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May 26, 2012

Prison Break: Hell or High Water

by Jonathan Toomey, posted Feb 11th 2008 9:01PM

Lincoln (Dominic Purcell, R) helps Michael (Wentworth Miller, L) escape from Sona in the PRISON BREAK episode 'Hell or High Water.'
(S03E12) "Screw you Mahone." - Lincoln

Is it just me, or was it relatively easy to break out of Sona? When compared to Fox River, it was cake! No tattoos required -- just dig a hole and run. And before you say, "but what about all those guards with guns," look at it this way: they're what made it easy! And Michael used it to his advantage. He gave them something to occupy their time (allowing Lechero, T-Bag, and Bellick to go first and get caught) and then he, Whistler, Mahone, and McGrady pretty much just walked through the hole in the fence. So, with that in mind... remind me again why The Company had to use Michael to get to Whistler?

Just seems like it would have been easier to send in some kind of tactical recovery team to bust the guy out. I suppose that doesn't really matter though because Michael worked his magic and got Whistler out anyway. So now they're running and swimming and driving their way to freedom, but not without some bumps along the way.

First there's Sucre, who's predicament with the guards at Sona has become borderline comical. First they nail him on a warrant for an alias that made no sense to me at all. We'd never heard him use that name before, right? At first, I thought maybe Gretchen had done it to set him up, but that doesn't make sense because she knew Sucre was part of Lincoln's plan. Why screw up her ticket to Whistler? So that warrant finally disappears and T-Bag, inches from having his twig and berries fried off by a car battery, fingers Sucre as having a part in the escape. I guess all I'm trying to say is that it sucks to be Sucre. He can't catch a break.

It did, however, lead to what I'm convinced is the most ridiculous moment in Prison Break history. Since Sucre couldn't man the boat, McGrady's father took over as skipper when he saw that the boat was still at the marina. How did he find the merry gang of convicts after they swam to freedom? He knew they were coming from the southwest and "took a chance." Wow! That was one hell of a gamble. So after running through the woods, swimming for who knows how long, and clinging to a giant buoy, it looks like they're all actually free. It opens the door for tons of questions though:

  • Does Whistler's bird book actually hold any meaning? Isn't it more likely that he has all the knowledge he needs in his head and the bird book is just his way of lowering himself to seem innocent? Like a safety blanket to mask something? I'll be interested to see what T-Bag does with it.
  • What happens if McGrady is recognized at the road block? I see no real reason for him to be around though. I'll be happy if he passes through and we've seen the last of him.
  • Is Gretchen actually going to hand over LJ and Sofia quietly? As long as she gets Whistler, is there really any need for bloodshed?

There's probably more questions, but I'm moving on. I was a little bugged about how we're supposed to care about Lechero and Mahone. Lechero got shot. He can rot for all I care. Mahone is a little different and I think we're supposed to see him as more human now. I still can't stand him and wish Lincoln had shot him. Here's a guy who had a body buried in his backyard, and was willing to sell anyone and everyone else out to hide his own secrets. He let himself be manipulated by The Company and carried out all their orders. Good riddance to him. Lincoln's right, Mahone shot his dad with no hesitation. Not much room to forgive there. If he hangs around, maybe Gretchen will take him out since he probably knows more than he should.

More random thoughts...

  • I loved how Lincoln's boom-box finally paid off. Recorded gunshots. Even better was that Gretchen and her goons fell for it.
  • Do either Bellick, T-Bag, or Lechero actually know anything worth something other than Michael was behind it all?

So now they're out. Next week is the season finale so I assume we can expect some complications when the switch comes. I know Whistler got away at the end of this episode, but I'm not sure he'll get too far. Then again, maybe he will. Everyone else seems to know their way around Panama pretty well and he actually lived there for a while...

What do you think about Whistler's bird book?
It holds the key -- he needs it!158 (43.8%)
It's bogus. If if that's important, he's got all he needs to know in his head.203 (56.2%)

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daniel

Bruce ure fucking stupid

February 18 2008 at 12:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
The Midnight Penguin

The soap operas change the people playing the characters and while it's a problem for a little bit, normally things smooth over.

