POLL - "PRISON BREAK": Episode 1.13 - "End of the Tunnel" (aka. Breakout: The First Attempt - ed.) (SPOILERS)
Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball
Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
All comments welcome.
What did you think?
--
"I did *NOT* have sex with Gil Kurvers!" - Erin Woodbridge
(on numerous occasions), "Edgemont"
Ar Q
"Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball"
<ijball***SPAM-No***@mac.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:ijball***SPAM-No***-97F5EF.175...@news-lb-02.socal.rr.com...
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
>
> Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
> All comments welcome.
>
> What did you think?
>
4 stars. Not a total disappointment, just didn't meet the expectation,
especially we have to wait until May (or March) to find out if they did
break out of prison. And based on the scenes of the future episodes, the
producers might want them stuck in the prison for more episodes. If Fox had
cancelled the series, it might be a blessing since we won't have the weak
11th and 12th episodes and the 13 hour run would be a complete and quite
satisfying mini series-- I would buy the DVD set.
Mark Nobles
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
>
> Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
> All comments welcome.
>
> What did you think?
0.0. Or by letter, F. But not just an ordinary F, the kind of F that
comes with cheating on a test and getting kicked out of school.
Absolutely, unforgiveably ruined. Two major things, one which is
marginally understandable and possible to work around, but another
totally unacceptable. This is the last episode of this series I will
watch.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The marginally understandable scene was when Michael found the drain
pipe had been replaced. First, it baffles me that he wouldn't expect
the hole to be noticed over several days. But I could live with that,
had they gone with that. But then, when they fail to pull it loose with
a pipe, he just sits down and gives up. That is something totally out
of character. Why not do something like send one of the guys back to
the workroom to get a couple of proper crowbars, or maybe even a wrench
so they can just unbolt the thing?
The one that lost me is when the MiB who is quitting (Danny?) takes the
envelope out and tells Veronica here's all she needs to free Lincoln,
and oh by the way, the guy he's supposed to have killed is still alive.
But then, instead of giving the damn thing to her, he tells her to hide
so he can stand there with the envelope in his jacket and wait for the
other MiB to take the envelope and kill him. This is too stupid for any
story to overcome. Even though Amanda Zero shows up as the new WiB, I'm
done.
Mark Nobles
> Even though Amanda Zero shows up
Ooops. That should have been Miranda Zero, not Amanda.
EGK
Ball" <ijball***SPAM-No***@mac.com.invalid> wrote:
>"PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
>Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
>
>Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
>All comments welcome.
>
>What did you think?
2.0 Color me disappointed. The excitement of this show overshadowed the
myriad plot holes for me but the more those plot holes multiply, the more
they have to outdo themselves with the action and drama. This episode
didn't live up to the hype and a lame cliffhanger like this wasn't what I
expected.
All in all, this show would probably have been better as a mini-series. Now
it just appears the writers are dragging it out and milking it for all it's
worth.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"There would be a lot more civility in this world if people
didn't take that as an invitation to walk all over you"
(Calvin and Hobbes)
Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball
<ijball***SPAM-No***-97F5EF.175...@news-lb-02.socal.rr.com>,
"Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball"
<ijball***SPAM-No***@mac.com.invalid> wrote:
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
>
> Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
A-
Anyone not expecting a 'Reset Button' so that the 'break' will come in
Episode #22 instead of Episode #13 wasn't paying attention. Anyone
expecting Secret Service Dude to survive long enough to get the names to
Veronica has never watched a suspense series/movie.
With all that out of the way, it's a good ride.
And I don't buy the "March" promo. This will be back in late Jan. on
Mondays. Mark my words.
Ian (Awaiting Abruzzi's return (and justice for T-Bag) with bated
breath...)
David B
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
> Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
> All comments welcome.
>
> What did you think?
>
A. I can't believe they left us hanging like that! Well, actually I can.
Good episode...I guess the breakout will be delayed until the season
finale. Please...come back in January not March!
