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rhienellethI'll try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, for the sake of anyone who reads this and decides to tune in, but I'm afraid I will have to use some to support my argument.
Remember a year ago, when everyone and their LJ-friends were either watching Veronica Mars, or just beginning to tune in because all their friends on LJ called it the best show ever? This is kind of like that. Prison Break is a smart, suspenseful, thrilling, scary, and hot show that deserves as many viewers as can tune in.
• The story and writing. The premise sounds a little unbelievable: a man’s brother is about to be put to death for killing the Vice President’s brother. He claims to be innocent. His brother believes him, but all of his appeals have been rushed through the system and denied, and now his execution date is looming. It seems like nothing can be done. But his brother, the structural engineer who helped design the local prison, believes he can break out from the inside. So he hatches this complex plan that involves tattooing himself with the prison’s blueprints, hidden within an intricate design to make them seem like a normal full torso tattoo…and robs a bank to get himself arrested and sentenced to this same prison. He spent months researching many of his fellow inmates and prison crew before going in, and he believes that by utilizing some of them and their talents, he can make this plan work. Obviously this character is very smart and quite the strategist. Not only is he highly educated, but one gathers that he has quite the natural talent for calculating everything from math to contingencies.
Now, this alone does not a story make. This is just where it begins. Because a good story is gripping because it has conflicts and complications. In this case, there are several:
-- The largest conflict would be the conspiracy behind framing Lincoln Burrows for the murder in the first place. We don’t yet know why this was done, but it is clear that the people behind it are willing to take whatever steps necessary, no matter how many bodies it takes, to make sure Lincoln is put to death for the crime, and his innocence remains undiscovered. It is also clear these people have a lot of power. As in the highest levels of government power, which makes them the biggest, scariest villain in the show thus far.
-- Then there’s Veronica, Lincoln’s ex-girlfriend, who also happens to be his lawyer. She’s looking into his case, and the more she looks, the deeper into danger she puts herself and everyone around her. Also, she and Lincoln split up years ago because he cheated on her with another woman, whom he got pregnant and had a son with. They obviously still have feelings for one another, but he’s about to be put to death, and she hasn’t forgiven his transgression.
-- While Michael, Lincoln’s brother, might be very smart, he isn’t infallible, and he had no idea what he was really getting into when he got himself sent to prison. He’s in there beside real murderers and rapists and mobsters, all of whom actually committed the violent crimes for which they’re incarcerated. Some of these are people he’s hoping to use in his plan, and some of them are people who will get in the way of his plan, and some of them will represent a very real danger to his life while he’s there. And if one thing in his vast and complex schedule is off, the escape won’t work. There are so many unpredictable factors here, that literally everything could go wrong.
Somehow, even though the premise sounds unbelievable, this show makes it work. You believe that Michael is capable of making this happen. You believe that the government could do to someone else exactly what is happening to Lincoln. And the ability to suspend disbelief comes from excellent writing and acting. We get to see Michael’s plan unfold step by step. We share his brother’s doubt and wild hope that it will work. We share Michael’s fear and triumph and relief when his plan is either working or failing. They, the actors, sell us the story. And they wouldn’t be able to without smart writing to work with.
• The characters. The characters in this show, from hero to villain, are complex and multi-faceted. They are three dimensional, and they have flaws with make them fascinating, even when they’re horrifying.
-- Michael himself might be a genius of some kind, he might have everything planned to the very last nano-second, but he is far from perfect. He’s young and naïve in some ways, but just arrogant enough to believe he can pull this off. He’s strong enough to survive being tortured without giving up the information that could ruin his plan, but soft enough that he could be his own ruination. He won’t kill people that need to be silenced or removed, even though he had to know the possibility existed for the necessity when he went in. And he’s allowed himself to become attached to some of the people he’s interacted with, a mistake that has already placed his plan in jeopardy (but has also made the show so much more interesting.)
-- Lincoln, the wrongly accused man, was no saint even before this happened. Their father was an abusive drunk who split when the boys were both still young, and their mother died before they were finished growing up. Lincoln and Michael had only each other, but as the boys grew older they went in different directions. Lincoln was in debt to some bad people for $90,000, while Michael was a highly successful, highly educated structural engineer. Lincoln never established a good relationship with his son, while Michael seems to have been a presence in young LJ’s (Lincoln Jr.) life. He may not be guilty of murder, but Lincoln has made a lot of mistakes in his life, mistakes that ultimately made him the perfect fall guy for this murder. The irony is, his looming execution has given him the impetus he needed to reach out to his son, to re-connect with Veronica, and to grow closer to his brother again.
