Prison Break season 2
Prison Break season 2 | |
---|---|
Season 2 | |
No. of episodes | 22 |
Release | |
Original network | Fox |
Original release | August 21, 2006 April 2, 2007 | –
Season chronology | |
The second season of Prison Break, an American serial drama television series, commenced airing in the United States on August 21, 2006 on Mondays at 9:00 pm (EST) on the Fox Broadcasting Company. Prison Break is produced by Adelstein-Parouse Productions, in association with Rat Television, Original Television Movie and 20th Century Fox Television. The season contains 22 episodes, and concluded on April 2, 2007. Series creator Paul Scheuring describes the second season as "The Fugitive times eight", and likens it to the "second half of The Great Escape".[4]
Prison Break revolves around two brothers: one who has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit and his younger sibling, a genius who devises an elaborate plan to help him escape prison. The brothers, along with six other prisoners at Fox River State Penitentiary, manage to escape, and the second season follows a massive manhunt chasing the group.[5] Dubbed the Fox River Eight, the group splits and members go their individual way, occasionally meeting up to help each other. They struggle to escape from the police while avoiding a secret group of multinationals called The Company, that wants them all dead.
For the season, three characters are downgraded from series regular to recurring status, and a new character is introduced. Filming took place in Dallas, Texas due to a close proximity of rural and urban settings. For the final three episodes, scenes were filmed in Pensacola, Florida to represent Panama. Critical reviews of the season were mixed; however, the addition of William Fichtner to the cast was praised. Fox Home Entertainment released the season in Region 1 on September 4, 2007.[1]
Production
Filming
Filming began on June 15, 2006 in Dallas, Texas due to a close proximity of rural and urban settings.[6] Executive producer Matt Olmstead stated that the filming location was changed from Chicago in the first season to Dallas in the second season because the characters were on the run. Many locations were needed to represent various American towns, which Dallas provided, whereas locations within Chicago took several hours to travel between. Olmstead noted, "It really came down to a financial thing."[7] Other locations that were considered for filming were New Mexico, Arizona and Louisiana. Dallas was chosen because of its "resourcefulness, cost effectiveness and variety with regard to activities available for the crew", which was considered to be a major component for the final decision.[4] Filming took place in Dallas for nine to ten months, where 20 of the 22 episodes were shot. The series was expected to bring $50 million into the city of Dallas.[4] For the final three episodes of season two, filming took place in Pensacola, Florida to represent Panama.[8] Filming for each episode took place over eight days, which contributed approximately $1.4 million to the local economy.[9]
Cast
Main characters
- Dominic Purcell as Lincoln Burrows
- Wentworth Miller as Michael Scofield
- Robin Tunney as Veronica Donovan ("Manhunt" only)
- Amaury Nolasco as Fernando Sucre (Does not appear in "First Down", "Unearthed", "John Doe" and "Chicago")
- Marshall Allman as L.J. Burrows ("Manhunt" to "The Killing Box", guest star in "Wash", does not appear in "Manhunt", "Scan" to "Subdivision" and "Disconnect" to "The Killing Box")
- Wade Williams as Brad Bellick (Does not appear in "Map 1213", "Subdivision", "Buried" and "Bad Blood")
- Paul Adelstein as Paul Kellerman (Does not appear in "Manhunt", "Otis" and "Panama")
- Robert Knepper as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell (Does not appear in "Scan", "Disconnect" and "The Message")
- Rockmond Dunbar as Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin (Does not appear in "First Down", "Rendezvous", "Bolshoi Booze", "The Killing Box", "The Message", "Fin Del Camino" and "Sona")
- Sarah Wayne Callies as Sara Tancredi (Does not appear in "Otis" and "John Doe")
- William Fichtner as FBI Special Agent Alexander Mahone
Recurring characters
Release
Critical reception
Mike Duffy of the Detroit Free Press commended the premiere for delivering "rocking good entertainment," and living up to the standard set by the first season. Duffy praised the "motley crew of cellblock characters" and the "taut, ingenious storytelling of series creator Paul T. Scheuring and his staff."[10] Robert Bianco of USA Today commented on the "harebrained absurdities that have swamped this show", and accused the writers of being "incredibly lazy" for the continuous use of the tattoo as an "all-purpose plot fix".[11] Ahsan Haque and Christopher Monfette of IGN credited the creators for not being afraid to take risks, which they felt "paid off for the most part". The reviewers found the biggest success factors to be "the constant swerves and twists" throughout the season, and "the development of the hero-villain relationship between Scofield and Mahone".[12]
The addition of Mahone was well received by critics, who often referred to him as Michael's arch nemesis.[13][14] Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette found Mahone to be "a far more worthy adversary for Michael than prison guard Brad Bellick... who's still after the convicts but seems like a cartoon compared to the Inspector Javert-like Mahone."[15] Brian Zoromski from IGN believes that the "strongest portions of 'Manhunt' deal with the introduction of a new character, an FBI Agent named Alexander Mahone, played by the great character actor William Fichtner."[16] Digital Spy's Ben Rawson-Jones praised the "wonderful" Fichtner, claiming he "quickly became more appealing than the brooding hero himself".[13] Robert Bianco of USA Today said that Fichtner was a welcome addition to the cast,[11] and Andy Dehnart from MSNBC called Mahone the best new character of season two.[17]
