Once upon a time, in the far-away mists of TV history, before Lord Hobo and Princess Showtime liberated content from the shackles of the Seasons and the FCC, weekends were a very different place. People actually stayed home on Saturday nights, rapt before CBS’ lineup of killer comedies. And, on Sunday night, families finished off the weekend with the wholesome entertainments of “The Wonderful World of Disney.” The current “Once Upon A Time” initially presented a more sophisticated update. However, recent evidence suggests they are now seeking Walt’s mantle. It’s too bad, then, that they’re closer to evoking the legacy of Sid and Marty Krofft.
The biggest problem with “Alcatraz”, from my point of view, is the repetitive nature of the premise. We all know how things are going to play out: one (or more) of the 63’s will return, they will start killing people in roughly the same fashion as the methods that led to their incarceration, Rebecca and Diego will lead the hunt that eventually leads to the capture or demise of the main subject. The rest is just variations on a theme.
On the heels of the previous episode’s fiery and bloody massacre, marking the apparent mid-point of the season thus far, it makes sense to take a step back and explore the depths of the fallout. In the process, the writers remind us of the cardinal rule of the “Spartacus” franchise: underneath all the sex and violence, the strength of the series is the character development.