PRISON BREAK FANS: Actors

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Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Prison Break

The Prison Break revival series has wrapped up after nine episodes, and while fans got a happy ending, they may also have been left scratching their heads. Just like the original series, the revival is complicated and filled with twists and turns, and they are all packed in to only nine episodes. So with the show finished, what exactly happened? If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

The final episode ‘Behind The Eyes’ picked up a few minutes before the previous episode ended with its blood-splattered cliffhanger. Michael (Wentworth Miller) is back on American soil, having discovered that Sara’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) new husband Jacob (Mark Feuerstein) is actually the crooked and dangerous CIA operative Poseidon. Lincoln’s (Dominic Purcell) been shot and left for dead, Whip (Augustus Prew) has been reunited with long-lost father T-Bag (Robert Knepper), and everything is about to come to a head as the final secrets come to light.

JACOB’S AGENDA

We’ll start with Jacob, and his long-con on Sara. The finale begins with Jacob tying Sara to a chair as she (rightly) calls him a psychopath. Jacob (or Poseidon) is actually a CIA operative, but he’s not only been leading a secret cell named 21 Void, he’s actually been working against the CIA itself at times, and even murdered the deputy director Harlan Gaines.

Jacob ‘recruited’ Michael against his will, first by imprisoning Sara (pre-revival), and then by framing him for Gaines’s murder. He’s used his hold on Michael to place him in various prisons in order to break out prisoners that the government want to use for their own ends – and when he was done, he sent him to the Yemen prison as Kanil Outis. It wasn’t to break anyone out, though that was what he told Michael. Instead, Jacob intended Michael to die there, tying up his loose ends and leaving Jacob with Michael’s family.

This plan failed, however, and now Michael is back and Sara knows that her husband has been lying to her for years. As a result, Jacob has a new diabolical plan: he’ll kill both Sara and Michael, burning her to death and having one of his operatives shoot him in the head. (He’ll then raise Mike Jr. as his own.) And when Michael and Sara prove difficult to kill? He’ll turn Michael in as Kanil Outis, and have him imprisoned for life.

MICHAEL’S MASTER PLAN

Jacob has his work cut out for him, however, and Sara hits on a key truth when she tells her husband that Michael is far smarter than him. Since the night that Michael was framed for murder, he’s been plotting his revenge, and it’s all about to come together.

First, he set aside blood from the murder and sent copies of the security tapes to a ‘wild card’ who loves to build obsessively detailed dioramas. This episode, T-Bag and his surprise son (!) Whip are sent to collect both the blood and the wild card, bringing them to Michael. Then, he encrypted his hand tattoos and sent Jacob on a wild goose chase to the zoo, while he broke into Jacob’s secret CIA office. As always, it’s the tattoos that save him, as Michael reveal that the dots and shadows on the back of his hands come together to look like Jacob’s face and fool his facial-recognition scanner. There, he took the blood from the murder and planted it in Jacob’s office.

Finally, he lured Jacob to another meeting point by telling him that he had his secret hard drives full of incriminating evidence. There, he was able to lead Jacob on a chase through the warehouse, intentionally letting Jacob take his gun and ‘shoot’ him… in a life-size replica of the Gaines’s murder scene. The replica (built by his diorama-loving associate) was created inside a truck, and Michael loaded his gun with blanks. As a result, he now has video footage of Jacob apparently committing the murder that he actually did commit seven years ago and framed Michael for.

His end game is a particularly clever one – come clean about everything else that has happened, including Jacob forcing Michael to work for him, and e-mail the ‘missing’ stills from the murder footage to the CIA director to prove Jacob’s guilt. Combined with blood evidence in Jacob’s secret office, and the testimony of one of Jacob’s accomplices who was taken down by Lincoln, it’s enough to get Michael freed, and he finally walks away a free man.

HAPPY ENDINGS

With that, Michael’s long odyssey is over. After years of breaking people out of prison, being framed for crimes he didn’t commit, and living on the run, he can finally have the ‘boring’ life he wants.

