Review:  Alcatraz – Season 1, Episode 4, “Cal Sweeney”

Air date: Monday, January 30, 2012 at 9/8c on FOX

Rating: ★★★★★

Is it possible to remove deviant and criminal behavior by implanting soothing memories in a criminal’s mind?

Cal Sweeney (Eric Johnson), an Alcatraz convict who robbed 20 banks in the 50s, has made his way to present day San Francisco where he is again robbing banks. Will Rebecca (Sarah Jones) and Doc (Jorge Garcia) figure out why he’s only going after safety deposit boxes this time around? What does this have to do with the past and…memories?

Rebecca (Sarah Jones) and "Doc" (Jorge Garcia) are still considered expendable staff by Hauser.

This week’s Alcatraz changes gears in regards to the criminal search dynamics and strings us deep into the past—yes, 1960 again—by investigating present day bank robberies.  The dialogue this week is of monumental importance as it paints a canvas of what is to happen in this and upcoming episodes.

Is it weird that I find myself fascinated by the prison world? The details regarding how smaller vices and laundry room contraband are tolerated as a way to keep harmony and balance in “caveman” world are extremely interesting.  And then, who would have guessed that Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” would be playing inside the prison walls during a formal dinner to celebrate the birthday of future Alcatraz warden E.B. Tiller (Jason Butler Harner)?  During the dinner, we see Parminda Nagra as her alter ego, Dr. Lucy Sangupta, which is a nice treat considering her present day persona, Lucy Banerjee, is in a coma. In spite of being an expert psychologist and M.D. Sangupta is a target of sexist remarks by Dr. Beauregard (Leon Rippy) during the birthday dinner. I guess some things remain consistent through time—there’s always a certain type of man who feels the need to denigrate accomplished women. However, I should admit Rippy does a great job in characterizing his snobbish and sexist pig doctor character in an amusing way. I like how he infuses his lines with delightful sarcasm. In spite of the celebration, we’re never too far from witnessing the brutality of the penitentiary system and how the rule of never showing any vulnerability applies, even if you are the prison’s Assistant Warden.

If you’re a single female bank teller between the age of 40 and 50 who has recently been swept off your feet by a tall handsome man sending you flower arrangements, you may be about to be played by Sweeney.  He carefully selects women to help get him inside the banks and once he has access to the safety deposit boxes, it seems he chooses them randomly. Somehow though, he manages to  figure out the names and addresses of the original box owners.  What’s interesting is Sweeney no longer wants to pawn the stolen artifacts; rather, he seeks to learn the back story about them and in doing so, amps up his criminal activity to include murder. Is this a diversion tactic to confuse the police, or does this represent a real change in his modus operandi and why? I enjoy seeing Sweeney as more than a one-dimensional criminal, although he does end up getting caught in his own game.

The answers to those questions take us back to E.B. Tiller’s birthday dinner and more questions.  Was Sweeney re-wired during his mysterious disappearance or has he chosen to alter his own memories based on Dr. Sangupta’s comments after being set up by his protégé?

Hauser (Sam Neill) holds one of the enigmatic amalgamated laser cut keys.

Just when we think we’re getting close to figuring out what the deal is with Sweeney, Alcatraz throws us a curve ball. Sweeney’s last crime is different from the others in that this time; he targets only one specific box. Things don’t go as planned and as the SFPD gets involved, Hauser (Sam Neill) realizes the Alcatraz time travel mystery is in danger of being exposed and sends Rebecca on an unexpected mission that has her being taken hostage by Sweeney. When she sees Sweeney holding on to the enigmatic object without taking it out of its jewelry bag, she presses to find out what it is. When an agitated Sweeney answers, “I’m not supposed to know,” and abruptly ends the conversation, does this confirm the time travelling criminals are indeed taking marching orders from someone?

But as smart and caught up as Sweeney is in today’s ways (including his weapons choice), there are too many things that have changed in 50 years. This includes the use of seat belts in cars and not picking up on that detail leads to his arrest.

The way Hauser addresses Doc and Rebecca, especially when demanding to have Sweeney’s jewelry bag, shows his ongoing contempt for them as merely being the muscle part of the Alcatraz operation.  Neill is somewhat humorous in his delivery which makes his character less detestable but I feel we need to learn soon about the rationale for his behavior before he becomes a cliché grumpy guy. Considering that an amalgamated key cut via laser is in the bag, a technology not available during the Alcatraz prison era, how intimately related are the keys and the prisoner’s ability to “jump” into the present (as Hauser calls it)?  With more details about the keys being exposed and how they were used, only serves to thicken the mystery.  And going back to the dialogue, the closing scene of “Cal Sweeney” circles us back to comments about how Dr. Sangupta’s research has shown great promise in rats. Something tells me Sweeney’s rat (and former protégé) is about to meet the eternally young psychologist.

True Blood fans experiencing withdrawal symptoms will be delighted to learn next week’s criminal, “Guy Hastings,” will be played by guest star Jim Parrack (“Hoyt Fortenberry”).  Personally, I’m thrilled to know we’ll be getting closer to Grandpa Madsen’s trail.

Tune in to Alcatraz Mondays at 9/8c only on FOX.

For all things Alcatraz, visit the show’s official site at http://www.fox.com/alcatraz.

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