Prison Break (season 1)

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Prison Break (season 1)
250px
Prison Break season one DVD cover
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 22
Release
Original network Fox
Original release August 29, 2005 (2005-08-29) – May 15, 2006 (2006-05-15)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of Prison Break episodes

The first season of Prison Break, an American serial drama television series, commenced airing in the United States and Canada on August 29, 2005 on Mondays at 9:00 pm (EST) on the Fox Broadcasting Company. Prison Break is produced by Adelstein-Parouse Productions, in association with Rat Television, Original Television Movie and 20th Century Fox Television. The season contains 22 episodes, and concluded on May 15, 2006.

Prison Break revolves around two brothers: one who has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit and his younger sibling, a genius who devises an elaborate plan to help him escape prison by purposely getting himself imprisoned. In addition to the 22 regular episodes, a special, "Behind the Walls", was aired on October 11, 2005.

A total of ten actors received star billing in the first season, with numerous supporting roles. Filming took place mostly in and around the Chicago area; Fox River was represented by Joliet Prison, which had closed in 2002. Critical reviews of the first season were generally favorable. Season one was released on DVD in Region One as a six-disc boxed set under the title of Prison Break: Season One on August 8, 2006.

Production

Crew

The season was produced by Adelstein-Parouse Productions, in association with Original Television and 20th Century Fox Television. The executive producers were creator Paul Scheuring, Marty Adelstein, Neal H. Moritz, Dawn Parouse, Brett Ratner and Matt Olmstead.[1] The staff writers were Scheuring, co-executive producers Nick Santora and Zack Estrin, supervising producer Karyn Usher and Olmstead.[1] The regular director throughout the season was Bobby Roth; additional directors were Jace Alexander, Matt Earl Beesley and Dwight H. Little.[1] Its incidental music was composed by Ramin Djawadi.[1]

Filming

Most of the first season of the series was filmed on location in and around Chicago.[2][3] After it was closed down in 2002, Joliet Prison became the set of Prison Break in 2005, standing in as Fox River State Penitentiary on screen. Scenes set in Lincoln's cell, the infirmary and the prison yard were all shot on location at the prison.[4] Lincoln's cell is the same one in which John Wayne Gacy was incarcerated. Most of the production crew refused to enter the cell, thinking that it was haunted.[2] Other sets were built at the prison, including the cell blocks that housed the general prison population; these blocks had three tiers of cells (as opposed to the real cell block's two) and had cells much larger than real cells to allow more space for the actors and cameras.[4] Exterior scenes were filmed in areas around Chicago, Woodstock, and Joliet in Illinois. Other locations included O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Prison Break spent $2 million per episode in the state of Illinois, which cost them a total of $24 million in 2005.[2]

Cast

Main characters

Recurring characters

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2

Release

Critical reception

Metacritic gave the season a Metascore—a weighted average based on the impressions of a select 32 critical reviews—of 65, signifying generally favorable reviews.[5] Based on its strong opening, The New York Times dubbed Prison Break "more intriguing than most of the new network series, and ... one of the most original" and a "suspenseful thriller", complimenting its "authentic look".[6] Entertainment Weekly called it an "original drama", noting the show's "edge-of-the-seat action".[7] On the other hand, however, The Washington Post criticized the show for its "somber pretentiousness" and "uniformly overwrought [performances]".[8]

Ratings

The two-hour pilot episode garnered approximately 10.5 million viewers, giving Fox its "best summertime Monday numbers since episodes of Melrose Place and Ally McBeal aired there in September 1998."[9] The show's first season attracted an average audience of 10 million viewers each week, with "End of the Tunnel" reaching 12 million viewers, and led the debuts of television in the 2005 American fall season.[10] Prison Break was originally planned for a 13-episode run, but was extended to include an extra nine episodes due to its popularity.[11]

