Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino

“The comeback is always greater than the setback.” 

That's one of the cringe-inducing aphorisms that Jersey Shore star Mike Sorrentino took to spouting in the months before his prison sentence.

After eight long months on the inside, Mike Sorrentino was released from prison on September 12.

And as anyone who's been watching recent episodes of Jersey Shore knows -- Mike's absence has been keenly felt on the show.

Last week, Mike Sorrentino was released after serving eight months behind bars for tax evasion.

Despite his relatively short sentence, The Situation missed out on quite a lot during his time in federal prison.

When Mike Sorrentino pled guilty to tax evasion back in January of 2018, the news led many to express disbelief at the reality star's financial situation.

After all, one can't hide millions in assets without first amassing millions, and for those who had remained ignorant of the Jersey Shore phenomenon, the revelation that a guy named "The Situation" was earning 7 figures annually came as quite a shock.

Break out then Funfetti cake, folks!

Big Daddy Sitch is coming home!

Look out, bars, tanning salons and gyms around the country.

You're about to have a situation on your hands.

Back on January 15, Mike Sorrentino turned himself over to authorities to begin serving an eight-month sentence for tax evasion.

At the time of his conviction, Mike's loved ones were vocal in their belief felt that the judge in his case had decided to "make an example" of the Jersey Shore star by doling out an unusually harsh punishment.

When Mike Sorrentino was sentenced to eight months in prison last year, the ruling came as a stunning blow to the family, friends, and army of loyal fans who had witnessed his transformation from hard-partying douche to compassionate, responsible pillar of his community.

Unfortunately, in the eyes of the criminal justice system, that transformation happened too late.

The wedding of Mike Sorrentino and Lauren Pesce was a bittersweet occasion.

The Situation put his d-bag ways and horrendous fashion choices behind him to tie the knot with the love of his life in the guido-iest of venues -- a big gaudy palace right off the Jersey Turnpike.

Now that Jersey Shore Family Vacation is back on the air, viewers can see what a crazy year Mike Sorrentino has had.

Between his wedding to Lauren Pesce and going to jail for tax fraud, The Sitch has had more on his plate than even his famous appetite can handle.

If you've been watching the new season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, then you know that Mike Sorrentino's prison sentence is looming like a dark cloud over the fist-pumping shenanigans of our favorite guidos.

(Of course, Ronnie's relationship with Jen Harley, Jenni's divorce from Roger Mathews and a whole lot of other bad juju is also spoiling the party. We're beginning to think this "adulthood" business isn't all it's cracked up to be!)

They say if you want to make God laugh, announce your plans.

We don't want to get too deep into a discussion about fate and theology in an article about the season premiere of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, but it's hard not to contemplate the apparent randomness of chance when considering the strange case of Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino.