Pilot (16 Jan. 2012)

Years ago when the most dangerous prisoners of Alcatraz mysteriously disappeared, they resurface in the present day as part of a larger conspiracy, leaving a police detective, an expert on Alcatraz and an FBI agent to track them down.

Director:

Danny Cannon

Writers:

Elizabeth Sarnoff (creator), Steven Lilien (creator),

Stars:

Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Jonny Coyne

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Sarah Jones	...	Detective Rebecca Madsen
Jorge Garcia	...	Dr. Diego Soto
Jonny Coyne	...	Warden Edwin James (credit only)
Parminder Nagra	...	Dr. Lucy Banerjee
Santiago Cabrera	...	Jimmy Dickens
Jason Butler Harner	...	Deputy Warden E.B. Tiller
Robert Forster	...	Ray Archer
Sam Neill	...	Emerson Hauser
David Hoflin	...	Tommy Madsen
Jeffrey Pierce	...	Jack Sylvane
Leon Rippy	...	Dr. Milton Beauregard
Ben Cotton	...	Yapper
Ken Pogue	...	Old Alan Sylvane, Sr.
Bumper Robinson	...	Bobby
Camille Sullivan	...	Sonya

Storyline

Fifty years ago, Alcatraz prison was closed, all inmates officially shifted to a more modern facility. In fact jailer Emerson Hauser was among those who witnessed dozens of hardened criminals disappearing mysteriously at once. He joined the FBI and heads a secret division to hunt them down now. The first target is Jack Sylvane, dubiously convicted and mistreated, who now exacts bloody revenge on long-retired deputy warden E.B. Tiller. The affair allows recruiting Alcatraz-obsessed genius Dr. Diego Soto and San Fancisco PD detective Rebecca Madsen, who seems somehow destined.

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Plot Keywords:

father son relationship | abuse | handcuffs | beating

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 January 2012 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bonanza Productions, Bad Robot, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the opening scene, as the two guards are walking up to Alcatraz, you can see the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge lit up in the background. Lights weren't added to the suspension cables until 1986.

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Quotes

Rebecca Madsen: You ever do any research on an inmate named Jack Sylvane?
Diego Soto: Sylvane? That was one unlucky cat. The guy was a World War II vet. Got sent to the Rock for robbing a grocery store.
Rebecca Madsen: How's that a federal crime?
Diego Soto: Well, that's the unlucky part. Store sold stamps.
Rebecca Madsen: [nodding with understanding] Which makes it a post office.

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Connections

References Pac-Man (1982)

User Reviews

Pretty Good Out of the Gates

The Pilot of most series, exceeds Production. I've been watching it, this is not true for this show, Production Value is high for each episode so far.

The Pilot Ep asks a lot of questions, how in blazes did these guys get to 2012 from 1963? Why are they following some kind of Agenda. What IS the Agenda.

Although Abrams has his name on the Credits, this project is one of his many Collaborations. But there still is the quality Storytelling here, same as Fringe.

What ultimately keeps people watching week after week, especially in Soap Operas, is that they are made to Care about the Principle Characters. Well, after seeing this Pilot ep- I CARE about these people. I like them and I care about them, even though Sam Neill is a Jerky.

Although I still like Fringe about 500 times more than this show, I will watch this show rather than TerraNova or other Bilge. It's a good collaboration, a good idea for a story, and has high potential.

Plus I love that they are using some of my favourite Character Actors that I last saw on Episodes of Fringe. Ergo, "Alca-Fringe" as I said in my review of the overall series.