Episodes

Prison Break season 1 episodes
No. in
series		 No. in
season		 Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production
code		 U.S. viewers
(millions)
1 1 "Pilot" Brett Ratner Paul Scheuring August 29, 2005 (2005-08-29) 1AKJ79 10.51[12]
Michael Scofield gets himself imprisoned in Fox River State Penitentiary as part of an elaborate plan to break out his brother, Lincoln Burrows, who is facing execution for a crime he did not commit. Michael meets his cellmate Sucre, who gives him a tour of the prison. Michael manages to join Prison Industries, run by John Abruzzi, and meets Dr. Sara Tancredi, whom he tries to charm. Fox River's warden, Henry Pope, asks Michael if he can finish making a model of the Taj Mahal for his anniversary with his wife. Michael reunites with Lincoln, and reveals his mysterious body tattoo is the blueprint to Fox River.
2 2 "Allen" Michael W. Watkins Paul Scheuring August 29, 2005 (2005-08-29) 1AKJ01 10.51[12]
A race riot starts brewing amongst the black and white prisoners of Fox River. Michael attempts to stay neutral, but finds that impossible. Michael obtains an Allen bolt, and uses it to unscrew his cell's toilet. When the riot does break out, T-Bag thinks that Michael killed one of his friends. C-Note gives Michael medication, so that he can see Sara on a regular basis. At the end of the episode, Michael is ambushed by Abruzzi and tortured for information on an informant. Meanwhile, Veronica sees evidence that seems to prove that Lincoln really did murder Terrence Steadman.
3 3 "Cell Test" Brad Turner Michael Pavone September 5, 2005 (2005-09-05) 1AKJ02 8.49[13]
Michael tests whether his cellmate Sucre can keep the escape plan a secret. Sucre passes Michael's test, but wants nothing to do with the escape plan. T-Bag wants revenge on Michael for supposedly betraying the white inmates and Abruzzi tries to get Fibonacci's location from Michael by assisting instead of assaulting him. Veronica is contacted by a woman who claims to have information about Steadman's murder, but the woman is murdered by Agent Paul Kellerman on orders of Caroline Reynolds.
4 4 "Cute Poison" Matt Earl Beesley Matt Olmstead September 12, 2005 (2005-09-12) 1AKJ03 9.15[14]
Michael's new cellmate, Haywire, starts to unravel the secret behind Michael's tattoos. When Sucre discovers that his cousin Hector is making a move on his fiancee, he decides he wants in on the escape. Michael manages to get Sucre back as his roommate, and they both, along with John Abruzzi start corroding the pipes behind Michael's cell. In the meantime, Veronica Donovan meets Nick Savrinn, who tells her that he will assist her in her investigation. Agent Kellerman learns of Michael's placement at Fox River and arranges a transfer to a different prison for the following day.
5 5 "English, Fitz or Percy" Randall Zisk Zack Estrin September 19, 2005 (2005-09-19) 1AKJ04 7.96[15]
Having discovered his connection to Lincoln, Agents Kellerman and Hale try to have Michael transferred out of Fox River by blackmailing Warden Pope. Michael enlists the team's help to discover part of the escape route, whether to take English, Fitz or Percy, which turns out to be street names outside the prison. He has the authorities believe that he attempts to escape, where he discovers police cars flooding English and Percy, but not Fitz. In the end, Pope decides not to have him transferred. Meanwhile, Donovan and Savrinn continue to exonerate Lincoln, but their tape goes missing, and Donovan suspects Savrinn is working against her.
6 6 "Riots, Drills and the Devil (Part 1)" Robert Mandel Nick Santora September 26, 2005 (2005-09-26) 1AKJ05 8.55[16]
Falling behind schedule, Michael maneuvers the prisoners and guards into initiating a lockdown of the prison to give himself more time to dig a hole, but this backfires when T-Bag starts a full-scale riot. Worse, T-Bag and CO Hudson have discovered the escape plan, where T-Bag wants in, and threatens to kill the CO, despite being told not to. Sara's life is threatened after the sickbay prisoners start a riot of their own. Michael sees this via CCTV and risks his escape plan to rescue her before she is raped. Outside the prison, Savrinn proves to Donovan that he can be trusted, when he finds out that the anonymous call to have Lincoln arrested comes from Washington D.C..
