Breakout Kings (Season 1 Discussion)

[Starbreaker]

In order to catch escaped convicts, a squad of U.S. Marshals makes a special deal with several current prisoners who have broken out in the past. If they agree to help, their sentences will be reduced and they will be transferred to a minimum-security facility. However, if any of them should try to escape, they will all be returned to their original prisons and their sentences will be doubled.

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I watched the pilot on A&E last night and really enjoyed it. It's about 100x better than Chase ever hoped to be already. All very good actors playing distinct characters. I only hope they'll switch it up a little bit and not have the escaped cons go on killing sprees every episode. Definitely worth your time in my opinion. They are airing the pilot at least a million times over the course of the week. I expect ratings for the first airing to be huge for cable standards.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I have this on my DVR. Sounds like it's worth bothering to sample, huh? I like Jimmi Simpson a lot and figure he'll steal the show.

You're right about the ratings, they were solid by cable standards. But my hunch is that FOX wasn't wrong to pass on it. It would have gotten bigger demo numbers than A&E but would have needed a lot bigger to make it worth their while. Some shows just need to be on cable and not broadcast.

Breakout Kings completed its Cinderella story with a record debut on A&E. The show, which was rescued by A&E after Fox passed on the pilot in May, drew the highest demo numbers for an A&E drama series, 1.5 million adults 18-49 and 1.6 million adults 25-54. That was up 25% in adults 18-49 and 14% in adults 25-54 from the previous network record holder, the July 2010 debut of the network's The Glades.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Good episode, the dialogue has zing, and Jimmi Simpson does in fact steal the show. Downside: it's essentially a cop-show formula series which makes it hard for me to maintain interest. I'll keep watching for a while anyway.

 

[Starbreaker]

Well... the second episode wasn't as good. I'm not thrilled with the actress change and I can tell they're going to be going with serial killers who escape and go on serial killing every week. I have two Criminal Minds series for that!

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Meh, I'll watch Knepper's episode but I think I'm done. Why did they replace the Con Artist/Beauty Queen? She had nice rapport with Jimmi Simpson (who is the only thing worth watching this show for). The new girl is just a tired cliche - oh boo hoo, she's a con only because she avenged her murdered daddy and she wants to be reunited with her daughter. If that kind of tired writing is the best they can do, screw it.

 

[firehawk12]

I'm guessing it was pilot/casting issues. It's not like how they got rid of the other guy with the knife anyway.

But, I'm watching this for the silly crossover. I just wonder if all the strange conspiracy crap makes it over to this show or if they just want to forget all that crap ever happened.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

No silly conspiracy crap (I hated that too). Knepper's episode was like a frakkin ROCKET! Incredible scene at the end between Knepper and Jimmi Simpson. Wow, if the whole show were like this, I'd be sold. But no doubt next week, we're back to the formulaic crap.

Breakout Kings should be cancelled so that Simpson can be added to the cast of Reconstruction, where Knepper is already set to be a scene-stealing character. Those two need to be on a show together, however it needs to be accomplished.

 

[Starbreaker]

Knepper was great tonight. Rebecca Field, who played the um... slightly overweight girl that he drugged is getting a lot of TV time this year. She's been on CSI, Criminal Minds, Mike & Molly, and The Mentalist this season.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I also noticed that Rebecca Field really shone in a rather small role - good to know she's getting lots of recognition.

 

[Trekker4747]

I've seen a couple episodes of this series, good enough series and I like okay. Just watched the T-Bag episode and was mostly satisfied with it, though T-Bag didn't seem quite "in-character" as he was usually a whole lot more charming. But still fun to see him, Fox River, etc.

One thing I noticed is that when they're talking about him when the team is getting together they credit T-Bag with him having broken out of two prisons already. To be completely fair he only got out of Fox River due to Michael Scofield's intricate plan(s) and just happening to latch himself on when he found out about the plan and he broke out of the "Panamanian prison" (Sona) due to a fire that occurred there between seasons 3 and 4. So, really, he's not that much of a slick prison breaking out-of person so much as he's just pretty lucky when it comes to getting out of prison.

 

[firehawk12]

Hah, I figure they didn't want to burden the viewer with too much Prison Break information. But I figure after getting that done, I wonder what they'll have left to hype the show with.

The dude playing the con-cop is basically reprising his role as Herc, so maybe they can tie it in to Baltimore somehow.

 

[Starbreaker]

Just a heads up: The Bag Man, featuring the lovable T-Bag, can be found here (legally).

Link

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1x04 Out of the Mouth of Babes

Joe, a convicted pedophile, disguises himself as a crew member on a film shoot and makes a break for it. The team must not only catch him, but must be sure he doesn't commit any more crimes while on the loose. Their first lead sends them to the school where Joe worked as a counselor and where the six children are who he as accused of molesting. They also manage to track down Joe's estranged wife and children, whose lives have been seemingly destroyed by Joe's life-sentence in prison. Meanwhile, Erica is determined to see her six-year-old daughter on her birthday and Charlie's wife urges him to take her on a much-needed vacation.

 

[firehawk12]

Oh wow, I can't believe I didn't notice that the show was filmed in Toronto... but after the latest episode, they stopped trying to hide it.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Where's the show supposed to be set? It just looks like Rustbelt City, USA.

 

[Agent Richard07]

^ That was supposed to be Boston. I didn't know it was shot in Toronto either until I saw the Go Train. Thought it was shot in Vancouver.

Anyway, I only tuned in to this show to see Serinda Swan and T-Bag, and was surprised that neither of them were in the first episode. I also thought initially that Robert Knepper would be a regular. Guess they only hyped him up to bring in viewers. And yeah, why exactly was that blond lady replaced?

 

[firehawk12]

Weren't they based in NYC or something? Who even knows, since the setting mostly doesn't matter.

 

[Starbreaker]

The prison is somewhere in New York or New Jersey... I forgot.

 

[timothy]

it looks like the bronx's . watched the first three episodes of this series I like it .
Now the main guy in the show what is he taking those pills for ?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

And yeah, why exactly was that blond lady replaced?

It's easier to write stories for a cliche (angry tough hot chick who just wants to get her kid back, blergh). But the benefit of not having a cliche character is that the writers might have to work harder to come up with stories, and the stories might be more imaginative.

The fact that they changed the character to make their jobs easier does not say a lot about the ambitiousness of the writers on this show. Jimmi Simpson is pretty much just carrying it on his own.

Now the main guy in the show what is he taking those pills for ?

The black cop has a heart condition.

 

[Starbreaker]

I was watching the last episode with my mom and she about had a coronary when they mentioned Tonya Craft. They taught together for several years.