S04E06 - 'Blow Out'

How frustrating is Prison Break? Every time the last rites are about to be concluded, it pulls something out of the bag that manages to reenergise the waning devotion to the once great show. 'Blow Out' felt like a breath of fresh air compared to the recent stale, overly formulaic episodes - and it started and finished in style.

The pre-credits sequence encapsulated the fun sense of teamwork that has been sorely lacking, with the intricately-plotted riff on Ocean's Eleven instantly building up a sense of mystery. Downloading the card at the racetrack was fortunately dealt with early on, but the dilemma about busting Mahone out of prison was a hark back to the show's old days, where crucial decisions often had wide-ranging repercussions.

Would Scofield really risk his neck to save the guy who killed his father? Apparently so, although to what extent his actions were grounded in altruism rather than survival is unclear. It's just as well Mahone was sprung free from the courthouse, as William Fichtner's portrayal of the messed up former FBI man is as compelling as ever. Someone give the man an award.

The character of Mahone has been too marginalised this season (and last), brooding, plotting or suffering from bereavement - so it was great to see him centre stage. When his eyes first locked with those of bumbling oaf Wyatt, one could almost see anger and vengeance oozing out of every pore.

Wasn't it great to see Sara Tancredi actually serve a purpose this week, albeit using her feminine wiles to act as a decoy at both the racetrack and courthouse? As for Gretchen's return to action, just how many men out there felt a little tingle when she pressed her stiletto hard into T-Bag's face at the end?

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