HEN TOUCHED down on ABC in 2001, the J.J. Abrams–created series dazzled viewers and critics as a butt-kicking breath of fresh air. Starring Jennifer Garner as spy Sydney Bristow, the action-packed drama boasted not only a female central character but also mythology-heavy storytelling. The show’s heart-stopping cliffhangers and hairpin turns left viewers picking their jaws up off the floor. And no hourlong installment prompted more reaches for defibrillators than “Phase One,” broadcast the night of 2003’s Super Bowl XXXVII—a victory by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the Oakland Raiders. The episode earned its best ratings ever.
