Prison Break Recap: “The Message”

Title” “The Message”
Original Airdate: January 29, 2007
GMMR Recapper: Michelle 

This show has some of the most quotable lines on TV. Some teaser quotes from tonight’s episode of “Prison Break”:

– “My dad used to drink.”
– “Find a storage unit full of Arabs! I don’t care!”
– “Hope is for people who do not already live in grace.”
– “Reality’s kickin’ faith’s ass, man.”

Who spoke the words? Read on, my friends, and find out. This was a fast-paced episode with lots of storylines and lots of juicy stuff (alas, no Michael and Sara action this week…fingers crossed for next week), so let’s get moving…

FOX NEWS UPDATE: Lincoln is on Fox News giving a statement (I love how FOX uses its own real-life broadcasters to deliver “fake” news on its shows – first “24,” now this. Do you think the newscasters get sick of being used like that? I know they must be making good money and all, but they must know it damages their credibility somewhat. Editorial end). How did he get on TV, you ask? Let me tell you…

After Terrence Steadman killed himself, Michael, Linc and Kellerman walked out the front door of the motel room, which was surrounded by police (this doesn’t even register on the Implausibility Quotient anymore, since I look forward every week to seeing how these guys are going to escape from lockdown, police custody, and/or shackles and chains…they always do, so maybe it’s really not that implausible). Kellerman had them in “custody,” and once everyone was outside, the cops and news crews were held at gunpoint until the cons sped away, Kellerman and camera guy hostage in tow. They stop at an unidentified spot a while later and note that they have to make it 450 miles in six hours. Are they going to meet the President in Boulder? Nope. Too obvious. But not so obvious that we can figure out where they’re really going yet.

Mahone, who is back at work after his near-miss with Kellerman’s bullet, gets word that Bellick killed a guard at Fox River. Bellick’s now in the infirmary. Mahone gets more news on the phone right after he hears this, and he looks shocked, but we don’t know yet what he’s hearing because we’re going to…

MEXICO! With Sucre! Yes! He’s riding a bus filled with chickens and a few people. I’m having visions of the “M*A*S*H” finale, but Sucre doesn’t go crazy yet. He just tells a nice older man on the bus that he’s going to meet “the” woman in his life. I love, love, love Sucre. His devotion to Maricruz, though unwarranted (she did, after all, almost marry Sucre’s cousin while he was in Fox River), is astonishing and admirable. The world needs more Sucres (I don’t mean that the world needs more armed robbers of convenience stores – I mean that it needs more men who are hopelessly devoted to the women in their lives). He is eventually kicked off the bus for having no money, and the old man offers him a place to stay if Sucre will cook his plucked chicken (and I’m not speaking metaphorically, thank God). But I don’t have time to think about how weird this sounds because we’re on our way to…

WISCONSIN! With Haywire! Yes! America’s favorite crazy guy is back, and he’s pawing through a dumpster looking for wood (I love that no matter what I write about Haywire, it looks like it could be true and real, because he’s so nuts). But he really is looking for wood. To build a raft. To sail to Holland (see? I wasn’t lying – it all sounds plausible when it’s about him). But before he can set sail, two teenagers (dressed in black, natch) ask him to buy them beer. Of course, it doesn’t occur to him that this is illegal, so he agrees, and after they tell him he can use the extra change to buy food for his dog (hello? dog?) they tell him he can even keep one of the beers (to which he responds: “No, my dad used to drink.” And that, unfortunately, explains so much about Haywire…). “My dad drinks, too,” the female in black confesses when Haywire sees a bruise on her wrist. He looks concerned – too concerned, and just when you think he’s gonna snap, the kids call him a freak and walk away (they already have their beer, and apparently they’re done being nice). Later, Haywire follows the girl home and beats up her dad with the fireplace tools when he lays into her about being out with her boyfriend (I think she’s stirred up some unpleasant memories for Haywire…and he is, after all, called Haywire for a reason, so….).

THE BROTHERS’ NEWS CONFERENCE IS EXPLOSIVE! Michael and Lincoln expose The Company, The President, and the illegal activities of Alexander Mahone, among other things. Kim and Mahone look sick as they’re watching, and immediate damage control is needed. How to control such massive damage? “Find a storage unit full of Arabs! I don’t care!” screams Kim (where does one find a storage unit full of Arabs? And why would that be anyone’s definition of “damage control”? Can’t help you there). Michael also apologizes to Sara in the tape…sigh.

Mahone, we learn, is being tagged by Internal Affairs, and another agent in his office has been assigned to watch his every move. With help, Mahone analyzes the body language on the brothers’ news tape. At first, they pick out all of the “lies” and inconsistencies they see based on eye flickers, arm folding, etc., and it’s fascinating. And is Michael tapping out a message for Sara in More Code on his knee? Really? This part may have been a little over the top, because it’s then that Mahone catches on that it’s all a set up! The brothers are being coached by Kellerman, who knows that the FBI will analyze every frame of the tape for clues such as this. The Feds are being led on a wild goose chase. Mahone realizes that the tape is actually one big message to Sara, and with Bellick’s help (Bellick uses a transfer out of gen. pop. to bargain with Mahone for information Mahone wants about Sara), they realize that Michael is using pages from the AA recovery handbook (“Another Chance,” “Safe Haven,” etc.) to communicate with Sara and set up a meeting at 1:00 at the St. Thomas Hospital.

Sucre is eating chicken with the friendly Mexican. They talk about marriage and the fact that the guy was married for 41 years, until his wife died last week. The man tells Sucre that the young man is living on hope, and “hope is for people who do not already live in grace” (I like this…I think). Turns out the guy is probably right, because in the next scene, Sucre is stealing the guy’s VW Bug (little shout-out to my son, who can’t read yet: BUG BUG!), and people who are full of grace probably don’t steal cars. But the old man himself must have grace, because when the cops apprehend Sucre in the stolen car, the man doesn’t get mad or press charges. He gives the ex-con “gas money” and tells him to go find his girl. “Then find grace.” The whole world is rooting for Maricruz and Sucre, I’m tellin’ ya. They’re destined to be together. Karma is on their side.

Michael, Linc and Kellerman are waiting for Sara to show up at the meeting place. Michael tells him faith has brought them this far, but Linc is quick to point out that “reality’s kickin’ faith’s ass, man!” Just when hope seems lost, a PA system announces a phone call for a Michael Crane (get it? Origami? Bird?). Michael takes the call, and sure enough, it’s Sara. Michael tells her they need the information her father gave to her; when Sara tells him it’s just a key, Michael says,
“Well, we’ll figure it out…together.”
“I like the sound of that,” Sara responds.
“Me, too,” says Michael.
(Interjection: me, too).

Meanwhile, Kellerman receives a call from the President, who apologizes and asks him to come “home” with Michael and Lincoln. It looks like her sucking up might be working, as it looks like Kellerman is actually considering her request as the three men drive away in the car, Michael and Linc none the wiser…

Michelle is the frazzled mother of two very young kids. In lieu of taking a shower every day, she writes TV recaps for GMMR to keep the remaining shred of her sanity intact. This also helps her justify her insanely intense TV-watching habit, which was spawned in her early childhood because she was allowed to watch an unlimited number of”Sesame Street” episodes when she herself was a preschooler.