Prison Breakis reportedly getting a reboot, but it killed off the character who gave the show its best chance for a spin-off.Prison Breakhad a TV show reboot and a movie, but none captured the tension of the original show, which typically ended its episodes with nail-biting cliffhangers.Prison Breakis centered on the structural engineer Michael Scofield, whose brother is falsely imprisoned in a building that he designed. Michael gets the blueprints tattooed on his body and enters the prison to break his brother out, along with several other characters, known asPrison Break’s “Fox River Eight.”
Prison Breakput its characters' unique skills at the center of the escape, withMichael Scofield’s hidden message-filled tattooa prime example. Many of the show’s main characters had fascinating backstories and contacts which pulled the story further out of the prison. One of these is John Abruzzi, played by Peter Stormare, whose mafia connections made him one of the most formidable but essential characters inPrison Break. Abruzzi could have carried aPrison Breakspin-off, but when he was killed in a hail of bullets, the chance for a mafia-themed spin-off died with him.
A John Abruzzi Prison Break Spin-Off Would Have Used The Best Parts Of The Original Series
Abruzzi’s Death Was Iconic But Could Have Waited For A Prison Break Spin-Off
Prison Breakwas a character-driven show, with an incredibly intricate and twist-filled plot. A spin-off would need the well-rounded characters and intelligence of the original, and John Abruzzi could have provided both. If Scofield had explained his tattoo to Abruzzi, the concept could be used to break fellow mobsters out of different prisons. This could have provided an interesting plot for a spin-off with its roots in the original show.Abruzzi could have led a fascinatingPrison Breakspin-off, as his conflicting characteristics could have given him some great scenes, like his original death scene.
When the FBI tells him to kneel, Abruzzi responds “I kneel only to God. I don’t see him here,” before being shot down by the FBI.
Prison Breakshows Abruzzi to be religious and capable of showing mercy, even allowing T-Bag to live after seeing a religious symbol in a rust patch on his wall. When Abruzzi is lured to a motel with the prospect of killing his enemy, Fibonacci, his death scene perfectly embodies this internal war. When the FBI tells him to kneel, Abruzzi responds “I kneel only to God. I don’t see him here,” before being shot down by the FBI.Abruzzi’s iconic death scene is one of the best inPrison Break,but it could have been saved for a spin-off.
A John Abruzzi Spin-Off Would Have Fit With Popular Crime Boss Shows Of The Era
Many seasons of the critically acclaimed mafia showThe Sopranoswere airing at the same time asPrison Break, and both shows have remained popular, withPrison Breakenjoying a popularity surge after the potential reboot was announced.Mafia and gangster TV shows likeThe Sopranosare growing in popularity, so aPrison Breakspin-off centering on John Abruzzi would have fit in perfectly with this trend. Combining the intelligence and tension ofPrison Break’s unique “tattoo clue” plot with the gritty violence of a mafia-themed spin-off could have been a recipe for successwith current viewers.
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WhilePrison Breakhad many unexpected moments, the tattoo concept had the potential for some serious shock value in a mafia-themed spin-off. Tattoos are often used in shocking scenes, withSons of Anarchyfeaturing a tattoo being burned off a former member, and other shows revealing a character’s allegiance through a tattoo.John Abruzzi amputated two of Scofield’s toes inPrison Break, and the potential for tattoo-related violence is virtually limitless if a character has information inked on them. Abruzzi is the character who could have brought these concepts together, making a spin-off that could have rivaledPrison Break.
