Initially the best friend of lead character Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), Francie is murdered by a lookalike assassin named Allison Doren, who assumes her identity.

[1][2][3] Sydney is a covert agent for a black ops division of the CIA called SD-6, a fact she struggles to hide from her friends.

[4] Francie acts as an occasional sounding board and confidante for some of Sydney's personal issues, and eventually decides to open a restaurant.

[1][4][5][6] Under orders from Arvin Sloane, Allison bugs Sydney's apartment, hypnotically interrogates Will, plants eavesdropping devices on Michael Vaughn and murders Marcus Dixon's wife.

The character was named after Francie Calfo, the real-life vice president of drama development at Touchstone Television who shepherded Alias to series.

[9] With Francie not involved in the "secret agent" plot lines of the series, the character was "pushed to the sidelines" just as Lena Olin was introduced as Sydney's mother Irina Derevko late in Season 1.

Dungey began secretly training with world champion kickboxer Benny "the Jet" Urquidez to prepare for the physicality of her new role.

'"[5] The events of "Phase One" initiated a "reboot" of sorts for the series, with the end of the SD-6 double agent storyline as well as Sydney's need to hide her profession from her friends (Will discovers the truth and Francie is now known to be dead).