-- Even the villains in this show are three dimensional. The mob boss Michael has recruited to help them is a man capable of killing and torturing people, yet he loves his family, and will do anything necessary to protect them. The scum who runs the local white supremist gang is a product of the system he’s been incarcerated in since he was a kid. (He’s also, apparently, the product of what he practices; his uncle raped his mother – brother and sister by blood – who was, according to one of the guards, also mentally deficient. And he’s sensitive to insults about it.) It’s the only glimmer of sympathy I’ve felt for the character since the show started, as he’s pretty much the most vile of the bunch, but still. Even a glimmer of sympathy is something. And the CO of the guards, Bellick, is not a good guy at all, but a man who enjoys being the one in power, who is separated from being one of his own prisoners only by situation and not by what he is capable of. Then there are the Government Goons trying to stop anyone from finding the truth. We don’t know much about them yet, but we do know that one of them is colder and harder, and the other is a family man with a conscience, who has not liked the steps they’ve been forced to take in this conspiracy.
-- For the shippers out there, there are opportunities for that here as well. Obviously Veronica and Lincoln, if you like. Or Veronica and Nick, the lawyer who is helping her dig out the truth on Lincoln’s case. And there is Michael and Sarah, the prison’s doctor. She also happens to be the governor’s daughter, though she and her father have issues. Michael visits her often for insulin shots, and it is obvious that they are attracted to one another, but unable to acknowledge the fact. He, because it would mess with his plan, she, because he’s a prisoner. Sarah is smart, and she’s looking into Michael’s past. I suspect this is going to become one of the many obstacles he’ll have in finishing his grand plan. Sarah has already interfered inadvertently, when he had to choose between continuing with his plan, and helping her out of danger. (Aw, he chose to save her, of course! See, shippery goodness.) But I strongly suspect she will become a more direct obstacle soon.
• The suspense. Every episode so far has had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails at one point or another. It makes the show good and holds your attention riveted for that hour. It’s already pushed the boundaries of network television IMO. I’ve thought during a couple of scenes that this show belongs more on HBO. Of course, it does have that advisory for graphic content.
• Surprises. This show surprises you, unlike so many offerings on TV today. I can’t get into too much detail here, but let me just say that you don’t always see what’s coming, or to who. The last episode would be my case in point, for those of you already watching.
• Eye candy. No list would be complete without this. Just look at my icon. Come on. Lincoln and Michael have to be the two best looking brothers in the prison system. And we get to see them shirtless from time to time. And they’re built. And so is Michael’s cellmate, Sucre, who we also get to see shirtless. It’s not quite like Oz, but then, this is network television. More’s the pity. I wouldn’t mind seeing just how far down Michael’s tattoo goes. ;)
• The fic possibilities are endless. Romance, angst, het, slash, whatever-your-form-of-smut – pick your poison. There are endless non-smut possbilities as well, with the convoluted character relationships. The brothers, the ex-girlfriend, the estranged son. You could argue almost anything as supported by canon in this show and get away with it.
Also, I’ve always like Sarah Wayne Callies, who plays Sarah. She’s not drop dead gorgeous, but she’s very pretty. I like women who are pretty without being “perfect”. And she and Michael look very good together.
So that’s it. That’s my list. You should tune in and see what I’ve been rambling about. To me, this show is right up there with Deadwood and Battlestar Galactica for story and characters and suspense and good writing. I have all the episodes which have already aired saved to my Tivo, and I’m willing to burn them to DVD if people ask me to. (Within limits. I won’t bankrupt myself to do it, but if that many people request them I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.) I’m sure I could have gone into more detail, quoted my favorite scenes, etc., but I was trying to write this without spoilers.
If you watch, and you think I’ve missed something important, comment and I’ll add why you think it’s the best new show on television.
Remember a year ago, when everyone and their LJ-friends were either watching Veronica Mars, or just beginning to tune in because all their friends on LJ called it the best show ever? This is kind of like that. Prison Break is a smart, suspenseful, thrilling, scary, and hot show that deserves as many viewers as can tune in.
