Writer: Zack Estrin & Kalinda Vazquez
Director: Vincent MisianoCast: Danay Garcia (Sofia Lugo), Robert Wisdom (Lechero), Robert Knepper (T-Bag), Dominic Purcell (Lincoln Burrows), Wade Williams (Brad Bellick), William Fichtner (Alexander Mahone), Wentworth Miller (Michael Scofield), Chris Vance (James Whistler), Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (Susan B. Anthony), Amaury Nolasco (Fernando Sucre), Laurence Mason (Sammy), Carlo Alban (McGrady), Alex Fernandez (Tower Guard), Kim Coates (Richard Sullens), Carlos Compean (Colonel Escamillo) & Barbara Eve Harris (Lang)
Michael and Whistler are forced into a duel to the death, the Sona guards realize there's an escape attempt, and Lincoln risks his son's life..."Wow. I'm impressed. You actually got the guts to look
me in the eye when you stabbed me in the back."
me in the eye when you stabbed me in the back."
--- Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell)
Vamanos (Spanish for "let's go") is the climax of Photo Finish, shown as the latter half of a two-hour special in its native US. It's the pay-off to last week's build-up, which saw Michael (Wentworth Miller) execute his escape plan, only to later learn from brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) that his girlfriend Sara was killed days ago – thus neutering his drive to break out.
Or so it seems. After challenging Whistler (Chris Vance) to a duel to the death – a regular Sona form of gladiatorial entertainment for the masses – it turns out that Michael just wants the extra 15 minute pre-fight time to leap out of a cell window, using a rope ladder.
With one watchtower guard successfully drugged, the other proves more problematic, meaning Michael and Whistler are forced to clamber back into prison and haul up their means of escape. The only opportunity to escape has been missed, and Michael and Whistler are forced by Lechero (Robert Wisdom) to honour their challenge.
Outside, Lincoln is preparing to receive a fleeing Michael and Whistler on the beach, with Sucre (Amaury Nolasco) acting as a secret look-out on Sarah B. Anthony (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), who still has Lincoln's son LJ as a bartering chip. Matters are complicated when Whistler's girlfriend, Sofia (Danay Garcia), decides to draw a gun at Linc, unable to allow the brothers to hand Whistler over to the nefarious Company.
Thankfully, it isn't the end of the line for Mahone (William Fichtner), last seen leaving Sona legitimately with former FBI colleague Lang (Barbara Eve Harris), to testify in the government conspiracy that drove season 1 and 2. I'm glad Fichtner is still around, and it seems a wise decision to get him out of Sona, which was ultimately too restricting for his character – unable to ever get on-side with Michael properly, or be particularly effective because of his drug habit.
Unfortunately, Mahone's subplot here is the weakest part of Vamanos, as he's simply holed up in a Panamanian hotel waiting to be transported back to the US. He begins to suspect everything's not quite as it seems, however – and Sullins (Kim Coates) has actually got him out of Sona so he can throw the book at him in a US court. I don't really believe this development, although it's great to see Mahone suited and shaved this year! Maybe he'll escape from custody and form another beyond-Sona subplot for awhile?
Events culminate with Michael and Whistler exchanging brutal punches in the midst of a baying crowd, only for their rope ladder to be exposed to the Sona guards, who sound the alarm, storm inside the prison and end the fraught battle. Luckily, the ladder was dangled from cell 212, which belongs to another inmate, who is shot dead by Colonel Escamilla (Carlos Compean) – the authority figure who has allowed Lechero to rule over the inmates in exchange for prostitutes and other perks.
With the Sona alarm sounding, Susan suspects the escape has failed, although Lincoln convinces her otherwise over the phone, leading to Sucre intentionally crashing into Susan's van, allowing Lincoln to mount a rescue attempt of his son. For once, Lincoln seems to have had a change of luck, with LJ's safety within his grasp – only for it to be snatched away when a surviving stooge holds LJ at gunpoint, forcing Lincoln to give up Susan as his own hostage.
Lechero, embarrassed by the Sona guards, is now fed up with the chaos in Sona since Michael's arrival, and realizes an escape bid was in action today. In a move that was bound to come sooner or later, he tells Michael he wants in on the plan – which should help Michael immeasurably. In fact, why Michael didn't just offer Lechero a place on his escape team, in return for untouchable status in Sona, is something season 3 never answered.
So now we have Michael, Whistler and Lechero as a little team, ready to orchestrate a (hopefully) more cunning escape than just throwing a ladder out of a window! In the episode's final twist, Whistler is seen talking to Susan in the visitor's pen – telling her to give the brothers 4 more days to try another escape...
It seems Whistler is the one pulling Susan's strings, aware he can help the Company (in some still unspecified way)... but unaware his meeting with Susan has been seen by Michael from an overlooking cell window... oh dear.