Her contract is year to year anyways. If the industry was that worried, they would force people to sign in for the life of the show. While I personally think she should have stayed on, it has nothing to do with the fact that she was "irresponsible" for becoming pregnant. She could have left for "other personal reasons" had she experienced a death in the family, would you respond in the same callous manner that she should man up?

Yes, plenty of women return to the workplace after a pregnancy. Yet there are plenty of other women who do NOT make the return, and while it still hurts the employer, I'm sure it's always taken into consideration when the pregnancy occurs.

I don't believe Sarah would have added anything to the show this season - so what, she would have just sat around with LJ?? I think the story would have been stretched a bit if she were also sitting around - granted, Michael would have better motivation. The show seems to have done okay without her - I personally do not see how "integral" she was to continue on her storyline (unless it had been LJ they beheaded instead, but Linc needed the motivation more than Michael).

February 13 2008 at 5:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jay sanchez

bruce shut up u talk too much.don't watch the show if u dont like it arrogant a$$hole.

February 13 2008 at 1:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bruce

Rodney: no, because actresses in big parts in TV series are not fungible. You cannot just hire someone else, like you can with any other job. It's totally different for, say, an accountant. My comments only apply to actresses in big parts in popular TV shows. Nor is my position unfair to women. Nobody forces them to take the part in a TV show, and nobody forces them to get pregnant, and nobody forces them to become full-time mothers.

Sara Wayne Callies should not have accepted the role of Dr. Tancredi on Prison Break if she wanted to become pregnant. Once she accepted the role, and once the show became popular and her character became central to the show, she had a duty NOT to get knocked up and quit.

In short, having a baby is NOT a good/valid reason for quitting and ruining a good, popular TV show. Especially considering the fact that having a baby and staying on the show are NOT mutually exclusive - she could have done both.

February 13 2008 at 1:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
J Rock

Another thing that I liked about the episode was that they totally validated Michael bringing Mcgrady along by having his dad save the convicts. Yeah the show may not be very realistic, but come on did you tune in thinking you were watching a documentary about how to break out of a prison, no you were watching a fictional show so that you could be entertained, and if you weren't entertained well then i guess you should stop watching, but me im gonna stay tuned

February 12 2008 at 9:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nick

Ugh, I love this show, despite myself, but sometimes it's just too hard to take. The brilliant escape plan totally depended on the soldiers parking their jeeps and trucks in certain places and then walking around the 'no man's land' with their heads up their a$$es, which is to say it totally depended on things Michael couldn't control. Thank goodness he can use Jedi mind tricks to contol the behavior of strangers. And yes, I enjoyed this episode a lot despite that and other inanities.

Remember that they cut the first part of the season short when the strike started just so they would have some extra new episodes to use now. The next episode, the season finale, wasn't supposed to be the real end of the season. I wish there was some way they could speed up production (once the strike officially ends) and come back with a few more episodes in April/May to wrap up the season in style. Or in Prison Break style, at least.

It would be a shame, sort of, if they end up cancelling Prison Break and we never find out anything. Then again, whatever answers we might eventually get could be pretty lame anyway. But I hope they bring it back and figure out some way to keep it fresh and maybe even have a point.

February 12 2008 at 8:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rodney

So, Bruce, I guess this extends to any woman who takes a job, right? Let's assume that you have a wife. She takes a job. Then she gets pregnant, has the kid, and now she wants to stay home. Is she an irresponsible bitch too?

No wonder women worry about losing their jobs if they get pregnant, what with neanderthals like you roaming around.

February 12 2008 at 6:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Logan

Fred and Bruce stop watching if u don't like it...there are ample amounts of people who disagree with your hogwash, so don't let the door hit your ass on the way out! No one's forcing you to watch it!

February 12 2008 at 5:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
J Rock

I freakin loved this episode, best one of the season in my opinion. It had everything, action, suspense, even a little comedy (that boombox thing was priceless). yeah sure the beggining of the episode was predictable from the previews shown earlier, but everything after the escape was great. I'm looking forward to the SEASON finale and all of whatever seasons come after it.

February 12 2008 at 4:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Noam

Loved this part:
Linc: "You steal that one from Home Alone?"
Gretchen: "You fell for it, bitch."

And when they start tracking their car, "We've got company"... Excellent pun.

Great episode.

February 12 2008 at 4:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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