Episode 9: Tweener review

With this episode, the season arc is clearly in the throes of the “complication” phase. All characters are in motion, physically or emotionally, and the conflicts are evolving in unexpected directions. What makes this episode work so well is the exploration of Michael’s psychology and how it impacts every choice he’s made since the beginning of the series. I’ve always suspected that his emotional state is less than perfect, but Sara uncovers information that strikes at the heart of Michael’s thought process.

So Michael is not only a genius, but he takes in detailed information and how all of that information fits together. That explains why his tattoo could involve sometimes vastly indirect references to information that he could easily associate with the aspects of the prison design he needed to utilize. It also explains why he can sometimes make mistakes in judgment, because sometimes things plain to him are far from obvious to other people.
But Michael is also a rescuer, often to a fault and against his self-preservation, and that explains the entire rationale for his plan. Michael is sometimes too compassionate, and so he’ll throw himself into the fray for a perfect stranger when it fits his moral point of view. It drives his decision to put T-Bag in his place, finally, and in that sense, it’s a good thing. But it also leaves him vulnerable, and that’s something that could factor into the plot in the near term.

Speaking of T-Bag, it’s a lot of fun to have such a strong villain, and it makes it all so much more satisfying when Michael gives him a shot to the knee. I love the fact that these two enemies must work together towards the same goal. I find T-Bag to be very easy to hate, and for that reason alone, he adds something vital and important to the series. (Sucre, on the other hand, is quickly becoming Most Likely to Die Very, Very Soon.)

I was also happy to see Abruzzi’s character thread addressed again. Talk about bad timing! Though it’s good to know that Abruzzi knows how to improvise, despite the lack of actual results from his torture technique. And here I was throwing out old, burnt-out light bulbs as if they were useless. So what’s likely to happen when the new PI crew discovers the big hole in the floor?

As impressed as I was with LJ in this episode, I’m still not feeling the Nick/Veronica plot thread. The conspiracy seems to be complex enough, but it’s not even remotely interesting. Also, the Secret Service agents were pathetic again. They didn’t think to run a trace on the number calling LJ’s cell phone, and then track the location of that signal? Or how about having one agent scan under the cars in the lot while the other stays high? Bad technique overall. (I’m still not sure that Nick can be trusted, though.)


The further into the season we get, the more intriguing it becomes. It all comes down to the strength of the characterization. Michael is a compelling “hero”, and his associates are all different enough to keep the prison situation from getting stale. When the series hits that extended hiatus for “24” at the end of the month, it won’t be so easy as many people thought to let it go.

Writing: 2/2

Episode 8: The Old Head review

After a short break for the evil that is Major League Baseball, the series returns with a big ol’ jump into the complication phase of the season arc. Actually, I consider this more of a transition between the end of the introduction and the meat of the story, because this really brings the full “escape team” together, if one counts our friend with the dead cat.

Michael is faced with a number of curve balls in this episode, and he’s forced to make concessions that he normally wouldn’t. Perhaps the most impressive thing is that he manages to deal with people a little bit better than his past activity would suggest. The only time he really stumbles is with Sara, which is understandable. Even Mr. Westmoreland doesn’t really throw him off.


The beginning of the episode presented the real issue: Michael is just over the halfway point in his very short window of time. At this point, I can’t see how he’ll make it. Sure, the plan is moving along quickly, but he’s still operating on luck. Just having T-Bag around is a huge liability. I still don’t understand how that big hole in the wall will remain undiscovered for days on end, and after the riot, things are back to status quo way too fast.

But this series is full of plot conveniences, because the story is only meant to hang together long enough for the momentum to remain constant. And this episode certainly keeps the story moving forward. Actually, one has to wonder if the network wanted to save money by cutting back on guest stars. Talk about cleaning house!


Captain Bellick is thankfully just as frustrated, because just as he seems to get all the power to abuse that he could possibly want, he ends up getting blamed for the fire in the break room. Never mind how crappy it must be to have a break room in the middle of a storage shed! But I can’t help but laugh every time the jerk finds himself under the 8-ball again.

Meanwhile, we have LJ running around with a picture of one of the Secret Service agents on his phone (leave it to a government employee to have no clue about technology), but no support system. Veronica is in the middle of the woods, “off the grid”, with someone who still doesn’t seem to be who he says he is. And there’s only 17 days until Lincoln’s execution. No pressure!



As usual, I see flaws here and there. Sara isn’t stupid, so why hasn’t she figured out how Michael knew about the crawlspace and the prison layout? In this case, her attraction to Michael might be getting in the way, but I still would hope that she would be smarter than that. Is she trying not to believe what she must suspect? I feel like this was an ill-conceived plot thread.

