Prison Break: Season Three Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) finds himself once again imprisoned – but this time at SONA, a Panamonian Prison without rules and without guards. Along with fellow inmates T-Bag (Robert Knepper), Mahone (William Fichtner) and Bellick (Wade Williams) and with the outside aid of brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell), Michael not only must fight to survive, but is also tasked with breaking out of prison…again.
The worst of the worst are there. Men no other prison can take. What goes in never comes
out, unless it's dead.
Season three of the popular and critically-acclaimed television drama "Prison Break" is here, but
with no sign of season two to be found on Blu-ray. If you recall my review of season one, I was
most impressed with both the program and the quality of its presentation on Blu-ray, as were
many fans, both those who were established and those new to the series thanks to its splendid
Blu-ray release.
Sadly, Fox has foregone the second season of the show on Blu-ray, skipping it altogether and
leaving many newcomers to the series on Blu-ray with a conundrum. Do they buy or rent
season two on DVD prior to picking up this set on Blu-ray, or do they read up on what happened
in season two somewhere on the Internet, buy season three, and enjoy? I must admit going
into this review a bit discontent and disappointed that I cannot enjoy and review the second
season on
Blu-ray
prior to reviewing the third. Unfortunately, time constraints and review deadlines leave me little
time for viewing outside of review material, so I'm forced to do what I can to catch up on season
two and dive straight into the third season. As I type with the main menu of disc one playing in
the background with the familiar and satisfying Prison Break theme looping, I do find myself
excited to return to this fictional world, but at the same time the absence of season two lingers
like a terrible aroma that serves as a constant reminder of my disappointment with 20th Century
Fox in this matter.
Michael Scofield attempts another prison break.
Last we saw the "Prison Break" gang on Blu-ray, they had broken out of the Fox River
Penitentiary.
Westmoreland, who had told of a stash of cash hidden away, was dead, and the inmates were on
the run with the money and evasion on their minds. Now, as we begin season three, Michael
Scofield
(Wentworth Miller), Officer Brad Bellick (Wade Williams), T-Bag (Robert Knepper), and "new"
character (introduced in season two) Alexander Mahone (William Fichtner), find themselves
incarcerated in a tough, unsupervised, every-man-for-himself Panamanian prison called Sona.
Michael's brother, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), has been exonerated and is in Panama City
fighting to free his brother from this hellhole of a prison. The brothers' lives take yet another
turn
for the worse when Sara Tancredi, Fox River's former doctor and Michael's love interest, and
Lincoln's son LJ (Marshall Allman) are kidnapped in Panama City, their lives threatened unless
Michael can break out a mysterious inmate named Whistler (Chris Vance) from Sona, an
escape-proof prison.
"Prison Break," now headed into its fourth season (which is set to debut on September 1 of this
year), remains riveting television. Shortened by the writer's strike to a mere thirteen episodes,
the season is condensed yet remains focused and intense with wonderful character development,
new alliances, new enemies, and the same rapid-fire pace and heart-stopping climaxes that made
the first season so utterly successful. Season three does take its time developing, an observation
perhaps influenced by not seeing season two but rather reading through episode summaries on
the Internet. Seeing the characters from season one so changed and
relocated with little sense of the nuances of their development and progression physically,
geographically, and mentally no doubt hindered the drama of the first few episodes of the season
and proved to be quite the jolt.
Nevertheless, season three becomes as enthralling as the best season one has to offer, taking
the same premise of a "prison break" but changing all of the details. No longer is prison life
regulated by guards; no
longer do inmates receive three square per day; no longer is there a medical facility to escape to
and care for your wounds and illnesses,
and most importantly, no longer are there detailed plans with which to plan an escape. Sona is
best described as "hell on Earth," a place where guards surround only the exterior perimeter of
the prison, where a warlord-like figure oversees the daily routines, and where the rules of society
and civility are worth less than a glass of filthy water. Season three plays in stark contrast to
season one, and Michael must rely on his cunning and guile yet again to break out of prison, this
time with more help (and hinderances) on the outside but with nothing to guide him on the
inside.
Like many good television shows that carry a single arc through their entire seasons, like "24"
and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Prison Break" offers viewers a relentless assault of
cliffhangers, plot twists, and escapes from unescapable situations with convenient yet riveting
and mostly believable scenarios. "Prison Break," perhaps more than any other show I've seen,
does rely on convenience to resolve situations and allows for predictable troubles to hamper the
best-laid
plans of cons and Company. Who doesn't see, for example, a well-planned escape attempt that
relies partly on the sun to go bad when heavy cloud cover hides the light and foils the plan? Like
season one, season three makes Michael Scofield either the smartest or the luckiest man alive,
but his character development is such that we never need to take much of what happens with a
grain of salt. Season three, outside of a few over-the-top convenient moments, pulls no punches
with its characters, all of whom are brilliantly written and, generally, equally well-acted.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, newcomer to season three, plays her character Susan with a blend of
toughness and street smarts, bringing this relentless character to life, and we cannot help but
hate her only partway through the season. Likewise, the show's established lead characters
shine. Perhaps the most fascinating to watch is Wade Williams' character, Bellick, who has
undergone a disturbing and somewhat depressing transformation, going from unlikeable prison
guard in season one to a sniveling shell of a man and inmate in season three. Again, while we
can pick up on what happened to him and the rest of the characters through context clues,
flashbacks scenes, and dialogue, not seeing the development unfold over the 22 episodes of
season two partially hinders the impact of the entire season.