The final scenes show Michael sitting with Lincoln, reflecting that it is all over. His hands aren’t shown, but his collarbone appears tattoo-free, suggesting that he may have had some laser surgery to wipe his slate clean. As the brothers talk, they look out at Sara and Mike in the park with a football, chatting with Sheba (Inbar Lavi), who is presumably now in a relationship with Lincoln. Despite the happiness of this scene, there is some sadness under the surface – and it is going to take Michael a long time to recover from his long ordeal.

As for the rest of the characters, the series ends with a surprisingly moral note: the good guys go on to live their lives, the bad guys are punished. Sucre and C-Note are not seen in the finale, but are presumably back to living the lives they had at the start of the revival. The 2 Void agents are dead – Van Gogh (Steve Mouzakis) was shot by his partner, and his partner A&W (Marina Benedict) had her neck snapped by T-Bag. The only unfair ending came for Whip, who was shot in the stomach and died in the arms of the father he just met, who was then arrested for the death of A&W.

THE FINAL CODA

Of course, there’s a reason for T-Bag’s loss, and it comes up in the final coda. The series revival ends where it all began: in Fox River Penitentiary. Jacob, arrested for his crimes, is led into a cell. He’s still beaten up from his encounter with Michael, so presumably he is awaiting trial – and he doesn’t seem concerned. He’s actually got a sly smile on his face, and he tells the guard that he’s not going to be there long. Obviously, Jacob thinks he’s going to get out again, and he’s probably going to start making trouble for Michael again.

Except that he’s never going to get that chance. Whether this was part of a master-plan of Michael’s or not isn’t entirely clear, but Jacob’s cellmate is none other than T-Bag. T-Bag, who is a confirmed murderer, and who spent most of the finale talking about the revival of his killer instinct, and Michael’s possible plan to have him kill Jacob. T-Bag, whose son died in his arms after being shot by Jacob’s agent. The shot zooms in on Jacob’s panicked face, before panning out and away from the cell, leaving the viewer to hear his screams as T-Bag takes his revenge, and the saga comes to a violent end.

Prison Break’s Revival Finale Explained

By Icha Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Although Scofield didn’t technically die on screen, that still seems like a pretty unquestionable death. Not only was he dying from a brain tumor, but he electrocuted himself – leaving him dead twice over, with a memorial stone in place and a touching farewell message left for his loved ones. However, he’s evidently not dead – so how could that happen?

The most likely scenario is that the power of the electrical surge wasn’t enough to kill him, just to stun him or knock him out. When he is then discovered underneath the prison, the government, or The Company, (or both) decide that he cannot be dealt with above board. Instead, they trade his freedom for the lives of Sara and Lincoln, promising to leave them alone in return for his co-operation. He may have been in Yemen ever since, or he may have been forced to work for The Company, and his internment in Ogygia is either the result of his work, or part of a larger Company plan. This would explain why he refuses to acknowledge his brother – he is still convinced that The Company could hurt them if he reveals himself.

How Did He Survive?

By Icha Monday, April 23, 2018

before you go check out this

15 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Prison Break - Part 1

15 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Prison Break - Part 2

Let's GO

5. THE NETWORK HAS A STRANGE HISTORY WITH SPIN-OFFS

After Prison Break became a massive hit, Fox tried to use the success of the show to promote various spin-off materials. The first was the Prison Break: Proof of Innocence shorts, which revolved around Amber McCall trying to exonerate her friend L.J. Burrows. It was released exclusively for mobile phones, because it was 2006 and that probably seemed like a cutting-edge decision at the time. Another series of shorts, Prison Break: Visitations, centered on the villains of Sona. Fox then decided to try their hand at a true spin-off series called Prison Break: Cherry Hill, focusing on a women’s prison. Molly, the protagonist of the spin-off, was meant to be introduced during Prison Break‘s third season. However, producers had trouble casting her and then were derailed by the WGA strike. Fox later announced Cherry Hill would merely be an unconnected brand spin-off, then it disappeared completely.

