Instead, the pilot put the story of a double agent in the CIA squarely in the middle of the road.

With an intriguing story line and an attractive, talented lead in young Jennifer Garner, the debut of "Alias" snagged the attention of millions of viewers who will return Sundays at 9 for another look.

But those who expected to be blown away by the high-octane approach to intrigue on television were likely disappointed.

Though her character is an interesting mix of cute and cunning, Garner's Sydney Bristow lacks the grit and cold-eyed glint of actresses who've played similar roles in shows and movies like "La Femme Nikita."

Indeed, when Bristow starts martial-arts kicking a bad guy while on a mission, it seems more of a ballet routine than a serious struggle.

But in other ways, her sweet, demure and real-world orientation works as a nice counterpoint in the role, as it does when she drops a stolen device on her spy-boss's desk and adds quietly, "I'm taking a week off. I have midterms."

At the very least, many viewers will revisit "Alias" if for no other reason than to see where the double-, triple- and quadruple-crossing is headed next.

In some ways, the opening show, which was 70 minutes long with no commercial interruptions, may have tried to do too much.

The show is kick-started when we first meet the short, svelte Bristow, grad student by day, international spy and high-kicker by night.

She works for a highly secret section of the CIA called SD6--or does she?

By the end of the pilot, we find out that SD6 may not be the CIA at all, but perhaps a new creation from a group of rogue intelligence agents who recruit young people and tell them they're in the CIA.

Into the mix soon comes Victor Garber as Jack Bristow, Sydney's dad with the boring job of buying parts for airliners.

Of course, he's really in the CIA.

Or in SD6.

Or both.

Maybe neither.