give me a break! (Prison Break)

Member Name: bruffyboy

Product:	Prison Break
Date:	17/02/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good at first

Disadvantages: soon goes down hill

WHAT IS IT ABOUT:
This American drama series focuses on two brothers. When one is sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit, his genius brother plans an elaborate escape. This includes getting himself admitted to the same prison, then covering his body with tattoos that contain coded information on each part of the escape.

IS IT ANY GOOD:
Deary me, here is a show that's a victim of its own success. When it began, the idea was original, and the thinking behind it was really intelligent: it was unpredictable, exciting and different. Not only that, it was a fairly realistic analysis of how to break out of a modern prison. For the first 4 or 5 episodes, it ran at a fast pace and was very satisfying. As with all American shows, the writing was tight, the dialogue was authentic, and the acting adequate at least. Then, it happened: the show got successful. In the same path of Lost, the show realised its own success, and it dawned on the makers that the longer it ran the more money they'd make. So, they slowed down the pace, and essentially elongated the storyline. Season one was only supposed to be 13 episodes long, but ended up at a laborious 22!

It's hard to get across without actually seeing it for yourself, but this completely ruined the show: you would tune in one week and hardly anything would happen! It was so infuriating that we kept going to the end of the season and then (when we realised there were future seasons to come) we dropped out of the game.

I said earlier that the show is a bit like Lost, but there is a difference: Lost has enough depth to the plot that they can (just about) get away with the elongation of the show, Prison Break does not.

IF YOU LIKED IT:
Lost is another drama from the US that has a LONG story arc - if you didn't mind the slow pace in Prison Break, try it!

IN CONCLUSION:
A promising premise that dies a death with the slow pace forced on it by greedy creators.

Summary: do not waste your time!