02.20.08
Posted in Reviews at 2:45 am by Administrator
While watching this episode of “Prison Break”, I had the distinct feeling that the producers knew the season might be shortened. This felt less like a mid-season cliffhanger and more like the end of the current phase. Unfortunately, it may also be the end of the series as a whole. After all, the third season was initially on the bubble, and the ratings are hardly stellar.
If this were the end of the road for “Prison Break”, it would be premature. At the very least, a 13-episode fourth season would allow the writers to finish out their intentions for the original third season arc and perhaps bring the series to a satisfying conclusion. I would be willing to accept the current status quo as the end of the story, if necessary, but some elements are obviously not addressed to my full satisfaction.
Michael’s ongoing war with the Company moves to a new phase, as he pursues Gretchen to exact vengeance for Sara’s death. This is quite a departure for Michael, because the idea of killing has never been easy for him. On the other hand, it’s been some time since the cost of Lincoln’s freedom has dwelled on Michael’s mind, so after Sammy’s death, this is just another step down that path. This is obviously one thread that should be continued.
Gretchen and Whistler are still pursuing their mysterious agenda, and it would seem that Mahone has rejoined the Company. I’m not entirely sold on Mahone’s current motivations, but his options are limited and it would allow for the Michael/Mahone chess game to resume. If there is a fourth season, that dynamic will be incredibly important. This is another thread that would be badly serviced by cancellation.
Other than that, the other characters could end their respective journeys right where they are. Lincoln, LJ, and Sofia are positioned for a possible happy ending, since none of them are wanted in Panama at this point. That could always change, forcing them to go on the run with or concurrent with Michael, but it would be unnecessary and would probably appear forced.
T-Bag seems to have a plan to get out of Sona, but given his current status in the prison, this wouldn’t be the worst ending in the world. After all, he may have introduced the idea of democracy among the inmates, but the end result is his elevation to a Lechero-esque leadership role. Bellick has been all but useless all season long, so it would be fine to leave him there to rot (no offense to Wade Williams, of course). Sucre’s fate is the most unfortunate, since he has little freedom to act on his own behalf, but he made the conscious choice to sacrifice himself for Michael’s benefit. In many respects, the Sona plot threads need not continue.
So it feels like the show could reduce down to the conflict between Michael and the Company, which would be an interesting departure. Perhaps the fourth season would be bought on the premise that Michael and Mahone would be the only long-term characters remaining; new characters could be brought in more cheaply to finish out the series. If the show were renewed with the existing cast in place, I’m not sure how well it would work. It may be better to cut losses after all, unless the writers can develop one final arc to bring the concept to a more satisfying close.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
(Season 3 Final Average: 7.2)
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02.12.08
Posted in Reviews at 11:42 pm by Administrator
As anticipated, Escape Squad Part Deux managed to get out of Sona, but the process was far from simple and Michael had to balance out intentional harm against long-term gain. Also, for the first time, Lincoln’s side of the plan was revealed in all its glory, and it’s great to see how well both brothers were able to play to their strengths. The escape was relatively straightforward in the end, and the real tension came from the unexpected consequences.
Michael did a nice job of using Lechero, Bellick, and T-Bag as fodder for the true escape. I was anticipating some casualties, so it was a bit surprising to see everyone survive. Lechero could have easily been killed under the circumstances, and Bellick is still little more than a convenient punching bag at the end of the day. T-Bag, on the other hand, remains the most dangerous wild card in the deck. I can’t say that I saw this fate coming for Sucre, but it does add to the ongoing complications. Clearly some plot elements will remain within Sona for the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, some nice nods to continuity came with the escape. Lincoln couldn’t help but notice that Michael picked up another stray in the process of getting out of prison, and his grudge against Mahone and the death of his father is front and center. With all the other distractions and issues, I thought Lincoln’s desire to avenge his father was short-sighted, and sure enough, it led to Whistler’s unexpected getaway. With both Whistler gone and the bird guide in T-Bag’s hands, Michael and Lincoln will have some serious explaining to do.
At this point, there would usually be little need to delve into the conspiracy or worry over the eventual resolution of plot threads. After all, the mid-season cliffhanger is usually just a way to kick the season arc into the next level for a (hopefully) strong finish. The writers’ strike has completely disrupted that plan. The next episode, the anticipated action-packed cliffhanger, has now been dubbed the third season finale, and there is no word on a fourth season pickup.
The obvious issue is that the writers didn’t anticipate ending the season at this point, and it would seem there were no plans in place for a fourth season at all. So there is a real possibility that the writers were preparing to end the series with the third season (since the concept is effectively played out at this point), and a real danger that there will be no fourth season at all.
This is unfortunate, because despite some slow episodes here and there, the third season has been a welcome return to form. Nothing will ever match the first season, but this season had its own flavor and the story deserved to be told. I want to see how Michael and Lincoln save LJ and find the peace they were looking for, and I want to find out if Sucre can be rescued from his impending imprisonment. I want to see T-Bag and Bellick get their just deserts, and I want Mahone to get back on his feet again. But most importantly, I want the overall struggle with the Company to get full resolution, giving this upstart series a strong and worthy finish.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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02.06.08
Posted in Reviews at 2:08 am by Administrator
The most exciting episodes of “Prison Break” usually center on the moments just before and during each new escape attempt. The pressures increase dramatically, and the divisions between the members of each escape squad deepen as the zero hour approaches. In the first season, all efforts were bound by Lincoln’s impending execution date. In this case, the stakes are raised, with LJ and Sofia in the line of fire.
Relatively speaking, the escape from Fox River was a clean operation compared to the storm about to break over Sona. For one thing, the authorities will not (or rather, should not) hesitate to gun down anyone they find outside the prison, and Susan’s cadre within the Company is hardly going to let everyone go without a scratch once they get what they want. Susan’s methods have been too brutal to avoid similar tactics after the escape.
This brings up an important point. While the drama has centered entirely on the escape from Sona and Whistler’s connection to the Company, the writers have yet to establish any firm connections between the arc of the first two seasons and this latest situation. I, for one, would like the writers to bring it all into perspective, because Michael and Lincoln’s momentary victory over the Company at the end of season 2 was derailed by the Sona gambit. If they manage to survive until the end and win the day, that final victory will need to represent closure on everything since Michael’s initial walk through the doors of Fox River.
In terms of this particular escape attempt, there’s every reason to think that the members of Escape Squad Part Deux will end up betraying each other from the moment they breathe free air. At least one of them should get caught in no man’s land after those crucial 30 seconds, but it’s still unclear what Susan and her people will be willing to do and for whom. More than that, there’s Lincoln’s plan, still waiting in the wings, and that could be meaningful in the hours after the escape.
The odds favor Michael, Lincoln, and Whistler, or there wouldn’t be much of a plot for the rest of the season. After his seeming recovery from his withdrawal, Mahone is another good candidate, because he’s just as intelligent as Michael. Lechero had been evading capture for years, and he has a support system outside of Sona. That leaves T-Bag, Bellick, and Basketball Boy. Given T-Bag’s popularity and ingenuity, he will likely survive, so things are not looking good for Bellick and the red shirt right now.
Thankfully, it appears that the writers have been thinking ahead, and there’s enough story already waiting for the characters once they leave Sona. The writers’ strike has thrown off the timing quite a bit, but the writers usually have a nasty cliffhanger in mind for episode 13 of each season, so there’s no reason to expect anything different this time around.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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