DVD Review: Prison Break – Season 2

By Patrick Luce Sep 19, 2007, 12:08 GMT

After escaping from prison, Lincoln Burrows & Michael Scofield are on the run with one goal in mind â?" clear Lincolnâ??s name and uncover the hidden $5 million. ...more

Michael Scofield and his brother Lincoln Burrows are out of Fox River Prison and on the run. The second season of the hit series Prison Break follows the two brothers (along with the other escaped inmates) as they crisscross the nation and crank up the suspense.

The six-disc DVD set collects all of Season 2’s episodes and packs in plenty of special features to make it worth the retail price. Features include commentary on various episodes, several featurettes on the series and how it was changed for Season 2, and an Easter Egg titled Kill Clip. The season manages to make some improvements over the first season (mostly in pacing issues) and opens the characters up to a much larger story.

In the first season of “Prison Break,” structural engineer Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) entered Fox River Prison tattooed and on a mission to free his brother before Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) was put to death for a crime he didn’t commit.  Along with six other inmates, Scofield was able to pull off the impossible and get over the prison walls – which was only the beginning.

Season 2 cranks up the suspense and conspiracy theories with the Fox River Eight on the run from just about everyone, and trying to avoid getting sent back to the big house. They are also on a search for a treasure of millions of dollars that was hidden by a convict who died in the first season. The money is a promise of a fresh start in some country without extradition.
 
Scofield and Burrows are also still on a quest to clear Lincoln’s name, save his son, and then get the money so they can head to Panama. Along the way, Scofield hooks back up with the hot doctor from Season 1, sees most of his plans go up in smoke (even if he still has a tattoo for every occasion), and meets his equal in FBI Special Agent Alexander Mahone (William Fichtner).

Mahone has figured out Scofield’s tattoo trick and seems to have an annoying knack for always being right where Scofield needs to be next. Mahone’s other problem is how his prisoners keep dying in his custody. The strength of the character comes from Fichtner’s performance. The actor is perfect for the role and you are never quite sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy – even when the series explains his motivations. Fichtner was a brilliant addition to the series, and added a needed element to match Scofield’s ability to get out of any situation.

Season 2 also expands the stories of the other Fox River six, and spends equal time following their flight from prison. Naturally, the inmates constantly cross each others’ paths (especially in the beginning where they are all going after the buried loot), but it is a good change of pace to not be focused strictly on the two brothers. This helps the conspiracy angle with Lincoln and the brother’s flight from getting too boring.

Sadly, the series did nothing to improve Miller’s deadpan delivery of every single line he says. This was a pet-peeve of mine during the first season, and it once again drove me crazy watching Season 2. The show is very well cast, but Miller’s monotone voice just gets comical towards the end. Once again I will say (as I did when I reviewed the first season), this could be more of a problem for me since I watched the episodes back to back rather than on a weekly timeslot. It is also not a reason to avoid the show – which I think made several improvements from season one.

Prison Break - Season 2 made sure to crank up the suspense and cliffhangers. The convicts are on the run throughout the season and you feel it with every episode. They are never given a break or a chance to slow down. The show’s pace stays frantic from the start, and the final episode will leave you wanting to watch Season 3’s premiere.