Most people would do anything to escape prison. Michael Scofield, on the other hand, tries his best to get inside – to the delight of the audience. Scofield wants to get in the penitentiary to help his brother escape from death row, where he’s ended up after being wrongly accused of the murder of the vice-president’s brother. Of course, the case is more complicated than it seems, with conspiracies unfolding inside and outside the prison. Despite this synopsis, don’t expect prison-genre clichés. There are, of course, the compulsory baddies, corrupt and brutal wardens, and psychotic and perverted inmates. Yet the story is well-written, as well-written as Escape from Alcatraz, for example. For one thing, the series conveys a sense of realism; indeed, Prison Break was shot, in part, on location at the Joliet Prison in Illinois. We’re not giving anything away by mentioning that an escape scene in the program looked so convincing that several US prisons banned the TV series. In short, lock yourself in, get comfortable on your bunk, and enjoy the first season of this highly-suspenseful show. But get ready to do some hard time – the second season will air (in the US) from March to May this year.
Fox Television

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Chief editor: Steven Crane
April 2006 issue