Bad boys are back, and they’ve got company

  • By Victor Balta / Herald Columnist
  • Sunday, March 19, 2006 9:00pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Good news for everyone who’s been holding their breath, waiting to see what’s going to happen to Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows – the two inmates at Fox River Penitentiary in Fox’s breakout drama, “Prison Break.”

The bad boys are back, still trying to make their way out as the show returns at 8 tonight on KCPQ, Channel 13.

On TV

“Prison Break,” 8 tonight, KCPQ, Channel 13

“Unanimous,” 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, KCPQ, Channel 13

But this week, nine new people who are looking to get out of the hole will join them on Fox in a new reality show called “Unanimous.” It premieres at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday on KCPQ after the “American Idol” results show.

Fox keeps listing the name of the show as “Unan1mous,” but that’s lame, so we’ll spell it correctly.

The reason for the “1” is that these nine people will be locked in a bunker until they decide which one of them should come out with the $1.5 million prize.

Of course, there’s a catch: The longer they take to make a decision, the less money there will be for the winner.

Fox didn’t provide a copy of the show for review, so it’s difficult to tell how this will really play out. But I’m willing to give it a shot.

Sure, it sounds like an absurd idea, another step too far for reality television. But, as far as I can tell, no one is getting tortured in this bunker, and there’s a simple way out: Nine people must agree on who deserves the cash prize the most.

The description of the game is a little vague, but each contestant will try to convince others to vote for him or her. Fox says, “Before the vote, personal facts, secrets and lies are revealed, perhaps helping them decide who should receive the money.”

In another twist, contestants will be eliminated along the way, but they will remain in the bunker and will continue to vote.

There are five men and four women.

The men are described as:

* A 43-year-old truck driver who is a conservative Christian, married with three kids.

* A 30-year-old real estate finance guy who is a self-described womanizer.

* A 35-year-old professional poker player and bartender who is liberal and competitive.

* A 38-year-old human resources manager who is a gay activist.

* A 42-year-old writer who is very opinionated.

The women:

* A 25-year-old designer who is a Republican.

* A first-grade teacher, 36, who is an atheist and a married mother of two.

* A 24-year-old choreographer who is a bow and rifle hunter.

* A 49-year-old minister who is a conservative Christian.

I won’t write this one off until getting a chance to see it. If it’s done right, it might give viewers some insight into what people will do for money – short of, like, eating a bull’s colon or something.

It could also show us the human capacity for generosity, as eight of these people will eventually walk away with nothing after deciding that someone else is more deserving.

But first, let’s talk about those inmates.

The return of “Prison Break” provides a comprehensive recap to remind viewers where they left off nearly four months ago.

The gang was ready to make the final break, but a recently reinforced pipe thwarted their attempt, and Burrows is set to be executed by the end of the day.

Just when they appear to be out of options, Scofield hatches a new plan.

The first three new episodes, particularly the one that will air April 3, take us deeper into the lives of the guys. The April 3 episode, “Brother’s Keeper,” flashes back to three years earlier with a glimpse of all the main characters’ lives before their worlds collided at Fox River.

It’s a good sign that, I hope, indicates a move toward deeper story lines, rather than repetitious run-ups to the big escape that only hit another wall.

But these new episodes, packed with back stories and high drama, should ensure the show’s breakout will continue as planned.

Victor Balta’s TV column runs Mondays and Thursdays on the A&E page. Reach him at 425-339-3455 or vbalta@ heraldnet.com.

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