In season three, Michael and company were thrown into the Sona Prison, which operated in a strange way. After the prisoners started a violent riot, the prison guards retreated outside the prison walls and left the inmates to run things on their own. Sona’s interesting set-up was partially based on the true story of Carandiru, a prison in Brazil, but real life turned out to be more violent than Prison Break. In 1992, the prisoners of Carandiru started a riot and the guards lost control of the situation. In the real-life case, the military police took over, and they ended the standoff by storming the prison and ending the lives of 111 inmates. Forensic evidence concluded that the prisoners were likely executed by the military police. Dozens of policemen were sent to prison for their part in the massacre, and the incident was considered a human rights violation.

3. MICHAEL’S TATTOO CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEMS

Michael’s tattoos were an iconic part of the series, which made many fans question why Michael got a quick tattoo removal in season four. Producers regretted the shoehorned scene, but the tattoos had become far too difficult to maintain. From the beginning, Michael’s ink required four and a half hours of makeup to apply every day. At least part of the tattoo had to be applied every time Michael’s torso or arms were shown. Wentworth Miller eventually requested that the tattoo be removed to make filming easier. He explained, “In 100-degree heat, [I was] wearing long-sleeve shirts because we’re still pretending I actually have the thing on.” As the tattoos were no longer plot-relevant, the request was granted. When Prison Break returned for its fifth season, Michael’s elaborate tattoos returned in all of their former glory.

2. THE THIRD SEASON WAS AFFECTED BY THE WRITER’S STRIKE

The WGA strike of 2007 rocked most of Hollywood at the time, forcing changes in many shows that were airing at the time. Dozens of shows aired with shorten seasons due to delayed production.Others were postponed for a long hiatus or cancelled by the networks. Prison Break was one of the lucky shows to continue production. However, it aired with a shortened season of 13 out of the usual 22 episodes.

The producers reportedly had to turn their mid-season cliffhanger into the season three finale.

The plan may have worked out for them in the end, though, as some speculate the shortened third season was a big reason Fox renewed the series for its fourth season. The strike may have also cancelled the intended spin-off Prison Break: Cherry Hill.

1. FOX ORIGINALLY TURNED DOWN THE SHOW

Although Prison Break turned out to be one of Fox’s most popular shows, the network was not convinced the show could succeed at first. When series creator Paul Scheuring pitched the idea to Fox in 2003, the network executives turned him down. They did not believe the show had long-term possibilities. Scheuring pitched to other networks, who also turned it down. Prison Break was then considered for a miniseries, an idea which briefly drew the attention of Steven Spielberg. By that time, television networks had also witnessed the successes of similar shows like Lost and 24. Fox decided to reconsider Scheuring’s idea for a television series and green-lit the project in 2004. In retrospect, with five seasons of Prison Break and a sixth expected, the network saved themselves from a huge mistake and avoided turning down a long-term hit.

Can you think of any other dark secrets about Prison Break? Sound off in the comments!

15 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Prison Break - Part 3

By Icha Monday, April 23, 2018

15 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Prison Break - Part 1

9. PARTS OF THE SHOW WERE FILMED IN JOHN WAYNE GACY’S CELL

When delving into life in prison and the details of breaking out, producers wanted the prison itself to be as real as possible. They found the perfect filming location in the Joliet Correctional Center, which has a long history spanning over 150 years. The prison stopped housing inmates three years before the show’s production, opening it up for filming. Many cast members commented that filming in Joliet aided their performance, as it made their characters’ time in prison feel real. Dominic Purcell ended up filming in a cell with a notorious history. Purcell’s Joliet cell once housed the serial killer John Wayne Gacy, which was a little too creepy for some of the crew. Purcell remembered, “I got on set and the makeup person refused to go into the cell. I said, `What’s going on?’ and she said, `That’s where Gacy was.'”

