J.J. Abrams, creator of ABC's spy drama Alias, told USA Today that Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) gets a new boss, played by Angela Bassett; a new job in the CIA; and a new permanent addition to her family, as Mia Maestro joins the cast as Sydney's half-sister, Nadia, in the upcoming fourth season. Sydney and the rest of the team move to "a black ops division in the CIA," Abrams told the newspaper. "A cool new organization with cool new headquarters."

Abrams adds: "I think we have found a way to click back into the Alias we all enjoyed." That means a return to more streamlined stories. "The plot became our god, which was a huge problem," he said. "It ended up superseding character."

Alias returns Jan. 5, 2005, in a new timeslot: Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, where it will be teamed with Abrams' new hit, Lost.