Episode 1 Pilot review

Although FOX gave the series a two-hour premiere, it was more like two episodes cobbled together. They even have two different episode titles. That being the case, I’m covering the first hour here, and then the second hour separately. Hopefully that’s not as confusing as it could be!

As I was watching this pilot episode, I was struck by something I remember the producers of “24” saying at one point. Basically, they said that the original intent was never to focus on the same genre, season after season; instead, each season would have been a different set of conditions, connected only by adherence to the format. True or apocryphal, that’s what came to mind as I watched this episode. I couldn’t help but wonder if this could have originated with something similar in mind.





This series is inevitably going to be compared to “24”, and that might be unfortunate. Frankly, one of my big problems with “24” (as much as I enjoy it) is the use of plot contrivance to a ridiculous extreme. This series follows in the same footsteps. A lot of the situations that will play out over time require massive suspension of disbelief. Hopefully, it’s just the setup that’s lacking in credibility.

A lot of those issues have been covered in other reviews, but I have a few that won’t stop bothering me. Warden Pope and his Taj Mahal ranks rather high on the list, especially given the fact that Michael is immediately branded a troublemaker. Someone ought to have discovered the fact that Michael was involved in the design of the prison, and it strains credibility that Michael would be sent to the same prison. And then his lawyer is also the woman that his brother Lincoln once had a relationship with, which doesn’t present anyone with a problem, and even the mobsters don’t seem to think that his constant questions and attitude are a problem. Michael’s little smirk ought to be getting his butt kicked regularly!





I also had some issues with the basic idea of Michael’s tattoos. It would have taken a lot more time for those tattoos to heal, and even accepting that, the tattoo was vague enough to work as a general map of the prison, but nothing as detailed as one would need to know every nook and cranny. Never mind that things will get rather problematic if and when Michael begins to gain weight, build up muscle, get stabbed, etc. All those carefully worked-out dimensions won’t mean a damn thing, then!

The conspiracy is equally problematic. We’re asked to believe that the conspiracy against Lincoln is so solid that it’s hard for anyone to believe that he’s innocent. Fair enough. There’s concern among the conspirators that Bishop McMorrow will influence the governor into granting Lincoln a stay of execution. Also, fair enough. But rather than blackmail the bishop, the Secret Service has him killed! Isn’t that just a little sloppy and obvious for such a well-considered conspiracy?


I wouldn’t say that I’m disappointed in the premiere. It kept my interest, and I think that if many or all of those issues are set aside, there’s a certain method to Michael’s madness. I hope that the writers delve into the character’s psychology over the course of the season, and that they don’t overlook his obvious emotional damage. The man is clearly capable of highly ordered and strategic thinking, but he’s also making decisions that are questionable at best and personally destructive at worst. He’s damn lucky that his cellmate is so decent, or he’d already be dead.

Pilots are notoriously flawed, if only because so much time is spent on exposition. Characters need to be established, and the underlying mythology of the series must be introduced. There’s not a lot of time for actual storytelling. Viewers are sold on the characters and whether or not their world is compelling. In this case, the characters and situation merit a longer look. I don’t believe this is the second coming of “24”, like some have claimed, but it’s certainly not DOA.