Writer: Kalinda Vazquez
Director: Bryan Spicer
Cast: Wentworth Miller (Michael), William Fichtner (Mahone), Amaury Nolasco (Sucre), Sarah Wayne Callies (Sara), Dominic Purcell (Linc), Wade Williams (Brad), Michael Rapaport (Don Self), Robert Knepper (T-Bag), Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (Gretchen), Leon Russom (Pad Man), Cress Williams (Wyatt), Dameon Clarke (Andrew Blaunder), Brian Poth (Brian Anderson), John Sanderford (Nathaneal Edison) & Chaim Sussman (Race Patron)
Director: Bryan Spicer
Cast: Wentworth Miller (Michael), William Fichtner (Mahone), Amaury Nolasco (Sucre), Sarah Wayne Callies (Sara), Dominic Purcell (Linc), Wade Williams (Brad), Michael Rapaport (Don Self), Robert Knepper (T-Bag), Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (Gretchen), Leon Russom (Pad Man), Cress Williams (Wyatt), Dameon Clarke (Andrew Blaunder), Brian Poth (Brian Anderson), John Sanderford (Nathaneal Edison) & Chaim Sussman (Race Patron)
This Kalinda Vazquez penned episode played with season 4's established template, pushed a few of the characters into new territory, moved the situation on significantly, and even (briefly) restored the relevance of the show's title! All said, "Blow Out" is definitely the strongest episode so far this season.We open in the midst of an Ocean's Eleven-style operation to copy another Scylla data-card; this one in the possession of a Company man spending leisure time at the horse races. A combination of a rigged horse trap, a scene-making Bellick (Wade Williams), and the allure of Sara's (Sarah Wayne Callies) cleavage, gets the job done in record time. Unfortunately, Mahone (William Fichtner) is collared by the cops and thrown in jail…
Homeland Security dullard Don Self (Michael Rapaport) isn't able to pull strings to get Mahone released, so it's only a matter of time before Mahone's pseudonym "Frank Zawas" is revealed to be fake. Mahone promises to keep details of the covert mission a secret whatever happens, as Michael (Wentworth Miller) makes the tough decision to not risk a rescue. To complicate matters, Company hitman Wyatt (Cress Williams) learns of Mahone's capture and tries to get to him…
Like Mahone, T-Bag (Robert Knepper) also finds his luck running out. The confusing jumble of codes and coordinates in Whistler's bird book have yet to be totally deciphered, but one GATE employee is now actively suspicious of him. The situation becomes so critical that T-Bag is forced to abandon his office and cover his tracks before GATE realize he's not really hotshot salesman Cole Pfeiffer.
A small subplot finds escapee Gretchen (Jodi Lynn O'Keefe) turning up bruised and battered on her sister's doorstep, looking to clean herself up after her torturous ordeal with Wyatt. These family scenes help enrich Gretchen's character and humanize her a little, as we eventually discover her toddler niece is actually her daughter. O'Keefe was a very engaging screen presence last year, and the beginnings of her vendetta against The Company start here in earnest. She does tragic, numbed and bitchy extremely well. Also, the episode's climax will have fans grinning as Gretchen meets one of Prison Break's regulars for the first time, pressing a black heel into his cheek...
As I've mentioned many times, Fichtner is by far the best reason to still be watching. "Blow Out" revolves around his situation in the clink, and again emphasizes how the bad blood between Mahone and his son's killer Wyatt is this season's most compelling ingredient. As everyone else rushes around taking care of business, it's becoming more noticeable how characters like Sucre (Amaury Nolasco), Bellick, and Linc (Dominic Purcell) have faded into hired-muscle roles. Even Michael is in danger of becoming hollow; no longer the undisputed star of the show, as Prison Break embraces its ensemble and the writers realize Fichtner is better equipped to handle the real acting.
Prison Break has a tendency to doggedly pursue ideas but drop them if they become boring or complicated. A great example of that occurs with T-Bag's sudden evacuation from GATE, which seemed to happen because the writers realized T-Bag has spent most of this season loitering in his office, reading a bird book with his feet propped up on a desk. That whole GATE situation still isn't very clear, is it? If the GATE building is the secret location of a Scylla-reading device, T-Bag will be very unhappy when he finds out. What use is that to a murderous, one-handed paedophile? It's probably a wise move to abandon the Cole Pfeiffer goings-on and approach things from a different angle.
Overall, "Blow Out" was consistently entertaining and packed with incident. The story was freshly executed, and offered up plenty of intrigue, situational development, and juicy dilemmas. It succeeded because it ensured all the characters were doing what they do best: Fichtner was tortured and honourable as he stared into the abyss, Team Michael had two exciting set-pieces to pull off (the opening racetrack hustle and a closing courthouse rescue) and the ghostlike Wyatt continued to unsettle with deadpan precision. The Sarah Connor Chronicles could use some Cress Williams.
30 September 2008
Sky1, 9pm
