Prison Break - Season Finale Review

So about Monday's PRISON BREAK ...

- Well, looking back on it now, Season 3 of PB was one hell of a run. From the beginning, the doubters (including myself), wondered if the show would simply be retreading familiar territory by sticking Michael back in prison and having him once again have to organize an escape. But the great thing about this show is that it has constantly evolved since day one. It really is one of the most unpredictable hours on television, in that you never quite know who will live, who will die, or just HOW it is that Scofield and company will manage to escape at the end of the day. Part of the fun of the show has now become just trying to guess where all the major players will end up by the end of the season, because really, you have no idea. For all I knew, Michael would be back in Sona prison, working for the government, working for The Company, on the run from the law, or on an island in the Bahamas sipping a martini by episode's end.

That being said, this was a damn good episode and a satisfying season finale. It sounds like it's still up in the air as to when, exactly, PB will be back with new episodes, but to be honest, if this is the last one for a while, I wouldn't be too upset. Because on Monday, the show closed off its season with a bang. Seriously, this ep was Prison Break at its best - tons of action, double-crosses, alliances, great heroes and villains. You've got to give the writers credit for making Michael Scofield into one of TV's coolest heroes. His Batman-esque ability to plan for any contingency and constantly outsmart The Company was on full display here, and it was just fun to sit back and watch his plans for the long-awaited LJ-Whistler hostage exchange unfold. And how intense was the showdown between Michael and Gretchen? While her rivalry with Lincoln was more one of brains vs. brawn, it will be interesting to see her finally go toe to toe, move for move, with the "brains behind the operation," as she put it. After all she had done to establish herself as one evil bitch, I almost wanted to see Michael exact some revenge on her, but, that would mean killing off one of the best villains yet seen on the show, and surely one of TV's best femme fatales.

Meanwhile, T-Bag has been pretty goofy so far this season. It's been a while since we saw scary-psycho T-Bag, but this episode delivered, reminding us why this guy is one evil SOB. T-Bag as anarchy-promoting ruler of Sona though? Can't imagine that will last long, and I wonder how long Bellick will stick around as his lackey. Sucks for Sucre to be locked up once again - it looks like they may be positioning him as a kind of Scofield-lite for next season, perhaps trying to orchestrate an escape of his own?

Also, very interesting to see Mahone fall back in with The Company. A great character, and I hope he remains in the spotlight for as long as the show continues. William Fichter deserves an Emmy for his awesome work in this series. Honestly, I know a pulpy show like this doesn't always lend itself to awards consideration, but it's been too well-acted and written to stay under the radar any more. I know it has its detractors, but to me the show has been up there with nearly anything else on the air in terms of excitement, plotting, and characterization.

The one thing that now needs to be fleshed out a bit is The Company. Up until now it's been a mostly pointless conspiracy, and while it's bee na good driving force for the show's plotting, there is still a pretty ambiguous mythology at work here. Whistler in particular was yet another loose end - we still don't know who he was or what his deal is, except that it now looks like he was working for the Company all along. I don't want to see the show get too bogged down in conspiracy storyarcs, but I also wouldn't mind seeing the show's arch villains become a little more defined.

All in all though, a kickass episode of Prison Break. Excited to see where the show goes from here, and I'm already anxious to learn the fates of Michael, Lincoln, and the rest.

My Grade: A