Rob Jensen
IMO, there's almost never such thing as "out-of-character," even on a
show this entertainingly preposterous. Michael was leaving very
little margin for error and was thrown for a total loop. One of the
things that was an open question all along is what would it take to
get Michael to crack, and this was one of those things.
>The one that lost me is when the MiB who is quitting (Danny?) takes the
>envelope out and tells Veronica here's all she needs to free Lincoln,
>and oh by the way, the guy he's supposed to have killed is still alive.
I liked the twist, but you'd think, given the circumstance that the
now-renegade MiB would have actually mailed the incriminating evidence
to at least five different newspapers, at least one of them a
prominent alterna-weekly like, oh, the LA Weekly or the Village Voice
or hell, even Rolling Stone or The Nation. And *then* given a copy in
person to Veronica. Plus, as paranoid as he is, you'd think he would
have given his wife a fake location for the drop just assuming that
Kellerman (the wholly bad MiB) would stop by and get it out of her.
>But then, instead of giving the damn thing to her, he tells her to hide
>so he can stand there with the envelope in his jacket and wait for the
>other MiB to take the envelope and kill him. This is too stupid for any
>story to overcome. Even though Amanda Zero shows up as the new WiB, I'm
>done.
However -- Veronica has encountered Kellerman before, so she
undoubtedly recognized him when he shot and killed MiB #2 (Danny?
Hale?) That bit, plus Danny's revelation that the VP's brother is
still alive are enough information to get Veronica going again on
another trail. "Danny" (let's call him Danny) may have decided that
since it was Kellerman who found him, he'd better just give up and let
Kellerman kill him in the hopes that that'll be enough for his partner
to leave his eight-months-pregnant wife alone.
-- Rob
--
LORELAI: In the movie, only boy hobbits travel to Mount
Doom, but that's only because the girls went to do something
even more dangerous.
GIRL: What?
LORELAI: Have you ever heard of a Brazilian Bikini Wax?
mike...@gmail.com
Fox cancelled the show after 13 episodes or not. If Fox had ended its
run at 13, I'm sure they would have escaped, the pipe would not have
been replaced. Since Fox did extend the run of the show, the producers
would have to be stupid to let the prisoners escape now. The prison
stuff is the best part of the show.
And I knew that Danny was toast. I was surprised that he didn't get
shot last episode when he was standing right by a window and talking to
Veronica on the phone.
bob smith
"Mark Nobles" <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:281120052257272673%cmn-n...@houston.rr.com...
I have a hunch he placed the envelope loosely in his jacket as a decoy. He's
got
a second one in his jacket for Veronica to find after his partner is gone.
He certainly was not in the least surprised that his partner found him, and
I expect
he planned for that contingency.
Major ChrisB
"Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball"
news:ijball***SPAM-No***-97F5EF.175...@news-lb-02.socal.rr.com...
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
A
I very much enjoyed the episode as I have this entire series, I'm never one
to be put off by plot holes or science/factual errors....if i did I'd never
be able to watch TV...
I could see the Cliff hanger coming from last weeks episode and knew they
wern't getting out. Someone else in this thred questioned Danny not giving
Veronica the Letter. Well firstly she didn't have much time to escape and
secondly he had told her enough information that she could keep looking down
different paths and giving Kellerman the letter seemed to be proof enough
that he hadn't met Veronica to tell her anything yet...I figured eh thought
that if Kellerman had the letter, Veronica could get away and maybe
Kellerman wouldn't kill him.
Loved the prison stuff, you could see how shocked michael was, planning for
every eventuality even having some kind of pill under his skin that Lincoln
could take to make him sick and end up in the medical bay....but he never
thought a state funded prison would fix a hole so quickly...
I assume they'll get out long enough to get back to PI...no break out for
another couple of weeks...dunno how Veronica will get the stay on lincolns
execution but they'll manage it....