I’m also not sure how the Escape Squad is going to work fast enough to make that “on-ramp”. After all, they should be making some progress on the job they were assigned to do. I assume that will be covered in the next episode, but still, I was hoping that the plan would be a little more fleshed out by now. But then again, this is “Prison Break”, and as I already said, I have to shut down the higher brain functions and enjoy.

Episode 7: Riots, Drills, and the Devil: Part II

The previous episode was going to be hard to top, in terms of intensity, so I wasn’t surprised when the tone of the episode dialed back a bit. Once Michael got his hands on Sara, I knew that she’d be all right, because the stupid FOX promos gave too much away. Had that situation remained unspoiled going in, events might have been a lot more disturbing.

As it is, the anticipated shift towards a more complicated phase of the story arc is underway. The tension between Warden Pope and Captain Bellock now has another aspect to it, because the governor believes that Pope is too soft with the inmates. This riot and the danger to Sara, on top of the information the Secret Service has on Pope, puts Pope in a very bad situation. As the escape plan comes to a head, Bellock could end up running the efforts to get the escapees back.




Michael has also made a snap decision that could undermine his plans completely, if things continue as they are. Saving Sara demonstrated what kind of man he is for her, but he was also caught in a blatant lie. Clearly she’s suspicious of his intentions, since he wouldn’t have lied unless there was something to hide. He might have done better to minimize his explanations, rather than make something up that he should know a doctor would question.

For those looking to really screw Lincoln, there’s now a metal pipe and all kinds of other objects with his fingerprints and someone else’s blood all over it. Even if it was self-defense, no one else saw the circumstances and there was a prison riot taking place at the time. Despite the complete lack of security cameras in key locations throughout the facility, I’d bet that this will be on camera and force Michael to move even faster.




His plan is in jeopardy, however, because they have too many people involved, and T-Bag is a complete psychopath. It wasn’t hard to guess that Bob was a dead man, but T-Bag was also making sure that Michael understood the stakes. There’s also the small matter of a big hole in the wall, which happened to be nearby some maintenance equipment. I would expect that the equipment was being used for something, and that means the hole could be discovered.

Things look to get even more insane in the episodes to come, but we have a bit of a breather first, whether we like it or not (thanks, MLB). Now is probably as good a time as any, since this is basically the end of the introductory phase of the season arc. Now things will get a lot more complicated, and I look forward to seeing what the writers come up with.

Episode 6: Riots, Drills, and the Devil

In the previous episode, a number of plot contrivances were required for the story to work. As it turns out, the writers were probably just trying to get to this part of the story on schedule. Since this two-part story brings the season about a third of the way, this is typically when the arc begins to complicate in a more serious fashion. Everything to this point was introduction of the situation and the main characters, such as they are. Now, one would expect, everyone likely to know about the escape plan does know.

Events require a lot less contrivance this time around, because the previous episode took that hit. Sure, it shouldn’t be so easy for Michael to come and go, but if his scheme in the previous episode didn’t screw that up, nothing will. So when it comes down to shutting down the air handling system, I buy it. Just as I accept the consequences.


The riot itself evolves slowly but surely, and it escalates in ways that are consistent with the characters and their previous development. Bellick takes a bad situation and makes it worse, and from where I’m sitting, he’s the one responsible for the situation getting out of hand. He waits far too long to take his men seriously. When dealing with a maniac like T-Bag, getting him even more worked up is a huge mistake.

The rookie guard Bob weaves in and out of the most important moments in the riot. Lincoln gets to show his true colors by trying to save Bob’s life. Granted, he gets beat down rather nicely for it, but he tries. If there’s a questionable moment, it’s when T-Bag conveniently tosses Bob into Michael’s cell, thus revealing the hole in the wall. The fact that Bob knows about this is a problem; the fact that T-Bag knows is an even bigger problem.


Of course, the timetable is such that the escape attempt can’t be too long coming. I’d be shocked if it took longer than mid-season to happen. At least, the first attempt, since I doubt it will go smoothly. I don’t think the series can go the entire season within the prison walls, if only because Michael’s plan is relatively simple, based on what he mentioned. As long as Lincoln and Michael are in the prison, it’s too easy for the conspiracy.

What I really like about this episode is the intensity level. It’s through the roof, to say the least. Sara’s situation is horrific, and while the promos gave quite a bit away, it’s still not going to be easy for her to get out unscathed. Nor will Lincoln have an easy time of it. The riot has literally thrown everything wide open, and the chaotic nature of the story allows the audience to feel the anxiety over how it will all play out. More than even the race riot, this two-parter takes advantage of the setting.

