So, I decided to rewatch the episodes so I could dig for some clues. Found some nice interesting things, and some not so interesting things. lol I ended up buying each of the episodes off Sony's Video Unlimited service (PSN), which has the episodes in 1080p (looks far better than the 720p broadcasts: can see a lot more). Anyways, I'll just use this post for the first two episodes I rewatched:
Pilot
- Don't know if this is important or anything but the ship at the beginning transporting Hauser and the other cop to the rock in '63 was named
Warden Kelvin.
- Jack Sylvane (2024) wakes up in the same confinement chamber Kip Nelson was put in in the third episode. The number on the inside of the door when opened is 9 (don't know if this amounts to anything).
- The board outside the Alcatraz facility after Jack wakes up, I'm pretty sure is shot onsite. All the sites listed on the board are for informational purposes related to the facility and not the show. There is a cool map displayed that you can pause on and read at just the right time.
- The number on the key on top of the ticket Jack displays at the dock is an 8. You can get a better picture later in the episode when opening the locker.
- Cool little character arc in the writing. At the beginning, Madsen tries to evade her superior's order of choosing a new partner. By the end of the episode, she picks one of her own choosing: Dr. Diego Suto.
- In Tiller's house, by the picture frame, a bunch of religious material is on display: a book called "The Bible: Looking Glass Illustrated" with a flower on the spine held up by bookends in the form of carvings of the Holy Bible and someone's hands in prayer. This is all I could find on the book on a quick search:
http://www.amazon.com/Bible-Looking-Glass-Illustrated-Books/dp/B001Q2582G
- Dr. Diego Suto's four books are "The Inmates of Alcatraz," "Alcatraz by the Numbers," "Guards of Alcatraz," and "Alcatraz: Families and Friends."
- Dr. Diego Suto's comic store place thiny show issues of an Alcatraz comic in the background when first meeting Madsen.
- The receptionist guy at the facility with the locker room Jack goes to is reading Stephen King's
Under the Dome. The poster below him when he tries to give Jack some change reads: "No the numbers don't add up. Start talking. Break the mental illness." Don't know if this has anything to do with the show.
- Right before Suto shows Madsen Jack's death certificate, he shows her a document stating Sylvane's release on March 4, 1963 (or at least that was the date it was signed), signed by the Office of the Attorney General (Robert Kennedy).
- When Jack talks to Madsen's grandfather (2002), the writers snuck in a reference to The Wizard of Oz, much in the same way Lost and Fringe did before it. Literally, there is a curtain in front of 2002 when he's talking to him. He also knows about the incident before it happens. During the talk: Madsen mentions something below the "hole."
- Jack's transfer notice has a goof on it. Lucy says Jack is 85 years old earlier in the episode, but here it says his date of birth is Jan 28, 1905 (or '06). The document also mentions something about insanitary conditions of "this man's" bird breeding activities." Whatever that means. Also, apparently he had previously been with a woman who was into dope and was suspected to be an addict as well. Nothing else interesting on here... well, he got a life sentence, but besides that.
- Nice little attention to detail. Alan's son mentions Sonya (Jack's ex-wife) died 4 years ago. Her tombstone reads: 1925 - 2008.
- "The 63's" is a reference to the inmates and guards that went missing in 1963.
- 302 People went missing: 256 prisoners, 46 guards. Of the close-ups I could see, in-between 2181 and 2462, some comments were written: "A:2181? A:2462?" above some writing with a reference to #2966. There's a drawing with the letters A and B and a question mark followed by the word "friends." A:2181 is white and nearly bald with some fuzz on the top of his head. Couldn't see his name. The guy next to him as referenced earlier is 2462. This one's name I could see: "INMATE/HELBIG, FRANK #AZ 2462." He has black hair combed over either side of his temples with a shadow of a goatee. There's a note just above a memo under his picture that says "Emergency ????" something. I think the question marks say "PACS", but not entirely sure. From the scan over next to Madsen, the names I saw were: "LARRY ????," "MATTHEW CLANCY," "BRETT STAR?," "SPENCER LOU?????," and "SCOTT HARRISON?" This is supposed to be the guards side I think, but in the middle there's pictures of inmates I saw from the close-up with Suto: #AZ 2181 was clearly visible (same pics).
- The date of the incident is March 21, 1963. Just as a reminder.
- Scene switches back to board with Suto where names of guards are clearly visible, with pictures: "?????? Sinclaire," "KACEY McDOUGALL," "KEVIN HALL," and "MILAN BASIC." Later, we get another close-up with Suto with more guards: "MELVAN BASIC," "DALE SIMPSON."
- In-between the two close-ups, we can see more names of inmates briefly next to Hauser: "INMATE STEPHENS, JAMES #AZ 2009" and "INMATE ROSSING, DEAN #AZ 20?2." The former looks like he's in his 70's and has glasses.
- Jack seems to think he knows Hauser, but Hauser doesn't recall how he could have.
- The code Hauser punches in to open the hatch is 6323.
- Hauser mentions Tiller was his friend to Jack after cracking him in the skull. Hauser knew about the incident and was expecting the 63's to come back. Tiller was killed by Jack, and it was mentioned earlier as if Tiller didn't expect to see him, and was in shock. If Tiller, was his friend, why didn't Hauser tell him about Jack or that the 63's might come back. Unless, of course, he had and Tiller didn't believe him.
- Just as a side note, when Hauser says "E.B. Tiller was my friend." It almost sounds like two voices were saying the line. One was Hauser's, but the other had a lower more monotone voice. lol Probably nothing, but just thought I would mention it.
That's everything... more or less. I might have forgot one or two things, but whatever. I'll write up the next episode soon here, but episodes 3 and 4 will have to wait.