KC
wrote:
And this coming right after Lincoln being put in the tombs, an
obstacle that almost cracked him, was just too much. Running into an
obstacle might not have caused that reaction in and of itself, but the
timing of the drain problem, when the adreniline is pumping and things
are turning their way, Lincoln and the pill getting the intended
result, set the stage for Michael's reaction.
KC
kenm47
Cheaply anti-climactic.
Ken (Brooklyn)
kenm47
Make that 2.0 a C Minus.
Ken (Brooklyn)
~consul
>>>"PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
I wonder though, he's almost as resourceful as Jack Bauer. That food poisoning
pill was really completely out of left field for me. He's got a lot of tats on
him, I don't think he's used more than 1/3rd of them, if that.
What makes me wonder, what with all the news of Tookie for us Californians, is
that it's going to be an electrocution. I thought that they did away with that,
and the only ways of death is gassing, needles, and hanging.
--
"... respect, all good works are not done by only good folk. For within these
Trials, we shall do what needs to be done."
--till next time, Jameson Stalanthas Yu -x- <<poetry.dolphins-cove.com>>
Curious Cat
I've been looking for a reason to stop watching Prison Break as the story
has become more preposterous, repetitive and boring.
Last night's episode gave me all the reason I need.
I couldn't care less if the series ever returned.
BTW, the only reason I started watching Prison Break in the first place was
because a friend of mine who had once been a guard in that prison at which
the show is filmed told me about it. In high school, I lived about two miles
from the prison, but never had a chance to see inside. I've now seen enough.
Ian J. Ball
> I have a hunch he placed the envelope loosely in his jacket as a decoy. He's
> got a second one in his jacket for Veronica to find after his partner is gone.
Nope. Can't be - if Veronica has all the names in Episode #14, there
won't be much of a manhunt once Episode #23 happens, because Lincoln
will have been cleared by them.
Most of the rest of the series, esp. post-breakout, will inevitably
involve Scofield, Lincoln and Veronica trying to track down exactly who
the names on that list were, so they can ultimately find the VP's
brother and exonerate Lincoln.
--
"Read less. More TV." - Dr. Greg House, "House"
http://homepage.mac.com/ijball/TV-Blog/
EGK
<ijball***NO-SPAM***@mac.com.invalid> wrote:
>Most of the rest of the series, esp. post-breakout, will inevitably
>involve Scofield, Lincoln and Veronica trying to track down exactly who
>the names on that list were, so they can ultimately find the VP's
>brother and exonerate Lincoln.
That could easily be the death of the series. I can't see how they can
sustain this for more than one season anyway. The story inside the prison
is by far the big draw of the show and already what's happening outside
seems cliched as hell.
William December Starr
Mark Nobles <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> said:
> The one that lost me is when the MiB who is quitting (Danny?)
> takes the envelope out and tells Veronica here's all she needs to
> free Lincoln, and oh by the way, the guy he's supposed to have
> killed is still alive. But then, instead of giving the damn thing
> to her, he tells her to hide so he can stand there with the
> envelope in his jacket and wait for the other MiB to take the
> envelope and kill him. This is too stupid for any story to
> overcome. Even though Amanda Zero shows up as the new WiB, I'm
> done.
Yeah, the man _does_ need a tombstone that reads:
Here lies Secret Service
agent Danny Hale.
He died as he lived.
Stupidly.
--
William December Starr <wds...@panix.com>
Rufus14o58
Default User
> Totally agree!
With what?
Brian
--
Please quote enough of the previous message for context. To do so from
Google, click "show options" and use the Reply shown in the expanded
header.
bob smith
"Ian J. Ball" <ijball***NO-SPAM***@mac.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:ijball***NO-SPAM***-ED98FD.111...@news1.ucsd.edu...
Unless... THEY'RE ALL DEAD!!! :-)
>
> Most of the rest of the series, esp. post-breakout, will inevitably
> involve Scofield, Lincoln and Veronica trying to track down exactly who
> the names on that list were, so they can ultimately find the VP's
> brother and exonerate Lincoln.
