IRL: 1X14 / 1X15 - "The Rat" / "By The Skin And The Teeth" [* SPOILERS WITHIN *]

Basq

- WARNING: THIS THREAD WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN "THE RAT" / "BY THE SKIN AND THE TEETH" -

Episode Title: "The Rat" / "By The Skin And The Teeth"
Airdate: August 15th 2006

TV.com Summaries:

The Rat:

Michael and the other prisoners attempt to return to their cells without being detected. A C.O. becomes suspicious about a broken pipe.

At the same time, Veronica and Nick request a judge to postpone Lincoln's execution. Sara requests her dad, the governor, to review Lincoln's case. Michael tries to put a stay in the execution by fiddling with the chair's wirings.

By The Skin And The Teeth:

As Lincoln is about to be executed, he briefly sees his father in the viewing room. A phone call from judge Kessler delays the execution. After reviewing the newly surfaced evidence, the judge orders the exhumation of Steadman's body.

Michael creates a new, more dangerous, break-out plan, involving going through the prison yard. An accident puts Michael's new plan in danger.

Next Episode: 1X16 - "Brother's Keeper" - August 22th 2006

Pacifico

9

How many episodes are there in Season 1?

Basq

Pacifico wrote:

How many episodes are there in Season 1?

22

zuutroy

Have to collect the mrs. at 10pm. Not happy!:mad: :mad: Suppose I'll have to watch the second one tomorrow:(

Pacifico

9

"Right here boss" Haha good stuff!

zuutroy

aaah!....This is too good!:eek:

Haven't a Clue

6

I gave it a 7, and only because the first one was gripping. But in the second episode, a bit of repetition started showing which shows me that already, half way through season 1, the producers are a wee bit stumped. Like in fairness, the break out didn't work. What'll we do that's original? Erm, lets try and have another one.

Still, the first one was good.

Necronomicon

Haven't a Clue wrote:

I gave it a 7, and only because the first one was gripping. But in the second episode, a bit of repetition started showing which shows me that already, half way through season 1, the producers are a wee bit stumped. Like in fairness, the break out didn't work. What'll we do that's original? Erm, lets try and have another one.

Still, the first one was good.

Well the second half of the season was only commissioned towards the end of the first 13 episodes iirc, so the writers would have had to improvise.
God bless double bills is all I'll say, I would've gone mad if I had to wait a week to see what happened after the end of episode 14, when you see Lincoln staring down the chair.
It's good to finally be watching episodes for the first time again!

Dharma

8

The Vice President is brilliant in every scene she's in. The conspiricy gets better every week. I only wish they included more of it.

Basq

Haven't a Clue wrote:

.. the producers are a wee bit stumped. Like in fairness, the break out didn't work..

The writers were of course stumped to have a 13 episode series expanded to 22... but as the revelations in the coming weeks show they handled it mighty well!

Don't judge too soon as i remember the second episode tonight (or possibly the next one) getting probably the weakest reception in the ol' Prison Break thread.

But i guarantee the last few will keep you on the edge of your seats!

Haven't a Clue

6

basquille wrote:

The writers were of course stumped to have a 13 episode series expanded to 22... but as the revelations in the coming weeks show they handled it mighty well!

Don't judge too soon as i remember the second episode tonight (or possibly the next one) getting probably the weakest reception in the ol' Prison Break thread.

But i guarantee the last few will keep you on the edge of your seats!

I'll see. And the Vice Presy's a proper bitch. My favourite character would either be the DJ Cooper fella as I actually know about that back story as we had it as an Irish story a couple of years ago. I also like Kellerman, cause he's such a ba5tard. And the company one is Lynne from season 2 of 24. As if you care...

kevmy

6

Yeah second episode was a little predictable IMO so overall only a 7. Michelle Forbes was also Ensign Ro in Star Trek:TNG. She getting a little old looking to

JoeyJJ

I like the cat and mouse game between Bellick and Scofield, Bellick even let him know he knew what he was at with the Rat and the wires.

The Physic ward was defo brought in as an after thought to extend the series, no mention of it before hand as far as I remember...

JoeyJJ

Actually...

Maybe the physic ward wasn't an after thought, Haywire was used for a reason i'm sure we'll see him again at some stage

Unearthly

It's an internet myth that Prison Break Series 1 was originally meant to be 13 episodes. Not true, people are getting confused because of the tv schedule. The series was always aimed for 22 episodes. The reason why there was 13 and then a massive break was to see if the show was a success, if it wasn't, they could save money and time not filming the remaining 9 episodes and use that money to fund a new show. It's a tactic often used by Fox. Firefly for example didn't make it past the first fall due to poor ratings so it was cancelled.

There is plenty of evidence to support the writers had the whole Series planned, and when it finishes in Ireland, i'll state why.