• The story and writing. The premise sounds a little unbelievable: a man’s brother is about to be put to death for killing the Vice President’s brother. He claims to be innocent. His brother believes him, but all of his appeals have been rushed through the system and denied, and now his execution date is looming. It seems like nothing can be done. But his brother, the structural engineer who helped design the local prison, believes he can break out from the inside. So he hatches this complex plan that involves tattooing himself with the prison’s blueprints, hidden within an intricate design to make them seem like a normal full torso tattoo…and robs a bank to get himself arrested and sentenced to this same prison. He spent months researching many of his fellow inmates and prison crew before going in, and he believes that by utilizing some of them and their talents, he can make this plan work. Obviously this character is very smart and quite the strategist. Not only is he highly educated, but one gathers that he has quite the natural talent for calculating everything from math to contingencies.
Now, this alone does not a story make. This is just where it begins. Because a good story is gripping because it has conflicts and complications. In this case, there are several:
-- The largest conflict would be the conspiracy behind framing Lincoln Burrows for the murder in the first place. We don’t yet know why this was done, but it is clear that the people behind it are willing to take whatever steps necessary, no matter how many bodies it takes, to make sure Lincoln is put to death for the crime, and his innocence remains undiscovered. It is also clear these people have a lot of power. As in the highest levels of government power, which makes them the biggest, scariest villain in the show thus far.
-- Then there’s Veronica, Lincoln’s ex-girlfriend, who also happens to be his lawyer. She’s looking into his case, and the more she looks, the deeper into danger she puts herself and everyone around her. Also, she and Lincoln split up years ago because he cheated on her with another woman, whom he got pregnant and had a son with. They obviously still have feelings for one another, but he’s about to be put to death, and she hasn’t forgiven his transgression.
-- While Michael, Lincoln’s brother, might be very smart, he isn’t infallible, and he had no idea what he was really getting into when he got himself sent to prison. He’s in there beside real murderers and rapists and mobsters, all of whom actually committed the violent crimes for which they’re incarcerated. Some of these are people he’s hoping to use in his plan, and some of them are people who will get in the way of his plan, and some of them will represent a very real danger to his life while he’s there. And if one thing in his vast and complex schedule is off, the escape won’t work. There are so many unpredictable factors here, that literally everything could go wrong.
Somehow, even though the premise sounds unbelievable, this show makes it work. You believe that Michael is capable of making this happen. You believe that the government could do to someone else exactly what is happening to Lincoln. And the ability to suspend disbelief comes from excellent writing and acting. We get to see Michael’s plan unfold step by step. We share his brother’s doubt and wild hope that it will work. We share Michael’s fear and triumph and relief when his plan is either working or failing. They, the actors, sell us the story. And they wouldn’t be able to without smart writing to work with.
• The characters. The characters in this show, from hero to villain, are complex and multi-faceted. They are three dimensional, and they have flaws with make them fascinating, even when they’re horrifying.
-- Michael himself might be a genius of some kind, he might have everything planned to the very last nano-second, but he is far from perfect. He’s young and naïve in some ways, but just arrogant enough to believe he can pull this off. He’s strong enough to survive being tortured without giving up the information that could ruin his plan, but soft enough that he could be his own ruination. He won’t kill people that need to be silenced or removed, even though he had to know the possibility existed for the necessity when he went in. And he’s allowed himself to become attached to some of the people he’s interacted with, a mistake that has already placed his plan in jeopardy (but has also made the show so much more interesting.)
-- Lincoln, the wrongly accused man, was no saint even before this happened. Their father was an abusive drunk who split when the boys were both still young, and their mother died before they were finished growing up. Lincoln and Michael had only each other, but as the boys grew older they went in different directions. Lincoln was in debt to some bad people for $90,000, while Michael was a highly successful, highly educated structural engineer. Lincoln never established a good relationship with his son, while Michael seems to have been a presence in young LJ’s (Lincoln Jr.) life. He may not be guilty of murder, but Lincoln has made a lot of mistakes in his life, mistakes that ultimately made him the perfect fall guy for this murder. The irony is, his looming execution has given him the impetus he needed to reach out to his son, to re-connect with Veronica, and to grow closer to his brother again.
