(S03E13) "You know, you're the first person to ever break out of Sona." - Gretchen
This was a great episode. Really solid and enjoyable. However, you can see why it was originally meant to be the mid-season finale and not a season ender. There are just simply too many questions left hanging and, for lack of a better way to put it, it just doesn't feel right. Fans of Prison Break, you know what I mean. As far as finales go, this wasn't satisfying. While it left me yearning for more, I'm equally annoyed. Plenty of other shows are coming back with four or five new episodes starting in about a month, so why not Prison Break? What really worries me? No word on any sort of renewal from FOX. This very well could be the last we'll see of Michael and Lincoln.
Do I honestly think FOX will can Prison Break? No I don't, but at the same time...it wouldn't surprise me if they did. Even though I'm usually the first in line to rag on how corny and over-the-top this show can be, it's still one of the better programs currently on and it always does pretty decent in the ratings. Plus, with the way this episode ended, a cancellation would create a viewer outcry to rival what happened with Jericho...multiplied by about a thousand.
Alright, let's get to the review. The episode picked up right where we left off last week--with Michael and Lincoln chasing down Whistler. Surprise...they catch him! After about half an hour of cat and mouse positioning between Scofield and Gretchen, the switch finally happens at a museum where the threat of guns was neutralized by metal detectors at the entrance.
Gretchen gives up Sofia and LJ; Michael gives up Whistler. Then came the completely expected bombshell: there are no coordinates. Sofia got PO'ed after hearing that and ran back to Lincoln. More importantly, without the existence of coordinates, what's Whistler's worth? What does he know or do? Is he some sort of agent for The Company just like Gretchen? Not finding that out really bugged me, especially since we probably would have found out next week had this season not been cut short.
Anyway, after some gun fire in the front of the museum (Sofia got shot but survived and will be fine), everyone pretty much walked away and in that regard, it was sort of anti-climactic.
More thoughts...
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Was there any real point in showing McGrady's happy ending? He was a nice guy and all, but it was total filler and contributed nothing. After he and his dad left the marina, that should have been the last we saw of him.
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Sucre got tossed into Sona. Not sure how I feel about that. His story this whole season was shaky and didn't really have much direction since he was constantly torn between helping Michael and going home to Mari-Cruz. Maybe his incarceration will create the opportunity to bring her back?
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Speaking of bringing someone back, nice touch with the flash-back to the day Michael gave Sarah the origami rose.
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What's T-Bag's end game? Does he have some plan to get out of Sona by using Lechero's money? It's not like he's going to be able to rule Sona since he was handing out hundred dollar bills and preaching equality. But with Lechero dead (Was there ever a doubt that T-Bag wasn't playing him?), it's definitely going to create a power struggle in Sona. Oh and what about the nun? Random to see her back. What's her role in T-Bag's plan, other than holding on to the rest of the cash?
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Whistler sure gave up on Sofia pretty fast, huh?
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Bellick falls into the same category as McGrady. He's completely worthless and added absolutely nothing to a majority of this season.
Moving on to the end... Mahone in a bar, sipping his club soda. A stranger approaches. At first, I really thought we were about to witness the return of Kellerman. He could still be alive. We never actually saw Kellerman shoot himself. We only heard a gun go off and saw nothing. Anyway, it was Whistler. Whoa. He and Mahone are in cahoots along with Gretchen. One big ol' Company outing. So now we have more questions. What are they up to and why is Mahone key to the plan?
Plus, as Mahone pointed out, if Gretchen really killed Sarah (which she did), then she's the weak link because Michael will find her. And he has something to go on too. Sofia found Whistler's metal briefcase, remember? All it had in it was some paperwork referencing a guy named Jason Lief. Who the hell is that? Whistler's alias?
That was it. Michael took off on his revenge mission and Whistler and Co. are off doing ___________? I'm trying not to stress about this too much though. Who knows if we'll even get answers. It's too bad the strike prevented the possibility of this episode at least being re-cut. At least they broke out of prison. The title was starting to lose it's meaning...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-18-2008 @ 9:34PM
tom said...
