Alcatraz: Series Premiere

Written by Meredith Alloway Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 12:22 PM

It can’t be denied that the hype around Alcatraz is huge. J.J. Abrams has a new show? Sold. And for those who missed out on the sensation that was Lost, including myself, an opportunity to experience his skills with TV drama can’t be ignored. This time, the mystery involves the infamous prison Alcatraz. Within the first two episodes the suspense is heavy-handed and the confusion rampant, in the best of ways. It looks as if the 302 prisoners that vanished fifty years ago are returning to San Francisco. Not only are they unleashing the vengeance of some of the most dangerous killers in history, but they haven’t aged one single day. “How is this possible, you ask?” and Abrams replies cunningly, “Exactly.”

We first meet Det. Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) on a high-speed chase with her partner, leaping over buildings in pursuit of a male criminal. It’s a slick way to jump-start the episode and also raises the stakes for Madsen. Not only does the man get away, but she looses her partner to the pavement below with a slip of her hand.

Soon after, she’s assigned to a homicide case that leads her to the fingerprints of suspect Jack Sylvane (Jeffrey Pierce). But it can’t be possible. This man died over 50 years ago. He was one of the inmates who disappeared from Alcatraz. Madsen’s grandfather and surrogate uncle were both guards at the prison and immediately her interest in the case is amplified. At first government agent Emerson Hauser, a splendidly cast Sam Neill, tries to push her off the case, but after seeing her commitment, he invites her to be his comrade.

To the pleasure of all previous Lost fans, Jorge Garcia is back. This time, his humor is sacrificed for drama, as he plays Dr. Diego “Doc” Soto. Along with Mardsen, he discovers that Sylvane is alive, and by some perplexing wonder, is young as ever and killing everything in his path. The two team with Hauser and his partner Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra) to stop Sylvane’s murderous spree. And as the four get deeper into Alcatraz’s history they discover "Sylvane is only a small part of a much larger, more sinister present-day threat.” Could he be the leader of the all the returning criminals? Why did they disappear tin the first place and what exactly are they seeking revenge for?

The questions are all deliciously perplexing.

The less you know going into your viewing of the episodes, the better. Abrams knows how to pack a shocking punch. Hauser’s character becomes more and more interesting and at a rapid pace. His involvement with Alcatraz has tumultuous, secretive roots and his violent tendencies let us in on his obsession with the case. The cast is spectacular and it looks as if the series will implement a “criminal per-week” format. Which will most definitely provide for non-stop intriguing characters and performances, but could limit the excitement behind the story.

There are over three hundred prisoners, providing for more than enough material. But the series could become monotonous in that form. The main players are interesting enough to keep our attention, let’s just hope the writers wind together all their stories in the brilliant fashion they accomplished in Lost. The first two episodes of Alcatraz will most assuredly grab your attention, and the last few moments will definitely have you dying for next week’s episode. The show is perhaps one of the most promising of mid-season, let’s just hope it can keep up with the mystery and avoid the monotony.