"Hey, pretty."

For my money, the single best drama on TV last year was the sophomore season of Prison Break (as well as offering more smarts and thrills than most if not all of the big feature films released that year). And by the looks of the first two episodes of Prison Break's third season these past weeks (note to self: never break the law in Panama), it will be again this year. 20th Century-Fox has released Prison Break - Season 2 on an extras-loaded, six-disc box set, with razor-sharp transfers and awesome sound. Even though I've religiously followed the series from episode one, I had a terrific time re-watching all 22 episodes.

After Prison Break's sensational premiere season back in 2005, I was frankly worried about how the series' producers, directors, and writers were going to continue the quality of the show once the "Fox River Eight" escaped from their Joliet, Illinois prison. After all, what made Prison Break so unique was the incredibly tense, claustrophobic atmosphere created by the prison's insulated universe (I wasn't that big of a fan of the political conspiracy subplot that was ongoing outside the walls of the joint). I found the byzantine social machinations of the various strata of the cons far more exciting than the standard (though well-executed) espionage elements that involved Lincoln Burrows' (Dominic Purcell) frame-up as the assassin of a President's brother. Male viewers in particular find such depictions of prison life compelling, probably because there's always that constant questioning of, "Well, how would you handle that situation?" going on inside our heads.

So when Prison Break's second season debuted, I was expecting the worse. However, this thinking man's thriller topped itself by blowing out the intense dramatics with an epic-scale, cross-country sweep as the cons split up and re-form, only to break off into new reconfigured groups, as they're relentlessly pursued by a formidable enemy - the brilliant, unhinged, murderous pill-popping FBI agent Mahone (William Fichtner). Like The Fugitive on speed, Prison Break doesn't just settle for expanding the central story arc of Lincoln and brother Michael Scofield's (Wentworth Miller) desperate search to score the five million dollars hidden by deceased inmate Charles "D.B. Cooper" Westmoreland (Muse Watson), in order to disappear down in Panama. Instead, we're given a dizzying array of subplots that elevates Prison Break to Dickensian proportions. Everyone is given plenty of screen time to fill out their backstories, with a complex weave of interrelations created that's really quite compelling for a TV series.

And like Charles Dickens, Prison Break embraces unadulterated melodrama. Behind its gritty, modern takes on political corruption and crime, there are elemental forces driving the dramatics of the subplots - themes such as brotherhood, paternal betrayal, venality, lust, familial loyalty, psychosis, romantic love, redemption, addiction, thirst for freedom, and of course, murder. And with the cleverly integrated cliffhangers at the end of each episode, Prison Break elevates its Perils of Pauline melodrama into surprisingly resonate (and gripping) theater. Played out against the wide open spaces of the middle and outer West, these primal, almost Biblical motivations give Prison Break a coarse, reverberating pull that, along with its fearlessness to be larger-than-life, sets it apart from any show out there on TV today.

Although Purcell and Miller are nominally the leads of the show, with their plot threads central to the series' framework, many characters shine in this second season. A particularly smart choice by the producers this season was giving the near-genius Michael an equally impressive enemy: Agent Mahone. With Michael's preternatural gifts for preparing and executing the chess-like moves of his preplanned escape, it could get rather tiresome for the viewers if they eventually came to believe there's nobody out there in law enforcement that could possibly match Michael's intellectual prowess. So the inclusion of the razor-sharp, but increasingly manic, mentally unstable, amoral agent (with another excellent portrayal by the terrific Fichtner) not only evens the playing field for Michael's escape, it adds a further layer to the increasingly tense backdrop of the secret government agency subplot.

Another character from season one who's able to essay a more complex character is Paul Adelstein's Secret Service Special Agent Paul Kellerman. Physically unprepossessing, with an innocent-looking baby face, Adelstein not only counters the usual preconceptions we may have about such a character, he gets a chance this season to turn the morally complex agent/assassin into a multi-leveled villain/hero (a boon to actress Sarah Wayne Callies as Dr. Sara Tancredi, who shares some intense physical and emotional torture scenes with Adelstein). Wade Williams as the perennial loser Captain Brad Bellick, walks a tough line between embodying both the series' comedy relief, as well as chief screw-up and audience surrogate. His Mutt-and-Jeff act with Corrections Officer Roy Geary (Matt DeCaro) is both funny and sickly ironic, particularly after they run into T-Bag.