Good episode wish there were more to come. Kellerman didn't shoot himself. Remember his van was intercepted in route to prison they never showed it on screen though your right.
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2-19-2008 @ 10:22AM
Donny Frenkel said...
I was a big fan of this show since it started. Never missed an episode. But I'm officially done. There are no open story lines that hold enough interest for me. The boys are out and I don't really care about Michael getting his revenge or finding out more about the Company or whether T-Bag or Sucre get out or get broken out.
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2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
CHARLIE TIPPE said...
HI THERE , AFTER READING EVERYONES COMMENTS ON THIS FANTASTIC SHOW- PRISON BREAK; I AM DEEPLY TOUCHED BY ALL YOUR GREAT, GREAT, THOUGHTS..... AND I JUST PRAY THAT PRISON BREAK RETURNS BY THE SUMMER/FALL , WITH ALL NEW EPISODES... FAN OUT- CRY WILL SAVE IT... YOU'LL ALL SEE........ I HOPE FOX READS THIS !!!!!!!!! TAKE CARE Y'all ...
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2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
fred said...
You know what? I think this was actually a pretty godo finale, shoudl it be season or even series finale!
Yes, the kid's story was filler, but it came to an end. So did the whole thing in Sona : Sucre is there to say, since no one knows he's actually there. Same for Bellick & T-Bag.
I don't think T-Bag has anyplan to escape, he just wanted to ensure his safety around those walls, remind everyone that everyone is equal, that he was one of them, not Lechero's pals. And so that they should go after him.
Even Linc, LJ & Sofia now are all together (yes, somehow Linc didn't care anymore at the end and went in the hospital himself, not caring that he's a wanted man anymore like he did minutes before...) and this story can end there.
Even Michael's story ended, his romance with Sara & his escape. Now begins a new story, his revenge, but I could deal with it never being told...
Especially since I think this was without a doubt the weakest of all season of the show, and it really felt like they didn't know what to do / where to go with it...
http://tvoholic.com/episode-reviews/prison-break-the-art-of-the-deal/
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2-19-2008 @ 10:22AM
Donny Frenkel said...
You said it all.
2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
vivek said...
Liorando (Crying) is a beautiful song..Also Michael is surely going to feel guilty for Sucre's plight and will try to break him out while simultaneously seeking revenge on Gretchen.something tells me T Bag will yet again buy his way out for the escape from Sona because of the book he has.
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2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
bruce said...
I watched tonight's "season" finale fully expecting that it will be the last episode of Prison Break ever. Needless to say, I'm quite unsatisfied. It would be one thing to have to wait a few months for the remaining 11-12 episodes of the season. But this was likely the end. I don't want to get into more arguments over whether "season finale" is absolute proof that there will be more episodes on the theory that they'd call it "series finale" if it were truly the last. That's not the way it works, the show simply has not been officially cancelled yet, so the fact that it was the "season finale" is no evidence as to whether the show will or will not continue.
To not get any info about Whistler simply makes no sense. For them to turn Whistler into a top boss of the Company (if that's where they were going) is asinine - there was no doubt that Sofia was truly threatened and a real hostage this season.
Truly horrible that the show has to end like this.
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2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
sexysperm:) said...
OMG. I give this episode a 10/10!!!
It absolutely concluded the season, but I agree with some of you, many questions were either brought up or unanswered after this show(the art of a deal).
I mean, WTF is up with whistler and the company!???
Where the F is whistler and gretchen going!??
WHAT ABOUT KELLERMAN!!!?????
Is he dead, or alive!???
How is bellick going to be important later on?
All these questions are probably going to be left unanswered because of the writers' strike!!!
I am and will be very pissed if they stop showing Prison break!!!
If they do, I swear to god, they will lose a huge fan!!!
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2-19-2008 @ 10:24AM
sexysperm:) said...
OMG. I give this episode a 10/10!!!
It absolutely concluded the season, but I agree with some of you, many questions were either brought up or unanswered after this show(the art of a deal).
