The boys are back and - yep, I'm gonna say it - better than ever. Or at least a great deal better than last season. (Surprisingly, Wentworth himself deems Season
2 the clinker in the bunch. Go figure.)
From where I sit,
Prison Break took what wasn't working from last season and dispatched with it in short order in this premiere. That wasn't Whistler getting popped in an alley; it was the dude's lackluster storyline. And good riddance.
Some haters may argue that Susan B./Gretchen should have been killed off for real, but the fact of the matter is she is a villain you love to loathe. She gets people talking. (Plus, you know you crave a showdown between here and Sara someday.)
So, gone is the seasons-long conceit that the boys are breaking
out of somewhere and/or on the run from the law. No, that concept has been gloriously flipped - it's now ultimately about a break
in , as they covertly work
on behalf of Uncle Sam.
You've seen
Ocean's 11? Here's Scofield's 7.
And I
like it.
Specifically, what I liked about the Season 4 premiere:
" The Reunion: Long-awaited. Ultimately, not protracted. Romantic, if a bit chaste. And well-lit, with "resurrected" Sara bathed in white light. I'm glad that this worst-kept spoiler ever was trotted out soon, and without melodramatic fanfare.
" The "gang" disembarking the military plane, almost
The Right Stuff-style. (Or at least
Con Air.)
" Mahone's in-depth read on Tuxhorn's limo driver. He's obviously fit to be our "profiler" of the bunch.
" T-Bag hunting for a compass cactus: "Inside, we'll find delicious fruit which will fill our bellies." If not... he could always grab some "Mexican."
" Sara flashing back and then lashing out with the 2x4. You just know that's the sort of depth Sarah Wayne Callies wanted when she signed on to return.
" Linc pulling no punches when it comes to old foes (Mahone) or new strangers (to Roland, the "douche": "Sit in the corner and we'll get you when we need you.")
" Bellick's idea to tunnel under and up into the mansion. A tunnel doesn't solve everything, man!
" Agent Self, who as played by Michael Rappaport is an atypical Fed, yet one not above threatening to shame a former informant turned car salesman. I scoffed at Rappaport's casting at first, but upon reflection he could work.
" Hacker Boy Roland boasting about how his gizmo can steal 20 identities in 10 minutes, as all the while he keeps "one hand on my junk." The guy had lots other funny lines, including, "Last time i had this little action I was dry-humping my way through the 5th grade" and the one about Tuxhorn having a "50,000-hour TiVo."
What I
didn't love about the season opener:
" Cress Williams' Company assassin. He's very one-note, thus far.
" The ankle monitors. In today's day and age, nothing higher-tech/smaller was available? Did no one contact CTU?
" Saying goodbye to Mahone's wife and kid, even though is does afford him proper motivation (if also the occasional hallucination).
" The fact that the card-copying plan relied on the housekeeper lugging her handbag around with her as she checked the alarm system. Kind of a big "if."
" Do rented bus lockers have combination dials?
" And the biggest leap of the episode: Michael's full-torso, one-sitting, anesthesia-free tattoo removal. Um, right.
Still, even with those few nits picked, I am thoroughly jazzed for the new season/this "reboot." I think they have put together a nifty premise, kept on hand our favorite characters, and given us an "end" in sight, perhaps more so than ever.
Before I go, some burning questions as we continue into next week:
" What is the "10,000 people" number cited by The Company and what is happening to them that is (or is not) "acceptable"?
" What of Sophia and L.J.? MIA until the Company needs leverage? Until Scofield's 7 needs to go to 9?
" What's in the package that T-Bag is taking to L.A.? Simply something that Michael will want? But how does he even know Michael is on the outside?
" How loudly will Michael scream the first time someone slaps him on the back?
" What's up with the nosebleed? I've heard rumors....
What's your take? Did
Prison Break get it right with Season 4's kick-off?
Watch Prison Break Cast Interviews!
"
Has Prison Break's Mahone Gone Very Bad?
"
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe reveals Gretchen's shocking romance
"
Wade Williams: Will Bellick escape the Sona prison?
"
Robert Knepper teases T-Bag's plan for the "bird book"
show less
The boys are back and yep Im gonna say it better than ever Or at least a great deal better than last season Surprisingly Wentworth himself deems Season 2 the clinker in the bunch Go figureFrom where I sit Prison Break took what wasnt working from last season and dispatched with it in short order in this premiere That wasnt Whistler getting popped in an alley it was the dudes lackluster storyline And good riddanceSome haters may argue that Susan BGretchen should have been killed off for real but the fact of the matter is she is a villain you love to loathe She gets people talking Plus you know you crave a showdown between here and Sara somedaySo gone is the seasons-long conceit that the boys are breaking out of somewhere andor on the run from the law No that concept has been gloriously flipped its now ultimately about a break in as they covertly work on behalf of Uncle SamYouve seen Oceans 11 Heres Scofields 7And I li
read more