I think I read somewhere is was going to be more like The Fugitive x7 ie. it
wont
be all just about this storyline . I agree what you say above will be one of
the
threads for sure. The only unknown is whether or not Lincoln will break out
and
they are on the run while trying to piece it together, or whether he will
decide
to stay in prison while they try to piece it together (assuming, of course,
a stay
of execution happens quick enough).
KalElFan
> On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 11:19:32 -0800, "Ian J. Ball"
> <ijball***NO-SPAM***@mac.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> >Most of the rest of the series, esp. post-breakout, will inevitably
> >involve Scofield, Lincoln and Veronica trying to track down exactly who
> >the names on that list were, so they can ultimately find the VP's
> >brother and exonerate Lincoln.
>
> That could easily be the death of the series. I can't see how they can
> sustain this for more than one season anyway. The story inside the prison
> is by far the big draw of the show and already what's happening outside
> seems cliched as hell.
Well, the show's dead as a doornail now, barring some innovative and
emergency damage control that you just aren't going to see. It's just a
matter of how long it lasts into season 2, assuming the back 9 hang on
well enough that it even gets the renewal, which I doubt. I expect the
back nine to start airing the first Monday in March possibly with 24, so
that FOX doesn't get caught having to air a tanking Prison Break during
May sweeps. They could just show a two-hour finale in some special
time slot the week before sweeps start or whatever.
I loved the show up until last week's episode, and it's a shame but that's
the way I see it. I give last night's ep an F for purposes of the poll, and
have no plans to watch again myself. Breaking faith with the viewers
like that just isn't something that should be rewarded. It would have
been better if they'd just done it as a 13-episode mini, or as a 10-
episode one which is what this week's Canadian TV Guide said it
was originally. Steven Spielberg was supposed to do it, a la the
Band of Brothers miniseries.
Getting back to your point though, I think the idea of a longer series
was supposed to involve the main characters breaking out around
episode 13, where the conspiracy and perhaps some character-based
drama would take over. Meanwhile, the prison might still play a role
somehow, as secondary but hopefully interesting characters that
they'd established would remain there. It's a challenge, no doubt,
to make that work long-term, but it had a shot as long as they'd
delivered the Prison Break. The title doesn't fit very well beyond
episode 13, but you can think of it as the aftermath of the Prison
Break.
Very few people signed up for Oz or the like here, so I disagree
with the idea that the Prison story is what they were looking for.
They signed on for a Prison Break, to be delivered within the known
run of the series, which was 13 episodes. There's no reason to trust
them that we'll get one in episode 22, assuming that was even relevant
(it's not, a significant chunk of their audience is just massively ticked
off and doesn't care what they do at this point). There were other
things that also attracted people in, for example the cast and the critical
reception, and I think the 24 time slot and comparisons to that show
helped. Again, few signed on for Prison, they signed on for Prison
Break.
I might have watched depending how well they executed the post-Prison
Break writing, but the contrivances in last week's episode basically lost
me and after last night I just can't see ever going back to it. There's a
long wait now until the next episode, and if they acted quickly (press
releases with profuse apologies to viewers yadda yadda, recognizing
the negative reaction, issuing assurances as to a bona fide Prison Break
by episode 1-xx, etc.) it's possible people might give them a second
shot in March or whenever. You never see that though. Lois & Clark
might have saved itself after the clone wedding with appropriate damage
control like that, but egos or whatever prevent it.
