Prison Break is an American serial drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on August 29, 2005. The story revolves around a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and his brother's elaborate plan to help him escape his death sentence. Created by Paul Scheuring, the show is produced by Adelstein-Parouse Productions in association with Original Television and 20th Century Fox Television. The current executive producers are Paul Scheuring, Matt Olmstead, Dawn Parouse, Marty Adelstein, Neal Moritz, and Brett Ratner. Its theme music is composed by Ramin Djawadi, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2006.
Currently, two seasons of the show have been aired. Due to its immense popularity in its key demographics, the show was renewed by Fox for a third season, even though it was originally conceived to have only two seasons. The uniqueness of Prison Break is attributed to its serialized story structure, a similar format used by Lost and 24, and to its setting, as very few television series were primarily set and filmed in a prison. Its success and recognition as a prison drama revived interest in the genre.
Season 1 Release Date: 29 August 2005
Season 2 Release Date: 21 August 2006
Season 3 Release Date: 17 September 2007
CONCEPTION
Prison Break began as a concept (a man deliberately getting himself sent to prison in order to help someone else escape) 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. 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, the Fox Network had a change of heart and backed the production in 2004. The pilot episode was filmed a year after Scheuring wrote the script and five months later, the show was picked up as a series.
CASTING
The premiere had eight major speaking roles with star billing. The casting process for the role of Michael Scofield, one of the series' protagonists, began several weeks before production. 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." A week before the start of production, Wentworth Miller auditioned for the role and impressed Scheuring with his performance; he was cast the following day.
Dominic Purcell was cast three days before the start of production and consequently, he was the last actor to join the original cast. Purcell auditioned for the role of Lincoln Burrows, a death-row inmate and the brother of Michael Scofield, while he had a recurring role as Tommy Ravetto on North Shore. Since working on John Doe, Purcell has had a great relationship with Fox. Hence, he was sent the pilot script of Prison Break. At first, Scheuring thought Purcell was "too much of a pretty boy" after he went to the audition with his hair styled and a tan. However, Purcell won the role and 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.
Upon receiving the pilot script, Amaury Nolasco's first thought was that it was "one of those failed pilots that the network didn't really want" since most of the series pilots would have started production by that time. Admitting that he doesn't like to read, Nolasco was amazed that the script was a "huge page-turner". Prior to his last audition for the role of Fernando Sucre, Nolasco recalled his nervousness, which grew when Paul Scheuring told him that he was their favourite choice. Subsequently, he was cast in the role.
After reading the pilot script, Wade Williams initially did not want to portray the role of Brad 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 for the role and Williams landed the role of Bellick. He has received many plaudits for his on screen performances.
Sarah Wayne 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. After her final audition at the 20th Century Fox lot, Callies came back outside to find that she had left her keys in the ignition inside her locked car. While she waited for the AAA to arrive, she received a call from her agent that she had been cast.
The remaining original cast included Robin Tunney, Marshall Allman, and Peter Stormare, who were cast as Veronica Donovan, L. J. Burrows, and John Abruzzi respectively.
CHARACTERS
Although each season consists of more than ten regularly appearing characters, only seven characters have appeared consistently throughout the series so far.
The series' protagonists are Lincoln Burrows (played by Dominic Purcell) and MichaelScofield (played by Wentworth Miller) . Lincoln is a high school dropout and a convicted felon, who is wrongfully accused of and charged with the murder of the Vice President of the United States's brother. Michael is Lincoln's brother 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. Over the course of the series, Michael and Lincoln are shown to be protective of each other. They are the only characters to have appeared in every episode to date.
The two most prominently featured prisoners who Michael meet at Fox River State Penitentiary are Fernando Sucre (played by Amaury Nolasco) and Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell(played by Robert Knepper). Sucre is Michael's cell-mate and provides comic relief to the show. His character's story focuses mainly on his wish to reunite with his girlfriend. Sucre develops a friendship with Michael and Lincoln, and becomes their ally. On the other hand, T-Bag is mainly seen as a villain in the series due to his murderous ways and for blackmailing Michael to be included in his escape.
As well as other prisoners, Michael meets the captain of Fox River's correctional officers, Brad Bellick (played by Wade Williams) and the prison doctor, Sara Tancredi (played by Sarah Wayne Callies). Bellick dislikes Michael and causes trouble for him throughout the series. Sara is Michael's love interest. As their relationship develops over the course of the series, her role is also increased in the storyline.
Although Paul Kellerman (played by Paul Adelstein) was introduced as a Secret Service agent working for the Vice President to make sure that the execution of Lincoln Burrows goes smoothly, his character has alternated between a villain and an ally to Michael and Lincoln.
