The last couple of weeks, I’ve had to defend my continuing to watch “Prison Break” to my family and friends. Some of them were diehard fans during the first and second seasons, but now they’d rather turn the channel to “One Tree Hill” or “Monday Night Football” than watch what they call a terrible, drawn-out show with a plot that keeps on getting more convoluted. I agree with them that “Prison Break” is far from Emmy-worthy, but I can’t give it up. I have to see where Michael, Lincoln, Alex, and the merry band of misfit fugitives end up. I need a conclusion to the web-like Company storyline. The ratings may be plunging, but the network has been very reassuring that there’ll be a full season so that there is enough time to wrap up everything. I’m not sad that this will probably be the last season for “Prison Break.” I think it’s time to say goodbye.
Season 1 and Season 2 were superb. The first season was all about escape plans and evil villains, a kind of edgier “Shawshank Redemption.” The second was a run across America from the feds in search of treasure and safety. The third was kind of a drag, a stint in a steamy, dirty, violent Panama prison that was mostly unmemorable. The fourth, on right now, is about planning break-ins and undoing conspiracies. It’s an improvement on the third season, so I don’t know why the ratings have been dropping so drastically. At least “Prison Break” has been given time to conclude its vision, unlike its Monday night companion, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” which insiders say will be unlikely to have more than a 13-episode second season. Anyway, I was inspired to write this because of Stephen King’s excellent commentary in this week’s EW.
