Alias: Premiere Date & New Cast Member

From AP:

"ABC programming chief Stephen McPherson said Tuesday that Jennifer Garner, who is expecting a baby with husband Ben Affleck, will play a pregnant Sydney Bristow in the fifth season of Alias. "We are going to embrace the fact that she's pregnant," McPherson said.

But the show will focus on making the situation realistic and not "campy," he added. "We also don't want to put her in situations where she's endangering herself and the baby."

Garner, 33, and Ben Affleck, 32, her co-star in the 2003 movie Daredevil, wed in June. Their baby is due around Christmas. Alias returns September 29 for its fifth season in a new Thursday night time slot.

While Garner will still "be able to run a fair amount," McPherson acknowledged her exploits would change when Garner is visibly pregnant. To protect the show's sex appeal quotient, an uncast younger agent who is being mentored by Sydney will be added."

AICN has confirmed that younger agent will be played by The Inside's Rachel Nichols (right). Mia Maestro will return for several episodes, the actual amount unknown as of now. Season 5 picks up directly where season 4's cliffhanger left off: with Vaughn's secret revealed, Sloane in jail, and Rambaldi hopefully a thing of the past.