S01E08: 'The Old Head'

Light summary | Full summary

Note: The light summary of this article provides only gentle teasers as to what happens in this episode, and is suitable for reading before viewing. The full summary serves as a more detailed recap of the episode.










Light Summary: Michael's plan hits a snag when he discovers an old storage shed crucial to the escape has been turned into the guard's break room. Veronica and Nick get an explosive warning to back off their investigation to prove Lincoln's innocence; LJ goes on the run; the conspiracy claims three more lives; the identity of the mystery woman calling the shots is revealed.













































Full Summary: Michael has now been inside Fox River for three weeks, and his plan is finally back on track. But Lincoln’s execution date is just 17 days away, and there is still a lot of work to be done. Michael, Sucre and Abruzzi meet to plan a way for them all to access the old sewer pipe that leads to their exit point, the infirmary. Likening the infirmary to California on a map of the States, and the sewer pipe to Route 66, Michael tells them they need to start at St Louis – a storage building halfway across the yard. If they can get the Prison Industries team inside to do some work, they can chip the through the floor to get to the pipe.

The session is interrupted by T-Bag, who is feeling left out. Although the others are horrified he considers himself in on the escape, the murderous thug will not be put off. “I’m coming along on this endeavour whether you like it or not,” he threatens, “’cause I’ve got a hell of a singing voice otherwise.”

Meanwhile in the Warden’s office, Pope comforts the widow of Bob the guard, the man T-Bag killed. He promises her they will stop at nothing to find the killer, and invites a delighted Bellick to use whatever means he deems necessary. This places Michael and Sucre on the horns of a dilemma – the only way to get T-Bag off their backs and to stop the guards searching the cells to look for evidence is to turn him in, but if they do, he’ll tell Pope about their plan. As the escapees make their way to the ‘St Louis’ storeroom, they are still trying to solve the problem. But they soon have a bigger concern to worry about – the room has now been turned into a break room for the guards. The only way to get inside is to burn it down so the PI unit will be sent to restore it. And for that they need a trustee with security clearance – Westmoreland. Bellick is also after the mildmannered con, as he knows he witnessed Bob’s murder. But Westmoreland won’t help either of them, not wanting to jeopardise his prison record or, by turning snitch, his life. However, he changes his mind when Bellick murders his pet cat, Marilyn, and burns down the room to get his revenge.

Unbeknownst to the escape team, the conspiracy against them is gathering force as the mysterious woman that agents Hale and Kellerman report to orders them to take drastic action. Their first mission is to set a bomb in Veronica’s flat to wipe out both her and Nick. But the janitor, Lucasz, opens the door first, absorbing the blast and allowing the lawyers to escape unharmed. Veronica is distraught, but Nick realises this could work to their advantage as the agents will assume they are both dead. They go into hiding to continue their work on Lincoln’s case.

The agents then turn up at Lincoln’s son LJ’s house to murder his mother and stepfather and frame him for the deed. As LJ goes on the run, another agent interviews Lincoln, pretending to be a journalist following his final appeal. “You ever think it’s time to accept what happened?” she asks. When Lincoln reminds her that he is innocent, she threatens LJ: “One Burrows is going to die. It’s up to you which one.” While Lincoln struggles to come to terms with this, T-Bag sends his browbeaten cellmate Seth to turn another con in for Bob’s murder. Bellick is fooled and calls off the investigation, allowing T-Bag to join the
escapees working in the guard room.

Later, in Washington, Hale and Kellerman report to their boss, telling her they have everything in hand. She thanks them for their service to their country, and then leaves for a press conference – where she is revealed to be none other than the Vice President of America, the sister of the man Lincoln is supposed to have killed. Evidently the brothers have enemies in very high places...