Review of Prison Break Season 5

Prison Break Season 5, subтιтled Prison Break: Resurrection, marks the long-awaited return of the popular series after an eight-year hiatus. Originally airing in 2005, Prison Break captivated audiences with its thrilling premise of a man, Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), attempting to break his wrongly convicted brother, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), out of prison. After multiple seasons of high-stakes action and twists, Season 5 delivers a fresh set of challenges, with Michael’s presumed death in Season 4 now revealed to be a deception.

Season 5 begins with the shocking revelation that Michael is alive and imprisoned in Yemen. This revelation reintroduces the original dynamic of the series, where Michael’s genius for problem-solving and elaborate escape plans takes center stage once more. The plot quickly sets up a mission to rescue Michael, with Lincoln, his wife Sara Tancredi (Sarah Wayne Callies), and a few familiar allies coming together to bring him back from the clutches of danger.

The season’s premise is a little far-fetched at times, and its reliance on contrived plot devices (such as the central mystery of Michael’s survival) may feel like a stretch for long-time fans. However, it successfully taps into the nostalgia of the original show, bringing back key characters and maintaining the same fast-paced, suspenseful tone. While it struggles to replicate the immediate intensity of the earlier seasons, the show still delivers on its promise of high-stakes action, unexpected twists, and intricate schemes.

Wentworth Miller shines once again as Michael Scofield, seamlessly sliding back into the role after years away. His portrayal of Michael remains the heart of the series, and his brilliant, calm approach to problem-solving is as compelling as ever. Dominic Purcell’s Lincoln, on the other hand, provides a more emotional layer this time, with his protective nature and familial loyalty taking center stage. The chemistry between the two leads is as strong as ever, which provides a much-needed emotional anchor to the season’s action-heavy plot.

A notable new character this season is Poseidon, played by Mark Feuerstein, who serves as the season’s primary antagonist. His character brings a new level of intrigue and danger, particularly as his ties to Michael’s mysterious survival and the events of the past unfold. Though Poseidon is effective as a villain, he doesn’t quite have the same memorable impact as some of the series’ earlier antagonists, such as the infamous T-Bag (Robert Knepper), whose role continues to add some dark, twisted moments of humor and unpredictability.

One of the standout elements of Prison Break Season 5 is its action-packed sequences and dramatic tension. From daring rescues to high-stakes confrontations, the season doesn’t disappoint in terms of thrills. However, the pacing can sometimes feel uneven, with certain episodes dragging the plot along without adding significant new developments. Some viewers may feel that the plot, while engaging, stretches the believability of the original premise and relies on too many convenient solutions.

The season also attempts to add a layer of emotional depth, particularly by exploring Michael’s relationships with his family, his sacrifice, and the consequences of his past actions. While this helps ground the series in more than just its action sequences, some of the emotional beats may come across as forced or over-dramatized for long-time fans of the show.

In conclusion, Prison Break Season 5 successfully brings back the thrills, complex characters, and high-stakes drama that made the series a fan favorite. While it may not capture the same magic as the earlier seasons, it provides enough suspense, action, and nostalgia to satisfy long-time fans. With strong performances from the returning cast, especially Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell, Prison Break proves it still has the ability to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, even if some plot points feel a bit far-fetched. It’s a solid continuation of the saga, even if it sometimes struggles to fully recapture the intensity of its earlier days.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.