Prison Break 2.5: "Map 1213"
So the writers are pacing this out as predicted, with the inevitable convergence of all surviving players in Utah around episodes 6-8, just in time for the first major shift of the season arc. At least the writers are taking the time to get the pieces in proper position first, instead of rushing it. This episode is all about positioning, playing to strengths and weaknesses, and as such it is a transitional episode. Those can be tough, but in this case, it was done well.
Who ever expected that suburban sprawl would be an obstacle on “Prison Break”? Not me, but it makes as much sense as anything else on the show! (For those of us in the Northeast, it’s actually too accurate for words.) It’s a neatly ironic twist, because there was no way for the Escape Squad to know that it had happened. They were operating on old information, and things change. It was a nice touch.
Getting there was a little brutal. Tweener goes from the bed of a collegiate hottie to the wrong end of a baseball bat, and there was quality time with T-Bag along the way. Talk about having your day go downhill fast! For that matter, Michael and Lincoln are having issues of their own. Mahone is getting the job done, because the entire country knows about the Fox River 8, and they are running out of chances to hide.
T-Bag always seems to find a way to make himself essential. If nothing else, the man has a keen sense of survival. I question how a man could survive being locked in a trunk for hours in that kind of heat, never mind swallow dry paper when dehydrated, but considering what the writers have done in previous episodes, that’s a minor nitpick. With the rest of the gang converging on Utah, things are definitely coming to a head.
Mahone is an interesting character, and I really wonder what his deal is. I feel like there’s meaning behind his contemplation of that bird bath, especially when they ominously pan down to the ground beneath it. It’s as if something is buried there. It sounds like he’s addicted to painkillers, but it could easily be something else. I did notice, however, that once the medication kicks in, he’s a lot sharper. Most pain meds knock you silly, so I wonder if he’s hiding some other kind of condition, one that puts him on even par with Michael.
Like the main plot thread, the subplots were all about positioning. Kellerman seems to be in a precarious position, in terms of his handling of Sara, and it could be that he will find himself questioning his orders regarding her future. Sara and her father are trying to position themselves for what they want, even though it could cause complications later down the line. So far, the writers are doing a nice enough job of keeping that subplot interesting, so it’s not as bad as it was in the first season.
This episode also deals with Sucre and C-Note, both of whom end up running from the authorities. C-Note gets to show off some of his skills and personality, which is a nice touch, and Sucre’s situation with Maricruz is clarified. With the meaning of his life ripped away, Sucre could turn in a very dark direction. That said, I think that having so many of the Escape Squad identified during a short time frame was a simple but effective way of giving Mahone the information he needed.
(As a sidenote: I also have a new podcast associated with my various reviews called “Velocity TV”. Current episodes cover the “Prison Break”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://thrillridetv.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Who ever expected that suburban sprawl would be an obstacle on “Prison Break”? Not me, but it makes as much sense as anything else on the show! (For those of us in the Northeast, it’s actually too accurate for words.) It’s a neatly ironic twist, because there was no way for the Escape Squad to know that it had happened. They were operating on old information, and things change. It was a nice touch.
Getting there was a little brutal. Tweener goes from the bed of a collegiate hottie to the wrong end of a baseball bat, and there was quality time with T-Bag along the way. Talk about having your day go downhill fast! For that matter, Michael and Lincoln are having issues of their own. Mahone is getting the job done, because the entire country knows about the Fox River 8, and they are running out of chances to hide.
T-Bag always seems to find a way to make himself essential. If nothing else, the man has a keen sense of survival. I question how a man could survive being locked in a trunk for hours in that kind of heat, never mind swallow dry paper when dehydrated, but considering what the writers have done in previous episodes, that’s a minor nitpick. With the rest of the gang converging on Utah, things are definitely coming to a head.
Mahone is an interesting character, and I really wonder what his deal is. I feel like there’s meaning behind his contemplation of that bird bath, especially when they ominously pan down to the ground beneath it. It’s as if something is buried there. It sounds like he’s addicted to painkillers, but it could easily be something else. I did notice, however, that once the medication kicks in, he’s a lot sharper. Most pain meds knock you silly, so I wonder if he’s hiding some other kind of condition, one that puts him on even par with Michael.
Like the main plot thread, the subplots were all about positioning. Kellerman seems to be in a precarious position, in terms of his handling of Sara, and it could be that he will find himself questioning his orders regarding her future. Sara and her father are trying to position themselves for what they want, even though it could cause complications later down the line. So far, the writers are doing a nice enough job of keeping that subplot interesting, so it’s not as bad as it was in the first season.
This episode also deals with Sucre and C-Note, both of whom end up running from the authorities. C-Note gets to show off some of his skills and personality, which is a nice touch, and Sucre’s situation with Maricruz is clarified. With the meaning of his life ripped away, Sucre could turn in a very dark direction. That said, I think that having so many of the Escape Squad identified during a short time frame was a simple but effective way of giving Mahone the information he needed.
(As a sidenote: I also have a new podcast associated with my various reviews called “Velocity TV”. Current episodes cover the “Prison Break”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://thrillridetv.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
posted by John Keegan | 15:33
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