10.31.06
Posted in Reviews at 9:16 pm by Administrator
If the previous episode was full of telegraphed plot threads and very little inventive storytelling, then this episode makes up for much of the lost ground. Not everything is a complete breath of fresh air, but there’s a big difference between predictable and well-constructed. If you can guess the outcome by the end of the first act, it’s predictable. If you look back and see how the characters have been maneuvered into their current situations, it’s well-constructed. The line may be thin at times, but it is distinct.
In this case, Lincoln’s capture seems a bit too obvious. The writers all but pushed him into making the moves necessary to get caught, and it seems like the kind of plot twist that would be hard to overcome without major contrivance. But looking at the season thus far, this particular situation is the result of Lincoln’s repeated insistence on tossing caution to the wind. Lincoln is not Michael, and he does not think things through before acting.
With Lincoln captured, there’s every reason to think that Michael will want to free him and LJ again. There’s also every reason, especially after this episode, to believe that Mahone will recognize that and will want to take a personal approach in setting up the brothers for a fall. Usually, the structure of a season would suggest that this showdown would come around episode 11 (the midpoint of the season), but with the unusual scheduling preferred by FOX, it could be stretched out to episode 13. That’s assuming, of course, that it happens at all.
Another nice touch was the parallel structure in terms of each subplot. At some point in the episode, Michael, Lincoln, and C-Note were all in danger of being caught. While the audience could be relatively certain that Michael would remain at large, since he needs to be available to counter Mahone, C-Note had no guarantee of survival. That constant potential for disaster kept the tension level steady throughout the hour.
This episode also presents the very real possibility that Bellick will get his hands on Westmoreland’s money. While some future complication will likely render this possibility moot, just the suggestion is enough to set “Prison Break” fans on edge. In a clever move, the audience has reason to want T-Bag to get way with the money, because Bellick is even less deserving of the windfall.
Nearly everyone had guessed that Oscar Shales was buried in Mahone’s backyard; it was all but revealed in the first few episodes. The writers made it more significant by how Michael became aware of it, and how that changes the dynamic between predator and prey. In essence, the writers took something telegraphed and used it in an unexpected way. In contrast, in the previous episode, Sara’s realization about Michael’s messages was straightforward and unimpressive.
Of course, it’s hard not to wonder how much better this chess game between Michael and Mahone could have been, had he not been revealed as a pawn of the conspiracy. That he is probably being blackmailed into working for the wrong side is quite beside the point. If Shales was Mahone’s dirty little secret, then it would serve to put Michael and Mahone on a more even playing field as two men with mistakes and regrets to overcome. That’s not quite true anyone, and the overall structure of the conflict suffers as a result.
(As a sidenote: I also have a new podcast associated with my various reviews called “Velocity TV”. Current episodes cover the “Prison Break”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
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10.24.06
Posted in Reviews at 10:27 pm by Administrator
Written by Zack Estrin
Directed by Vincent Misiano
In the previous episode of “Prison Break”, Mahone was revealed as a murderer, dispatching Tweener with relative ease. Sucre seemed to turn on the rest of the Escape Squad, and Sara was facing down an assassin from the conspiracy. Not all of these plot elements were appreciated by the audience, and one major question was hanging over this episode: would the writers fall into the predictable traps, or would they manage to surprise everyone with the unexpected?
Mahone’s motivations turned out to be uninspired at best and utterly cliché at worst. Initially, there were indications of an unstable individual with serious mental problems, especially when the agent from internal affairs started ripping him apart about his track record. Very quickly, however, it became clear that Mahone was a tool of the conspiracy. His background suggested some kind of black ops training, but taken in context with Tweener’s messy execution, that doesn’t quite make sense. Nor does it make sense for the conspiracy to open themselves up to public exposure, which the systematic deaths of every member of the Escape Squad would do!
Slightly more effective was Sucre’s gambit with Michael, which was a nice touch. Even better was the revelation that T-Bag, the least deserving member of the Escape Squad, managed to run off with all the money. This plot thread quickly devolved when Sucre’s leg became trapped in the middle of a rising river, forcing Michael to choose between convenience and loyalty. It’s no surprise that Michael chooses to save his old cellmate, based on his psychology, nor is it surprising that the two of them narrowly escape with barely a scratch. (Wouldn’t Sucre’s leg be badly hurt, given the weight of that log?)