T-Bag, man. Probably the most memorable break-out character of the series, and certainly the most unlikely TV antihero that's ever come over the airwaves. Why in the world would anyone laugh at the sick, depraved antics of such a lowlife scumbag? Well...I would; or at least, I'm laughing every time actor Robert Knepper finds a new way to spin his deliciously perverted characterization. Now, I'll admit there is a kind of vicarious thrill in "knowing" somebody who stars in a TV series (and by "knowing," all I really mean is Knepper went to my high school and his father was our family vet for years - in other words: he doesn't know me from Adam, but I couldn't resist the tenuous-at-best name dropping). But where he grew up has nothing to do with me appreciating the absolutely knock-out performance he gives as the villainous, rapaciously demented Theodore Bagwell. There's such an obvious "joy of performance" in Knepper's frequently overripe, sensual take on the overeducated, oversexed psychotic T-Bag, that it's impossible not to laugh at the balls he has in pulling off these outrageous line deliveries. But if Knepper's take was only funny and over-the-top, the character T-Bag would lose all malevolence (and any importance to the story), so Knepper's careful to let T-Bag's constant, unsuccessful battle to control his urges to kill or rape or torture play across his face, letting the viewer know that despite the hilariously pulpy mugging, T-Bag is for real (has there ever been anyone on TV tough enough to gnaw off his own re-attached hand, in a successful bid for freedom?). With just this one role, Knepper is now firmly placed among television's greatest, most memorable villains.

Of course, not everything is perfect in Prison Break: Season 2, though. Some of the plotting is a tad too coincidental (seriously: they retrieved Michael's hard drive from the Chicago River?), with some key plot points smoothed over in too facile a manner (help me out: how did Sucre and C-Note manage to find the exact house in Iowa where the rest of the gang is digging up the money?). I also wished that the wonderful Peter Stormare's character, mafia chief John Abruzzi, had stuck around a little longer; the same for the always entertaining Stacey Keach. But those are minor quibbles. Hour for hour, there isn't a better-produced, more entertaining thrill ride out there than Prison Break: Season 2.

Here are the 22, one hour episodes of Prison Break: Season 2, as described on the DVD slimcases:

DISC ONE:

Manhunt
Led by Special Agent Mahone, the FBI joins the hunt for the fugitives, who bicker among themselves as they try to disappear. Elsewhere, T-Bag seeks medical attention single-handedly.

Otis
While C-Note, Sucre and Abruzzi strike out on their own, Michael and Lincoln engineer another daring breakout. Meanwhile, Bellick and Pope are called to task for their past aggressions.

Scan
As Sucre and C-Note try to reunite with their loved ones, Michael and Lincoln experience some major car trouble, and Bellick teams up with his former nemesis.

First Down
$5 million makes for strange bedfellows as Bellick joins Michael, Lincoln, and Nika in pursuit of the loot, while Abruzzi's vendetta against Fibonacci could cost him everything.

DISC TWO:

Map 1213
As Sucre heads to Las Vegas to stop Maricruz's wedding, the brothers close in on Westmoreland's millions, but they're not alone.

Subdivision
With Mahone in hot pursuit, the escapees dig for the stolen money in a residential garage, while T-Bag uses his dubious charms to preoccupy the lady of the house.

Buried
While Tweener cracks under the pressure of interrogation, Michael and Lincoln part ways as Lincoln risks it all to free L.J..

Dead Fall
After being double-crossed by T-Bag, Michael helps Sucre out of a jam. Elsewhere, Lincoln is reunited with his son, and Sara is targeted for assassination.

DISC THREE:

Unearthed
Still on the run, Lincoln and L.J. get reacquainted while Michael delves into Mahone's past. C-Note, meanwhile, makes a desperate attempt to join his wife and daughter.

Rendezvous
Michael and Sara are reunited at last, with Mahone hot on their trail. Lincoln is taken to meet with his father, and T-Bag holds the key that Bellick is straining to find.