Veronica Donovan (played by Robin Tunney) is Michael and Lincoln's childhood friend and 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 and a minor character in the second season. L. J. Burrows (played by Marshall Allman) 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 wants Lincoln dead.
After he was incarcerated, John Abruzzi (played by Peter Stormare) became a prominent figure at Fox River State Penitentiary due to his role as the leader of a Chicago mafia. He agrees to provide an escape 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. Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin (played by Rockmond Dunbar) is introduced as a Fox River prisoner, who becomes suspicious of Michael. He later forces Michael to include him in the escape. Along with T-Bag, C-Note is seen as Michael's opponent in the first season, although he is a more sympathetic and likable character than T-Bag.
The second season introduces a new major character, FBI Special Agent Alexander Mahone (played by William Fichtner), who is assigned to locate the fugitives. Mahone is intellectually matched with Michael and his background unfolds as the series progresses. Four major characters will be introduced in the third season: Luchero (played by Robert Wisdom), Betty Crocker (played by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), Sofia (played by Danay Garcia) and Whistler (played by Chris Vance). Luchero is a prisoner at Sona and a Panamanian drug kingpin while Betty Crocker is an operative for the Company. Sofia is the girlfriend of Whistler, who is incarcerated in the same prison as Michael.
Major recurring characters from the first season include Fox River's Warden Henry Pope (played by Stacy Keach) and lawyer Nick Savrinn (played by Frank Grillo). Charles Westmoreland (played by Muse Watson) is a veteran of the prison having served 32 years and has a daughter, who is dying of cancer. Michael believes he is D. B. Cooper and has hidden $5 million outside the prison, which forms a subplot of the second season. Two other Fox River prisoners who join in Michael's escape are David "Tweener" Apolskis (played by Lane Garrison) and Charles "Haywire" Patoshik (played by Silas Weir Mitchell). Additionally, some of the walk-on characters who played prisoners actually served time at the Joliet Prison.One major recurring character, Bill Kim, was introduced in the second season as an operative of the Company who is ordered to oversee the actions of Mahone and Kellerman.
The character of Terrence Steadman was played by two actors, first by John Billingsley in the first season, then by Jeff Perry in the second season as Billingsley was cast as a regular on the ABC series The Nine. Steadman has few appearances in the series, nevertheless, the character is at the center of the conspiracy which caused Lincoln Burrows to be charged with his murder. Caroline Reynolds (played by Patricia Wettig) is the sister of Terrence Steadman, who has ambitions to become the President of the United States, which she later achieves.
Currently, two seasons of the show have been aired. Due to its immense popularity in its key demographics, the show was renewed by Fox for a third season, even though it was originally conceived to have only two seasons. The uniqueness of Prison Break is attributed to its serialized story structure, a similar format used by Lost and 24, and to its setting, as very few television series were primarily set and filmed in a prison. Its success and recognition as a prison drama revived interest in the genre.
Season 1 Release Date: 29 August 2005
Season 2 Release Date: 21 August 2006
Season 3 Release Date: 17 September 2007
CONCEPTION
Prison Break began as a concept (a man deliberately getting himself sent to prison in order to help someone else escape) 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. 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, the Fox Network had a change of heart and backed the production in 2004. The pilot episode was filmed a year after Scheuring wrote the script and five months later, the show was picked up as a series.
CASTING
The premiere had eight major speaking roles with star billing. The casting process for the role of Michael Scofield, one of the series' protagonists, began several weeks before production. 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." A week before the start of production, Wentworth Miller auditioned for the role and impressed Scheuring with his performance; he was cast the following day.
Dominic Purcell was cast three days before the start of production and consequently, he was the last actor to join the original cast. Purcell auditioned for the role of Lincoln Burrows, a death-row inmate and the brother of Michael Scofield, while he had a recurring role as Tommy Ravetto on North Shore. Since working on John Doe, Purcell has had a great relationship with Fox. Hence, he was sent the pilot script of Prison Break. At first, Scheuring thought Purcell was "too much of a pretty boy" after he went to the audition with his hair styled and a tan. However, Purcell won the role and 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.
Upon receiving the pilot script, Amaury Nolasco's first thought was that it was "one of those failed pilots that the network didn't really want" since most of the series pilots would have started production by that time. Admitting that he doesn't like to read, Nolasco was amazed that the script was a "huge page-turner". Prior to his last audition for the role of Fernando Sucre, Nolasco recalled his nervousness, which grew when Paul Scheuring told him that he was their favourite choice. Subsequently, he was cast in the role.
