Fox’s ‘Prison Break’ a smart drama
Labor Day is still a week away, but I can happily say that our TV summer is over. And what a horrible summer it has been. The networks loaded up their schedules with a contemptuous combination of stale reality and imitative fare like “Princes of Malibu,” “The Cut” and “The Law Firm.” And viewers responded in record numbers. Ratings have never been lower. To cadge a phrase from The Comic Book guy on “The Simpsons”: “Worst TV summer … ever!”
But tonight, those days are over, as Fox becomes the first network to begin its fall season. And it does so in fine fashion with “Prison Break” (8 p.m., Fox), a smart drama that combines the simple, basic premise of “The Great Escape” with the complexities of an unfolding political thriller like “24.”
Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) has big problems. His brother Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) has been convicted of murdering the vice president’s brother. He’s on death row and a very fast track to execution. But Michael is so convinced of his brother’s innocence that he stages a bad bank heist to get put into the very same maximum-security slammer. I’m not giving too much away here (anything more than the commercials for the show have already divulged) to reveal that Michael, an accomplished architect, was responsible for designing the prison. But it would be unfair to let you know just how he sneaks the blueprints into his cell.
Once inside, the strong but personable Scofield insinuates himself with the prison’s heavies, from John Abruzzi (Peter Stomare, “Fargo”), a powerful Mafioso, to Warden Pope (Stacy Keach), who wants him to help design a model of the Taj Mahal to impress his long-suffering wife.
Unlike “Oz,” a premium-cable drama that often focused on the depravities of prison existence, “Prison Break” takes its sweet time clueing viewers in to the complexities of the case against Lincoln Burrows and the conspiracy of big-shots out to send him quickly to the big sleep. Not long into the first hour, one of the last public dissenting voices against his execution is murdered. This brazen act convinces Michael’s lawyer, Veronica (Robin Tunney,) that his farfetched conspiracy theories just may be true. The fact that she used to be Lincoln’s lover is a bit of a motivation as well.
After watching one hour of “Prison Break,” I couldn’t wait for the second. I haven’t felt this good about a TV drama since last night’s “Rome.”
Tonight’s other highlights
Starting today, “Anderson Cooper 360” (4 p.m., CNN) will feature ethicist Dr. Bruce Weinstein, who will discuss the news of the day from an ethical perspective. Gosh, why couldn’t he have been around last week when TV preacher Pat Robertson called for the murder of a foreign leader? Now that’s an ethical judgment call. Weinstein is the author of “Life Principles: Feeling Good by Doing Good” (Emmis Books, 2005).
The Detroit Lions host the St. Louis Rams on “Monday Night Football” (5 p.m., ABC).
“Is It Real?” (8 p.m., National Geographic) explores the practice of exorcism.
Small spaces, big dreams on “Trailer Fabulous” (8 p.m., MTV). A second episode (8:30 p.m.) follows.
Don Knotts sports vintage double-knit threads in a guest spot on “Las Vegas” (9 p.m., NBC).
A flawed investigation leads to the release of a killer on “The Closer” (9 p.m., TNT).
A cop is slain after a routine traffic stop on “CSI: Miami” (10 p.m., CBS).
Series notes
Carrie frets over a freebie on “King of Queens” (8 p.m., CBS) … Joe Rogan hosts “Fear Factor” (8 p.m., NBC) … A prom fantasy on “One on One” (8 p.m., UPN) … Melissa Gilbert and Bo Derek guest star on “7th Heaven” (8 p.m., WB) … The cost of fame on “All of Us” (8:30 p.m).
On back-to-back episodes of “Two and a Half Men” (CBS), holding a grudge (9 p.m.), a trip to Vegas (9:30 p.m.) … Snowbound on “Girlfriends” (9 p.m., UPN) … Ava loses confidence on “Summerland” (9 p.m., WB) … Dee Dee’s deception on “Half & Half” (9:30 p.m., UPN).