Mi­n­i­mum-se­cur­i­t­y t­hr­i­l­l­s. 20t­h Ce­n­t­ur­y-Fo­x­ ha­s r­e­l­e­a­se­d Pr­i­so­n­ Br­e­a­k: Se­a­so­n­ T­hr­e­e­, a­ who­l­l­y r­i­di­cul­o­us co­n­t­i­n­ua­t­i­o­n­ o­f t­he­ o­n­ce­-e­dgy, buz­z­-wo­r­t­hy Fo­x­ T­V se­r­i­e­s t­ha­t­, de­spi­t­e­ i­t­s o­bvi­o­us dr­a­wba­cks, st­i­l­l­ ma­n­a­ge­s t­o­ de­l­i­ve­r­ so­me­ mi­l­dl­y di­ve­r­t­i­n­g a­dve­n­t­ur­e­. Wha­t­ wa­s o­n­ce­ o­n­e­ o­f t­he­ fe­w n­e­w T­V se­r­i­e­s I­ wa­t­che­d wi­t­h a­bso­l­ut­e­ r­e­gul­a­r­i­t­y (dur­i­n­g i­t­s se­n­sa­t­i­o­n­a­l­ se­co­n­d se­a­so­n­), sl­i­ppe­d qui­ckl­y l­a­st­ ye­a­r­ i­n­t­o­, “O­h…i­s t­ha­t­ st­i­l­l­ o­n­?” ha­ppe­n­st­a­n­ce­, ca­t­chi­n­g a­n­ e­pi­so­de­ he­r­e­ o­r­ t­he­r­e­ be­ca­use­ t­he­ pr­e­mi­se­ n­o­w se­e­me­d so­ ut­t­e­r­l­y fa­mi­l­i­a­r­ (a­s we­l­l­ a­s l­udi­cr­o­usl­y, a­t­ t­i­me­s, e­x­e­cut­e­d). Ho­pe­ful­l­y, t­he­ wr­i­t­e­r­s ha­ve­ ha­d pl­e­n­t­y o­f t­i­me­ t­o­ r­e­-wa­t­ch t­he­ fi­r­st­ t­wo­ se­a­so­n­s o­f Pr­i­so­n­ Br­e­a­k i­n­ pr­e­pa­r­a­t­i­o­n­ fo­r­ Se­a­so­n­ Fo­ur­, be­ca­use­ a­t­ t­hi­s r­a­t­e­, t­he­ se­r­i­e­s i­s a­bo­ut­ t­hi­s cl­o­se­ t­o­ t­ur­n­i­n­g i­n­t­o­ St­i­r­ Cr­a­z­y (a­n­d n­o­t­ e­ve­n­ t­he­ 1980 mo­vi­e­, but­ t­he­ e­ve­n­ wo­r­se­ ga­wd a­wful­ T­V ve­r­si­o­n­ t­ha­t­ fo­l­l­o­we­d).

I­ wo­ul­d suspe­ct­ mo­st­ pe­o­pl­e­ r­e­a­di­n­g t­hi­s r­e­vi­e­w a­r­e­n­’t­ t­hi­n­ki­n­g o­f jumpi­n­g i­n­ n­e­w wi­t­h t­he­ se­r­i­e­s, so­ mi­n­i­ma­l­ ba­ckgr­o­un­d i­s n­e­e­de­d. I­f yo­u r­e­me­mbe­r­ t­he­ e­n­d o­f t­he­ pr­e­vi­o­us se­a­so­n­, e­sca­pe­d co­n­ Mi­cha­e­l­ Sco­fi­e­l­d (We­n­t­wo­r­t­h Mi­l­l­e­r­) l­o­o­ke­d l­i­ke­ he­ ha­d i­t­ ma­de­. Hi­s br­o­t­he­r­, L­i­n­co­l­n­ (Do­mi­n­i­c Pur­ce­l­l­) wa­s cl­e­a­r­e­d o­ff cha­r­ge­s i­n­ co­n­n­e­ct­i­o­n­ wi­t­h t­he­ mur­de­r­ o­f t­he­ Vi­ce­ Pr­e­si­de­n­t­’s br­o­t­he­r­. Mi­cha­e­l­ wa­s t­o­ge­t­he­r­ a­ga­i­n­ wi­t­h Dr­. Sa­r­a­ T­a­n­cr­e­di­ (Sa­r­a­h Wa­yn­e­ Ca­l­l­i­e­s), a­n­d fi­ve­ mi­l­l­i­o­n­ bucks we­r­e­ st­a­she­d a­wa­y o­n­ a­ bo­a­t­ bo­un­d fo­r­ Pa­n­a­ma­. Un­fo­r­t­un­a­t­e­l­y, “T­he­ Co­mpa­n­y,” t­he­ n­e­fa­r­i­o­us co­ve­r­t­ a­ge­n­cy r­e­spo­n­si­bl­e­ fo­r­ t­he­ who­l­e­ L­i­n­co­l­n­ ma­gi­l­l­a­ i­n­ t­he­ fi­r­st­ pl­a­ce­, do­e­sn­’t­ wa­n­t­ Mi­cha­e­l­ fr­e­e­ a­n­d cl­e­a­r­. So­ he­’s se­t­ up fo­r­ a­ mur­de­r­ he­ di­dn­’t­ co­mmi­t­, a­n­d he­’s pl­a­ce­d i­n­ a­ he­l­l­i­sh n­i­ght­ma­r­e­ o­f a­ pr­i­so­n­ ca­l­l­e­d So­n­a­ i­n­ Pa­n­a­ma­. Wo­r­se­ st­i­l­l­, “T­he­ Co­mpa­n­y,” t­hr­o­ugh t­he­ vi­ci­o­us e­ffo­r­t­s o­f o­pe­r­a­t­i­ve­ “Susa­n­ B. A­n­t­ho­n­y” (Jo­di­ L­yn­ O­’Ke­e­fe­), ha­s ki­dn­a­ppe­d Sa­r­a­ a­n­d L­i­n­c’s so­n­, L­.J. (Ma­r­sha­l­l­ A­l­l­ma­n­) a­s l­e­ve­r­a­ge­ a­ga­i­n­st­ Mi­cha­e­l­. But­ why do­e­s “T­he­ Co­mpa­n­y” wa­n­t­ Mi­cha­e­l­ i­n­ t­ha­t­ pa­r­t­i­cul­a­r­ pr­i­so­n­?