Tag: William Fitchner (Page 2 of 3)

Prison Break 4.16: “The Sunshine State”

December 23, 2008 /

The show (ponderously) moved to Florida for its “fall finale.” This was apparently meant to geographically separate Sara and Michael from the gang, which now consists of Lincoln, Gretchen, T-Bag, Don and a late-arriving Mahone. I’m not clear about what “deals” Don, Gretchen and T-Bag made with the General, but they seem to be committed to the quest wholeheartedly (when they should probably be on the run).

Gretchen and Lincoln had an interesting moment at the hotel when she offered herself up to him, and it would seem rather pointless if she is truly now on her way to jail. Maybe the writers were just trying to amp up the sexual tension, or maybe they’re setting something else up for later on. I presume Lincoln is still committed to Sofia, who I believe is still with L.J. in Panama.

“Is that the secret to unlimited renewable energy in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

Unsurprisingly, the new buyer for Scylla is Michael and Lincoln’s mother, but it’s not clear why she had to buy the device if she has so much power within the Company. The psychiatrist could have been yanking Michael’s chain to get him on board, but even if he had agreed to work with her within the Company, the jig would have eventually been up once he learned that she didn’t work there.

Don had a couple of great lines in this episode. First, he introduced Mahone as “Bruce Liberachi,” and then he went on this spiel once he realized that Gretchen had betrayed the group:

“You whore. You’re a whore. Your mother was a whore and her mother was a whore. And your father use to turn tricks at a gas station ‘cause he was a whore too.”

This, coming from a guy who has betrayed every single character on the show at least once.

From the tag, it looks like Michael and Lincoln are going to be pitted against each other in the search for Scylla. Seeing that Linc agreed to work for the Company in order to get Michael the necessary medical care, I’m not sure why he doesn’t join forces with his brother now that he’s safe with Sara. If his reasoning is that he “just wants his life back,” that’ll be pretty lame. If he wants his life back he should just join L.J. and Sofia in Panama. Why does he have to mess with Michael’s seemingly impossible and endless quest to take down the Company?

The tag also said that there are only six episodes left, which (somewhat) contradicts the news that the show was going to have its filming schedule extended by two episodes. There has been no additional news since mid-November that would give us any clues about the show’s future. I, for one, agree with the General in that the whole cat and mouse has been “exhausting.” It’s well past the time to wrap this thing up.

External Entertainment, External TV, Prison Break, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas

Prison Break 4.15: “Going Under”

December 16, 2008 /

All right, I just want to get this prediction out of the way: the woman on the phone – you know, the “other buyer” – she’s Lincoln and Michael’s mom. Has to be. That would be the only explanation for all the “other patient” talk the last couple of weeks and the introduction of the Tombstone II folder. As soon as I heard the woman’s voice on the phone, a light bulb blinked on.

Anyway, this was kind of a clunky episode as the series tries to reposition itself for a stretch run now that Scylla is complete. After the representative’s saucy (and completely inappropriate) “nothing more than a fancy box…(look at Gretchen)…speaking of…” comment, Don and Gretchen got a look at the data on the device and based on Michael and Sara’s later conversation, Scylla is more about renewable energy than anything else. Clearly, this would be a VERY profitable thing to get one’s hands on, so it will be interesting to see if Michael (or, in this case, Lincoln) can be the one to bring renewable energy to the world.

(In the interests of full disclosure: When I first saw Michael drawing boxes around B – AR – GA – IN, I thought they were states. Not “B” obviously, but Arkansas, Georgia and Indiana. I am a fool.)

“The salesman said that if I stare at this long enough, I’ll eventually see a unicorn.”

We had another classic “Prison Break” moment when the buyer’s representative pulled a gun on Gretchen and Don, and instead of just shooting them, he explained, “I’m sure you understand that no one can know where Scylla is going.” Why is this explanation necessary? Why does he care if the people he’s trying to kill understand why he’s trying to kill them? Isn’t enough for the American viewing public to accept the fact that there’s a lot at stake here and that buyers and sellers are going to try to double-cross each other when they have the chance? That moment was totally ridiculous.

Meanwhile, Mahone is once again on the run after his former partner (and love interest?) let him escape. I have no idea where this is going. Mahone could attempt to reunite with Lincoln and Michael or he could go visit his wife (though surely that would be the first place that the Feds would look). Strangely, Sucre also seems to have left the story, at least for now. Maybe the two are going to reunite in Mexico and get a jump start on that scuba shop everyone keeps talking about.

From what the General said to Lincoln, it sounds as if he has to work with Gretchen, Don and T-Bag in order to find Scylla. Once again, the show has doubled back upon itself and reshuffled the deck. My guess is that the next several episodes will follow this new group (with Michael and Sara joining them soon) as they try to hunt down the new buyer (a.k.a. the brothers’ mother). Whoopee!

