WRITER: Paul Scheuring DIRECTOR: Kevin Hooks
CAST: Wentworth Miller (Michael Scofield), Dominic Purcell (Lincoln Burrows), Robert Knepper (T-Bag), Peter Stormare (Abruzzi), Wade Williams (Bellick), Benjamin Miles (C-Note), William Fichtner (Alexander Malone), Amaury Nolasco (Fernando Sucre), Sarah Wayne Callies (Dr Tancredi), Jeff Perry (Terrence Steadman), Robin Tunney (Veronica), Jason Davis (Wheeler), Stacy Keach (Warden Henry Pope), Carlise Studer (Grace), Charles Baker (Male Camper), Larry Dotson (Reporter), Tammy Neuyen (Nurse), Stuart Greer (Hunter), Timothy Walter (C.O #4), Ranjit Chowdrhy (Dr Marvin Gudat), Marcus Lyle Brown (PED #1), Lawrence Varnado (C.O #1), John McIntosh (Dr 2), Laura Scott Wade (Sid), Terry Parks (C.O Rivers), Rommel Sulit (Dr 1), DuShon Brown (Katie), Phillip Edward Van Lear (C.O Patterson), Melissa Cutler (Anchorwoman), Brian Hunt (High School Student) & Stephen Chester Prince (Detective)
Eight hours after the escape, Michael, Lincoln, Sucre, C-Note and Abruzzi head for Oswego as FBI Special Agent Alexander Malone is assigned to lead the pursuit of the fugitives...Last year Prison Break became an unexpected success, mainly because the writers actually managed to do the unthinkable and spread a movie premise over an entire season of television.
Audiences became hooked on Michael Scofield's attempt to break his brother Lincoln out of Death Row by getting himself jailed, but with the prison's architecture encoded onto his body in an elaborate tattoo. It screamed high-concept and provided one of the year's most addictive weekly thrills.
Put simply: watching the prison break was a lot of fun. But can the escape prove to be just as exciting? Well, on the evidence of the season two premiere Manhunt, the answer could be yes... but it's early days.
Manhunt effectively retools the show into The Fugitive(s), with Wade Williams' Captain Bellick enjoying the Tommy Lee Jones role, although it's new star William Fichtner who proves most memorable as FBI Special Agent Malone. Malone is an astute, professional and intelligent law-enforcer, who immediately deduces how Scofield orchestrated the miraculous escape (yep, the tattoo's real use is finally revealed). Having a character who's a match for Scofield's genius is the one factor that promises to make this season standout, and it will be enjoyable to see the battle of wits unfold.
The plot itself is mainly an extension of the typical plot from inside the prison walls -– wherein Scofield's tattoo gives handy instructions on how to find civilian clothes and fake IDs that were stashed before Scofield got himself arrested. If we're being nitpicky, why would you need a tattoo to remind yourself where you stashed some clothes? If only super-genius Scofield could retain some facts in his head, the episode's near-miss climax would never have happened!
But the ludicrousness is part of Prison Break's appeal. Like 24, if you look deeply the entire thing crumbles, but if you accept the leaps of logic and written conveniences, this is an exciting drama that's acted impeccable by all concerned.
All the cast return in fine form, particularly bulldog Bellick (you can smell the hope of vengeance dripping off him), although it's William Fichtner who makes a real impression. Fichtner was fantastic in last year's cancelled Invasion (as another lawman, albeit alien) and he should prove to be a fantastic addition to the show. I personally can't wait to see the cat-and-mouse chase continue purely because of his presence.
The worrying aspect to season 2 is how the show can retain its prison-based characters (who have no real reason to be that involved in tracking the "Fix River Eight" beyond helping the Feds' investigation). It will also be interesting to see if the show can keep its momentum going regarding the convoluted US government conspiracy that put Lincoln on Death's Row to begin with.
Overall, Manhunt gets the restyled show off to a strong start. I'm concerned that watching escapees in the outside world won't be as fun as the pressure cooker drama of season 1, but... hey, I was proven wrong by this show before, and I certainly hope I am again...
