Episode Report Card Sobell: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Dr. Gudat -- dead!
By Sobell | Season 2 | Episode 2 | Aired on 08.27.2006
Commercials. I'm...I'm too stunned by Mahone's big brain to muster the wherewithal to quip about witless commercials.
Inside the elevator, Mahone mutters, "Otis, right. Otis elevator on the right. What is he planning?" Linc helpfully answers that question by popping open the grate and pointing a "gun" at Mahone's head, saying, "Keep it in the holster and no-one gets hurt." Mahone makes a move and Linc points the gun, repeating, "The holster. Now, L.J., hit 'stop.'" L.J. does. Linc says, "He's coming with us. Let's just stay cool. Staaaaaay cooooool." Linc sort of has a flair for this sort of thing. Michael, not so much. Mahone peers up the shaft and notes that Michael's kind of bugging. Michael, in turn, is kind of bugging because Mahone is there. He leans down and says to L.J., "Hey, buddy. Give me his gun." L.J. passes it up to Michael, who then promptly fixes it on Mahone. Michael is the smart! How else to explain how he ended up with the only working gun?
We get a tight shot of Mahone's face. This entire scene is really well-composed: it feels very cramped and confusing, which is probably how it would play in real life. As Michael holds the gun, Linc says, "L.J., give me your hand. Thatta boy!" The plan almost works, except Michael drops the fake gun. Worse, he betrays his dismay at this and Mahone guesses -- correctly -- that he's being held up by two guys with water pistols. Mahone grabs L.J. and begins tugging. Michael points the real gun at Mahone and barks for him to back off. Unfortunately, Mahone has also figured out that Scofield's unlikely to shoot anyone. "He's not going anywhere and neither are you! Give yourselves up and the kid can walk. Itâs the only way heâs getting out of this place! It's the only way!" Mahone barks. He grabs L.J. by the arm and begins tugging. Then he punches the alarm in the elevator, secure in the knowledge that nobody will be shooting him any time soon. L.J. is the first to realize that this escape attempt is officially over. Linc reluctantly lets go of him, and Michael petulantly slams the grate back on the top of the elevator. The minute L.J. and Mahone are alone in the elevator, L.J. smacks Mahone in the face with his cuffed wrists; Mahone returns the favor with a chokehold to the throat.
When the elevator opens, Mahone tears out, shouting, "Up there! Scofield's up there!" I think it's interesting how he's a lot less hung up on catching the guy who's allegedly killed the president's brother than he is in catching his Mind Mate Michael. Mahone finally shouts that both Scofield and Burrows are in the building.