PRISON BREAK (SIKE, NOT REALLY)

Okay, this is just messed up. For the last few weeks all I've been hearin' about is this damn escape and how the "fall finale" was gonna be big. Finally, they were going to get out. What the hell??? I feel robbed. I have to say though, it was good to see that Abruzzi didn't die right away. What I've noticed in movies and most tv shows is that if the person doesn't die right away, most likely they won't die. Of course some shows like 24 (RIP Paul Raines) will have someone linger near death for awhile and then kill them off. This show could do that. I have a feeling though that maybe Abruzzi will come back to help our boys out. Of course with the 24 like day to day pace, it might not be possible (although Tony did come back after neck surgery a few seasons ago on 24, after mere hours) Okay, can you tell I'm excited for 24 to come back!?! JANUARY BABY!

Anyway, the show starts out with Abruzzi being airlifted out and the boys watching in horror as their ride out leaves on a stretcher. T-Bag mentions that now there are six. C-Note points out, that since Linc got put in the SHU, they're now five. Micheal assures him that they're not leaving without his bro. Michael begs Pope to see Lincoln before his execution, but Pope says that's not possible. You can see the torment in Pope's eyes. He really is a nice guy. Have you noticed that Michael hasn't been working on the Taj Mahal thing lately?

Michael tells the group that the plans to leave that night have to be put on hold. This doesn't sit well and they tell him that they're going no matter what. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this bunch's stupidity, they are in jail. They do make the good point that the longer that hole is in there, the better the chances the COs will find it. C-Note actually respects Michael's loyalty to his brother.

Later, C-Notes gets on the phone and puts a rag over the receiver. Does that really work? Of course, it's not supposed to mask his voice, it's supposed to sound as if it's far, far away. Far away meaning, Iraq, hence the post cards he secured last episode. Apparently his wife and daughter think he's in Iraq, and not in Fox River. I guess the Mrs. doesn't read the postmark that's in the same state she's in. He tells her that he's being released, ahem, I mean put on leave, and is coming home. She's happy of course. Although, I think I'd be happier to learn my husband was in jail rather than over in Iraq, but whateva. After he speaks to her he talks to her brother who obviously knows exactly where he is. C-Note asks him about what car he's driving and wondering how many people it'll fit.

Sucre and Michael talk about the escape. He says that if the other guys go then the guards will tear the place apart leading it back to their cell. It's clear that Sucre wants to go with them tonight. He tells Michael that Linc is gonna die, and that it's the worst way to go. He doesn't blame him for wanting to save his bro though. Michael fidgets with a tattoo on his bicep and thinks a moment. He says, "okay" and asks Sucre for a razor. I swear, this prison is the most lax prison I've ever seen. Not that I've seen a lot, but hey I watch Discovery Channel. Anyway, he sterilizes the razor and then cuts into the bicep tattoo. He pulls out a small back object which we soon realize is a pill. He then has the priest come in and pray with him. He asks the priest to give a rosary to Linc. The priest does that and inside is the pill with the note, "Eat 8:10".

Dr. Sara is cleaning up Michael's bicep and he thanks her for being so nice and wonders if things would be different in another life. I mean, he's only got five years, they can hook up afterwards right? She thinks this sounds a bit like he's saying goodbye. I think it sounds like that too. After Michael leaves a janitor comes around and eyes the grate in the floor, the one Michael is gonna be coming through later. I get a bit worried at this point, but then he walks away, so I'm thinking, oh good, he's dumb.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Nick tells Veronica that one of his friends in the courts will help them. If they get evidence that Lincoln is innocent the friend will see to it that the papers get filed quickly. Veronica suggests they go to the media. Nick thinks this is a bad move, that plenty of people are still looking for them. V thinks it's this or nothing, that they've tried everything else, which is true. Not sure why they didn't try the media before this. Anyway, V goes to the prison and is spotted by a few bad agents, Michelle Forbes being one of them. I like her playing a bitchy hard ass, she's good at it (see Battlestar Galactica season 2). So V finds a news truck and the reporter doesn't care that she is the lawyer for the guy they're standing out there trying to report on. The producer overhears her and steps in. They go live and Veronica starts spouting off. I'm sure if I was watching I'd feel confused because she's really not telling them much, just that Linc is innocent, but they don't really have any proof. I was also hoping that she'd tell them about the conspiracy going on with the Vice President, but she didn't say any of that. She goes in and visits Linc. She tells him that she has a lead and that someone is going to talk, then they kiss. I'm glad they kissed but it really didn't do it for me, I want to see Michael kiss Dr. Sara already! After V leaves she goes to meet Hale.