I mean, WTF is up with whistler and the company!???
Where the F is whistler and gretchen going!??
WHAT ABOUT KELLERMAN!!!?????
Is he dead, or alive!???
How is bellick going to be important later on?
All these questions are probably going to be left unanswered because of the writers' strike!!!
I am and will be very pissed if they stop showing Prison break!!!
If they do, I swear to god, they will lose a huge fan!!!
Reply
2-19-2008 @ 10:24AM
Logan said...
Don't worry it'll be back...bruce is just talking out the backside of a barn as per usual
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2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
bruce said...
I sincerely hope I am wrong about them cancelling the show. But... I'm hardly ever wrong.
2-19-2008 @ 10:24AM
drklrdbill said...
There was some interview on the San Antonio Fox channel with the actor who plays Lincoln and said he would tell what would be in store for next season. But, I didn't get to watch it
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2-19-2008 @ 10:24AM
Slight Bleeding said...
I'm a bit confused.
Okay, so Sarah's the missing link - but if she's in fact dead why are they bringing her up? Because they know he'll seek revenge?
Or because she's still alive? I don't know!!
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2-19-2008 @ 10:24AM
ladyangst said...
Sarah's not the missing link. What Mahone said was that Gretchen is the weak link because of what she did to Sarah, and the fact that it gives Michael a reason to pursue her (and by extension, the rest of them.)
2-19-2008 @ 10:24AM
MCW said...
The beautiful song at the end of the episode is "Llorando (Crying)", a Roy Orbison cover done by Rebekah Del Rio. I'm going to have to pick that off of iTunes tommorow. 'Bout made me cry :)
Just thought I'd mention it, for anyone else who liked it.
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2-19-2008 @ 10:23AM
CHARLIE TIPPE said...
LOVED THE VERY TOUCHING SONG AT THE END OF PRISON BREAK......... EXCELLENT... VERY WELL DONE...........
2-19-2008 @ 10:25AM
Sammy Apple said...
Okay i've read your entire thing.. And i have to say that you know your stuff. I agree with you on the most part. I'd love to debate a few things you said with you. Feel free to Email me.
Thanks a lot,
Sammy
PS: Sorry to ruin your prediction but even though we saw Kellerman try to commit suicide, it showed that the bullet jammed. He talks with his sister and later tries to redeem himself by acting as a credible witness to everything Sarah is saying (Late season 2). He does his part in court and all of the charges on Sarah are completely dropped (Which ends up making no difference). Then in the van, which is transporting him to jail, there is a roadblock up ahead. With your knowledge, I'm sure you know all of this but have forgotten. He then says the greatest honor is to smile while being killed. Some people open the backdoor of the van and kill him (while he's smiling =) )
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2-19-2008 @ 10:57AM
Dan S said...
It's not a perfect show but it's miles ahead of most everything else on tv. I hope Fox renews it!
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2-19-2008 @ 1:10PM
Adam said...
God, this show is just starting to tick me off. Seriously, they should have jumped ship at the end of season 2... hell, maybe even cut off halfway through season 2. The premise of season 1 was very clear-cut and straight through, from arrival to escape, with little twists and turns along the way. Now, week after week, they seem to throw more plot on an already exhausted idea, simply to keep milking viewership. I wish that when they actually ran out of actual storyline (again, midpoint of Season 2), they would have wrapped up the series and left it as coherent. Season 3 was absolutely ridiculous (how does a guy end up back in Prison in some exotic, third-world country)? It's bigger and badder than the first time. Gag... the only exciting part were the last two episodes. Now that they're out.... then what? Spend all of Season 4 sitting around, waiting for them to catch Gretchen? Geez, that sounds exciting...
Sorry for sounding overly sarcastic. I used to love this show... all the way until after they start stretching plot thin.
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2-19-2008 @ 1:12PM
robinson29 said...
Nobody yet has mentioned how lucky McGrady was that his dad had the foresight to buy a pick-up truck with a hidden compartment large enough for small man. My local dealership has never mentioned that option...
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