Roush on Prison Break, Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell
Question: I have been a fan of
Prison Break since it began. It was a show that had me on edge, especially last season. I think
Wentworth Miller and
Dominic Purcell play their characters well and I have had a love/hate relationship with some of the other characters as well. But after the tasteless act of having Lincoln find Sara's head in a box, I wonder where this show is really going. And what are these rumors about a possible
Prison Break spin-off, with one of the new characters and set at a women's prison? I personally feel that
Prison Break should have ended last season, with Michael and Lincoln being exonerated and Lincoln living happily ever after with his Doc. I know years ago shows would go on for five to 10 years, but nowadays, some shows just don't have the lifespan or storylines to carry into that timeframe. I think after this season, we should let go of this story and just let it be. It should have ended last year on top, but I feel like it's spiraling out of control. What do you think?
— Samantha
Matt Roush: Prison Break still seems to me to be a miniseries in series' clothing, and it's not a good fit. The first season at its best played like a taut miniseries, but at 22 hours, even that was a stretch. I wasn't nearly as big a fan of the scattershot Season 2, but if they had let the aftermath of the escape play out naturally and coherently, I guess it's true that we could have taken some satisfaction in an actual finale (if not necessarily a happy ending). But now it's gone beyond the realm of the absurd in its third season, although I get plenty of mail to the contrary (most of it from Europe, oddly). The women's-prison spin-off concept feels like a desperate attempt to revive the franchise and keep the Prison Break title alive. I'm assuming it would take over for the original show, since given the dwindling ratings this season, I can't imagine Fox thinks its shaky schedule can sustain two hours of Prison Break at once. As far as I'm concerned, one is probably too much.
