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Prison Break

Prison Break is an American drama television series created by Paul Scheuring for Fox. The series revolves around two brothers, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) and Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller); Burrows has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, while Scofield devises an elaborate plan to help his brother escape prison and clear his name. Along with creator Paul Scheuring, the series is executive-produced by Matt Olmstead, Kevin Hooks, Marty Adelstein, Dawn Parouse, Neal H. Moritz, and Brett Ratner who directed the pilot episode. The series' theme music, composed by Ramin Djawadi, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2006.[1] Prison Break is a joint production between Original Film, Adelstein/Parouse Productions (seasons 1–4), Dawn Olmstead Productions (season 5), Adelstein Productions (season 5), One Light Road Productions (season 5) and 20th Century Fox Television, and is syndicated by 20th Television.

For other uses, see Prison Break (disambiguation).

Prison Break

Paul Scheuring

Ramin Djawadi

United States

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Arabic

5

90 (list of episodes)

42–44 minutes

Fox

August 29, 2005 (2005-08-29) –
May 30, 2017 (2017-05-30)

The series was originally turned down by Fox in 2003, which was concerned about the long-term prospects of such a series. Following the popularity of serialized prime time television series Lost and 24, Fox decided to back production in 2004. The first season received mostly positive reviews from critics with universal acclaim from audiences.[2] Furthermore, it performed exceptionally in the ratings and was originally planned for a 13-episode run, but was extended to include an extra nine episodes due to its popularity. The subsequent seasons continued to receive strong ratings, however some critics claimed the show had overstayed its welcome.[3] Prison Break was nominated for several industry awards, including the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series Drama and the 2006 People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama, which it won. In the United States, all five seasons have been released on DVD and released on Blu-ray internationally.


The success of the series has spawned several official tie-ins: a video game, the spin-off series Prison Break: Proof of Innocence for mobile phones, online webisodes, an official magazine, and a novel. The fourth season of Prison Break returned from its mid-season break in a new timeslot on April 17, 2009, for the series' last six episodes.[4] Two additional episodes, titled "The Old Ball and Chain" and "Free" were produced, and were later transformed into a standalone feature, titled The Final Break. Its events take place before the last scene of the series finale, and conclude the plotlines. The feature was released on DVD and Blu-ray July 21, 2009.[5]


A nine-episode fifth season was announced by Fox in January 2016. The revival series premiered on April 4, 2017, and concluded on May 30.[6] In January 2018, Fox confirmed that season 6 was in early development;[7] however, in August 2019, Fox announced that it had no current plans to revive Prison Break,[8] with Miller stating in late 2020 that he had no plan to return to the series.[9]

as Lincoln Burrows: Lincoln is a high school drop-out and a convicted felon, who is wrongfully convicted of the murder of Terence Steadman, the brother of the Vice President of the United States. Purcell was cast three days before the start of production and consequently, he was the last actor to join the original cast.[22] He auditioned for the role while he had a recurring role as Tommy Ravetto on North Shore. Since working on John Doe, Purcell has had an amiable relationship with Fox. Hence, he was sent the pilot script of Prison Break.[23] Scheuring's first impression of Purcell did not convince him as a fit for the role since the actor went to the audition with his hair styled and a tan. However, Purcell's acting won the role. He arrived on the set on the first day of filming with a shaved head, which amazed Scheuring with the physical likeness of the series' two leading actors.[24]

Dominic Purcell

as Michael Scofield: Michael is Lincoln's brother (his last name is his mother's maiden name), and worked as a structural engineer before devoting full-time to his brother's case. In order to save his brother's life, Michael creates an elaborate plan to help his brother escape from prison. In an interview, Paul Scheuring recalled that most of the actors who tested for the role "would come in playing mysterious, but it was so cheesy and false."[24] A week before the start of production, Miller auditioned for the role and impressed Scheuring with his performance; he was cast the following day.[22]

Wentworth Miller

as Fernando Sucre: Sucre develops a friendship with Michael during time at Fox River State Penitentiary, where he was his cell-mate. Initially, his character's story focuses on his wish to reunite with his fiancée. Upon receiving the pilot script, Nolasco's first thought was that it was "one of those failed pilots that the network did not really want" since most of the series' pilots would have started production by that time. Admitting that he does not like to read, Nolasco was amazed that the script was a "huge page-turner". Prior to his last audition for the role, Nolasco recalled his nervousness, which grew when Paul Scheuring told him that he was their favorite choice. Subsequently, he was cast in the role.[25]

Amaury Nolasco

as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell: T-Bag appears in all five seasons of the series as a cunning, violent, and manipulative psychopath, consistently underestimated by those around him. T-Bag will stop at nothing to get what he wants and lets nothing stand in his way.

