(S02E01) Damn, I love when the fall season starts up again! And what makes it even sweeter is having things start with a show I'm a fan of, regardless of how much I seem to consistently bash it. Case in point -- I was really bothered by how this episode started out. It's as though everything we saw at the end of the first season was forgotten. The escapees were last seen running across an totally open field at night, with helicopters and multitudes of law enforcement hot on their heels. And now we open with the inmates running through the woods, in the daytime, with no choppers in sight. In fact, so few police were chasing the crew that they're able to get away by ducking around a passing train. Grrrr! How I wish to hate thee, Prison Break!
Another somewhat shocker here is how easily the good prison doctor Sara seems to be recovering, after what surely looked to be the end of her. Oh don't get me wrong -- I'm glad she's still around. I just like things put together with a little more sense I guess. Though I will say it's difficult to blame the producers for straying away from the storyline thus far, with an integral member of the cast not re-signing.
Something I especially loved about this episode was how quickly and easily (and more importantly, surely permanently) did away with Veronica. If you've read any of my reviews of this show before, you know how little I could stand her character. She just did not work for me. Then again, where the hell are they going to go with that side of the story now? Did they off veronica as part of the whole Patricia Wettig issue, or was it planned all along?
T-Bag ... they've outdone themselves with this one. You'll get a good look at how evil he truly still is in next week's episode, as if this wasn't enough.
I also really liked William Fichtner as the head of the manhunt. I think his character will add some depth to the show, as we can already see he's got issues of his own to work out.
These shows need to find a better way of surprising us with some of these formulaic situations, like the garage sequences. Did anyone really think Bellick would open the door to the prisoners? Why bother with doing that to the viewers? We're not that dumb!
The message left to Sara from Michael makes me look forward to the rest of this series. If they can pull his promise off well, it'll make it all worth it.
Quote of the episode:
"The problem I find with being 'on a trail' is that, by definition, you'll always be behind your prey."
Hey, look! Labor Day weekend marathons!
Giveaway Tuesday: Signed True Blood promo poster
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-21-2006 @ 10:22PM
Ethan said...
Yeah.. there was no way they made it through that field with all of the cops and helicopters right behind them...
It's also amazing how fast the FBI guy figures out everthing that took Michael weeks and months to plan.
Other than that, its a great start to an exciting season!
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8-21-2006 @ 10:33PM
Man said...
Is it me or did they replace the actor playing Terrence Steadman? John Billingsley is out and some new guy is in.
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8-21-2006 @ 10:53PM
sanna said...
His role has been recast because of his participation in ABC's the Nine. Jeff Perry is the new actor playing Terrence Steadman.
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8-21-2006 @ 11:26PM
Erica said...
Aaahh...my Mondays have meaning again.
RIP Veroniduh.
I'm liking how Mahone is a match for Scofield, but he figured out Ripe Chance Woods too quickly.
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8-21-2006 @ 11:29PM
Rick said...
I'll say this, I knew that Patricia wasn't coming back, but I sure didnt expect this. I figure that they wouldn't kill her this episode, I'd figure that would have the gun in front of her face then show the result in the next episode like Prison Break normally does. Not this time...
I don't think that they did this because of Patrica leaving, I was watching the Prison Break extras and they said they already had the first two seasons mapped out. I think they had this planned but maybe they decided to exucute it faster.
I don't think Veronica has gone away just yet, something that I have learned from watching the first season is that everything happens for a reason in Prison Break, maybe Veronica's death will lead to something that we haven't really expected...
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8-21-2006 @ 11:42PM
suzie said...
This show drives me crazy too - but I simply can't resist it. I loved the quote too - so true!
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8-22-2006 @ 12:11AM
Andre said...
Good thing they killed off Veronica. She had the least interesting subportion of the plot.
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8-22-2006 @ 7:38AM
Angel said...
I felt bad that I didn't feel bad when Veronica was shot.
I'm surprised no one mentioned the clip showing Tweener on his way to Utah.
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8-22-2006 @ 7:44AM
Chris W said...
I think Mahone is a good match for Scofield. I got a chance to watch the first two eps already, and it's looking to be a good game of chess (with more guns and running).