8. THE MOVE TO THE MIDDLE EAST WAS CONTROVERSIAL

The long-awaited return of Prison Break brought the story to Yemen, where Michael was imprisoned as a terrorist. The new storyline was somewhat controversial, taking Michael and the rest into ISIS-controlled territory. The story did not seem to shy away from weaving in the complex political and religious situation of the region. Despite this, the producers were very clear that they did not want the story to be political. Series creator Paul Scheuring stated that he has no interest in making political commentary within the show.

However, the show premiered at a time of high tension in the United States when Islamophobia was at the forefront of the national conversation.

This brought Prison Break into the sphere of political commentary, regardless of the producers’ intentions. Some critics praised the revival for a few positive portrayals of Muslim characters, but other critics lambasted the show for playing into Islamophobia.

7. DOMINIC PURCELL WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING FILMING

The filming of Prison Break has always been arduous, but once it became dangerous for Dominic Purcell. While filming the season five revival, Purcell sustained a serious injury while on set. After an iron bar fell on his head, he had to be airlifted to a hospital in Casablanca, Morocco. He received treatment for a head injury and a broken nose, requiring 150 stitches. Purcell commented, “My stunt guy came up beside me, and I looked at him and said, ‘Dude…What happened?’ And he said, ‘Your head’s split right open, I can see your skull, your nose is on the other side of your face.’… I thought I was going to die.” Finding medical treatment in the remote location was also difficult. Purcell made a full recovery and was back on set within weeks. He was not written out of any scenes, but his injuries had to be written in.

6. SARA WAS KILLED OFF BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY AND CONTRACT DISPUTES

The third season took a dark turn when Sara Tancredi was killed off the show. Though she eventually did return, the head-in-a-box reveal left fans shocked and fairly convinced that her character death was final. However, Sara’s death was not supposed to happen at all. The plot twist resulted from Sarah Wayne Callies’ real-life pregnancy. The writers originally did not plan to kill off Sara when Callies’ pregnancy was announced, but they later decided it would provide plot motivation for Michael. Callies was supposed to have 13 episodes for her and Michael to say goodbye, but Callies would have had to make a new contract with Fox, which she declined to do. Her pregnancy also complicated filming, making Sara’s death rather unceremonious in the final cut. However, the fourth season renewal brought Sara back to life once the issues with Callies had been resolved.

Can you think of any other dark secrets about Prison Break? Sound off in the comments!

15 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Prison Break - Part 2

By Icha Monday, April 23, 2018

Prison Break became a smash hit when it started in 2005. Fans kept coming back for the excitement and tension, as Michael Scofield executed his complex plan to break his brother out of prison.

While Michael painstakingly worked out his own plans, the show also offered up a compelling cast of characters that fans rooted for, sometimes against their better judgement.

The series had a spark that kept the story going long after the inmates made it outside the prison walls. Prison Break proved to be so magnetic that the network returned to it almost a decade later with a fifth season and has now announced an upcoming sixth season.

However, the behind-the-scenes work of turning Michael’s intricate plans into reality and creating exciting new conflict was not always an easy task. Prison Break had trouble even getting off the ground, almost killed in its idea stage. The show also drew on real-life dark pasts to bring the story to life.

Throughout the series, the producers had multiple woes over the cast, starting before production and continuing years later to affect the upcoming season. Filming was often difficult, resulting in uncomfortable work and on-set injuries. Even though the show was beloved by fans, it also could not avoid its share of controversy.

Here are the 15 Behind The Scenes Secrets You Didn’t Know About Prison Break.

Part 1

15. FOX WAS SUED BY TWO BROTHERS CLAIMING THE SHOW USED THEIR LIFE STORY

Prison Break was radically different from most shows at the time of its premiere, but it was built on similar stories throughout film and television history, such as The Great Escape and The Fugitive. The creative twist was the story of two brothers within a classic escape plot. That brotherhood twist got Fox slapped with a lawsuit in 2006 by two brothers claiming they had used their life story. In 1964, Donald Hughes broke his brother Robert out of a juvenile detention center. At the age of 16, Robert Hughes was wrongfully accused of a crime and sentenced to five years of incarceration. His older brother planned his successful escape, and the two lived as fugitives for four years, but were eventually exonerated. The brother claimed that they had sent a manuscript about their ordeal to Fox, but the network rejected it.