7 7 "Riots, Drills and the Devil (Part 2)" Vern Gillum Karyn Usher October 3, 2005 (2005-10-03) 1AKJ06 9.48[17]
As Governor Tancredi plans on having the prison raided, Michael manages to rescue Sara from the rowdy prisoners in sickbay. They are able to evade the prisoners, and Sara escapes to the outside. Sucre and Abruzzi continue digging and eventually break through the walls into a pipe. Lincoln kills the inmate who has orders to kill him. By the end of the riot, T-Bag kills Hudson, after being told not to. Veronica and Nick follow a lead to Washington D.C. where they receive a phone call with a mysterious voice telling them that they are dead.
8 8 "The Old Head" Jace Alexander Monica Macer October 24, 2005 (2005-10-24) 1AKJ07 10.12[18]
After discovering that the guards are sitting right on top of a vital part of the plan, Michael tries to recruit Westmoreland into the escape team. At first, he refuses, but after Bellick kills his cat, he sets fire to the building, which houses a part of the escape and frames Bellick for it. Outside, Veronica and Nick narrowly avoid an explosion and hide to give Kellerman and Hale the impression that they died. Meanwhile, the agents kill L.J's mother and step-father, and he is on the run. It is revealed the two agents take orders from the Vice President.
9 9 "Tweener" Matt Earl Beesley Paul Scheuring October 31, 2005 (2005-10-31) 1AKJ08 9.01[19]
Veronica and Nick manage to get hold of L.J. by tricking Hale and Kellerman into believing they are somewhere else. Michael tries to protect a young new inmate, Tweener, from T-Bag's predations. Meanwhile, the escape plan is endangered when Abruzzi falls out of favor with Philly Falzone and loses control of PI, and hands the reins down to another inmate. C-Note begins to investigate his suspicions about Michael.
10 10 "Sleight of Hand" Dwight H. Little Nick Santora November 7, 2005 (2005-11-07) 1AKJ09 8.06[20]
Veronica, Nick and L.J. are pursued by an agent of The Company, who takes over from Hale and Kellerman, but the two agents don't like it. Abruzzi and Michael try to figure out how to regain control of PI, but to do so Michael may have to give up Fibonacci. He manages to send Falzone to a false lead in Canada, where they face international gun charges and parole violation. Abruzzi regains control of PI. However, C-Note forces his way onto the escape team.
11 11 "And Then There Were 7" Jesús Salvador Treviño Zack Estrin November 14, 2005 (2005-11-14) 1AKJ10 9.58[21]
The escape team and prison staff are shocked to discover that Michael has a wife when she arrives to give him an item for the plan, a key card to get to his personal effects. Unfortunately, Geary steals a watch he needs, and enlists Tweener's help to recover it. Westmoreland changes his mind about escaping, after hearing that his daughter is dying. Quinn tracks down Veronica, Nick and L.J, but they escape, and leave Quinn, The Company's agent to die in a well. In the end, Michael realizes that there are too many people in the escape team, and they have to remove one.
12 12 "Odd Man Out" Bobby Roth Karyn Usher November 21, 2005 (2005-11-21) 1AKJ11 10.08[22]
With one too many people, the escape team decides to get rid of T-Bag. However, he tells them that he called someone on the outside, and if they don't hear from him, they will call the authorities concerning the escape. Abruzzi decides to have T-Bag's contacts scared off, but ends badly when they end up dead. Abruzzi plans on killing T-Bag, but during his crisis of faith, he lets him live if he backs out of the escape, which results in T-Bag slitting his throat, and leaving him to die. Veronica receives a phone call from Hale, where he says that he has answers, and wants to meet up with her. Lincoln has to stall the guards from uncovering the escape plan, which results in him being taken away.
13 13 "End of the Tunnel" Sanford Bookstaver Paul Scheuring November 28, 2005 (2005-11-28) 1AKJ12 12.18[23]