Bacchus

5

NOOOOoooooooo! I hoped this wouldn't happen. Ep 14 felt like one big reset button was hit with everyone back to their cells and back in square one, the lawyers pleading their case and (surprise surprise) losing, the governor calling at the last minute and (surprise again :rolleyes:) not granting clemency. For an episode where everything goes balls up there was no tension whatsoever. The ending was a killer but for once RTE's double billing did more damage than good as we find out almost immediately what happened. Still though, ep 14 had it's moments and did leave you thinking what the hell are they going to do so I give it 7/10
Ep 15 was a more dire affair. I know they had to fill more episodes to make 22 but the reset continues with Michael coming up with a backup plan.... tattooed on his back no less It felt cheap and lazy. Even the FX showing the pipe system seemed cheap and lazy. The new plan looks like it could prove interesting in future episodes with the psyke ward.... a return of Haywire perhaps. The most interesting stuff now is the conspiracy with the VP. There was also a distinct lack of T-Bag in this ep. Never a good thing. Oh! And what is with Lincoln having dreams about his Dad. I really hope this is going somewhere cos those cream sequences bored me to tears. 5/10
Overall 6/10 - poorest episodes in the series so far.

EDIT: Just read Unearltly's post. Is it true that this was all planned out and there were originally 22 episodes ordered? These two were still very lazy and not half as inventive as I'v come to expect Prison Break to be.

Bacchus

5

kevmy wrote:

Yeah second episode was a little predictable IMO so overall only a 7. Michelle Forbes was also Ensign Ro in Star Trek:TNG. She getting a little old looking to

She was in Battlestar Gallactica Season 2 aswell.

Washout

can anyone explain to me how about 3 weeks earlier there was a riot in the prison because of temperatures of over 100 degrees.

its been about 30 days since Scofield first entered the prison and now its suddenly snowing?

is weather in the mid west that volatile?

grumpytrousers

7

Good-ish episodes, I thought. It's rather similar to 24 series one in that the show got a new lease of life while it was airing and thus there's not one major story arc, but rather two smaller ones, and it does interfere with the pacing...

Haven't a Clue wrote:

And the company one is Lynne from season 2 of 24. As if you care...

Ta for that - wreckin' me head where i'd seen that mole thing before. Still would, mind...:D

Umaro

5

Ughhhh so many plot holes :-( Why doesn't Michael just try escaping through one of them?

-Those two guards inexplicably just accepting the fact that a solid steel bar had snapped apart by itself and fallen to the ground.

-If Tancredi believed that Lincoln was innocent and that the execution could not go through without her there, why didn't she just not show up? She could've blamed traffic, or anything!

-In the court when Veronica brought up the Secret Service agents out of nowhere and the D.A. has a note from the Secret Service (they do notes now apparently, even on short notice yeah?) and no-one batted an eyelid.

-Bellick knew that somehow, someway, Michael had gotten to the electric chair to stop it from working. A quick search of his cell would reveal the hole in the wall and Bellick is never one to pass up an oppurtunity to piss Michael off.

-How coincidental that the one piece of information on his tattoo that he needs gets melted off ¬_¬

-Tancredi is now a forensic specialist.. "This piece of material came from a guard's uniform." Puh-leez.

I could go on...












I'll still be watching it next week though.

Umaro

5

I really hope this is going somewhere cos those cream sequences bored me to tears.

XD - Some typos make me laugh

And I agree with the person talking about the snow and then the heatwave only a few days before. Forgot to include that in plotholes.

Bacchus

5

Nicely spotted. I don't much like those Blueberry pie scenes either. Actually, I dislike most scenes involving Lincoln, he's definitely the weakest link in the show.

Basq

Bacchus wrote:

Actually, I dislike most scenes involving Lincoln, he's definitely the weakest link in the show.

Welll... ba-dum-tish! :rolleyes:

pokerwidow

6

Am I the only one that still really enjoys this show for what it is, a tv programme? I think this over-analysis is a result of Lost and having to notice every single little detail. 24 is not always accurate but imho it is still the best show. So Prison break is not 100% accurate it is still great entertainment.

I do agree that last nights were weaker than normal and the constant setbacks are a bit frustrating but Prison break is the best thing being shown at the moment and I plan to enjoy it. Sorry for the rant

tvnutz

Bacchus wrote:

EDIT: Just read Unearltly's post. Is it true that this was all planned out and there were originally 22 episodes ordered? These two were still very lazy and not half as inventive as I'v come to expect Prison Break to be.

I'd disagree with that,a lot of shows do just get 13 episodes and then are extended to 22 if the ratings are good. However from watching episodes 14 onwards I reckon they had to suddenly move in a totally different direction. I think,because of the premise of the show,the creators nor Fox expected it to be a ratings hit and go beyond 13 episodes. If they did,I don't think they would have had episode 13 end with them nearly escaping and episode 14 resetting the whole situation.

