Prison Break, ep1, S1 - Narrative

Prison Break, ep1, S1 - Analysis. 

Victim: Lincoln (Michael brother)

Hero: Michael (Lincoln’s brother)

Helper:  The lawyer (tries help Michael etc.)

Parallel narrative: Through out the play it does this continuously, as it cuts to Michael, Lincoln  before the episode and after, and the lawyer etc. Multiple storylines, where the son and mom, and his son got caught dealing drugs. Then the other two couple which are about to get married, and then it conflicts all the way back to Michael in the prison cell. There's also a storyline with the government who caused the whole situation too.

Flashbacks: Flashback to when Michael’s brother was first being sentenced and had to talk to his brother who was in prison. Tells us that his brother was convicted for something he didn’t do and now he will be killed because his brother Lincoln was blamed for it and charged.

Flash-forward, of how they are planning to break out through the prison. Scene is sped up. Another flash-forward using the same tactic but this time they release what the tattoo on his body is, it’s a map of the tunnels for a way out but in a secret method.

Time & Space: Set in a tattoo store as the first scene. Set in beginning in the dark, then changes to a hostage in a bank in daylight. It then ends up in the jail cell, where Michael is now sentenced to. The main story is set in the prison, because the series is based off him getting his brother out and creating a ‘prison break’.

Cliff-hanger: A potential cliff-hanger in the beginning or build up to one is created from the very first scene, where Michael receives a secret tattoo which isn’t shown to the camera but we know this because they use non diegetic sound; as we see he’s in a tattoo place but the woman asks to see it again but he doesn’t agree. Throughout his time in the prison, he drops mysterious swans made of paper in each drain hole, which flow down to the next due to the water stream; this could be a potential marking for the ‘prison break’.


At the very end after Michael reveals his tattoo with the secret map on his body through the tattoo the camera flies through the pipes and out the prison (the way they'll break out), to use a birds eye view of the prison and it cuts off there.

Editing (continuity vs discontinuity): Matched cuts/ jump cuts, Story continues but conflicts between each scenario and uses flashbacks to refer to the audience why he’s doing this and why he got arrested on purpose. However, through the episode we as the audience can see the editing is used through flashbacks; matched cuts to perform this and jump cuts to jump through each scene but they also use transitions and close ups; one where they closed up onto a guy’s face being scared and then it flips to his vision (eye) to a close up to the barrelled hole of a pistol.

Chronology: They start from a beginning of a tattoo place but we are unknown what ‘tattoo’ he’s getting and it goes towards him getting arrested but on purpose, so he can get into the prison and meet his brother and plan their prison break. It shows flashbacks, and then the story still goes forward

Subjective & Objective: This beginning is based on personal feelings because the character goes to prison for a certain reason but you can see his emotions from the close up on his face when he gets into prison. We also see these emotions from the mode of address and tone the way the talk during the conversation and when Michael asked his brother to promise him that he didn’t kill the guy and Lincoln promises but you can see in the emotions and tone in both actors, that they are serious but Michael seem angry or on the edge of crying.

Mode of address & Tone: Tone is slow and very in-formal but they didn't use slang but it's not very formal either. The mode of address is mainly between the two characters. The storyline is delivered through dialogue between each character and change of scene throughout the episode. Throughout the episode there’s multiple conversations which use slow tone and oppressing mode of address which creates emotion and too follow this they use sad music in the background.

Type/Genre: Thriller but is sub/cross genre due to the seasons which go on. The drama is also crime and action, which also

Role of audience: We observe the information and consume it as a hypodermic needle theory.

Role for producer: Inform the audience and is determining how they’re getting out but how the audience think they will.

Camerawork/Shots: Throughout the episode the use multiple over shoulder shots and shots which are normally used when somebody is having a conversation. They use multiple jump cuts but use matched cuts to jump to flashbacks or flash-forwards but then end up back in the same scene or another scene similar to the previous.
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Character: Michael  Scofield - Main actor and hero


Lincoln - Victim and main actor too.
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Villain - The government because they're the main reason he's in there, due to how corrupt their system.
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Hero - Veronica Donovan (The lawyer), she tries to help Michael.
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The Doctor


The son and wife/mom of lincoln