Robert Knepper

as Veronica Donovan (seasons 1–2): Veronica is Michael and Lincoln's childhood friend who decides to review Lincoln's case at Michael's insistence. She becomes Lincoln's lawyer and appears as a major character in the first season. She also stars in the first episode of the second season.

Robin Tunney

as John Abruzzi (seasons 1–2): Due to his role as the leader of a Chicago mafia, Abruzzi became a prominent figure at Fox River State Penitentiary. He agrees to provide an escape jet plane for Michael in exchange for the location of the eyewitness to his crimes, Otto Fibonacci. He appears regularly in the first half of the first season and makes selected appearances towards the end of the first season and the beginning of the second season.

Peter Stormare

as Lincoln "L. J." Burrows Jr. (seasons 1–4): L. J. is the teenage son of Lincoln Burrows and is greatly affected by his father's death sentence. He is forced into hiding after he becomes the target of the people who want Lincoln dead.

Marshall Allman

as Brad Bellick (seasons 1–4): Bellick is introduced as the captain of Fox River's correctional officers. After reading the pilot script, Williams initially did not want to portray the role of Bellick because the character was "horrible and despicable". His reluctance stemmed from being the father of a four-year-old daughter. However, his manager persuaded him to audition and Williams landed the role.[25]

Wade Williams

as Sara Tancredi (seasons 1–2, 4–5): Sara is the prison doctor at Fox River and the daughter of Governor Frank Tancredi, who is linked into the plot that brings Lincoln to Fox River. She takes a liking to Michael and eventually aids his escape. She ultimately joins them on the run. Callies was the first actress the producers saw at the audition for the role of Sara Tancredi and was also the first to become a principal cast member.[22][26]

Sarah Wayne Callies

as Paul Kellerman (seasons 1–2, 4–5): Kellerman was introduced as a Secret Service agent working for the Vice President to make sure that the execution of Lincoln Burrows goes smoothly. He appears as a major character in the first and second seasons.

Paul Adelstein

as Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin (seasons 1–2, 4–5): Desperate for his family, C-Note blackmails Michael at Fox River to join his escape team. He appears in the series as a major character in the first and second seasons.

Rockmond Dunbar

as Alexander Mahone (seasons 2–4): Introduced as an FBI agent in the second season, Mahone's assignment was to locate the fugitives. Mahone is intellectually matched with Michael and his background unfolds as the series progresses. In the third season he finds himself incarcerated with Michael in Sona and is eventually forced to become his ally through the fourth season.

William Fichtner

as James Whistler (seasons 3–4): Whistler is incarcerated in Sona for the murder of the Mayor's son and appears as a major character in the third season. He also stars in the first episode of the fourth season.

Chris Vance

as Norman "Lechero" St. John (season 3): Appearing as a major character in the third season, Lechero is a prisoner at Sona who rules the prison as a dictator and a Panamanian drug kingpin.

Robert Wisdom

as Sofia Lugo (seasons 3–4): Sofia was introduced in the third season as Whistler's girlfriend. At the beginning of the fourth season, she begins dating Lincoln Burrows.

Danay Garcia

as Gretchen Morgan (seasons 3–4): Introduced as "Susan B. Anthony", Gretchen is an operative for The Company who is in charge of ensuring the escape of James Whistler.

Jodi Lyn O'Keefe

as Donald Self (season 4): Introduced in the fourth season, Self is a Department of Homeland Security special agent who teams up with the gang to take down The Company.

Michael Rapaport

as Jacob Anton Ness (season 5): Introduced in the fifth season, Jacob is Sara's new husband and an economics professor who is later revealed to be a rogue CIA operative who is responsible for Michael's disappearance.

Mark Feuerstein

as Sheba (season 5): The leader of a resistance against ISIL in Yemen, Sheba appears as C-Note's friend and Lincoln's love interest.

Inbar Lavi

as David "Whip" Martin (season 5): Michael's cellmate and partner in the fifth season, as well as T-Bag's illegitimate son. He is the muscle to back up Michael, often called Michael's whip hand.

