Prison Break chief promises action

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LOS ANGELES--Last year it was Fox's Break out hit. This season, will new fans come aboard?

That was the question put to Paul Scheuring, executive producer of Fox's Prison Break. Speaking this week at the TV Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, California, Scheuring said that he is confident new fans can catch up.

"We purposely constructed the first episode [of season two] in a way that you can catch up with everything," Scheuring told the assembled TV press. "Certainly, the first season informs the second very very much."

Scheuring said returning viewers should expect to see the prison, even though the convicts escaped at the end of season one.

"We will see the prison, there are some dynamics there that are not yet finished," he said. "[But] the prison really starts to fade away."

He added that the ability to film inside famed prison Joliet added to the show's realism in season one, but "the conceit of this series is that it is a very finite concept."

The producer said he didn't want to redo what viewers had already seen in season one. He promised the second season will have even more action and all-new thrills for fans.

"We will not see a rehash of season one where these guys all end up back in the prison in episode three and go, 'Now we've got to think of another way out of here,'" he joked. "Season two is a complete reinventon."

William Fichtner, who recently starred as an alien-possessed sherriff in the cancelled ABC series Invasion, is joining the cast of Prison Break this season as a prison guard. Scheuring says Fichtner's character will straddle light and dark.

"One of the things we try to do...is give all the characters, you know--let them inhabit a grey area," the TV producer said. "It will be the same with Bill's character. His pursuit is noble, but some of the things about him are less than noble."

Scheuring also said Patricia Wettig, who played the vice president in season one, might be back despite her role on a new ABC series Brothers and Sisters.

"She's not out of the picture," he assured. "Let's just put it that way."

Mr. Scheuring also assured fans that the conspiracy storyline from season one will remain a part of the show, but it will take a backseat to more pressing issues.

"We're not going to table [the conspiracy] because we think it's something that we owe," he informed. "But I do think that, in the early part of the season, it's going to be about the immediacy of having to get the hell away from the pursuit."

Prison Break returns to Fox August 21.

  • angelzexplorer

    When is prison breaking coming back, this is march 2008 and no new episodes yet and they are bringing more shows to mondays at prison break time, i loved that show and i look forward to knowing more

  • abrammoro

    pls want you to buy this movie all the season, but i cant get it here in my country, i have watch season 1 and 2 they very good infact micheal scofield is hot.

  • SamuelHobbs

    I have stopped watching this show for two reasons.

    First, the basic premise is foolish. It would have been much more practical to break into prison than it was to break the law then try to break out. The show is easier to write when it is done the way it was, but it would not be the easy way in real life.

    Second, there is just too much violence and such. I don't enjoy shows with that much violence.

  • polo_jimmies

    i loooooooooooooove this series

  • fireblazer666

    amazing story, wicked plot twists, awsome creativity and magnificent actors/actress's...the action is amazing...wow...i wasnt expecting such a vibrant show...this is stupendous...absolutely wonderful...keep er goin!

  • rsloane

    i hear this show is good and the fact that the guy is hot is probably enough to get me to watch the first season on dvd.

  • tvdvdaddict

    More action! ALRIGHT!!! Can't wait for season 2 and more of Wentworth Miller!

  • BacktoBedlam

    I'm glad he's said that it'll be completely different from season 1. I hope it'll be just as good though.

  • Pawkster

    I can't wait to see what this season brings. I loved this series the first season and have been waiting for more since then. I know it is going to be quite different as the setting is completely different, but with what the producers and cast did with the first season I expect nothing but excellence.

  • MemnochZERO

    I thought Fichtner was playing an FBI agent. Now he's a prison guard? lol
    Either way, i'm sure this season will be badass. Seeing the leads in that group photo in their civies instead of prison uniforms got me so psyched.

  • shsteve

    It's going to be a very different show that's for sure. But hopefully it's not going to be anything like The Fugitve with Tim Daly. That just sucked.

    Though after this I can only see PB doing one more season. There's no way you can stretch as prison escape out for that long.

  • 5abanja

    Colin Mahan, I would like to inform you that you have made a spelling error :"We will see the prison, there are some dynamics there that are not yet finsihd[sic],"I'm Psyched about PB 2 !!