I know you're a longtime ...

Question: I know you're a longtime Alias fan, so I'm curious to hear your expectations about the upcoming season. Without getting caught up in all the rumor-mongering and nastiness, do you think the fifth season can survive all this cast reshuffling and continue to be great programming? I got hooked on Alias because of the forbidden love story, and kept watching for the family drama. The spy plots have grown increasingly ridiculous and are now my least favorite part of the show. With [name omitted] leaving, new cast members vying for screen time with favorites Victor Garber and Carl Lumbly, and Lena Olin gone, I'm not holding out much hope. Sure, J.J. Abrams is ABC's MVP right now, but I remember how much I liked Felicity a few years ago, yet gave up on that show in its fourth season.
Answer: You're hardly alone. I've been getting, and largely ducking, a lot of e-mails on the order of this one from Adam W.: "With the recent news that [name omitted] is leaving Alias, along with the previous news of Greg Grunberg's departure and Jennifer Garner's reduced role due to pregnancy, my anticipation for the new Alias season is steadily declining. It seems like it will be a completely different show, with most of our old favorites gone and replaced with several newcomers." There's only one reason I'm printing these concerns now, leaving a certain someone unnamed in case there's anyone in the Alias fan base who hasn't been keeping up with the rumors of a major plot point and would like to watch the new season unspoiled. This gives me an opportunity to say, once again, that it's not my style to judge a show in advance, especially one I've followed this fervently. I've had my ups and downs with Alias over the seasons, but until we've actually seen some of the new characters in action and have a chance to absorb the consequences of the early twists, I see no value in resisting inevitable change. I plan to keep watching Alias (as I did Felicity) to the last drop. No matter how hard ABC makes it with this annoying move to Thursdays.