Prison Break Season 5 Premiere Review: “Ogygia”

Eight years after Prison Break aired their last episode, FOX’s diamond in the ruff has returned for season five. Now the big mystery revolving around the show was the return of Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), who we all know died at the end of season four. Though we don’t get an answer or much of Michael at all in the opening episode Ogygia, we did get to see some old familiar faces – of which were Lincoln (Dominic Purcell), Bagwell (Robert Knepper), Sarah (Sara Wayne Callies) and C-Note (Rockmond Dunbar).

Bagwell is seen at the very beginning of the episode being released from Fox River by god knows who. Upon being released, Bagwell is given a series of items he had when he was last brought in, which included the stick of gum handed to him by Lincoln before he got the shaft and was thrown back to Fox River. Along with the gum, Bagwell was given a unknown correspondence which had a picture of a very alive Michael Scofield.

Though I am over the moon to see Robert Knepper back as T-Bag in season five, especially with a seemingly new outlook on life. It was just rather surprising to see even Bagwell himself not know who released him from jail. I mean this is after all a murderer, rapist and three time prison escapee we’re talking about. It’s not like we see many of those guys given their walking papers with no questions asked. Then again this is Prison Break we’re talking about, so I’ll let this one pass. I also quite enjoyed seeing Bagwell getting an upgrade in the hand department.

Now to a sin I simply cannot forgive Prison Break for: the state of Lincoln Burrows. Literally the first scene we see Lincoln in, he is being chased down by thugs because of course Lincoln owes money to the wrong guys again. Reverting back to his old habits, I simply do not understand this decision by the writers. How could a man who spent so many years on the run, escaping death row and being shot at by hit men on the daily still decide to go back to the lifestyle that got him there in the first place? It makes no sense. Lincoln should be getting interviewed by Barbra Walters as he promotes his book “The Brother that Could” instead of running from thugs again. I understand the show is trying to sell us on him being lost without Michael, but couldn’t that have been done without regressing the character?

As the episode unraveled, Lincoln uncovers Michael’s grave to find no remains leaving him with no doubt that Michael is indeed alive. As he heads back to Sarah to tell her the truth, he is stopped by a hit man who caused Lincoln to crash his car into a pond. After narrowly surviving, Lincoln warns Sarah who thwarts another attempt by a hit man because what’s Prison Break without a nice dosage of hit men. In the altercation however her new found husband Jacob (Mark Feuerstein) got shot in the leg. By the way, is there any doubt that Sarah’s husband is one of the bad guys? I mean, come on, the hit man had a clear shot and instead went for the leg? I don’t buy it.

Of the other supporting characters it was great to see some genuine progression with Sarah and C-Note. Sarah has moved on with her family, including Michael’s son. Personally I feel her impending discovery of Michael’s whereabouts is going to be quite compelling if the show plays its cards right. Then we have C-Note aka Benjamin Franklin having found religion. His newfound outlook fits perfectly to help Lincoln as he heads to Yemen to find Michael.

But before Lincoln and C-Note went to Yemen, they dug further into the clues Michael left behind for them. As they search, they discover the prison where Michael is being kept in within Yemen. The only thing is there is no man under the name Michael Scofield in that prison, which leads to the most stupid and I do mean stupid action Prison Break has ever taken. After Google searching Michael Scofield, all the images pertaining to Michael Scofield have been replaced by another guy, making Scofield a ghost of sorts. It makes no sense because the man pulled off the greatest prison escape known to man. The name Michael Scofield would be infamous around America, if not the world. If Scofield actually existed, CNN would be doing one year anniversaries on the Fox River escape. Mark Wahlberg would have been pegged to play Scofield in the movie adaptation of the book “The Brother that Could,” directed by Peter Berg. There would be no way you could just erase him and have no one raise any questions. Yet in this world somehow that’s why people still think he is dead. It is the most ridiculous move in Prison Break history.

The episode then closes with Lincoln and C-Note finding Michael in a prison in Yemen sporting brand new tattoos. Looking seemingly brainwashed, Michael looks non-reactive to being called his real name. Now who knows maybe I am reading too much into this scene, but if Michael is indeed brainwashed, this show may have indeed overstayed its welcome.

This was most definitely not the way I wanted nor expected season five to get underway. But here’s hoping somehow the show is able to catch its footing because Ogygia was a complete and utter letdown.