Veronica meets up with Hale, where he tells her that Terrence Steadman is still alive, but before he can give her proof, Kellerman arrives on the scene, and kills him when he finds the papers naming him as an accessory. In Fox River, Abruzzi is sent to the hospital. The team readies for the escape but Michael is unwilling to leave Lincoln behind, who has been placed in solitary. Fortunately, as usual Michael has a plan, and secretly sends him a pill which gives him the same effects of food poisoning, and is sent to the infirmary, one of the key locations of the escape. Unfortunately, on the night of the escape, the prison has replaced a corroded pipe, meaning the team will not break out.
14 14 "The Rat" Kevin Hooks Matt Olmstead March 20, 2006 (2006-03-20) 1AKJ13 9.28[24]
The first escape attempt fails, and with Lincoln's execution only hours away, Michael tampers with the electric chair, sticking a rat in the circuitry of the electric chair, though Bellick is one step ahead, after appointing Tweener as his rat. Michael pleads for Sara to appeal to her father, the Governor of Illinois, to review Lincoln's case, but this fails as he works for Vice President Reynolds. On the night he is to be executed, Michael and Veronica say goodbye to Lincoln, and he is sent to the chair.
15 15 "By the Skin and the Teeth" Fred Gerber Nick Santora March 27, 2006 (2006-03-27) 1AKJ14 10.07[25]
Lincoln's execution is delayed when anonymous evidence comes to their attention. For that, Nick and Veronica exhume "Steadman's" body, only to find that the body was, in fact, Steadman's. With an additional few weeks, Michael can now continue with the escape plan. With plan B, he is given a guard's uniform from the prison's laundry and sneaks into the prison's asylum undetected to find the pipes which will lead them to the infirmary. However on the way back, his back is burnt, and Sara finds evidence of a guard's uniform on his wound. Furthermore, his wound has burnt off parts of his tattoo, which are vital to the escape plan.
16 16 "Brother's Keeper" Greg Yaitanes Zack Estrin April 3, 2006 (2006-04-03) 1AKJ15 8.10[26]
This episode is set three years before Michael's incarceration and features the lives of the various main characters, prior to their time at Fox River. The main plot of the episode revolves around the murder set-up that led to Lincoln's conviction and the reason of Michael's decision to save his brother. Elsewhere, it is revealed that Sara was a drug addict, Sucre was set up by one of his cousins after he sees Maricruz, C-Note is dishonorably discharged from the army after reporting prisoner misconduct in Kuwait, and T-Bag is seeing Susan Hollander, who later finds out who he is and turns him to the authorities.
17 17 "J-Cat" Guy Ferland Karyn Usher April 10, 2006 (2006-04-10) 1AKJ16 8.12[27]
While searching for information regarding the Company, Nick and Veronica take Quinn's cell phone, where L.J finds clues concerning Kellerman. He breaks into his house to get revenge for his mother's death, but is arrested before he could kill him. Michael is sent to solitary after he is unable to answer Pope's questions about his burn. Sucre is forced to sneak into the CO break room to ensure the hole stays undetected. He is caught sneaking back, though the guards don't learn of the escape plan. After he is no use to Bellick, he has Tweener transferred to a cell with a nasty inmate, Avocado. In the end, Michael fakes a mental breakdown in order to get into the psych ward, so he could get assistance with Haywire, though Haywire has no idea who Michael is.
18 18 "Bluff" Jace Alexander Nick Santora & Karyn Usher April 17, 2006 (2006-04-17) 1AKJ17 8.18[28]
Michael tries to get Haywire to remember him, by making him spit out his medication. Soon, Haywire remembers and draws the missing piece of his puzzle. Meanwhile, now that Michael's cell is empty, the escape team works on winning money to buy it before it is auctioned off. They win in an illegal poker game, thanks to T-Bag's hands, and C-Note's bluff. Geary takes their money, but tells the team that he has already auctioned the cell, so they frame him for burning Scofield, and he is quickly fired. After L.J is arrested, a motion has passed allowing Lincoln to visit him. However, on the way the transport van is run off the road by a truck and crashes.
19 19 "The Key" Sergio Mimica-Gezzan Teleplay: Zack Estrin & Matt Olmstead
Story: Paul Scheuring		 April 24, 2006 (2006-04-24) 1AKJ18 8.63[29]
