Bratner tries for a Prisonbreak

Now here's a Brett Ratner project I can get behind. Dark Horizons has posted details on the new Fox series, Prisonbreak, another shot at long-form action suspense a la 24.

"Combining the hope of The Shawshank Redemption, the camaraderie of The Longest Yard and the tense procedure and spectacle of The Great Escape, the series promises to reveal additional pieces of the puzzle each week as Michael carries out his daring plan to mastermind the ultimate prison break - and solve the far-reaching national-scale conspiracy that landed him and his brother there in the first place.

Prison Break is created, written and co-executive-produced by Paul Scheuring (A Man Apart). Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour" films, Red Dragon, X-Men 3) directs the pilot episode and serves as executive producer."

The premiere will air Monday, August 29.

Although 24 has degenerated into thought-free, illogical espionage fantasy, clearly making brazen appeals to careless, casual viewers at the expense of attentive fans, 'm curious to see if the network will give a show like Prisonbreak the chance to actually develop a story over a long period. Certainly, it won't match the depth and intricacy of The Wire, but the setup is unique and seems to lend itself to the multi-threaded, roundabout approach required to sustain a season-long plot.