-- Even the villains in this show are three dimensional. The mob boss Michael has recruited to help them is a man capable of killing and torturing people, yet he loves his family, and will do anything necessary to protect them. The scum who runs the local white supremist gang is a product of the system he’s been incarcerated in since he was a kid. (He’s also, apparently, the product of what he practices; his uncle raped his mother – brother and sister by blood – who was, according to one of the guards, also mentally deficient. And he’s sensitive to insults about it.) It’s the only glimmer of sympathy I’ve felt for the character since the show started, as he’s pretty much the most vile of the bunch, but still. Even a glimmer of sympathy is something. And the CO of the guards, Bellick, is not a good guy at all, but a man who enjoys being the one in power, who is separated from being one of his own prisoners only by situation and not by what he is capable of. Then there are the Government Goons trying to stop anyone from finding the truth. We don’t know much about them yet, but we do know that one of them is colder and harder, and the other is a family man with a conscience, who has not liked the steps they’ve been forced to take in this conspiracy.
-- For the shippers out there, there are opportunities for that here as well. Obviously Veronica and Lincoln, if you like. Or Veronica and Nick, the lawyer who is helping her dig out the truth on Lincoln’s case. And there is Michael and Sarah, the prison’s doctor. She also happens to be the governor’s daughter, though she and her father have issues. Michael visits her often for insulin shots, and it is obvious that they are attracted to one another, but unable to acknowledge the fact. He, because it would mess with his plan, she, because he’s a prisoner. Sarah is smart, and she’s looking into Michael’s past. I suspect this is going to become one of the many obstacles he’ll have in finishing his grand plan. Sarah has already interfered inadvertently, when he had to choose between continuing with his plan, and helping her out of danger. (Aw, he chose to save her, of course! See, shippery goodness.) But I strongly suspect she will become a more direct obstacle soon.
• The suspense. Every episode so far has had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails at one point or another. It makes the show good and holds your attention riveted for that hour. It’s already pushed the boundaries of network television IMO. I’ve thought during a couple of scenes that this show belongs more on HBO. Of course, it does have that advisory for graphic content.
• Surprises. This show surprises you, unlike so many offerings on TV today. I can’t get into too much detail here, but let me just say that you don’t always see what’s coming, or to who. The last episode would be my case in point, for those of you already watching.
• Eye candy. No list would be complete without this. Just look at my icon. Come on. Lincoln and Michael have to be the two best looking brothers in the prison system. And we get to see them shirtless from time to time. And they’re built. And so is Michael’s cellmate, Sucre, who we also get to see shirtless. It’s not quite like Oz, but then, this is network television. More’s the pity. I wouldn’t mind seeing just how far down Michael’s tattoo goes. ;)
• The fic possibilities are endless. Romance, angst, het, slash, whatever-your-form-of-smut – pick your poison. There are endless non-smut possbilities as well, with the convoluted character relationships. The brothers, the ex-girlfriend, the estranged son. You could argue almost anything as supported by canon in this show and get away with it.
Also, I’ve always like Sarah Wayne Callies, who plays Sarah. She’s not drop dead gorgeous, but she’s very pretty. I like women who are pretty without being “perfect”. And she and Michael look very good together.
So that’s it. That’s my list. You should tune in and see what I’ve been rambling about. To me, this show is right up there with Deadwood and Battlestar Galactica for story and characters and suspense and good writing. I have all the episodes which have already aired saved to my Tivo, and I’m willing to burn them to DVD if people ask me to. (Within limits. I won’t bankrupt myself to do it, but if that many people request them I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.) I’m sure I could have gone into more detail, quoted my favorite scenes, etc., but I was trying to write this without spoilers.
If you watch, and you think I’ve missed something important, comment and I’ll add why you think it’s the best new show on television.
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no subject
Date: 2005-10-26 06:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-26 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-26 09:40 pm (UTC)...thank you!
no subject
Date: 2005-10-26 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 03:35 am (UTC)...yeah, maybe I should try to sleep. Huh.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 03:50 am (UTC)But yes, sleep is good.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 01:19 am (UTC)I was able to watch one of the episodes and WAS very intrigued, but because I'm such a terribly forgetful person, I consistently forget to watch it...(or, forgot to watch it, if it's done already)
no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 02:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 01:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 02:09 am (UTC)