External TV, Prison Break, TV Action, TV Dramas

Prison Break 4.14: “Just Business”

December 9, 2008 /

This episode started off with a serious head-scratcher – if the gang is trying to elude Don Self, why in the world would they go back to the warehouse where he can find them? I guess Michael’s plan was to buy time in the warehouse while Sucre hid inside Don’s trunk, though that requires the leap of faith that Don and Gretchen aren’t going to notice that their car suddenly has half the trunk space. But by acting as a sitting duck at the warehouse, someone could have easily been shot (or worse).

Once Don’s held-at-gunpoint “if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” speech was over, each side went about the business of screwing the other over. I guess if we’re supposed to believe that Don isn’t going to notice Sucre in his trunk, then we can also overlook the incredulousness of Don’s little gadget being able to see through a concrete bathroom wall. Of course, even if that technology exists, Don would have to be looking in just the right direction at just the right moment. Not only that, but why did Michael have to hide the chip after the attack? Wasn’t it already hidden?

“Don’t be fooled by the gas bombs and gunfire. I’d really rather split the payout with you.”

Time to repeat my mantra: This is “Prison Break.” It’s best not to get bogged down in the details.

Michael’s plan at the hotel was a little half-baked. First, Sucre alerted Don and Gretchen that there were enemies about. So the idea is to draw a highly trained killer into hand-to-hand combat with a guy that is still recovering from a bullet wound? Wouldn’t it be a better idea to have Sucre send the gas bombs into the room and have Lincoln outside to do battle with Gretchen? And what was their plan before they found the gas bombs in Don’s trunk?

This is “Prison Break.” It’s best not to get bogged down in the details.

Meanwhile, back at the house, we witnessed T-Bag’s “awakening.” At one point, I bought that the guy was just a Bible salesman, but as soon as Theodore let him go, I had a feeling that the writers were going to pull the ol’ switcheroo once again. That, coupled with Michael’s ill-timed health problems has two of our main characters in Company custody. Three, if you count Lincoln, who now apparently has to retrieve Scylla so that the Company will perform the operation that will save Michael’s life. (Take special note of the doctor saying that he has only seen a tumor like this “once before” – did he spend any time with Michael’s mom?)

Essentially, the series has doubled back on itself (for what, the sixth or seventh time?) and, at this point, I’d rather watch a show that follows Don Self as he retires to a tropical island with $125 million in tow.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I truly hope this is the last season of “Prison Break.” If the season ends with Michael being sent back to prison, setting up a fifth chapter where he’ll have to break himself out again, I think I just might shoot myself in the head.

External TV, Prison Break, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas

Prison Break 4.13: “Deal or No Deal”

December 2, 2008 /

This episode featured surprises at every turn. I’m cursing myself for not thinking ahead when the writers pretty much punched us in the face with the scene where Michael hid the chip in the bathroom. When it happened, I didn’t wonder what the chip was for or wonder how it would play out later on, I just watched it happen like, “Oh, there’s Michael looking at a computer chip.” I have the same reaction when my dog gets off the couch to get a drink of water.

But I digress. Michael Rapaport has morphed Don Self from a sideshow friend into the main event foil. He thinks he’s smarter than Michael. But they all think they’re smarter than Michael, only no one is. He has a brain tumor and he’s still out-thinking two-bit hacks like Don Self. If Don thinks he’s going to outsmart Michael and get away scot free, he has another thing coming.

Now that Self’s DHS mission has evaporated into thin air, the gang no longer have deals to work towards, so now the show is pointing to a get-rich-and-get-out-of-town ending. There were rumors that the series might be wrapping things up, and if that’s the case, this would be the perfect finish. Don needs Michael and, in a way, Michael needs Don. It’s not clear if there’s a way to bring Don to (traditional) justice, so the next best thing would be for Michael and the gang to profit from the sale of Scylla, because that might be just as damaging to the Company as handing it over to the Feds. (There’s a strong possibility that Don dies in the process, however.)

“Seriously, just put me out of my misery.”

It was highly ironic that it turned out that Sutter worked for the General, though I suppose I should have seen that coming as well. I doubt that Don’s boss would have brought Sutter to the warehouse to see him pull a gun on two fugitives, but what the heck, it’s “Prison Break.” It’s best not to get bogged down in the details.

So now that the Feds are out of the picture, it looks like it’s down to four parties – Don, Gretchen, the gang and the General. Right now, Don and the gang have the power because collectively, they have Scylla, while Gretchen and the General are in a weak position. Gretchen has a little more power because she’s with Don, but presumably, Don doesn’t really need her anymore now that he’s met the Conduit. (I’m sure she’ll find a way to make herself useful, however.)