"Prison Break" breaks out on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. The first thing many
will take note of on this set is the gritty look of the show and grainy nature of the episodes.
Grain
permeates many scenes, adding to the feelings of despair and pressure, and the poor living
conditions
at
Sona. Black levels are generally solid, although they appear somewhat gray and uneven at
times,
and the darkest scenes throughout the show, notably those sequences taking place in the
underground passages below the prison, exhibit the most grain. Still, this season is just as
eye-popping as season one from start to end, notably during the many outdoor shots where
detail is anywhere between remarkable and awe-inspiring. Resolution and clarity aren't as high
as they were in the last season in some scenes, but the
gritty, extra-grainy nature of the program seems responsible and is not a hindrance. Some
scenes downright
shine, notably bright exterior shots under the hot Panamanian sun, where sweat glistens off
faces, emanates from pores, and facial detail is striking. The transfer seems three-dimensional at
times as characters practically come out of the screen and into our living rooms, so striking is the
depth and detail seen in many shots. Sona's interior offers up
quite the array of objects to behold, from the dirt and sand-covered yard to the rusted bars of the
cells to the worn, dirty walls throughout, and the disc reveals many details that look good, even
under the copious amounts of grain. Colors are not very vivid, but are more natural and not
blown
out of proportion. Finally, flesh tones
appear
natural in every episode. "Prison Break: Season Three" is another first-class transfer from Fox.
Here's hoping season two eventually arrives on Blu-ray with an equally inspiring transfer.
"Prison Break" arrives on Blu-ray with Fox's usual high definition lossless audio option, DTS-HD
MA
5.1. This is a well-balanced track that never falters no matter the material thrown its way.
Whether showcasing whisper-soft dialogue or eardrum-rattling action sequences, the track
remains
consistent in its presentation, never failing to immerse audiences with a near reference-grade
audio experience. A drama at heart with action elements thrown in, the show is dialogue-centric
and this aspect of the disc shines. There is, at times, a rumbling boom to voices, and dialogue is
occasionally lost under the ruckus of music, action, or prison atmosphere during rowdy
sequences, but generally you'll find dialogue pleasing, focused, and plenty loud. Ambience and
atmospherics are also impressive. Check out the first episode of the season in chapter 12 when
Scofield is at the visitation area of the prison. The sound of insects in the background engulfs us
as the noise emanates from every speaker creating a seamless environment that replicates the
hot, humid, insect-riddled atmosphere of Sona nicely. Much of the track, however, is front-heavy
but ultimately pleasing and more than adequate. There are some good, authentic-sounding
sequences.
Listen to the alarm that goes off in episode seven, chapter nine. It fills your entire listening area
with its blaring and is so loud and penetrating that it places you in the middle of Sona during one
of the most crucial moments of the entire season. Likewise, the car crash sequence later in this
same episode is an amazing sonic achievement as it permeates the senses with both volume and
clarity across the entire range. Episode eight, chapter 12, features an all-out firefight and
assorted other loud sounds that are just as entertaining and engaging as what we would expect
to hear in a first-rate action movie. These are but examples of the well-rounded audio
presentation that is to be expected from this release. It hits all the right notes and serves as a
springboard to allow us to dive into the show. "Prison Break: Season Three" is yet another
fantastic audio offering from Fox.
Unfortunately, "Prison Break: Season Three" is nowhere near as feature-packed as the first season.
With only four short features and no commentary tracks, fans may be disappointed with this
offering. Season 3: Orientación (1080i, 16:59) is a short but decent feature where the
cast discuss their characters and working on the show. All of the primary characters from season
three are featured, and each has a few minutes of face time. Break Out Episode (1080i,
13:25) is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the season's next-to-last episode. Next
is Director's Takes. Presented in 480p, these features showcase director Kevin Hooks
guiding us through the making of key scenes in each of the season's thirteen episodes. Finally,
Between Takes, again presented in 480p, is a series of brief vignettes that focus on life for
several of the actors and actresses when they are not in front of the camera.
"Prison Break" continues to be one of the most captivating shows television has to offer, and
season three, while short, is nearly as exciting and nail-bitingly intense as season one. The story
is somewhat lessened and a disconnect exists by the absence of season two, but for those with
the time and willingness to rent or buy the second season on DVD, I wholeheartedly recommend
doing so, even though I have yet to see it for myself. Skipping season two of "Prison Break" is
like watching Star Wars and jumping right into Return of the Jedi with no
knowledge of what happens in The Empire Strikes Back. You'll pick it up over time, but
not seeing it for yourself and learning what happens second hand does not have the same impact
as actually watching the program. For those willing to purchase season three now, you won't be
disappointed by the nuts and bolts of the release. The show is fabulous, and Fox has once again
provided outstanding picture and
sound quality across all thirteen episodes. Fans may not be happy with the lack of
supplemental materials, but this is the only blemish on the set. I'm a firm believer in
viewing television programs like "Prison
Break" on home video to drastically reduce the wait time between cliffhangers, and at thirteen
episodes, "Prison Break: Season Three" is a fast watch and will quickly catch you up in time for
season four, if you are so inclined to watch it on television rather than wait for a DVD and
possible Blu-ray
release. This set is recommended, as is a push by Blu-ray fans to ask Fox to release season
two sooner or later, hopefully before or coinciding with a home video release of season four.
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Fox Home Entertainment has announced that they will bring 'Prison Break: Season 3' to Blu-ray on August 12th, day-and-date with the DVD release. The third season of the popular television series will come on four BD-50s authored with BD-Java. Video will be presented ...
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