Unearthly

Why would the creators think it would only get 13 episodes and then be cancelled? That's a very pressimistic attitude and I doubt many producers think like that otherwise they wouldn't bother putting the effort in to make a quality Show.

The Fact is, It was always planned for 22 episodes, I was reading about it in August when they were complaining about the big break halfway through, and infact it was longer than 4 months, something like 7 months but they brought it forward cause of good ratings. Another fact is that most programs have a transition or complication phase in their season, where the season changes direction, and they begin to reveal to the audience of what is going to happen coming up to the finale.

If its anyone who thought it would fail, It was Fox. The schedule does not mean only 13 episodes were planned originally though.

Rollo Tamasi

do you have a source unearthly?

Mossy Monk

oooooh, i like sources. lets see one for this

Unearthly

Not the one I read but it quotes one of the producers so meh

I always had a two-year plan. Before I even wrote the first page of the pilot, I had to know the end game for all the characters and all the story arcs, because I'm really only comfortable writing closed-ended stories," said Scheuring

<SNIP - we believe the source... link's far too spoilerish!>

edit: infact quite alot of spoilers for the 2nd season too : \

Anyway you get the source

Mossy Monk

so it will be 2 seasons only

good. cannot see how it could progress past a 2nd one. no point in destroying whats perfect

Unearthly

He actually goes on to say they're beginning to write possible Season 3 scenarios

You can be rest assured it will be milked to death:(

tvnutz

Unearthly wrote:

Why would the creators think it would only get 13 episodes and then be cancelled? That's a very pressimistic attitude and I doubt many producers think like that otherwise they wouldn't bother putting the effort in to make a quality Show.

The Fact is, It was always planned for 22 episodes, I was reading about it in August when they were complaining about the big break halfway through, and infact it was longer than 4 months, something like 7 months but they brought it forward cause of good ratings. Another fact is that most programs have a transition or complication phase in their season, where the season changes direction, and they begin to reveal to the audience of what is going to happen coming up to the finale.

If its anyone who thought it would fail, It was Fox. The schedule does not mean only 13 episodes were planned originally though.

We'll have a nice big argument about this when its finished on Irish tv

BUt I'd just like to say,it is in no way a "fact" as you claim. Quotes from the producers are always full of BS and can never be called fact. Just look at the Lost producers,I love the show,but they keep saying they know what they are at all the time when clearly they are making it up as they go along! A show like Prison Break,in a Prison...with them escaping,they reckoned they would do well to get 13 episodes in! You can see in the episodes after that they were thrown off balance and had to re-adjust some things. They did it well mind. My opinion :rolleyes:

Unearthly

We'll have a nice big argument about this when its finished on Irish tv

No need to wait, look at the topic about the Theory

tvnutz

Unearthly wrote:

No need to wait, look at the topic about the Theory

Ye I know,I just made a huge nerdy reply to it...damn I need to get a job :rolleyes:

JoeyJJ

sorry off topic slightly..

Still not sure if John Abruzzi is dead, might have missed something... but I seen the actor that plays him in a cameo role in Nacho Libre the new Jack Black movie..

Necronomicon

Haven't a Clue wrote:

And the company one is Lynne from season 2 of 24. As if you care...

I ****ing KNEW it! That was bugging the hell out of me!

Baby4

8

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Bacchus

5

Baby4 wrote:

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Yeah, I thought the same thing. Hard to tell though. I'm sure we'll find out next week.

Also- I don't think Lincoln's is the 'weakest link' as mentioned by someone. I thought his acting was excellent in the run-up to his execution. OK, so some of the storylines are a bit touchy-feely, but they're needed imo.

It was me!! I do think he's the weakest linc (haha). He has no range of emotion at all. He always looks like he's about to melt someone's face off with the anguished rage burning through his eyes. Or, he's crying..... but still full of rage. I guess it's not really the actors fault, he's given the least to do and therefore is the least interesting character to me..... actually, I reconsidered. His son is the weakest linc in the show. All he does is cry or look like he's about to cry.

Baby4

8

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Basq

Baby4 wrote:

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Yeah.. it's probably that...

... that OR an inability to act!

Ah no.. Dominic Purcell isn't that bad. LJ gets on my nerves alright and also Tancredi (though a fox) really has this constant look of worry on her face.

Moving wildly off-topic here..! :eek:

Unearthly

I enjoyed these 2 episodes more than most people when I watched them originally, probably because of the long break, just glad to see it back!

I liked the way in Episode 14 that they wiped away any obvious solution to save Lincoln during the episode, and had a cliffhanger, even though we all knew he was going to survive, it was just nice to guess how, which again would of been ruined for Irish viewers cause of the Double

Baby4

8

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Unearthly

Yep

He is also in Jurassic Park 2 - The guy who gets killed when those little tiny things attacked him

Baby4

8

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Umaro

5

Yeah, I saw him in that Chris Rock movie Bad Company there last week too.