After reading the pilot script, Wade Williams initially did not want to portray the role of Brad 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 for the role and Williams landed the role of Bellick. He has received many plaudits for his on screen performances.
Sarah Wayne 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. After her final audition at the 20th Century Fox lot, Callies came back outside to find that she had left her keys in the ignition inside her locked car. While she waited for the AAA to arrive, she received a call from her agent that she had been cast.
The remaining original cast included Robin Tunney, Marshall Allman, and Peter Stormare, who were cast as Veronica Donovan, L. J. Burrows, and John Abruzzi respectively.
CHARACTERS
Although each season consists of more than ten regularly appearing characters, only seven characters have appeared consistently throughout the series so far.
The series' protagonists are Lincoln Burrows (played by Dominic Purcell) and MichaelScofield (played by Wentworth Miller) . Lincoln is a high school dropout and a convicted felon, who is wrongfully accused of and charged with the murder of the Vice President of the United States's brother. Michael is Lincoln's brother 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. Over the course of the series, Michael and Lincoln are shown to be protective of each other. They are the only characters to have appeared in every episode to date.
The two most prominently featured prisoners who Michael meet at Fox River State Penitentiary are Fernando Sucre (played by Amaury Nolasco) and Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell(played by Robert Knepper). Sucre is Michael's cell-mate and provides comic relief to the show. His character's story focuses mainly on his wish to reunite with his girlfriend. Sucre develops a friendship with Michael and Lincoln, and becomes their ally. On the other hand, T-Bag is mainly seen as a villain in the series due to his murderous ways and for blackmailing Michael to be included in his escape.
As well as other prisoners, Michael meets the captain of Fox River's correctional officers, Brad Bellick (played by Wade Williams) and the prison doctor, Sara Tancredi (played by Sarah Wayne Callies). Bellick dislikes Michael and causes trouble for him throughout the series. Sara is Michael's love interest. As their relationship develops over the course of the series, her role is also increased in the storyline.
Although Paul Kellerman (played by Paul Adelstein) was introduced as a Secret Service agent working for the Vice President to make sure that the execution of Lincoln Burrows goes smoothly, his character has alternated between a villain and an ally to Michael and Lincoln.
Veronica Donovan (played by Robin Tunney) is Michael and Lincoln's childhood friend and 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 and a minor character in the second season. L. J. Burrows (played by Marshall Allman) 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 wants Lincoln dead.
After he was incarcerated, John Abruzzi (played by Peter Stormare) became a prominent figure at Fox River State Penitentiary due to his role as the leader of a Chicago mafia. He agrees to provide an escape 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. Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin (played by Rockmond Dunbar) is introduced as a Fox River prisoner, who becomes suspicious of Michael. He later forces Michael to include him in the escape. Along with T-Bag, C-Note is seen as Michael's opponent in the first season, although he is a more sympathetic and likable character than T-Bag.
The second season introduces a new major character, FBI Special Agent Alexander Mahone (played by William Fichtner), who is assigned to locate the fugitives. Mahone is intellectually matched with Michael and his background unfolds as the series progresses. Four major characters will be introduced in the third season: Luchero (played by Robert Wisdom), Betty Crocker (played by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), Sofia (played by Danay Garcia) and Whistler (played by Chris Vance). Luchero is a prisoner at Sona and a Panamanian drug kingpin while Betty Crocker is an operative for the Company. Sofia is the girlfriend of Whistler, who is incarcerated in the same prison as Michael.
Major recurring characters from the first season include Fox River's Warden Henry Pope (played by Stacy Keach) and lawyer Nick Savrinn (played by Frank Grillo). Charles Westmoreland (played by Muse Watson) is a veteran of the prison having served 32 years and has a daughter, who is dying of cancer. Michael believes he is D. B. Cooper and has hidden $5 million outside the prison, which forms a subplot of the second season. Two other Fox River prisoners who join in Michael's escape are David "Tweener" Apolskis (played by Lane Garrison) and Charles "Haywire" Patoshik (played by Silas Weir Mitchell). Additionally, some of the walk-on characters who played prisoners actually served time at the Joliet Prison.One major recurring character, Bill Kim, was introduced in the second season as an operative of the Company who is ordered to oversee the actions of Mahone and Kellerman.
The character of Terrence Steadman was played by two actors, first by John Billingsley in the first season, then by Jeff Perry in the second season as Billingsley was cast as a regular on the ABC series The Nine. Steadman has few appearances in the series, nevertheless, the character is at the center of the conspiracy which caused Lincoln Burrows to be charged with his murder. Caroline Reynolds (played by Patricia Wettig) is the sister of Terrence Steadman, who has ambitions to become the President of the United States, which she later achieves.
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