Lincoln is rescued from a car crash by his father, and learns the reason behind his set-up for Steadman's murder. Unfortunately, the authorities and Kellerman are tracking him. Kellerman makes it to the scene first, and after confronting Lincoln, he sees Bellick arrive, where he gives himself up, and Kellerman flees. Veronica finds evidence in Quinn's cellular phone leading to a residence in Blackfoot, Montana. In Fox River, Michael needs the infirmary key to complete the escape plan but is unable to steal it from Sara, so he asks Nika for help. However, by the time Michael is able to make a duplicate of the key, Sara switches the locks. Tweener is made aware of the escape plan, and tells Bellick, who finds the hole in the break room.
20 20 "Tonight" Bobby Roth Zack Estrin May 1, 2006 (2006-05-01) 1AKJ19 8.54[30]
Bellick discovers the hole, only to be knocked out by Westmoreland, though he is injured in the process. With this revelation, the team must escape tonight. With no time or alternatives, Michael is forced to involve Sara in the breakout, and asks her to leave the door open for him. Tweener joins the team. Veronica plans on going to Blackfoot, but is stopped by Nick, who holds her at gunpoint. Michael also needs Pope's help, so he sabotages the Taj Mahal model and holds a shank to Pope to get him to cooperate.
21 21 "Go" Dean White Matt Olmstead May 8, 2006 (2006-05-08) 1AKJ20 9.13[31]
Michael forces Pope to have Lincoln transferred from solitary to the infirmary, before knocking him out. Nick decides to let Veronica go and send her to Blackfoot. However, as Nick returns to his father, Abruzzi's man shows up and kills them both. Michael and his escape crew start breaking out from behind Michael's cell during tier-time. There, they make it through into the psych ward, disguised as patients and make it through to the infirmary. However, Haywire joins in on the escape, and Westmoreland collapses and dies from his injuries, but not before telling Michael where he left his $5 million. Michael, Lincoln, Abruzzi, Haywire, C-Note, T-Bag, Tweener and Sucre successfully escape from Fox River.
22 22 "Flight" Kevin Hooks Paul Scheuring May 15, 2006 (2006-05-15) 1AKJ21 10.24[32]
Now outside the prison walls, Michael, Lincoln and six other escapees race for their freedom as the authorities close in on them. Caroline Reynolds is abandoned by the Company and decides to take matters into her own hands, by having the President assassinated so she can take over. Veronica arrives in Montana and finds the evidence that will prove Lincoln's innocence, the very alive Terrence Steadman. In the getaway van Abruzzi had set up for them, T-Bag handcuffs himself to Michael to allow Abruzzi to let him live. Later, after they fail to cut the handcuffs, Abruzzi cuts off his hand. The team abandons him, Tweener and Haywire to fend for themselves. However, the plane Abruzzi has arranged leaves without them as the authorities surround the airport, and the team is forced to run for it with the authorities right behind them.

Home media release

Prison Break: The Complete First Season
Set details Special features
  • 22 episodes
  • 6-disc set
  • 1.78:1 aspect ratio
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
  • English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround)
Audio commentaries
  • "Pilot"
  • "Cute Poison"
  • "Riots, Drills and the Devil, Part 1"
  • "Riots, Drills and the Devil, Part 2"
  • "Odd Man Out"
  • "Brother's Keeper"
  • Deleted scenes
  • The Making of Prison Break
  • If These Walls Could Speak: Profile of the Joliet Correctional Center featurette
  • Beyond the Ink tattoo featurette
  • Fox Movie Channel Presents Making a Scene
  • TV Spots
Release dates
 United States
 Canada		  United Kingdom  Australia
 New Zealand
August 8, 2006[33] September 18, 2006[34] September 12, 2006[35]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ryan, Maureen, "Joliet prison is a 'Break'-out star", The Chicago Tribune. August 24, 2005. Retrieved on December 5, 2005.
  3. ↑ "Inside Prison Break: Chain male" Sydney Morning Herald. February 1, 2006. Retrieved on October 10, 2006.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Set Visit: Prison Break IGN. March 17, 2006. Retrieved on September 14, 2006.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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