Meanwhile, Mahone has gone missing. Since he mentioned reaching out to the FBI, I think that is probably where he went.

I spend a lot of time bagging on the show, but I’ll be honest – the last couple of episodes have rekindled my interest. I’d like to see a strong finish to a series finale this season. If they try to stretch this out another year or two, they’d really be pushing their luck.

External Entertainment, External TV, Prison Break, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas

Prison Break 4.12: “Selfless”

November 25, 2008 /

Sometimes this show is a victim of its own format.

We’re just past the midpoint of the season, so once the gang passed Scylla off to Don and started in with all the premature celebration, it was obvious that something was going to happen to Don and/or Scylla before it reached the FBI’s (or the Senator’s) hands.

Honestly, when I saw the title of this episode, I thought Don was going to die trying to keep Scylla out of Company hands. Considering the way that Don’s boss was acting, he looked like he might very well be a Company mole. But when the General threw up his hands after being asked what his orders were, it sure seemed like he was out of options, FBI moles included. As soon as Don rendezvoused with Trish Ann – she will always, always be Trish Ann to me – I finally figured out that he was going to go rogue and try to sell Scylla on his own. The writers deserve credit for keeping things fairly unclear that long.

“Did you have onions for lunch?”

Every so often this series has an episode that spins it off into a completely new direction. Sooooooo much happened this week that it’s hard to keep track of it all. And anytime the writers try to cram this many plot points into one hour, there is bound to be some oversights.

For example, why in the world would Gretchen insist that the she and T-Bag wait in his office for Michael and the gang to emerge from the basement with Scylla? T-Bag’s office has glass walls – wouldn’t it be a little conspicuous to try to force them to give up the hardware at gunpoint when everyone at Gate could see them? Why not just wait in the closet? I’ve said before on this blog that I hate it when (supposedly) smart characters do dumb things and this is a great example. These two probably have a combined IQ of 260 and their decision to wait in T-Bag’s office created the situation with his boss, which created the hostage standoff. That is “manufactured conflict” at its very best.

Next, it was Trish Ann’s decision to yell “drop your weapons!” after Gretchen had already killed T-Bag’s boss. Did Trish really think that Gretchen was going to lay her weapons down and surrender? By yelling out, she gave up the only advantage she had – surprise.

And then there was the moment in the garage where Gretchen pulled a gun on T-Bag. A real mercenary would just shoot the guy in the back of the head and run off. Gretchen is supposed to be a major hard ass; she wouldn’t stand there and explain why she’s about to shoot him, allowing for some external event to interrupt the little chat. What does it matter to Gretchen if T-Bag knows why he’s dead?

Of course, we know that “Prison Break” isn’t going to kill off one of its most beloved characters mid-season, so even when someone is holding him at gunpoint and is telling him that they’re going to shoot him, we know that T-Bag is going to escape somehow. (By the way, I wouldn’t consider Bellick to be “beloved” – not like Theodore Bagwell.)

I have to applaud much of the interaction between the General and the gang. The hatred that Michael and Co. had for the General was palpable and it was nice to see the General get his smugness thrown back in his face on several different occasions. The twist with his daughter was a strong plot point, and Sarah Wayne Callies pulled off another nice bit of acting as her character held the daughter at gunpoint.

But I don’t understand why the gang wouldn’t take the General with them as insurance as they went to deliver Scylla. That seems like a no-brainer.

Regular readers know that I have a love/hate relationship with the ol’ switcheroo, and “Prison Break” uses that plot device early and often. When Michael put Scylla into the backpack, I smelled this week’s switcheroo coming a mile away. He took a big risk by giving Scylla to Sucre. Why would the all-powerful company only have enough manpower to follow Michael and Linc? They sent four men to follow the two brothers, not even allowing for the possibility that Sucre or Mahone might have what they want. Don’t they read this blog?!?

“Hold on. I have to stare at this backpack for a while to set up the ol’ switcheroo that I’m going to pull on you later in the episode.”

Lastly, it was kind of goofy that Don’s number would be disconnected so quickly. Why wouldn’t he just toss the phone in the garbage and buy himself more time? Because we needed to have the scene where Michael and the gang realize that they’ve been duped, that’s why. I’d rather have seen Michael put two and two together when the call to Don went to voicemail.

So now Don has Scylla and he’s going to try to use T-Bag to find another buyer. The gang is still on the run and it’s not entirely clear whether or not they should go after Don (because isn’t he the one with all the FBI contacts?) or flee to Mexico. Then there’s the matter of the $125 million that was loaded up into Feng’s truck – what are the odds that we never hear about that again? And how about that million-plus that is sitting at the bottom of the bay in Panama?

The possibilities are endless. Hopefully, the series won’t be.

External Entertainment, External TV, Prison Break, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas

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