As usual, the one weakness is the conspiracy angle. It shouldn’t have been that easy for someone to track the source of that phone call to Washington, DC. For one thing, the conspiracy shouldn’t have been stupid enough to make that call, let alone leave a trail behind. I still think Mr. Helpful is a conspiracy mole, because at this point, the conspiracy is looking stupid otherwise. That side of the story was not properly conceived.

Still, that’s a minor point in comparison to the intensity of the rest of the episode. I was quite surprised at how engaging this episode was, especially after being disappointed last time around. Hopefully the second half of the two-parter will be equally as strong, especially since the series needs to go into its MLB hiatus on a high note.

Episode 5: English, Fitz or Percy review

Michael’s plan takes a major step forward in this episode, as he determines which route to take once he and his allies are past the fences. From a certain point of view, this element of his plan is entirely logical; he must find a means and vantage point from which to observe response time to possible escape. Unfortunately, where the episode breaks down is in his alibi.

I mentioned in my review of the pilot that the most ludicrous element of the series thus far must be the relationship between Michael and Warden Pope. I don’t care how interested Pope might be in rehabilitation; there’s no way he’d let an inmate have that much free access to his office. I can only assume that the writing staff realized that there would be a huge plot hole in the story, and they somehow came to the conclusion that this Taj Mahal model was the way to solve it. (And this element is critical, because Michael’s tattoo plainly demonstrates that the Warden’s office was key to his plan.)


I’m just not buying it. At the very least, Michael’s activities would be scrutinized like crazy for weeks, if not months. As it is, his escape plan is too dependent on luck and random chance. But even if one takes Michael’s relationship with Pope at face value, there’s one other major sticking point. The removal of those concrete blocks, just behind his cell, should have been rather obvious to the guards running through the bowels of the prison, and since they knew they were looking for Michael Scofield, that alone should have been enough to implicate him in an escape plan.

Another thing that troubles me is the fact that Michael clearly has three street names incorporated into his tattoos, and yet not one official made the connection. It’s one thing when there’s a certain code involved; the “Cute Poison” thing was just obscure enough. But those street names are a huge tip-off to anyone suspicious of Michael and his motivations…which brings me to my final issue with this episode.




Even if I were to accept that the relationship between Michael and Pope was logical and that his activities were accepted to be as presented, then one thing is now on the table which should throw his presence into complete suspicion: his relationship to Lincoln is now public knowledge. Even if everything else were taken as coincidence and misunderstanding, that connection should be viewed with intense suspicion, especially since they interact so often.

Granted, this episode was filled with tension, especially during Michael’s initial recon of the escape route and Pope’s crisis of conscience. And I recognize that this is not “Lost”, where deep consideration of every plot and character arc is rewarded; this is all about suspending disbelief to the extreme and having fun in the process. I just worry that the writers are going to overcome my ability to do so.



Oddly enough, this time around, Veronica wasn’t a complete annoyance. Her scenes were actually rather interesting, touching on the current fascination for forensics and my desire for that plot thread to become as intricate as the main thread. Of course, it took her way too long to realize that her advocate was working for the wrong side, and unless there’s some kind of surveillance that we haven’t seen, he’s way too calm about her reaction.

Supposedly the next few episodes are going to make a few plot elements connect a bit more strongly, and all I can say is that I certainly hope so. It’s not as if I’m giving up on the series, or that this was a bad episode. It’s just that it relied way too much on contrived reactions to information and events, even for a series built on such entertaining ground.

Episode 4: Cute Poison review

Quite against my expectations, I am enjoying this series. It’s still completely ridiculous at times, and there are about a million plot holes along the way, but it’s just so much fun. The writers really amp up the tension in this episode, and there are even moments that one might call “tongue in cheek”. What really impresses me is how well the elements are coming together.

First, the things I didn’t like. For a conspiracy that supposed has every detail worked out, it sure took long enough for them to realize what was going on with Michael. Wouldn’t they have made an effort to know about Lincoln’s entire family before the set-up, and wouldn’t they have been keeping a close eye on family members with a likelihood of wanting Lincoln exonerated? Sounds logical to me, but it’s not until this point that the conspiracy seems to get their act together.




I also couldn’t buy into the idea that Warden Pope would be so kind to a convict who all but blackmailed him just a few episodes ago. This entire subplot is rather hard to swallow, and all it does is provide a means of increasing Billock’s hatred for Michael, which is already well established. There’d better be a reason for this plot device later in the season, because right now, it’s just bad writing.

