pretty early on.
A. I think we were filming the second episode I directed on 9/11. It was so devastating. Everyone was so stunned. I think all of us also were thinking, is this going to be something that we can keep making, given the subject matter? I think one of the things the writers did right away was say OK, we can’t pretend that doesn’t exist. It also might be where the show truly benefited from being two steps into sci-fi.
Q. You’ve had so many different career experiences, from “Alias” to “This is Us.” Can you talk about that range?
A. When we did “Thirtysomething,” [series creators Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz] were in their mid-30s. They were trying to move television toward a sensibility in film that they love. I became a director under those auspices. And then to work for someone like J.J. who, maybe he was 31 or 32, and now I was in my 40s, and I’m working with this brilliant kid, [more] like Spielberg, trying to teach me that kind of filmmaking. From that, I guess I [learned] a certain kind of pace of editing. When I did “Brothers & Sisters,” [one of the reasons I] wanted there to be so many siblings was because I wanted to organically have an editing pace. And then to do something like “This is Us,” now I’m working with Dan Fogelman; he’s this incredible writer. I’m 20 years older than he is. It’s almost like a stripped-down filmmaking. Like no, we want to remove the feeling of of a directorial hand. I’ve worked with younger people, and I’ve been a journeyman director. The thing I bring to it is my relationship to acting.
Q. It’s so great you’re open to learning from a younger generation of people.
A. It’s true. You’re dealing with younger people that are actually mentoring you and you’re letting them. Otherwise you’re gonna be out of sync.
Q. Are we getting the “Thirtysomething” reboot?
A. Right now it’s not coming back. You know, we were all set to shoot it, we were rehearsing, we were supposed to start filming on a Monday, and on Saturday, the studio said, “We’re shutting everything down.”
Q. Why can’t I stream the original show?
A. Has it ever streamed? I don’t really know. You would think now would be kind of a good time.
This interview has been edited and condensed. Meredith Goldstein can be reached in front of her television at Meredith.Goldstein@Globe.com.