Imaginary Conversations and Random Thoughts

I am a terrible slacker. Things have really fallen off around here. I've always been lazy, but lately I've been busy, too. For reals. But I'll tell you about that later. I felt guilty about being away so long, and decided to talk about some recent TV. I'm not going to rehash all the details, but if you follow any of these shows, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Prison Break: My biggest problem with mythology shows is that it can be too difficult to pick up in the middle of a season. Gilligan's Island? You could watch any given episode and know it was unrelated to any other episode. Try watching Lost with episode 9 of season two. Not quite as easy to get into the story. Fortunately, I was with Prison Break from the beginning of the season. With a mythology show, it's a little more painful when it's cancelled because there are loose threads that never get resolved. In this case, the show became a hit and will definitely be back. The goal of the series is to break out of prison (couldja guess?), and the season ended with a successful prison break.

Successful in the sense that they actually got over the wall. Too bad for them that the private plane they were going to get away on had to take off just as they got on the runway. So much for their ride. The show ends with the escapees running across a field, with assorted cops and guards not too far behind. With the show coming back, it's a good ending for me. In so many "desperate to catch the plane (car, motorcycle, space pod, etc) to escape from some danger" situations, the guy with the vehicle risks his own neck to stay and wait for the hero. You'll recall Ashe coming back for Ripley and the kid as an example. I really expected the plane to stop and pick those guys up, even if it was taxiing for takeoff. They had to see the guys there on the runway, but no dice. When the guy waiting for you is a criminal who'd rather not be arrested, well, let's just say there really is no honor among thieves.

I could imagine if the show had been cancelled, they would have made it on the plane and off into the sunset, as it were. Of course this would leave the question of Linc's innocence unresolved. Rather, I should say his innocence is not proven to the world of the show. As viewers, we know he's been framed, and we know a lot about who the conspirators are and what they're doing.

We're left with even the immediate success of their escape in doubt. It may be the case that they'll be arrested again within the first five minutes of season two. The problem here is that the show has two major threads: proving Linc's innocence, and breaking out of jail. If they're captured and not held practically forever (at least in terms of the show) in solitary confinement, it will be a major breakdown in the suspension of disbelief. For that reason, I believe next year the escape plotline will become the fugitive plotline, as the men try to get away, and keep away, from the cops. You can't stay five minutes ahead of them for weeks or months. If they're that close, the cops will get you. They're going to have to break away for weeks at a time, maybe clearing out from a fortunate tip whenever a raid is about to happen.

Sidelines of this plot will be pressure from Abruzzi on Michael to give up Fibonacci, and possibly efforts by Michael and Linc to get the other escapees (we can only really consider Michael and Linc as true innocents) caught or otherwise left behind. If they do get some breathing room ahead of the pursuit, there isn't much reason for any of them to stay together. The alliances inside the prison were all directed at getting over the wall, except for Abruzzi's plane. With no plane ride, Michael has no honorable obligation to reveal Fibonacci's location. Naturally, Abruzzi may see things differently.

The second major plot thread, proving Linc's innocence, has a bit more freedom. Veronica the crusading lawyer can keep on searching for the truth, or at least enough evidence to prove Linc is innocent. If she is successful, it's probably a good bet that Linc would be set free. Michael's case is rather more in doubt. While most people would be sympathetic, he did commit a crime to get to prison, he masterminded the breakout, and at the very least, he was an accomplice in the kidnapping of a guard. His best bet would be some sort of pardon from the governor. It helps that the guard in question is corrupt.

Thing is, Veronica can look for the truth for years; that story can be strung out forever. The guys on the run? I don't know. I'm not sure I can buy a whole season of them escaping cops. Seems like at some point they're going to have to settle into a somewhat normal life under assumed names. I'm talking about Linc and Michael here. The rest of them should melt away, every-man-for-himself style. Then again, the A-Team and Dr. Banner moved around all the time on their shows, which goes to show that I'm not a TV writer, just a crappy blogger. But you knew that. What I do know is that I will be tuning in next season.

I was going to continue with That 70's Show, 24, and American Idol, but like I said, I'm lazy. And I didn't even get to the busy part, which will have to come in a Miss Tori update.