ABC’s ‘Alias’ to end run after 5 years
Showbiz Desk

LOS ANGELES—“Alias,” the ABC espionage drama starring Jennifer Garner as a sexy, globe-trotting secret agent, will end its prime-time run in May after five seasons on the air, the network said on Wednesday. No reason was given for bringing the series to a close, but the show has declined sharply in the ratings since moving to a tougher time slot on Thursdays this season opposite the CBS reality hit “Survivor: Guatemala.”
“Alias” also has undergone a creative make-over this season as producers wrote the real-life pregnancy of Garner into the show’s story line. It was not immediately clear what role, if any, Garner’s impending motherhood played in the decision to conclude the series at the end of its fifth season. The Houston-born actress, 33, is married to Hollywood star Ben Affleck, her co-star in the 2003 comic book movie “Daredevil.”
In a statement announcing the move, ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson and executive producer Jeff Pinkner promised fans that the show would “rev up” for the remainder of the season as it heads for a climactic finale. Garner has earned four back-to-back Emmy Award nominations for her role as super spy Sydney Bristow, a master of disguise who has chased terrorists and dodged danger in hot spots around the world, even finding time for occasional romance.
The CIA was so impressed by her character that Garner was enlisted last year to film a recruitment video for the agency on its employment Web site. “Alias” enjoyed its biggest ratings success last season in a plum Wednesday night time slot following ABC’s hit castaway thriller “Lost.” But the show has struggled this fall on Thursday nights against “Survivor,” averaging 7 million viewers a week, down from 10.3 million last season, according to Nielsen Media Research. By comparison, “Survivor” tallied nearly 19 million viewers last week, giving Viacom Inc.-owned CBS control of its hour.