Ratings
The premiere of the season obtained an average of 9.40 million American viewers,[18] a decrease from the 10.50 million viewers who watched the series premiere,[19] and the 10.24 million viewers who watch the first season finale.[20] The season obtained its largest audience with the episode, "Chicago", which averaged 10.12 million viewers;[21] however, the season finale received one of the lowest audiences in the series' history with 8.12 million viewers.[22] The season averaged 9.30 million American viewers for all 22 episodes. Out of all regular primetime programming that aired during the 2005–2006 American television season, Prison Break ranked #51 out of #142, according to the Nielsen ratings system.[23] In Australia, the season premiere was watched by an average of 1.22 million viewers,[24] however ratings dropped consistently throughout the season.[25] In the United Kingdom, ratings declined from an average audience share of 9% in the first season to 8.5% in the second. The season's penultimate episode, "Fin Del Camino", was viewed by an average of 1.20 million viewers, gaining a 7% audience share. As a result of the declining ratings during the season, Five decided not to air the third season and it was picked up by Sky1.[26] Prison Break was simulcast in Canada on Global,[27] where it ranked in the top ten of the highest rated television series.[28]
Awards
The season was nominated for five awards, winning one. Dominic Purcell won the Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actor.[29] Work on the episode "Disconnect" was nominated for two Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards. Music editor David Klotz was nominated for Best Sound Editing in Music for Television — Short Form. The supervising sound editor, along with four foley artists and four sound effects editors were nominated for Best Sound Editing in Sound Effects and Foley for Television — Short Form.[30] At the 2007 Teen Choice Awards, Wentworth Miller was nominated for Choice TV Actor: Drama, and Robert Knepper was nominated for Choice TV: Villain.[31]
DVD releases
The season was released under the title Prison Break — Season Two as a widescreen six-disc Region 1 DVD box set in the United States on September 4, 2007. In addition to the 22 episodes that aired, it included episode commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage and making-of features, including the "Reinvention of a Series", and "Turning Dallas Into America". The audio commentaries were spoken by several executive and co-executive producers, including head writer Paul Scheuring, co-head writer Matt Olmstead, writer Zack Estrin, writer Nick Santora and director Kevin Hooks. They were also provided by supervising producer and writer Karyn Usher, director of photography Fernando Arguelles, writer Seth Hoffman and director Dwight Little. Actors William Fichtner, Amaury Nolasco, Reggie Lee and Paul Adelstein also offered their opinions in the commentaries. The same set was released on August 20, 2007 in Region 2, two weeks before the Region 1 release, and on September 19, 2007 in Region 4, which also contained the season premiere of 24's sixth season.[1][2][3]
Episodes
№ | # | Title | Directed by | Written by | U.S. viewers (millions) |
Original air date | Production code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | 1 | "Manhunt" | Kevin Hooks | Paul Scheuring | 9.37[32] | August 21, 2006 | 2AKJ01 |
24 | 2 | "Otis" | Bobby Roth | Matt Olmstead | 9.44[33] | August 28, 2006 | 2AKJ02 |
25 | 3 | "Scan" | Bryan Spicer | Zack Estrin | 9.29[34] | September 4, 2006 | 2AKJ03 |
26 | 4 | "First Down" | Bobby Roth | Nick Santora | 8.96[35] | September 11, 2006 | 2AKJ04 |
27 | 5 | "Map 1213" | Peter O'Fallon | Karyn Usher | 9.55[36] | September 18, 2006 | 2AKJ05 |
28 | 6 | "Subdivision" | Eric Laneuville | Monica Macer | 8.41[37] | September 25, 2006 | 2AKJ06 |
29 | 7 | "Buried" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Seth Hoffman | 8.99[38] | October 2, 2006 | 2AKJ07 |
30 | 8 | "Dead Fall" | Vincent Misiano | Zack Estrin | 8.53[39] | October 23, 2006 | 2AKJ08 |
31 | 9 | "Unearthed" | Kevin Hooks | Nick Santora | 8.94[40] | October 30, 2006 | 2AKJ09 |
32 | 10 | "Rendezvous" | Dwight H. Little | Karyn Usher | 8.63[41] | November 6, 2006 | 2AKJ10 |
33 | 11 | "Bolshoi Booze" | Greg Yaitanes | Monica Macer & Seth Hoffman | 9.21[42] | November 13, 2006 | 2AKJ11 |
34 | 12 | "Disconnect" | Karen Gaviola | Nick Santora & Karyn Usher | 9.62[43] | November 20, 2006 | 2AKJ12 |
35 | 13 | "The Killing Box" | Bobby Roth | Zack Estrin | 9.62[44] | November 27, 2006 | 2AKJ13 |
36 | 14 | "John Doe" | Kevin Hooks | Matt Olmstead & Nick Santora | 9.86[45] | January 22, 2007 | 2AKJ14 |
37 | 15 | "The Message" | Bobby Roth | Zack Estrin & Karyn Usher | 9.90[46] | January 29, 2007 | 2AKJ15 |
38 | 16 | "Chicago" | Jesse Bochco | Matt Olmstead & Nick Santora | 10.12[47] | February 5, 2007 | 2AKJ16 |
39 | 17 | "Bad Blood" | Nelson McCormick | Paul Scheuring & Karyn Usher | 9.55[48] | February 19, 2007 | 2AKJ17 |
40 | 18 | "Wash" | Bobby Roth | Nick Santora | 9.42[49] | February 26, 2007 | 2AKJ18 |
41 | 19 | "Sweet Caroline" | Dwight H. Little | Karyn Usher | 9.72[50] | March 5, 2007 | 2AKJ19 |
42 | 20 | "Panama" | Vincent Misiano | Zack Estrin | 8.40[51] | March 19, 2007 | 2AKJ20 |
43 | 21 | "Fin Del Camino" | Bobby Roth | Matt Olmstead & Seth Hoffman | 8.24[52] | March 26, 2007 | 2AKJ21 |
