Well, I certainly hope I built up a little bit of good will by finally getting Sam Neill on the phone for Random Roles last week, because I’m pretty sure I’m going to blow whatever I earned with this week’s review. Maybe it’s not quite what you’d call a perfect storm of unfortunate timing, but to be recovering from a nasty bout of stomach flu just as I’m handed two back-to-back episodes of Alcatraz—thanks for nothing, Daytona 500!—isn’t exactly what I’d call the perfect formula for solid concentration. As such, I’m the first to admit that these aren’t going to be the most in-depth reflections on tonight’s episodes…which might actually not be the worst thing in the world, given that I’m generally prone to writing a bit much, anyway. Still, I was struggling to even take notes this week, let alone stay awake. Rough stuff, that stomach flu. Really knocks you for a loop.
First up, we had the Ames Brothers. Pinky and Herman are twins, if most decidedly of the fraternal variety: Herman’s a little loudmouth, while Pinky’s a big guy with a big temper. Their big claim to fame, at least according to the history books, is their attempted escape from the prison, but what isn’t known to most is their concerted effort to find the gold hidden in the depths of Alcatraz, a plan enacted with the assistance of one of the guards: Officer Donovan, played effectively by Frank Whaley. I don’t know if this truly qualifies as a bottle episode, what with all of the flashbacks (not to mention the last scene with Donovan, which takes place in New Alcatraz, or whatever you want to call it), but it’s certainly the first time that virtually the entire proceedings have taken place on Alcatraz itself, both in the past and in the present.
As ever, Jonny Coyne’s work as Warden James is a great deal of fun, particularly this week, both with his contributions to the church service and his gleeful exclamation while standing over the gold. Pinky also proved at times to be better written than I was expecting, offering subtleties of character that belied his general Hulk-smash attitude throughout the majority of the episode. I also enjoyed Hauser’s refusal to stop going after Pinky and Donovan even after he’d been shot. When Madsen asks him if he’s up for it, he all but growls in pain as he replied, “No problem.” That’s right: Hauser’s a bad-ass.