Prison Break: Characters Who Must Return

By Matt Webb Mitovich
PrisonBreak_Returns_Kellerman PAUL KELLERMAN God, remember how much we loathed evil VP-turned-POTUS Caroline Reynolds' Secret Service stooge? Especially when in Season 2 he started creeping on Sarah at NA meetings?? But Kellerman over time grew a conscience, and in fact during Season 4 proved to be a critical ally, on his way to becoming an ambitious congressman. President Kellerman, anyone? DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Paul Adelstein is a series regular on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, but just as he finds time for the occasional Scandal encore, he could do same with Prison Break.

110_and then there were seven_mich sara heartbeat

110_and then there were seven_mich sara heartbeat DR. SARA TANCREDI She's Michael's wife, mother to their son. Unless her tragic death is the catalyst for Michael coming out of hiding (if that’s where he has been), Sara simply must play a role in the revival. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! (Yet?) ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Sarah Wayne Callies is the female lead on the upcoming USA Network drama Colony. If that show's a success and finds legs, she may be contractually limited to a handful of Prison Break episodes.

DR. SARA TANCREDI

She's Michael's wife, mother to their son. Unless her tragic death is the catalyst for Michael coming out of hiding (if that's where he has been), Sara simply must play a role in the revival.

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! (Yet?)

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Sarah Wayne Callies is the female lead on the upcoming USA Network drama Colony. If that show's a success and finds legs, she may be contractually limited to a handful of Prison Break episodes.

PrisonBreak_Returns_TBag

PrisonBreak_Returns_TBag THEODORE 'T-BAG' BAGWELL Seriously, do you need to ask? From Day 1 at Fox River, T-Bag and his turned-out pants pocket had us on edge. Add an ill-fitting prosthetic mitt, and you’ve got the makings of a memorable TV villain. Plus, Fox CEO Dana Walden name-checked the baddie during the revival's official announcement, all but confirming his inclusion. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Very much alive, as evidenced by his appearance in the "shared-universe" series Breakout Kings. ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Knepper is forever busy, but usually in one-off or short-term guest-starring roles. Surely he'd make time to hang with his "Pretty," Michael, once again.

THEODORE 'T-BAG' BAGWELL

Seriously, do you need to ask? From Day 1 at Fox River, T-Bag and his turned-out pants pocket had us on edge. Add an ill-fitting prosthetic mitt, and you've got the makings of a memorable TV villain. Plus, Fox CEO Dana Walden name-checked the baddie during the revival's official announcement, all but confirming his inclusion.

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Very much alive, as evidenced by his appearance in the "shared-universe" series Breakout Kings.

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Knepper is forever busy, but usually in one-off or short-term guest-starring roles. Surely he'd make time to hang with his "Pretty," Michael, once again.

PrisonBReak_Returns_Sucre

PrisonBReak_Returns_Sucre FERNANDO SUCRE We know, he fretted over Maricruz way, way too often over the original series' run. If we never hear that name again, we're good. But the fact is, Sucre was one of Michael's very first prison pals, and he showed up bigtime in the very end. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Amaury Nolasco plays the "villain" on Eva Longoria's midseason NBC comedy Hot & Bothered (fka Telenovela), so if that show's a hit, a spoonful of "sugar" is maybe all we should count on.

We know, he fretted over Maricruz way, way too often over the original series' run. If we never hear that name again, we're good. But the fact is, Sucre was one of Michael's very first prison pals, and he showed up bigtime in the very end.

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead!

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Amaury Nolasco plays the "villain" on Eva Longoria's midseason NBC comedy Hot & Bothered (fka Telenovela), so if that show's a hit, a spoonful of "sugar" is maybe all we should count on.

PrisonBreak_Returns_Haywire

PrisonBreak_Returns_Haywire CHARLES 'HAYWIRE' PATOSHIK Long before he got all Grimm on us, Silas Weir Mitchell played the entertainingly off-kilter Haywire, one of Michael's more unpredictable prison allies. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Pretty dead, having taken his life by leaping from the top of a silo when cornered by Alex Mahone. That said, Haywire reappeared once after that, in a vision to the man who nudged him "over the edge." We'd be A-OK to see him put in another ethereal cameo. ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Mitchell is a regular on the aforementioned Grimm, so a cameo is surely all he'd have time for.

CHARLES 'HAYWIRE' PATOSHIK

Long before he got all Grimm on us, Silas Weir Mitchell played the entertainingly off-kilter Haywire, one of Michael's more unpredictable prison allies.

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Pretty dead, having taken his life by leaping from the top of a silo when cornered by Alex Mahone. That said, Haywire reappeared once after that, in a vision to the man who nudged him "over the edge." We'd be A-OK to see him put in another ethereal cameo.

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Mitchell is a regular on the aforementioned Grimm, so a cameo is surely all he'd have time for.

PrisonBreak_Returns_Kellerman

PrisonBreak_Returns_Kellerman PAUL KELLERMAN God, remember how much we loathed evil VP-turned-POTUS Caroline Reynolds' Secret Service stooge? Especially when in Season 2 he started creeping on Sarah at NA meetings?? But Kellerman over time grew a conscience, and in fact during Season 4 proved to be a critical ally, on his way to becoming an ambitious congressman. President Kellerman, anyone? DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Paul Adelstein is a series regular on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, but just as he finds time for the occasional Scandal encore, he could do same with Prison Break.

