3x04 Prison Break: Ugh
There was a lot I liked about this episode, but it was heavily overshadowed by the "ugh."
You all know I hate Michael/Sara as a couple. I hate what it did to the characters individually, to the show, and to the fandom incidentally.
But I liked Sara as a character. I liked her better without so many flaws-- the whole "Oh, I'm an addict" revelation followed by "Can't help loving the bad boys" really hacked me off. They took a strong female character who bucked her family's legacy to work in a prison, and then laid this backstory where that was less of a choice than an inevitability. And in that rapid weakening of who she was, Season 1 turned her into this pale princess waiting to be rescued from herself by Michael. Ugh. Season 2 showed her making still worse choices-- though I nearly forgave them for the spectacular escape from Kellerman and that kick-ass scene in the bathroom where she stiches herself up without anaesthetic. That was awesome.
But this ending-- her head in a box delivered to Lincoln-- smacks of real hostility toward either the actress or the character. I wanted Sara off the show last season, before the Michael/Sara got too out of hand and before both characters got too ridiculous for me. No dice. Instead, the producers chose to make the relationship overblown and then to get rid of Sara in a way that shows no respect for the character or the importance they gave her in the show. Again-- they decided to make so much of her, and yet this abrupt and ugly ending is what they chose?
I don't know if SWC wanted to leave the show (I'll never understand that thinking-- it's not like her career was doing that much before), or if they'd planned this all along (though I doubt it). But it sure looks like one of the show's producers/creators is pissed off. :(
Westmoreland got a wonderful farewell-- I wish he'd survived because I loved that character, but his ending had a sense of homage for who he was. Aldo got too much of an ending, in my book-- way to try to redeem the irredeemable. T-Bag defied all medical and scientific odds and amazingly enough is still with us.
And Veronica... oh yeah. In separate parts of a landfill right now. Boy, does that ever sound familiar!
I can't help noticing that both of these characters are women. And that they were kind people who met an undeserved end that was noticeably gory, as opposed to Hale and Gov. Tancredi, whose deaths were at least fairly "clean" in comparison.
I'd love to say I'm reading too much into this. Maybe I am.
But for the second time in this series, we have this situation. I don't mind Sara getting killed off per se. But I really mind the way in which it was presented. The character deserved better.
And frankly, so did the viewers.
/rant
You all know I hate Michael/Sara as a couple. I hate what it did to the characters individually, to the show, and to the fandom incidentally.
But I liked Sara as a character. I liked her better without so many flaws-- the whole "Oh, I'm an addict" revelation followed by "Can't help loving the bad boys" really hacked me off. They took a strong female character who bucked her family's legacy to work in a prison, and then laid this backstory where that was less of a choice than an inevitability. And in that rapid weakening of who she was, Season 1 turned her into this pale princess waiting to be rescued from herself by Michael. Ugh. Season 2 showed her making still worse choices-- though I nearly forgave them for the spectacular escape from Kellerman and that kick-ass scene in the bathroom where she stiches herself up without anaesthetic. That was awesome.
But this ending-- her head in a box delivered to Lincoln-- smacks of real hostility toward either the actress or the character. I wanted Sara off the show last season, before the Michael/Sara got too out of hand and before both characters got too ridiculous for me. No dice. Instead, the producers chose to make the relationship overblown and then to get rid of Sara in a way that shows no respect for the character or the importance they gave her in the show. Again-- they decided to make so much of her, and yet this abrupt and ugly ending is what they chose?
I don't know if SWC wanted to leave the show (I'll never understand that thinking-- it's not like her career was doing that much before), or if they'd planned this all along (though I doubt it). But it sure looks like one of the show's producers/creators is pissed off. :(
Westmoreland got a wonderful farewell-- I wish he'd survived because I loved that character, but his ending had a sense of homage for who he was. Aldo got too much of an ending, in my book-- way to try to redeem the irredeemable. T-Bag defied all medical and scientific odds and amazingly enough is still with us.
And Veronica... oh yeah. In separate parts of a landfill right now. Boy, does that ever sound familiar!
I can't help noticing that both of these characters are women. And that they were kind people who met an undeserved end that was noticeably gory, as opposed to Hale and Gov. Tancredi, whose deaths were at least fairly "clean" in comparison.
I'd love to say I'm reading too much into this. Maybe I am.
But for the second time in this series, we have this situation. I don't mind Sara getting killed off per se. But I really mind the way in which it was presented. The character deserved better.
And frankly, so did the viewers.
/rant