Augustus Prew

Prison Break maintains an ensemble cast for each season along with many recurring guest stars. The first season features a cast of ten actors who receive star billing, who were based in Chicago or at Fox River State Penitentiary.[18] The second season features a cast of nine actors who receive billing; three characters are downgraded from series regular to recurring status, another is upgraded, and a new character is introduced.[19] The third season introduces four new characters; two of whom are prisoners at Penitenciaría Federal de Sona.[20]


Most of the changes in the cast have been due to character deaths. Series creator, Paul Scheuring, explains that killing off major characters "makes the audience that much more fearful for our protagonists" and that "it actually does help us in terms of reducing story lines".[21] The two protagonists of the series, Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows, are the only characters to have appeared in every episode of the series.

Production[edit]

Conception[edit]

The original concept of Prison Break—a man deliberately getting himself sent to prison in order to help someone escape—was suggested to Paul Scheuring by producer Dawn Parouse, who wanted to produce an action-oriented series. Although Scheuring thought it was a good idea, he was initially stumped as to why someone would embark on such a mission or how he could develop it into a viable television show. He came up with the story of the wrongfully accused brother, and began working on the plot outline and devising the characters. In 2003, he pitched the idea to the Fox Broadcasting Company but was turned down as Fox felt nervous about the long-term possibilities of such a series. He subsequently showed the concept to other channels but was also turned down as it was thought to be more suited for a film project than a television series.[23] Prison Break was later considered as a possible 14-part miniseries, which drew the interest of Steven Spielberg before his departure due to his involvement with War of the Worlds. Thus, the miniseries never materialized. Following the huge popularity of serialized prime time television series such as Lost and 24, Fox backed the production in 2004. The pilot episode was filmed one year after Scheuring wrote the script.[27]

Reception[edit]

Ratings[edit]

The following seasonal rankings are based on a weighted average total viewers per episode as recorded by Nielsen Media Research. The recording period begins in late September (the start of the U.S. network television season) and ends in late May.

Distribution[edit]

Television[edit]

In Canada, Prison Break was broadcast on Global one hour before it aired on Fox, except in the Maritimes where it aired two hours before Fox's airing. Prison Break was the only new television series to be positioned in the top twenty television shows of 2005–2006 in Canada, achieving an average of 876,000 viewers in the key demographic of 18–49 and 1.4 million viewers nationally for its first season.[74] Prison Break premiered on Australian television network Seven on February 1, 2006, to an average audience of 1.94 million.[75] The first season attracted an overall average of 1.353 million viewers.[76] After decreasing ratings throughout the second season, Seven decided to fast-track the airing of the third-season episodes.[77] The fifth season revival moved to Network Ten and debuted on May 15, 2017.[78]


In the United Kingdom, the first and second seasons premiered on Five, with the first season being replayed on UKTV Gold before the second season debuted on Five. Prior to the start of the third season, Sky One acquired the rights to broadcast Prison Break, paying £500,000 per episode.[79] The series premiered in France on August 31, 2006, with an average of 5.5 million viewers.[80] The second season premiered on September 13, 2007, to 5.3 million viewers.[81]


The first season's broadcast in Hong Kong on TVB Pearl received the largest audience in the country for a foreign drama. The series premiere obtained an average of 260,000 viewers while the first-season finale obtained an average of 470,000 viewers.[82] The second season's premiere received an average of 270,000 viewers.[83]

Other media[edit]

Spin-off series[edit]

A spin-off series, Prison Break: Proof of Innocence, was produced exclusively for mobile phones and was broadcast first to Sprint customers in April 2006 on SprintTV's Fox station. The first episode of Proof of Innocence became available on the Internet for viewing on May 8, 2006. This was an exclusive deal made between Toyota Motor and News Corporation's Fox network, allowing Toyota to sponsor exclusive content of the show and to obtain advertising exclusivity.[105]


During the show's third season, a series of six online shorts, collectively known as Prison Break: Visitations, were made exclusively for Fox. They feature the characters Lechero, Sammy, McGrady, T-Bag, and Bellick. They were distributed on the Internet and are available for free from iTunes.


On October 24, 2007, The Hollywood Reporter reported that a full spin-off series was under development, tentatively titled Prison Break: Cherry Hill. The series was to revolve around an upper-middle-class housewife, Molly, and her stint in a women's prison.[106] However, the producers' original idea to introduce Molly in the third season of Prison Break was later dropped due to the writers' strike. The new series was planned to instead begin under the Prison Break brand similar to CSI: Miami and CSI: NY,[107] but ultimately did not go into production.

at IMDb

Prison Break