S03E07: 'Vamonos'

This episode is awash with a feeling that we've seen it all before. It was obvious that the planned Sona breakout wouldn't go to plan, but to find Schofield back to square one by the end of the episode and plotting another escape makes one feel like the series is seriously static.

The build up to the escape plan was nicely orchestrated over the last couple of episodes, but enjoyment levels dimmed once the sun stopped blinding the guard and Schofield and Whistler scuttled back inside Sona. From then on a number of contrivances (such as the alarm going off just when Whistler was about to kill Schofield) and sudden twists (like Susan working with Whistler) are relied upon in a bid to sustain our attention. When Prison Break was in its prime there would be a central, absorbing narrative that would underpin everything, but now the show seems too reliant on these narrative gimmicks.

Sofia's sudden decision to pull the gun on Burrows underlines the point. It was ultimately pointless in narrative terms as she soon teamed up with Burrows again. It also failed to generate even the mildest gasp as her 'turning bad' was signposted by plenty of earlier shots of her in deep contemplation, with something clearly brewing on her mind.

The series is also missing Mahone and T-Bag in the midst of the action. Sadly they are both fairly peripheral at the moment. Nonetheless, there was some nice characterisation of Brad Bellick in the episode, as he seemed to have some kind of epiphany when he learnt what happened to Sara. Could redemption for his past actions be on the way?