Photo Finish (Prison Break episode)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Photo Finish
Series = Prison Break


Caption =
Season = 3
Episode = 6
Airdate = November 5, 2007
Production = 3AKJ06
Guests = Marshall Allman
Writer = Seth Hoffman
Director = Kevin Hooks
Season list = Infobox Prison Break season 3 episode list
Episode list = List of "Prison Break" episodes
Prev = Interference
Next = Vamonos

"Photo Finish" is the 50th episode of the American television series Prison Break . It premiered on November 5, 2007 in the United States on the Fox Network and aired as a double episode with Vamonos.

Episode summary

Michael confronts Tyge about Whistler; Tyge says he worked at the Ambassador Hotel in Nice, then clams up and won't say more. Tyge then spies on Michael, Mahone and Whistler, but can't hear them.

At her hideout, Susan tells LJ about being captured while serving in Mosul. When she heard US choppers coming, she jumped out the window to escape – and it was interpreted as a hostile act. Her rescuers died – and she found out it had been a hostage exchange. Her scars came from being raped and abused over the next three weeks. And she pointedly tells LJ that tonight is a hostage exchange.

Mahone's tired of Tyge spying on them and warns him to mind his own business. Meanwhile, Linc visits Michael. Michael tells Linc he has to find a way to slip something into Hurtado's coffee. The escape is in just three hours, at 3:13pm. And Michael will call it off unless he gets a current photo of Sara and LJ by 2:30.

T-Bag is getting nowhere finding out who the thief in Lechero's crew is, though he suspects Sammy. Lechero, whose real name is Norman – not a name you want to use around him if you want to continue breathing – wants results.

Soon,Michael scopes out a two-room cell (really, two cells with a door knocked into the wall between them) he's planning to make his escape from, but has to hide when its occupants – Lechero's men, Sammy, Papo and Cheo – arrive. Cheo smokes a cigar Sammy's been receiving in his packages from Augusto. Michael just barely manages to pick the lock on the back room door and get out before he's discovered.

Lang visits Mahone and says she's going to get him out of there – within 48 hours he'll be transferred to St. Louis and will only have to serve eight years, so long as he testifies against the government in the Lincoln Burrows conspiracy. And if he doesn't cooperate, he could be charged with multiple homicide counts. But Mahone turns her down.

There is a commotion in the yard. Tyge's been murdered. If Lechero finds who has gone outside his justice system to settle a dispute, they're in deep trouble. The body was found near where McGrady plays basketball all day, so McGrady is forced to tell Lechero that he saw somebody go into the staircase, and then he heard an argument a minute later. It was Whistler. Lechero comes for Whistler and drags him away. Michael's not buying this; Whistler's got too much at stake. He suspects Mahone.

Whistler tells Lechero he's punishing the wrong man; Lechero must know he has enemies in the government. Lechero is offended at the notion that he would favor the rich and aristocratic. When he was 13, his mother, a maid, was raped by her wealthy employer. He got away with it – but young Norman dressed as a milkman – a "lechero" - and got into the man's gates and killed him. Whistler says he's in here for killing a man who assaulted the woman he loves. Lechero respects this, and agrees to give Whistler time to prove his innocence.

Susan gives Linc drops to knock out the guard. Linc asks for a faked picture of Sara. She agrees, and tells him the exchange is at 9pm tonight.

T-Bag advises Michael to frame Sammy, but Michael can't go through with it. He goes to visit Mahone – and finds a bloody shiv.

Linc just misses an opportunity to drug Hurtado's coffee, so Sofia pretends to need a ride in order to have another chance. Linc follows as they drive off. Hurtado recognizes Sofia from the prison gates and pulls over – he'll arrange private visitation time in Sona with her lover... but only if she'll have sex with him right now. Linc pulls over to investigate; as he gets out of his car, Susan calls to say the photograph is ready. In Hurtado's car, Sofia says okay... so long as Norman doesn't find out. Hurtado, terrified at the thought that he tried to mess with one of Lechero's girls, pulls away. Linc, relaxing, tells Susan there were complications drugging the guard, but they've been taken care of. Susan says the drugs only take an hour to work – why's he drugging the guard now? She hangs up on him and prepares to kill LJ. Just as she's about to do it, Linc calls back and frantically explains about the time switch. Susan suspects a rescue attempt, and hangs up on him again.

Michael confronts Mahone with the shiv, but Mahone is called away to the visitation cage. He is visited by Lang and Sullins, and this time, he agrees to cooperate. Michael goes to Lechero with the shiv, accusing Mahone – but Lechero isn't buying it... he knows Mahone just got out of Sona, and thinks this is too convenient. He seems about to kill Whistler, but then turns and stabs Cheo. Lechero smells the cigar on him; Augusto used to send him those cigars as tribute. He lets Whistler go.As Sucre sprays Tyge's body, Rafael, a co-worker who may have noticed the packages Sucre's been sneaking in, threatens him.

Meanwhile, Linc meets with Susan, who tells him LJ's still alive – and hands him an undoctored photo of Sara holding an old newspaper. This will never fool Michael. Linc visits Michael and tells him that Susan knows about the time change. And he finally has to admit that Sara's dead. Michael walks away as Linc begs him to cooperate for LJ's sake. Michael collapses in grief – and then tells Whistler Sara's dead because of him. And he challenges Whistler to a fight to the death.

International broadcasts

Via Global's simulcast, the episode was broadcast on November 5, 2007 in Canada. It also aired in Ireland on November 8, 2007 in Great Britain on November 12, 2007 and Australia on November 7, 2007. It aired in Armenia on February 6 2008.

Audience

The episode attracted 7.71 million viewers in the United States.

External links

* [http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings.aspx?id=20071019fox01 Episode preview] at The Futon Critic
* [http://www.fox.com/prisonbreak/recaps/recap_306.htm Recap on the FOX website]