14. ROBERT KNEPPER WAS ACCUSED OF ASSAULT

In the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, accusations of assault and misconduct involving many other men poured forward. In November 2017, a costume designer accused Robert Knepper of assaulting her on a movie set.

Four more women later came forward accusing him of assault.

Knepper denied all of the allegations, claiming that he had been falsely accused.

At the time, Knepper was starring on iZombie, produced by Warner Bros. TV. After his first accusation, Warner Bros. launched an investigation. The investigation found no wrongdoing on the set of iZombie, and Warner Bros. decided he would remain on the show.

However, all five allegations of misconduct took place before he joined his current show. Given the state of Knepper’s assault accusations, it’s unlikely that T-Bag will be appearing in any future seasons of Prison Break.

13. TWEENER WAS KILLED OFF SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACTOR WAS SENT TO JAIL

Personal problems have ended roles for actors and actresses on many occasions, but this was narrowly avoided in the case of Lane Garrison, who played David “Tweener” Apolskis.

Tweener was killed off Prison Break in a dramatic turn in the second season. His character’s unfortunate death happened not long before Garrison found himself in real-life legal troubles.

In 2007, Garrison pled guilty of ending someone’s life with his car after he was involved in a fatal car accident. Police reported that Garrison was driving with his blood alcohol level over twice the legal limit at the time of the crash, which killed a 17-year-old passenger in the car with him.

He was sentenced to 40 months in jail, four years of parole, and $300,000 in restitution payment. He has continued his acting career since his release in 2009.

12. THE SHOW WAS BANNED IN SOME PRISONS

It’s clear that Michael Scofield has yet to meet a prison that he couldn’t escape from in the last five seasons. Thus far, he has escaped from or allowed someone else to escape from four different prisons.

When Prison Break aired, some prison officials were worried that Michael’s talent for engineering elaborate escape plans would be too educational and inspirational.

The show was banned from thirteen prisons in the United States, ensuring that the prison population did not get any ideas from the schemes that Michael executed throughout the series.

Prison officials were apparently worried about having the inmates thinking too much on the idea of prison breaks. However, many prisons still allowed inmates to watch the show, presumably less worried about an over-the-top prison break plan threatening their real-life security.

11. WENTWORTH MILLER AND DOMINIC PURCELL WERE CAST AT THE LAST MINUTE

When producers finally got Prison Break green-lit, they ran into a huge casting problem. Despite many auditions, they could not find the right people for the lead roles.

Series creator Paul Scheuring stated, “We went through some harrowing weeks seeing just about every 25 to 35 actor in LA for the Scofield part. There is a mysterious element about Michael and all these guys would come in playing mysterious, but it was so cheesy and false.

” He continued, “It was one week ’til production and Wentworth walked in and he was Scofield times ten.”

Even though Wentworth Miller was cast at the last minute, Dominic Purcell was the last actor to be cast, only three days before the start of production because Scheuring did not originally think Purcell was right for the part. The production crew was shocked at how well the casting worked out that late in the game.

10. STACY KEACH USED HIS OWN TIME IN PRISON AS AN INSPIRATION FOR WARDEN POPE

Stacy Keach played Warden Pope of Fox River, who served as something of a kindred spirit for Michael. Pope was portrayed as a surprisingly genuine character, perhaps because he was based on a real person in Keach’s life.

Keach used his own time in prison to get into his part on Prison Break, basing his portrayal of Pope on the warden of the prison where he was incarcerated.

In 1984, Stacy Keach spent time in prison after he was arrested for possession of cocaine and taking cocaine into Britain at Heathrow Airport in London. He pled guilty to the charge and was sentenced to serve nine months in Reading Prison.

His prison sentence was big news at the time, as he was starring in a show in Britain that had to cut its season short. Fortunately, Keach was able to leverage that experience to influence his character on Prison Break.