Bolshoi Booze
While Kellerman ruthlessly tortures a defiant Sara, Michael struggles with his conscience as he heads for a rendezvous with Lincoln in the New Mexico desert.

Disconnect
While C-Note's daughter faces a medical crisis, Michael's bittersweet reunion with his father is short-lived as they head for a getaway plane.

DISC FOUR:

The Killing Box
As Bellick makes an unhappy return to Fox River, Michael and Lincoln appear to be headed there themselves, unless Mahone and Kellerman can get to them first.

John Doe
While Bellick adjusts to life behind bars, Michael and Lincoln find an unexpected ally in Kellerman. Meanwhile, T-Bag makes himself at home with the Hollander family.

The Message
While Sucre continues his run south of the border, Lincoln attempts to go public with his story, and Bellick does hard time in the infirmary.

Chicago
With Bellick and Mahone in pursuit of Haywire, C-Note becomes involved in a robbery. Meanwhile, Michael, Lincoln, Kellerman and Sara make tracks for the Windy City.

DISC FIVE:

Bad Blood
The fugitives seek the unlikely help of Henry Pope, while Sucre is at last reunited with Maricruz. Elsewhere, C-Note turns to desperate measures to save his daughter.

Wash
Holding the evidence necessary to clear their names, Michael and Lincoln attempt to contact the only man who can help them. And C-Note makes a fatal decision, while T-Bag plays doctor.

Sweet Caroline
Face-to-face with the president, Michael uncovers a startling secret and demands pardons for his brother and him. And in Mexico, Bellick and Sucre team up in pursuit of T-Bag.

Panama
Sara is apprehended as the brothers escape to Panama, while C-Note cuts a deal. T-Bag, meanwhile, is up to his old tricks.

DISC SIX:

Fin Del Camino
Hoping to put an end to T-Bag's bloody rampage, Michael joins Sucre and Bellick's shaky alliance, while Sara is joined by a surprise witness on her day in court.

Sona
As Mahone falls victim to his own double-cross, Sara joins Michael and Lincoln in Panama, where their newfound freedom is short-lived.

The DVD:

The Video:
The anamorphically enhanced (although, curiously, it doesn't say so on the box)widescreen, 1.78:1 video transfers for Prison Break: Season 2 look pristine, with solid, bold colors and a razor-sharp image. Absolutely no compression issues found.

The Audio:
As with the video, the Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround audio mix for Prison Break: Season 2 is stunning, with varied separation even during the most mundane scenes. English, French, and Spanish subtitles are available, as well as close-captioning.

The Extras:
There are an amazing eleven episode-length commentaries included on Prison Break: Season 2. Zach Estrin, Matt Olmstead, Nick Santora, Paul Scheuring, Karyn Usher, Seth Hoffman, William Fichtner, Kevin Hooks, Dwight Little, Amaury Nolasco, Reggie Lee, Paul Adelstein, and Fernando Arguelles, in various groups, discuss the episodes Manhunt, Oits, Map 1213, Dead Fall, Unearthed, Rendezvous, John Doe, The Message, Sweet Caroline, Panama, and Sona. They're packed with background on the actual filming of the series. Three additional bonuses are included. First, Reinvention of a Series, looks at how the show was tweaked to allow the prisoners to escape this season and go on the lam. Turning Dallas into America is a fascinating look at the series' move from Chicago to Dallas, and how production fared there. And Prison Break Theme: Ferry Corsten Breakout Mix is a fairly useless music video of an extended dance cut of the theme.

Final Thoughts:
Morally compromised heroes, hysterically funny sociopaths, and a wild chase to find $5 million dollars and the cons who intend on grabbing it make Prison Break: Season 2 a sweeping action/thriller/espionage epic. Few TV series have had the guts to revel in so much primordial, biblical melodrama, but Prison Break: Season 2 pulls it off effortlessly, expanding its claustrophobic first season into an ambitious, big sky, cross-country blockbuster that never lets up. Endless ingenious cliffhangers lead the viewer on a dizzying thrill ride that never plays down to the audience; you have to pay attention, because Prison Break: Season 2 is as smart as it is exciting. I highly, highly recommend Prison Break: Season 2, the best TV drama of 2006.