Prison Break (Season 1)

Rating:

Originally planned for just a 13-episode run, Prison Break was extended to 22 episodes stretching it to a full season run. The undeniable popularity propelled Fox to do so. A break from cheesy and mediocre TV shows and series flooding the boob tube lately, Prison Break is a gem that really stands out. Though seems to have just borrowed the plots of Alexander Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo and Stephen King’s Shawshank Redemption combined, Prison Break is still very addictive, engaging, and engrossing.

Intelligent and well written, every episode carries importance revealing stimulating pieces to solve the beguiling puzzle of who really murdered the brother of the Vice President of the United States. Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) is accused of this murder and was sentenced to death and is now waiting at Fox River prison facility for his execution. Though with the evidence all pointing to him as blameworthy, Linc (as he is called) asserts he never committed the crime and maintains that the evidence was planted. Convinced by this, the structural engineer Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), Linc’s brother who goes by his middle name as his last name, staged a bank robbery pleading guilty eventually knowing he’d be put to the same prison facility. He earlier designed an escape having tattooed his entire body with the structural design and details about the facility determined to salvage his brother from the anticipated execution.

As Fish’s (Michael Scofield is referred to as) plan step by step unfurls, more and more inmates dig the scheme, thus more and more enlist themselves seen sometimes to pose as a threat to the success of breaking out. Meanwhile, the brothers’ childhood friend now a lawyer Veronica Donovan (Robin Tunney) works outside to unravel the mystery behind the murder as she herself is eventually convinced of Linc’s innocence. Season one ends with the realization of the plan and a teasing revelation of the conspiracy behind Linc’s conviction. This storyline has been exploited many times but has always been refreshing and gripping even though only slight deviations have been employed on some. Though far-fetch, the storyline is made persuasive by the weaving subplots that integrate some real life drama carried out by first-rate writing.

Part of the success of the series can be attributed to the compelling performances of its cast. Wentworth Miller is convincing as the confident, composed, clearheaded, and sometimes masterly Michael Scofield. John Doe star, Dominic Purcell takes on Lincoln Burrows acting out enigma, despair and elation with ripeness. Robin Tunney as Veronica Donovan is immersed bringing about a sincere performance and so are most of the rest of the cast members.

The musical score stirs up memories of Shawshank Redemption’s musical scoring composed and imagined perfectly and prudently to complement the emotions of the different scenes.

Receiving a number of citations from different award giving bodies and brandishing a growing viewership the world over, Prison Break Season 1 has spawned a follow-up (Season 2) which premieres August 21, 2006 in the US. Local channel Crime/Suspense currently airs Season 1 episodes back-to-back.

© 2006 Jonathan Susvilla