I actually thought they were going to off Steadman in that scene at the end. I had no idea they were going to wipe out Lincoln's entire exhonoration team. Now LJ is the only one with any information whatsoever, although I suspect Abruzzi will play a role in the future (he is quite connected).
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8-22-2006 @ 8:21AM
Diane said...
Was it me or were there WAY too many commercials? They should have debuted it commercial free!!!!
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8-22-2006 @ 8:24AM
Maurine said...
I have not enjoyed Robin's portrayal of Veronica, yet I was sad when she was killed. I felt bad for Linc because he loved her and I had imagined the two of them getting together eventually.
Now Linc doesn't have anyone helping him uncover the conspiracy.
Can't wait till next week! LJ returns. I hope Mike and Linc manage to "kidnap" him.
And how interesting that Mahone should bring up John Wilkes Booth when he's hunting Lincoln.
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8-22-2006 @ 8:27AM
Maurine said...
I too was disappointed that we didn't see how they got away from the police and helicopters.
Is Sara going to admit she unlocked the door? Don't do it Sara!!!
I also didn't like some of the camera shots--not showing up the people's faces, like Mahone and then Sara's doctors.
However, it was an excellent episode and I can't wait till next Monday!
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8-22-2006 @ 8:48AM
Keith McDuffee said...
Angel -- Because if memory serves, that happens next week. :)
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8-22-2006 @ 12:56PM
SouthBeachCasa said...
I started to give up on this show about 1/2 way through last season but decided to stick it ou to see what happens. It's gotten progressively worse. I didn't like the premiere at all. I'm done watching it. There are enough good shows out there that I'll stop sticking around and wasting my time w/this one.
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8-22-2006 @ 1:54PM
Katerina said...
I liked how Mahone figured out what Scofield was up to. It makes it more interesting if Michael has someone who can match his witts otherwise he would have fooled everybody by now and gotten away.
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8-22-2006 @ 9:03PM
Aaron said...
I'm with you on this one Kieth. This show is so absurd in it's plot that it begs to be watched. I wrote almost the same kind of review over on my site. Here's to the rest of the season!
Aaron.
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8-23-2006 @ 12:09AM
Nicholas said...
Yeah, Mahone's brilliant deductions looked more like wild guesses, and yeah, no one thought Bellick was going to open the storage door and find the convicts, and of course the multiple narrow escapes were far too convenient and easy. But the part that stretched my suspension of disbelief to the limit is that Scofield's loft-style Chicago apartment with hardwood floors and a view of the river not only hasn't been rented in two months, but hasn't even had the tack holes in the wall filled yet.
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8-23-2006 @ 9:50AM
scott said...
Hope they don't forget about Haywire!
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8-23-2006 @ 11:16AM
Scott H said...
I thought Jeff Perry did a fantastic job as Terrence Steadman, bringing life to a character we'd seen very little of until now. He came across as much more sympathetic than Billingsley. Still, the whole "no security guards at all, no alarm, just doors that only open from the outside" bit is "Prison Break"-ingly ridiculous.
I wasn't sorry to see Veronica go. I do think the new FBI guy (did they actually use his name?) is a good idea, to have someone smart coming after Michael & crew. Bellick is belligerent, but after that, he's not the sharpest card in the deck.
I'm glad to see them in civilian clothes--they all look better (especially Michael, more after his hair grows back a little). I am sorry to lose the prison as a setting. That place was a full-fledged character.
Overall, the show seems to have found a way to re-ground and re-invent itself (FBI guy, the new scenes in the credits, the new pre-commercial bumpers that are outdoors instead of in prison tunnels) while still keeping the spirit of Season 1. I'm glad it's back!
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8-26-2006 @ 9:01AM
Sophie said...
Hey Folks,
I have a trivia quiz up on my website for the Manhunt. I was wondering if some people could go and check it out, and give me some feedback since its the first prison break quiz i've done and its my first website. Is it too easy? too hard? Feedback would be much appreciated :-) I'd like the opinions of some real fans.
Do the quiz then post your scores here if you like :-)
The quiz has 30 questions so see if you were paying attention :-)
http://www.tvtriviaquiz.com/prisonbreakpage.htm
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