We’ve been snowed in since Friday. There’s nothing good on TV on the weekends and I’ve just wanted to zone out a bit, so I decided to re-watch Alias from the beginning (thanks, Netflix!). As I write this, I’m nearly halfway through season 2.

Alias was the first show I truly loved. Castle would be the second, but Alias is better. Slightly campy, it still has intrigue, action, super cool gadgets, an ancient mystery, and the best TV love story. Plus – and here’s what no other show could re-create – it’s meshed in with the memories of my relatively carefree college days, where my roommates were my family and evenings were spent eating pasta dinners with the Cavs game in the background, unwinding at McNaulty’s after fraternity meetings, and writing papers.

I remember my friend Katie introducing me to the series in high school, after Season 1. And since there wasn’t TiVo or Netflix back then, the first I saw of Season 1 was this weekend. Freshman year my friends and I would use my roommate’s TV to watch episodes, which she was fine with until partway through the year when she started making passive aggressive comments and occasionally slamming doors while we watched (there were MANY issues at play there). Another year we’d get to our fraternity exec board meetings early to watch Alias in the student center. We discussed Sark’s cuteness level (but Vaughn was cuter!), debated whether Sloan was good or evil, and Googled random facts about the cast (Kevin Weisman was drummer for the metal rock band Trainwreck, which sometimes featured Jack Black, and Michael Vartan is French).

My sophomore/senior year roommate & one of my best friends, Steph, bought me the official Joey’s Pizza t-shirt for my birthday, which I wore until it was too small and falling apart.

When Facebook groups first came out, Steph and I created one dedicated to hating Ben Affleck for ruining the show. If I could remember what it was called I’d search to see if it still exists, but as Steph and I were likely the only members I’m sure Facebook archived it long ago. He and Jennifer Garner made cute kids and all, and it was sweet that Victor Garber officiated their wedding, but why couldn’t that relationship have come after the series ended!?

I convinced Mark to watch Alias with us, and it was the first and last (save an attempt at Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D this past fall) series we watched together. Unfortunately for him, Mark came in as the show was falling apart and the Rambaldi storyline became ridiculous.

As I curl up on my sofa with Mark’s OSU blanket and my cat, I can’t help but watch Marshall jump out the window with Sydney, declaring “I’m Marshall J. Flinkman, and I’m here to rescue you!” and not be ushered back to the evening with my girlfriends and how we were all sort of delighted at loveable Marshall’s chance to be the hero.

What TV shows transport you to another time in your life?