Sara’s plot thread was hobbled by the fact that many fans, especially on the internet, already decoded the majority of Michael’s messages, making that slow revelation mind-numbing to watch. It’s one thing when the writers lead to a surprising twist with a clever spin on established continuity. It’s quite another when the audience is several steps ahead of the game, and they can see the plot progression coming a mile away.
The only real surprise in this episode came from Bellick. While his return was inevitable, his activities in this episode are promising. Since it appears that T-Bag will be running off on his own subplot for a while, paying off a loose thread from the first season, it makes sense for Bellick’s quest for the money to follow along. This has potential, but given how fragmented the season has felt, this may not be the best move.
Overall, this episode continues the slow slide from quality that began at the beginning of the season. Considering how much I liked the first season, I’m a bit disappointed with the sloppy and lazy plotting since the premiere. Making Mahone a tool of the conspiracy was a horrible idea, and I’m not sure that the series will survive it.
(As a sidenote: I also have a new podcast associated with my various reviews called “Velocity TV”. Current episodes cover the “Prison Break”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 6/10
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10.04.06
Posted in Reviews at 2:23 am by Administrator
As anticipated, the first third of the season draws to a close with a number of plot threads approaching the turning point, shifting from the introductory phase of the season arc into the throes of massive complication. This is when the story begins to change, and this is also the stretch that is most difficult for a writing staff. Building up the conflicts is usually not the problem, and if there’s an end in sight, the writers usually know how to drive towards that conclusion. The middle of the story, however, can get ugly.
Looking at the entire scenario from top to bottom, I’m not quite sure if I like where this is going. I expecting things to get ugly once everyone was in Utah, but this is well beyond what I had in mind. To be honest, most of it makes sense and works for me. I was a little disappointed at how easily the police woman was taken down, but it became an interesting problem for Sucre, spinning him in an unexpected direction. Lincoln’s decision to grab LJ was completely consistent with his short-sighted decision just after the escape.
Michael seems to be recognizing how far he’s strayed from his original well-laid plans, especially in terms of his current “allies”. All those reminders on the news can’t help with his mental state. All he needs is another laundry list of T-Bag’s activities since the escape and a clear picture about Sara’s recent travails to put him in another catatonic state. His guilt and remorse is continually rising, and watching his battle to rise above the ugliness of the consequences of his actions will be entertaining, to say the least.
The conspiracy angle is still not as interesting for me as the Escape Squad drama, but it has certainly kicked up a notch. I saw Governor Tancredi’s death coming a mile away, and now my suspicions about Kellerman seem to be coming together. I think he’ll find himself torn between the desire to restore his place in the conspiracy and his feelings for Sara. Unless I’m buying into a red herring, Kellerman actually seems to be concerned for her well-being. I see Kellerman saving Sara and using that as a means of being in the right place when Michael contacts her in the future, setting him up for a moment of truth.
With so many elements coming together nicely, why am I left with such a bad taste in my mouth? It has everything to do with this twist involving Mahone. For most of the episode, I was happy with his character and how he dealt with Tweener. As clumsy as the whole “confession” concept was, in terms of delivering exposition, I thought the idea of using T-Bag’s actions to undermine Tweener’s loyalty was smart. It didn’t work, but it effectively communicated the concept to the audience, reminding them of what the Escape Squad has done.
This, in turn, reminded me of something that is very easy to forget: Michael and the rest of the Escape Squad are, for all intent purposes, the bad guys. In the real world, would we want them to escape Mahone and the manhunt? Mahone makes it very clear, in his discussion with Tweener, that he is on the right side of this situation. Everything he has done has been to save lives. We, as an audience, should be conflicted with our loyalties.
But then, when Tweener betrayed Mahone (completely expected, given how often these writers use that same plot device), things went into the completely wrong direction. Mahone kills Tweener, immediately robbing the character of his moral authority. He’s either working for someone, possibly the conspiracy, or he’s listening to voices in his head. Regardless of the reason, he is now firmly one of the villains of the story, and I find it unfortunate that they would take him in that direction.
(As a sidenote: I also have a new podcast associated with my various reviews called “Velocity TV”. Current episodes cover the “Prison Break”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 6/10
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