What I was really hoping they might see was a different way to sustain
the series and continue with the characters. For example, complete the
conspiracy arc story this season a la 24, wrapping things up in a self-
contained way. So they'd have done the Prison Break these last two
episodes, and then have 9 to wrap that up. Then we'd get some kind
of deal that these core characters would have to make, in order to
retain their freedom under witness protection or otherwise. And that
deal would become the ongoing maintenance of their "Prison Break"
in a sense, so you keep the title. Every season, we see Michael and
his team (the Doctor and even the Warden, non-prisoners, might be
worked in) having to perform a seemingly impossible job. It might
take 24 days, in keeping with the time slot theme. :-) In any case
the show gets converted to a 24 or Mission Impossible type of thing,
with different self-contained season stories each time. The characters
were interesting here, and I think people would have followed them
each season in that new context and dynamic.
But I'd have settled for the advertised Prison Break. :-) As it stands,
unlucky 13 goes down in TV infamy as one of the Biggest. Goofs. Ever.
--
KalElFan [at] scifipiNOSPAM.com
Elvis T Bogart
"Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball"
news:ijball***SPAM-No***-97F5EF.175...@news-lb-02.socal.rr.com...
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
>
> Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
> All comments welcome.
>
> What did you think?
>
I'm getting fed up with the constant killing or hurting of the good guys
without much revenge yet. I know they're saving that until later, but it's
been pissing me off for a few weeks now. When it happens it will just be too
late an not as satisfying as if it happened now. The bad guys would have
gotten away with just too many things.
Also, it annoys me to see chances for the good guys to do in the bad guys
and out of stupidity or whatever - they don't. For example, when Veronica
hit that secret service guy with a chair at the cabin and just ran away. Of
course he's going to recover from that. She acted recklessly and put her
friends in jeopardy by not following through and making sure he was out of
commission.
My rating is a 2. It could be much better - the show had a lot of potential,
but they're screwing it up.
David B
> On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 11:19:32 -0800, "Ian J. Ball"
> <ijball***NO-SPAM***@mac.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> >Most of the rest of the series, esp. post-breakout, will inevitably
> >involve Scofield, Lincoln and Veronica trying to track down exactly who
> >the names on that list were, so they can ultimately find the VP's
> >brother and exonerate Lincoln.
>
> That could easily be the death of the series. I can't see how they can
> sustain this for more than one season anyway. The story inside the prison
> is by far the big draw of the show and already what's happening outside
> seems cliched as hell.
I've heard that many of the characters might find themselves back in the prison
in season 3 so they can try to escape again.
bkl...@yahoo.com
Erin Woodbridge's Bestest Friend, Ian J. Ball wrote:
> "PRISON BREAK" 11/28/05
>
> Episode 1.13: "End of the Tunnel"
>
>
> Grade it! (letter grades preferred)
> All comments welcome.
>
> What did you think?
B+
I can overlook the myriad of plot holes and dopey charactor choices
because I did watch the escape with baited breath. I knew they wouldn't
see freedom this episode (it's sooo obvious that will be the season
cliffhanger) so I wasn't surprised or disappointed by that at all.
Contrary to another poster's opinion I appreciated Michael's just
giving up finally. I tire of men of steel heros, it was nice to see him
humanized and disheartend. We know he won't stay in that emotional
space, by golly, he'll pick himself up and try again. But it was nice
to see that for the moment, he was overwhelmed by the task. Wentworth's
performance is wonderfully nuanced. The chemistry between he and the
doctor is great.
Nice turn that the murder victim is still alive. Didn't see that
coming.
Will have to wait patiently for March.
William December Starr
physically impossible in this episode.
Remember when we saw him getting into the storeroom below the
infirmary? The rope that he'd just climbed up was still tied to the
floor grille, which was moved partially aside from is setting in the
floor. Clearly he'd just climbed twenty feet up that rope, moved
the grille up and then aside, and pulled himself up through the hole.
Except: how the hell did he move the grille up and over while he was
hanging onto the rope below it? It just doesn't work. 100% of his
weight was holding the grille down in position, and he had nothing
to brace himself against to push up. Oops.
Ian J. Ball
Killjoy! Killjoy!!
Ian (Fanwank: There was a pipe just below the grate that he could hold
on to to move it...)