03.27.07
Posted in Reviews at 7:39 pm by Administrator
In the first season, the various plot threads all came together in the penultimate episode, culminating in the escape from Fox River. That was easily one of the most exciting hours of the 2006-2007 season, and I don’t think the series has hit a similar high note in the year or so since that point.
This penultimate episode doesn’t have the same feeling of resolution, but that might be a function of the season arc itself. While the first season was full of subplots, most of them were directly tied to the escape attempt. It was easy to get all of those threads together at the same time with a comprehensive impact. While a number of elements come together in this episode, it just doesn’t feel as momentous.
The main plot, of course, is the breakdown of Michael’s successful resolution to the escape plan. After finally getting Lincoln to the boat in Panama, Michael’s lured back into the game by Mahone, who poses as Sucre, tipping him off to T-Bag’s location. Michael, based on his psychology, is unable to leave well enough alone and feels the need to take down T-Bag himself. This starts a chain of ever-worsening encounters.
It would be easy to assume that Bellick’s latest misfortune wraps up his part of the storyline, and that Michael finally put a stop to T-Bag’s crime spree. Similarly, the surprise turn at Sara’s trial would have been a nice way to bring Kellerman’s arc to a close and help Michael and Lincoln escape the conspiracy once and for all. However, with the third season pickup, it’s likely that none of these situations will be “resolved” for very long. And of course, Sucre will survive and will need to find his Maricruz.
However, wrapping the subplots up for the moment was necessary to clear the boards for the central conflict. Michael had to be the one willing to follow through on his threat with T-Bag to provide the ironic contrast to Lincoln’s failure with Mahone. And that was necessary for Mahone to put Michael in a metaphorically satisfying bind.
Mahone’s character arc brings him to a completely unexpected position. Mahone needs to escape if he wants to survive the breakdown of the conspiracy, and that means co-opting Michael’s plan for the money and the boat. This forces Michael to choose between his plan, after struggling to make it work for so long, and his brother, who was the inspiration for the plan in the first place.
While this could lead to a final confrontation between Michael and Mahone, that may not be the case. After all, Mahone is now in a position similar to Michael: he’s on the run from people with a lot of resources. Mahone may not care about Michael and Lincoln’s guilt or innocence anymore, which could take the character into interesting places if the writers and producers are smart enough to keep him around.
One intriguing possibility is that Michael will end up sacrificing himself for Lincoln’s benefit. If Kellerman reveals enough to threaten the Company in the States, then they might not want to bring Michael back if he’s captured. They might have Company assets in Panama that could toss him in a deep, dark hole. And that could force Lincoln to take measures to get Michael out of prison. That may be an unlikely scenario, but it would certainly be a neat twist on the original premise.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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03.21.07
Posted in Reviews at 12:27 am by Administrator
Written by Zack Estrin
Directed by Vincent Misiano
When last we left off with Michael and Lincoln, their last ditch effort to blackmail President Reynolds into clearing Lincoln failed miserably. Their only recourse was to get as far away from Chicago as possible, which as Lincoln stated, was the plan from the beginning. Of course, since then, Sara has become a bit of a complication to the plan. Sara takes one for Michael’s sake, which is just about the greatest sacrifice she could make under the circumstances. That doesn’t make Michael any less cranky.
As anticipated, Michael has been counting the cost of the lives necessary to complete his plan. Given his psychological makeup, it’s impossible for him not to feel responsible, and he knows that the body count continues to rise with every day that T-Bag remains free. That’s a conflict that has been lingering in the background since the very beginning of the series.
This leaves Mahone in a compromised position, because while he spins his wheels, Internal Affairs is working with C-Note. With William Kim under fire from the corporate power behind the conspiracy, it’s both a source of distraction and focus. Mahone has to deal with a nagging problem, but he is finally pushed into a corner where he has nothing left to lose.
Mahone’s manic deconstruction of Michael’s tattoo, particularly his complex analysis reminds us that he is effectively as intelligent, if his own way, as Michael. And it never hurts to bring back that symmetry, even if it means that the tattoo will no longer be applicable beyond this season. (Unfortunately, that element hasn’t been present much at all this season, anyway.)
Down in Mexico, Bellick and Sucre continue to hunt down T-Bag and Westmoreland’s money. With Maricruz in the balance, Sucre has no choice but to work with the bastard. This allows for a useful sleight of hand. T-Bag’s particular brand of insanity doesn’t quite afford him a low profile, and sure enough, that becomes a weapon against Michael. The internal investigation against Mahone pushes him to the point where he’ll allow T-Bag to kill to bring an end to the chase.
With two episodes left, the series has yet to be renewed for a third season, but that seems like a sure bet. Who might survive to see the third season is a completely different question. I hate to say it, but I don’t think Mahone will make it past the finale. The writers seem to be wrapping up his character arc, which is unfortunate. It would be a lot more interesting if Michael and Mahone were working together in some fashion in the third season.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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03.06.07
Posted in Reviews at 5:18 pm by Administrator
Written by Karyn Usher
Directed by Dwight Little
As the episode opens, the anticipated showdown between Michael and Mahone is efficiently postponed. Instead, Sara is alone when our favorite tormented federal agent comes calling. This is bad news for both of them, but a lot worse for Sara. She plays the only hand she’s dealt by going after his addiction to tranquilizers. The writers make her a bit stupid in this episode, and she overlooks some obvious deceptions.
As many fans suspected, C-Note’s suicide was easily prevented. This actually puts Mahone in an interesting position, because his watchdog now has evidence of wrongful action. That additional pressure only serves to push Mahone into more of a corner. Add that to the angle Sara’s using, and it’s leading into one hell of a confrontation.
While Michael and Lincoln race against time to get the recording to the president, Kellerman pursues his own agenda. Michael’s timing was about as good as it gets. It was a pure desperation move, but one that is a lot more exciting after the recent incident involving Pope. William Kim is hardly one for patience and understanding. He is, however, quite happy to use Michael’s head as a punching bag until the president steps in.
Michael lays it all out on the line, and puts the president in a difficult position. It’s literally the last chance for success, and it’s clear that he’s willing to sacrifice himself to save his brother. The phone conversation itself is a bit of a plot convenience. It’s about as damning as it gets. Who saw the incestuous bond coming? But it is bad enough for Michael’s gambit to work. Unfortunately for Michael, it works too well. It’s a nice, shocking move, especially since it’s already established that Caroline’s allies are more than capable of pulling off such a grand deception.
In terms of the subplots, through his own foolishness, T-Bag loses the money and gives the authorities reason to look for someone who committed assault. Given airport security, it was simple enough to get a shot of T-Bag in the terminal. What’s interesting is the sudden connection to Sucre, which was unexpected, given his apparent success at finding happiness. With Bellick arriving just after that point, the implications are immediately clear. With Mahone holding out on the reward money, why wouldn’t Bellick cut another deal?
This brings the season, to a certain extent, back to where it began. Michael and Lincoln are trying to disappear, Sara is in the line of fire, Bellick and the others are racing after Westmoreland’s money, and Kellerman’s motivations are as questionable as ever. Clearly the writers have a plan for bringing this season arc to a close in thrilling and unpredictable fashion. Beyond that, there’s the unusual reference to “Sona”, which feels like something stirring for the potential third season. Unless the writers fumble the last few episodes, this should be a thrilling finale.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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