Prison Break

Last year, Prison Break star Sarah Wayne Callies got into a contract dispute which ended in her character's untimely death.  Fans of the television show were outraged, particularly at the way Dr. Sara Tancredi was killed.  Early on in season 3, Lincoln was shocked to find Sara's head in a box, courtesy of The Company.  She was killed after Lincoln attempted a daring rescue attempt to free her as well as his son, LJ.  Well, Prison Break fans, all is not what it seems.  TV Guide released a huge story today from columnist Michael Ausiello and Prison Break executive producer Matt Olmstead that says: Dr. Sara is still alive and returning in season 4!

Let's backtrack a little, shall we?  In October of 2007, Ausiello wrote in his weekly column, "Michael's long-suffering soul mate is dead and she ain't comin' back."  Even Olmstead confirmed it at the time.  Callies released a statement thanking her fans and saying that she hoped that they would still enjoy the show.  We fans have made peace with the fact that Sara is long dead and gone ... until today, when Olmstead started doing, what I like to call, a little tap dance.

Today, in his interview with TV Guide, Olmstead explained what has changed between October and now.  "What changed was.... once we realized that the emotional hook of Season 3 was going to be the death of Sara, when we didn't get the actress to do it, as soon as we wrote it and shot it, we realized that there was actually a way she could still be alive,"  he said.   "Lincoln glanced at the head in the box for a split second. That could've been anyone."  As for how Olmstead felt the show treated the audience by leading them to believe that Sara was really dead, he said, "I don't think it was unfair, because it gave us some real juice storytelling-wise — it put teeth in the antagonists."

Olmstead went on to admit that the fan reaction did get the ball rolling for working with Sarah Wayne Callies to bring her back.  He worked with her regarding the character's storylines and she got on board with where the show, and Sara, were headed.  Exactly how Sara shows up alive and well remains unclear.  Olmstead said that it will be a bit of a mystery but the show will jump ahead in the timeline for season 4.


- Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
Source: TV Guide
(Image courtesy of FOX)