It's another juicy twist of allegiance for the show, which now looks be to be entering its "second phase", which always makes me cautious. Writers on US dramas tend to have a well-constructed half-dozen episodes (plotted while on summer hiatus), but spend the rest of the season scrambling to maintain that quality.
Sure, they can change things that aren't working based on audience feedback now, but I just find that the writing quality dips once the show is written while it's on-air (as many of the writers are producers involved in production, too.)
But we'll see if Prison Break manages to keep things interesting, or if putting Lechero in the escape team in just dilutes all the tension – as Michael and Whistler will presumably be given a cushy lifestyle and better materials in exchange for ensuring Lechero's freedom...
Or so it seems. After challenging Whistler (Chris Vance) to a duel to the death – a regular Sona form of gladiatorial entertainment for the masses – it turns out that Michael just wants the extra 15 minute pre-fight time to leap out of a cell window, using a rope ladder.
With one watchtower guard successfully drugged, the other proves more problematic, meaning Michael and Whistler are forced to clamber back into prison and haul up their means of escape. The only opportunity to escape has been missed, and Michael and Whistler are forced by Lechero (Robert Wisdom) to honour their challenge.
Outside, Lincoln is preparing to receive a fleeing Michael and Whistler on the beach, with Sucre (Amaury Nolasco) acting as a secret look-out on Sarah B. Anthony (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), who still has Lincoln's son LJ as a bartering chip. Matters are complicated when Whistler's girlfriend, Sofia (Danay Garcia), decides to draw a gun at Linc, unable to allow the brothers to hand Whistler over to the nefarious Company.
Thankfully, it isn't the end of the line for Mahone (William Fichtner), last seen leaving Sona legitimately with former FBI colleague Lang (Barbara Eve Harris), to testify in the government conspiracy that drove season 1 and 2. I'm glad Fichtner is still around, and it seems a wise decision to get him out of Sona, which was ultimately too restricting for his character – unable to ever get on-side with Michael properly, or be particularly effective because of his drug habit.
Unfortunately, Mahone's subplot here is the weakest part of Vamanos, as he's simply holed up in a Panamanian hotel waiting to be transported back to the US. He begins to suspect everything's not quite as it seems, however – and Sullins (Kim Coates) has actually got him out of Sona so he can throw the book at him in a US court. I don't really believe this development, although it's great to see Mahone suited and shaved this year! Maybe he'll escape from custody and form another beyond-Sona subplot for awhile?
Events culminate with Michael and Whistler exchanging brutal punches in the midst of a baying crowd, only for their rope ladder to be exposed to the Sona guards, who sound the alarm, storm inside the prison and end the fraught battle. Luckily, the ladder was dangled from cell 212, which belongs to another inmate, who is shot dead by Colonel Escamilla (Carlos Compean) – the authority figure who has allowed Lechero to rule over the inmates in exchange for prostitutes and other perks.
With the Sona alarm sounding, Susan suspects the escape has failed, although Lincoln convinces her otherwise over the phone, leading to Sucre intentionally crashing into Susan's van, allowing Lincoln to mount a rescue attempt of his son. For once, Lincoln seems to have had a change of luck, with LJ's safety within his grasp – only for it to be snatched away when a surviving stooge holds LJ at gunpoint, forcing Lincoln to give up Susan as his own hostage.
Lechero, embarrassed by the Sona guards, is now fed up with the chaos in Sona since Michael's arrival, and realizes an escape bid was in action today. In a move that was bound to come sooner or later, he tells Michael he wants in on the plan – which should help Michael immeasurably. In fact, why Michael didn't just offer Lechero a place on his escape team, in return for untouchable status in Sona, is something season 3 never answered.
So now we have Michael, Whistler and Lechero as a little team, ready to orchestrate a (hopefully) more cunning escape than just throwing a ladder out of a window! In the episode's final twist, Whistler is seen talking to Susan in the visitor's pen – telling her to give the brothers 4 more days to try another escape...
It seems Whistler is the one pulling Susan's strings, aware he can help the Company (in some still unspecified way)... but unaware his meeting with Susan has been seen by Michael from an overlooking cell window... oh dear.
It's another juicy twist of allegiance for the show, which now looks be to be entering its "second phase", which always makes me cautious. Writers on US dramas tend to have a well-constructed half-dozen episodes (plotted while on summer hiatus), but spend the rest of the season scrambling to maintain that quality.
Sure, they can change things that aren't working based on audience feedback now, but I just find that the writing quality dips once the show is written while it's on-air (as many of the writers are producers involved in production, too.)
But we'll see if Prison Break manages to keep things interesting, or if putting Lechero in the escape team in just dilutes all the tension – as Michael and Whistler will presumably be given a cushy lifestyle and better materials in exchange for ensuring Lechero's freedom...
19 November 2007
Sky One, 10.00 pm