Most of the other issues are related to Michael’s plan and his execution of it. I like the fact that each episode centers on some specific aspect of his scheme, and that the audience is given some insight into Michael’s thought process. I still don’t think it’s enough, but the writers clearly believe that the tension is best maintained if the audience is kept largely unaware of why Michael is doing what he’s doing.


It’s very methodical, of course, but it also involves a lot of clear exposure. It’s hard for me to believe that he’s managed to get so far. Haywire’s ravings were, at least this week, easily dealt with, but like the scenes with the warden, they should have some impact later in the story or it becomes little more than a contrivance. Haywire only needs to be there long enough for Sucre to figure out what should have been obvious right from the beginning.

Watching Sucre go from hating Michael’s guts to being Michael’s best friend is rather amusing. Michael might want to pay attention to that. He’s still not doing the best job of reading people. To paraphrase what the Hot Doc said: his personality is going to get him killed if he doesn’t wise up. Sucre has a vested interest in helping Michael now, so he’s in the game. If Sucre can turn that fast on a dime, then there’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t rat Michael out if it was better for him in the long run.

I have to say that I did like Haywire and his obsessive behavior. He brought an absurdity to the whole episode that gave it a certain charm. It’s something that the scenes with Veronica were missing completely. Robin Tunney is a good actress, but she’s not clicking in the role yet. Perhaps the fact that the conspiracy has finally caught up with Michael will give that part of the story some heft.

Episode 3: Cell Test review

I’ve come to the conclusion that enjoyment of this series will be entirely dependent on my ability to shut down certain impulses in my brain. Specifically, the parts that would take a lot of the story seriously. I’m not sure that the writers were really looking for me to laugh hysterically at certain moments, but it kept me from rolling my eyes too much.

Don’t get me wrong…this is not a bad show, and it’s far better than the pilot led me to believe. It’s just that there’s a point at which Michael’s well-considered plans seem awfully naïve and pathetic, and it’s fun watching it all fall apart. Why? Because clearly the writers have constructed a way for Michael to overcome all (or most) of these obstacles, and seeing that unfold is going to be rather amusing and exciting.

Michael recognized that the weak link of his plan (besides his survival) would be his cellmate. All of his activities would have to be filtered through a complete stranger whose identity would be unknown until he arrived. What strikes me as odd is the loyalty test that he conceived. It’s one thing to see if a cellmate will spill about a possible cell phone; it’s another to expect him to put his life on the line for possible escape.

Where Michael goes wrong is the psychological aspect of his plan. He’s not very good at figuring people out. He might know what other people know, their connections and resources, and everything that fits into his elaborate scheme, but he relies far too much on every little detail coming together. He never accounted for the fact that other inmates might react violently to his attempts at blackmail, and he certainly didn’t pay attention to his cellmate.


Sucre was hardly silent regarding his personal issues, and Michael knew all about his deep devotion to his woman. One can only assume that Sucre mentioned his concerns regarding Hector in the process, since he told everyone else about it. If Michael truly understood how critical his cellmate would be to his efforts, then he would have been devoting a lot more time to knowing and understanding his cellmate’s emotional and mental state.

How hard would it have been to use Sucre’s concerns about his fiancé and Hector into motivation? Michael completely misses that opportunity. More to the point, he’s far too open in his conversations with Sucre, especially since Sucre doesn’t see any upside to preserving Michael’s interests. By the time the lunatic is assigned to his cell, Michael’s fumbling becomes almost comic.

By my count, at least six inmates (including Michael and Lincoln) who potentially know about Michael’s plan. That’s way too many people at this stage of the game. Making things worse, Veronica is running around setting off alarm after alarm to the Secret Service agents behind the cover-up. Every time Veronica visits Michael, I can’t help but wonder how long it will take the agents to figure out that Michael has something up his sleeve. Michael’s survival wouldn’t last far beyond that point!




Felicia’s death will hopefully give Veronica pause. She needs to be a lot more careful. Of course, part of the conceit of the series is that time is of the essence. This pushes everyone to make mistakes, and they make incredibly stupid and impulsive decisions. Killing Felicia wasn’t the smartest move; it could have been handled more cleanly, and she could have been used to expose other weaknesses. And assigning Lincoln to mentor his own son is a recipe for LJ’s future occupation as potential hostage/victim.

That parting shot, however, was a moment of genius. I was still laughing well after the promo for the next episode. Like I said…a lot of the enjoyment is going to be watching this flawed, short-sighted individual pull off something miraculous against overwhelming odds.