Interrogating Executive Producer Matt Olmstead on the End of Prison Break by Troy Rogers
Although
Fox's Prison Break comes to a series end on Friday,
May 15, the flight of Michael Scofield (Wentworth
Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell)
was never designed to be story that would go on
forever. After four seasons, the creative wardens
behind Prison Break, including executive producer
Matt Olmstead, found a way to reinvent the show
from season to season after Michael and his merry
band of prison bandits broke out of Fox River
Penitentiary. From inside the walls of Fox River
to small towns across America to incarceration
in a Panamanian prison and back to the U.S. in
Los Angeles to uncover the secrets behind "The
Company," Prison Break gave fans a fast-paced,
often conveniently inventive, action adventure
on the scale of MacGyver.
Whether by accident or intent, a few great things helped Prison Break get over the ratings wall to become a hit. Prison Break also gave fans one of the best villains ever to hit the small-screen in Robert Knepper's T-Bag character while the casting of far-too-underrated actor, William Fictner, was a major coup for the series. After one of the best first seasons of TV in at least a decade, the second season of Prison Break set the stage for three more edge-of-your-seat seasons. That's not to say Michael, Lincoln, Sara, Sucre, Belick, T-Bag, and Mahone didn't get lost a few times in the streets of America en route to Panama while getting backed into storyline corners, they did. But the chemistry of the cast and characters pulled you into their weekly escape, even though you knew that it would actually take years to remove your own full-body tattoo.
With Prison Break returning to the airwaves on April 17 to begin its series escape from the Fox schedule, we cracked the seven-digit conference call code that Fox gave us, along with a few other outlets, to talk to Prison Break executive producer, Matt Olmstead, to find out how the series will wrap up the four year long escape.
THE DEADBOLT: What is the one thing you wish could’ve happened in the story throughout the seasons?
MATT OLMSTEAD: The one thing I wish we could’ve done, which is to film more at night. And that’s really the only thing I wish for, because having seen the finale, and then what turns into the two extra episodes, everything is paid off. And having viewed it with the rest of the writers, many of whom have been there since day one, we looked at each other and we did the best we could do. There was absolutely no regrets. And so I look back on this as no real missed opportunities for me. And I want to say, budgetary-wise, we were always proud of the fact that we kind of stayed on budget for a couple of different reasons. But by doing so we were unable to film at night as much as we did in season one. And from a visual aspect, for me, that was one thing I wish we could do more. But in terms of storytelling or getting an actor, or any of that kind of stuff, I sincerely have no regrets.
THE DEADBOLT: You mentioned that there might be a TV movie or a stand alone episode in the future. What’s the plan for the Prison Break spin-off?
OLMSTEAD: There’s no plan for a Prison Break spin-off. We did a script for what would be establishing a character in season three, a female character, and then spinning her off into essentially a female prison show, and there were a couple hurdles involved. We couldn’t get the actress, the strike happened, and when we came back the show was in its last season. You know, The Sarah Conner Chronicles wasn’t doing that great and there’s a host of reasons why that idea, that project, cooled. Who’s to say if it could get a spark again? I’m not counting on it. You know, my days aren’t based around it, but for me the show is done. And I was commenting on the question, ‘Is there a chance there could be a stand alone or something else that could kick off?’ There’s always a chance, but there’s nothing certainly in the planning stage.
THE DEADBOLT: So the spin-off isn’t officially dead, though?
OLMSTEAD: It’s on the ground, leg is twitching, but there is still a heartbeat perhaps.
THE DEADBOLT: With all of the double crossing and kidnapping that’s been going on, why hasn’t anyone from The Company gone after C-Note to use as leverage against Michael and Linc?
OLMSTEAD: Yeah. When we last saw C-Note he had gone into witness protection. Also, there’s not a lot of love between C-Note and Michael in terms of [their relationship]. That’s where the guys were, with the shotgun wedding at Fox River. They needed each other. So it’s not like getting a hold of Sucre and threatening Sucre’s family, or whatever. So I don’t think C-Note carries that kind of currency when it comes to Michael. Not to say that he couldn’t play a big part in the last two episodes.
THE DEADBOLT: So, overall, he’s basically the only escapee to get away free and clear?
OLMSTEAD: Yeah. And we wanted that to happen in a way, because all of the things going on - I remember in season two where people were getting clipped and a lot of hardship was being [directed] toward that moment when C-Note was walking away with his wife and him looking over his shoulder and going. So we wanted that one person to fly the cuckoo’s nest, so to speak.
Although
Fox's Prison Break comes to a series end on Friday,
May 15, the flight of Michael Scofield (Wentworth
Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell)
was never designed to be story that would go on
forever. After four seasons, the creative wardens
behind Prison Break, including executive producer
Matt Olmstead, found a way to reinvent the show
from season to season after Michael and his merry
band of prison bandits broke out of Fox River
Penitentiary. From inside the walls of Fox River
to small towns across America to incarceration
in a Panamanian prison and back to the U.S. in
Los Angeles to uncover the secrets behind "The
Company," Prison Break gave fans a fast-paced,
often conveniently inventive, action adventure
on the scale of MacGyver.
With Prison Break returning to the airwaves on April 17 to begin its series escape from the Fox schedule, we cracked the seven-digit conference call code that Fox gave us, along with a few other outlets, to talk to Prison Break executive producer, Matt Olmstead, to find out how the series will wrap up the four year long escape.
OLMSTEAD: There’s no plan for a Prison Break spin-off. We did a script for what would be establishing a character in season three, a female character, and then spinning her off into essentially a female prison show, and there were a couple hurdles involved. We couldn’t get the actress, the strike happened, and when we came back the show was in its last season. You know, The Sarah Conner Chronicles wasn’t doing that great and there’s a host of reasons why that idea, that project, cooled. Who’s to say if it could get a spark again? I’m not counting on it. You know, my days aren’t based around it, but for me the show is done. And I was commenting on the question, ‘Is there a chance there could be a stand alone or something else that could kick off?’ There’s always a chance, but there’s nothing certainly in the planning stage.
OLMSTEAD: Yeah. When we last saw C-Note he had gone into witness protection. Also, there’s not a lot of love between C-Note and Michael in terms of [their relationship]. That’s where the guys were, with the shotgun wedding at Fox River. They needed each other. So it’s not like getting a hold of Sucre and threatening Sucre’s family, or whatever. So I don’t think C-Note carries that kind of currency when it comes to Michael. Not to say that he couldn’t play a big part in the last two episodes.