Episode Report Card Sobell: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The light you see at the end of the tunnel…
By Sobell | Season 1 | Episode 13 | Aired on 11.27.2005
Inside the prison, Michael makes it into the supply room. He ties a rope to the shelves and tells the rest of the team to hop to. On the outside of the prison, Darius and his moronic gun-toting pal have their little "Honest, Officer, our vehicle just happened to die here" play closed down early due to critical reviews from two COs. So much for C-Note's plans for alternative transportation!
The last member of Team Escarpara -- Westmoreland -- is finally pulled into the storeroom, and he chortles, "I'm good! I haven't been this good in years." Michael grins at that, and then his face absolutely melts into gawping dismay. That segment of the pipe he was so clearly counting on to be eroded -- thus facilitating their passage from the storehouse to the infirmary -- has been replaced! Evidently, there's a cadre of full-time pipe-fitters able to replace a huge piece of drainpipe within four hours.
On the other end of the pipe, Linc is also discovering that shiny new pipe is not so easy to remove.
Michael hangs from the pipe, trying desperately to bring it down. Thinking quickly, Westmoreland brings him a length of steel tubing to use as a lever, so that the big pipe can be pulled loose. Before anyone can do anything, however, T-Bag shushes them -- there's a CO walking down the hall.
After he passes, we get some cross-cut shots of both sides trying to remove the pipe. It's all very tense and frustrating and all, but I have to ask -- Michael's somehow anticipated every other possible setback, and he's had plenty of time to familiarize himself with the storeroom. He couldn't maybe have stashed a wrench in the place, on the off-chance that he'd have to loosen some bolts? Or whipped up a little blowtorch using a can of T-Bag's hair mousse and some of those matches everyone's always playing with?
At one point, Team Escarpara's lever breaks and a pipe clatters to the ground. That attracts the CO's attention and he begins to head back to the storeroom.
However, the team's distracted by Michael. He sounds defeated as he whispers, "It can't be done. It's too thick. I'm so sorry." Michael sits down and says heavily, "We're not getting out of here."
And because Michael's day hasn't been sucky enough, what with having to slice open his own arm, and herd Team Escarpara through the pipes, and discover this new obstacle...that's when T-Bag whips out the shiv he's been hiding in his boot and waves it around at Michael. He snarls, "Unfortunately, Pretty, that ain't an option." Cut to the rest of the prisoners looking shocked -- shocked, I say! -- that someone's got a shank. Michael raises his eyes heavenward, then stares at T-Bag…