Although Sydney is kept in the foreground, it is clear that the intent of these episodes has been to introduce and integrate the APO newcomers Thomas Grace and Rachel Gibson, and as far as I’m concerned, it has worked. The producers could have taken the same route as season three, when they introduced Lauren. The character was placed in the middle of an intense situation and stirred up the Alias pot…only the effect were felt by the fans rather than the characters.

But instead, both of the new characters are given a subtle introduction, reminding viewers that Gibson and Grace will never replace Sydney and Vaughn, but instead have their own place and their own stories to tell. It is very similar to the way in which Mia Maestro was added to the cast and as far as I’m concerned, she was the greatest addition Alias has ever made (sans Irina Derevko of course).

The opening mission in Monte Carlo is left nicely hanging (literally!) with the question of what is Mockingbird, and why should Syd know what it is? And instead of let the question hang in the background like Sydney after a mission gone south, the answer is given immediately – Mockingbird is Rachel Gibson.

Part of what I love about Goddard’s writing is the way in which everything falls together. The rest of the episode after the Monte Carlo mission is directed towards reaching that very mission, but instead of simply replaying the operation for the benefit of the viewers, what we get is the same action but from a different perspective.

Initially, it’s all Sydney – she gambles, she cheats and she gets caught. Grace passes the vault code (with yet another mysterious 47 reference) and Syd gets what she came for. But what we didn’t see was Grace’s operation, and that’s exactly what we get the second time around. Symbolically is rather smart – Jennifer Garner is the leading lady so she comes first, but Bathazar Getty and Rachel Nicols have joined the cast to take off some of the pressure for the pregnant star. First we get Garner, and the direction of the episode gracefully moves onto the two new characters. Is this a sign of things to come? Will Alias continue without Garner as it has without Vartan?

Despite the very techno-savvy missions and blissful acting, “Mockingbird” follows on from the example set by “The Shed” in regards to Arvin Sloane. I don’t know why his quest for Nadia is relegated to sub-plot material, because in both episodes it has been the most intense and equally addictive development on the show. Evil as he may be, Gordon Dean just doesn’t have what it takes to become a real villain. The severely underused Kelly Payton (played by Angel’s Amy Acker) has it all, but she’s still sitting in the shadow of Dean. A little bit like Sark in the second season to be honest.