PAUL KELLERMAN

God, remember how much we loathed evil VP-turned-POTUS Caroline Reynolds' Secret Service stooge? Especially when in Season 2 he started creeping on Sarah at NA meetings?? But Kellerman over time grew a conscience, and in fact during Season 4 proved to be a critical ally, on his way to becoming an ambitious congressman. President Kellerman, anyone?

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead!

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Paul Adelstein is a series regular on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, but just as he finds time for the occasional Scandal encore, he could do same with Prison Break.

PrisonBreak_Returns_Mahone

PrisonBreak_Returns_Mahone ALEX MAHONE Originally brought on as the latest (of many) Company operatives to chase the Fox River 8, Mahone was a complex individual with dark demons. As he confronted his issues and harbored secrets, desperately trying to make amends with his wife and son, we warmed up to the adversary. In Season 3, Mahone was jailed in the dank Sona prison with Michael, while in the Scylla-centric Season 4 he was a full-fledged member of the gang. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! ACTOR AVAILABILITY? The always magnetic William Fichtner has a couple of films in the pipeline but no TV commitments on the horizon (having last fronted the international series Crossing Lines).

ALEX MAHONE

Originally brought on as the latest (of many) Company operatives to chase the Fox River 8, Mahone was a complex individual with dark demons. As he confronted his issues and harbored secrets, desperately trying to make amends with his wife and son, we warmed up to the adversary. In Season 3, Mahone was jailed in the dank Sona prison with Michael, while in the Scylla-centric Season 4 he was a full-fledged member of the gang.

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead!

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? The always magnetic William Fichtner has a couple of films in the pipeline but no TV commitments on the horizon (having last fronted the international series Crossing Lines).

PrisonBreak_Returns_Pope

PrisonBreak_Returns_Pope HENRY POPE Outside of the sibs themselves, Michael and the Fox River pen's warden shared perhaps the sweetest "bromance" during Season 1, as inmate Scofield ingratiated himself to Pope by helping construct his wife's birthday gift, a popsicle-stick Taj Mahal. Yes, Pope ultimately was betrayed by Michael, but eventually he came through for the escapee, giving up some goods on the Company's faking of Terrence Steadman's murder. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! ACTOR AVAILABILITY? The venerable Stacy Keach pops up now and again as Scott Bakula's pop on NCIS: New Orleans and has a role on the midseason NBC comedy Crowded. So he ostensibly could carve out time for a cameo.

HENRY POPE

Outside of the sibs themselves, Michael and the Fox River pen's warden shared perhaps the sweetest "bromance" during Season 1, as inmate Scofield ingratiated himself to Pope by helping construct his wife's birthday gift, a popsicle-stick Taj Mahal. Yes, Pope ultimately was betrayed by Michael, but eventually he came through for the escapee, giving up some goods on the Company's faking of Terrence Steadman's murder.

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead!

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? The venerable Stacy Keach pops up now and again as Scott Bakula's pop on NCIS: New Orleans and has a role on the midseason NBC comedy Crowded. So he ostensibly could carve out time for a cameo.

PrisonBreak_Returns_Gretchen

PrisonBreak_Returns_Gretchen GRETCHEN MORGAN Yeah, yeah, yeah -- the onetime Company operative had her detractors back in the day and was called many a name. But when push came to shove in the Final Break DVD coda, she took one for the team in the name of helping Sara escape from the women's prison. (Plus, we never did get follow-through on her cracklin' chemistry with Lincoln. Angry sex, please!) DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead! ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Jodi Lyn O’Keefe was killed off of her most recent gig, on Vampire Diaries, and she always had a soft spot for Gretchen. Surely she'd love to "sink her teeth" back into this role.

GRETCHEN MORGAN

Yeah, yeah, yeah — the onetime Company operative had her detractors back in the day and was called many a name. But when push came to shove in the Final Break DVD coda, she took one for the team in the name of helping Sara escape from the women's prison. (Plus, we never did get follow-through on her cracklin' chemistry with Lincoln. Angry sex, please!)

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Not dead!

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Jodi Lyn O'Keefe was killed off of her most recent gig, on Vampire Diaries, and she always had a soft spot for Gretchen. Surely she'd love to "sink her teeth" back into this role.

PrisonBreak_Returns_Aldo

PrisonBreak_Returns_Aldo ALDO BURROWS One of Season 2's most emotional wallops came with the introduction of the brothers' father, who was once a Company operative and wanted nothing more than to help take down the shady org now after them. Alas…. DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Aldo was killed during a Season 2 shootout with Company man Alex Mahone. But if we're gonna make way for one more "resurrection," Tony Denison gets our vote. ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Denison of course is busy on TNT's Major Crimes, so yes, any return would likely be limited.

ALDO BURROWS

One of Season 2's most emotional wallops came with the introduction of the brothers' father, who was once a Company operative and wanted nothing more than to help take down the shady org now after them. Alas....

DEAD OR NOT DEAD? Aldo was killed during a Season 2 shootout with Company man Alex Mahone. But if we're gonna make way for one more "resurrection," Tony Denison gets our vote.

ACTOR AVAILABILITY? Denison of course is busy on TNT's Major Crimes, so yes, any return would likely be limited.

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