Unfortunately for Hale Kellerman is on to his deceipt and shows up to his house. I mean, what does he expect really? He's not answering his phone and he's not where he's supposed to be. It bugs me a bit because he could have his wife go stay at a hotel, but instead he has her pack up the house and wait for him to come back. He knows how dangerous these people are, but he just leaves her at the house. Stupid. Kellerman is all nice to the wife, but notices the house is mostly packed. She tries to tell him they're just going to the Bahamas, but because he's not a dumbass, he realizes that something else is going on. Anyway, we're left wondering if he killed the wife as Veronica meets with Hale in a dark alley (never a good sign) and he tells her that he's written down all the people involved in the conspiracy. He says that he knows Lincoln didn't kill Terrance Steadman. How does he know that you might ask... because Terrance Steadman is still ALIVE!. Yeah, big twist! Before he can give V the envelope with the names in it, a car shows up. V does a bad job at losing a tail I'll tell you that much. Hale makes her hide real fast before Kellerman gets out of the car. Kellerman questions Hale who plays dumb. I mean, come on, you're in a dark alley with two cars and he's not to suspect anything? He glosses over wondering where Veronica is when he takes the envelope from Hale. He reads the names and is furious to find his own on it. Hale begs for his wife's life and it doesn't seem like Kellerman has killed her. He's so angry with Hale that he shoots him as Veronica looks on from behind a dumpster or some other cliched place.

Back at the big house two guys show up in an Escalade outside of the prison. These are C-Notes guys. They pull over right next to the prison (not too bright I guess) and lift up the hood as if the gorgeous new Cadillac just broke down. Two not so dumb guards walk up and tell them to move on. Realizing I hope that now these guards can not only identify them, give a description of the getaway car even before they have the fugitives with them, and can probably arrest them, they leave. Yeah, good plan C-Note. Back to the guys who go back to work in the guard's room. Michael says that they're leaving that night at 9pm. Unfortunately PI ends at 5pm. Michael, being the smart ass he is, breaks open a water pipe. They convince Bellick that they need to get the water cleaned up that night, since mold will set it. Bellick says that they have to stay there all night if need be. Silly Bellick. Back with Linc, he eats the pill and starts convulsing. The guards rush him to the infirmary and they think it's food poisoning. Meanwhile the guys go down the hole and make their way to the large room and climb up the rope until they're right underneath the infirmary. Unfortunately for them, that inept janitor from earlier had noticed the holes in the pipe and replaced it with a nice new titanium pipe. There's no ways these boys are getting through it. Lincoln comes out of his convulsions long enough to realize the guys are below him trying to get the pipe out. You can hear the desperation in Michael's voice when he realizes Linc is right above them and he can't get to him. Linc tries from his side to loosen the pipe but nothing works. A guard walks by the room where our guys are but they're able to hide so he doesn't see them. Michael looks at the guys and says that they aren't getting out tonight. Unfortunately while they were trying to get the pipe off they dropped something metal and the guard turns back around heads their way. That was it. YES DEAR READER, THAT WAS IT! No escape. Seriously, WTF? Thank goodness we won't have to wait until May to see what happens but we will have to wait until March in what will be the best pairing since LOST and ALIAS when they pair Prison Break with 24 on Monday nights starting March 13th.