44 | 22 | "Sona" | Kevin Hooks | Paul Scheuring | 8.12[53] | April 2, 2007 | 2AKJ22 |
References
- General
- Specific
- ^ a b c "Prison Break DVD news: Season 2 delayed again..." TVShowsOnDVD.com. May 18, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ a b "Prison Break — Complete Series 2 (2006)". Amazon.com. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ a b "Prison Break — Complete Season 2 (6 Disc Set)". EzyDVD. Retrieved June 21, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Dallas Welcomes Hit Television Series". Dallas Film Commission. May 15, 2006. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
- ^ Tucker, Hannah (August 4, 2006). "A first look at the second season of 'Prison Break' | Prison Break | Television News | TV | Entertainment Weekly". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "New 'Prison Break' to be filmed in Dallas". USA Today. May 16, 2006. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
- ^ "Getting out was the easy part: Season 2 of 'Prison Break' | The Watcher". Chicago Tribune. August 18, 2006. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Moon, Troy (March 22, 2008). "Beach primed for spring break — Search | PensacolaNewsJournal.com" (Registration required). Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Sayres, Scott (February 12, 2007). "Incentives Would Draw More Film, TV Productions". Fox 4 News. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
- ^ Duffy, Mike (August 21, 2006). "Fox tonight: great return, so-so debut" (Registration required). Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b Bianco, Robert (August 27, 2006). "What to watch Monday". USA Today. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Haque, Ahsan (August 24, 2007). "Prison Break: Season 2 DVD Review". IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b Rawson-Jones, Ben (December 2, 2007). "Cult Spy Icons: Mahone — Prison Break". Digital Spy. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ Blanchard, Craig (August 29, 2006). "Prison Break: August 28". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved December 25, 2006.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Owen, Rob (August 21, 2006). "TV Reviews: If there's a reason to like Vanished, it may elude the viewer". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Zoromski, Brian (August 18, 2006). "Prison Break: "Manhunt" Advance Review". IGN. Retrieved December 25, 2006.
- ^ Dehnart, Andy (December 6, 2006). "Prison Break finds freedom outside of walls". MSNBC. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ Levin, Gary (August 29, 2006). "Premieres, finales falter". USA Today. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "Strong debut for 'Prison Break'". Los Angeles Times. August 31, 2005. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 23, 2006. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 13, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 10, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "2006-07 primetime wrap". The Hollywood Reporter. AllBusiness.com. May 25, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2008. (Page 4)
- ^ "Heroes and Prison Break Deliver for Seven". World Screen. February 2, 2007. Archived from the original on February 20, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2007.
- ^ Dunn, Emily (June 27, 2007). "Cult shows air sooner to curb downloads". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Sweney, Mark (June 5, 2007). "Sky One snatches Prison Break". London: The Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "Escapees on the run in Prison Break's second season". Canwest News Service. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "CanWest Global Communications Corp. Reports Fourth Quarter 2007". Bloomberg L.P. November 2, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "Romulus, My Father wins top AFI awards". Melbourne: The Age. December 7, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "2007 Golden Reel Award Nominees: Television". Motion Picture Sound Editors. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ Thomas, Rachel. "2007 Teen Choice Award Nominees & Winners". About.com. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. August 29, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. September 6, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. September 12, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. September 19, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
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- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. October 10, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
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- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. November 7, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. November 14, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
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- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. November 28, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. December 5, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. January 30, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 6, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 13, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
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- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. March 6, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. March 13, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
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- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 10, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
External links