Prison Break: Season One

One of the surprise hits of TV's 2005-06 season, Prison Break richly deserves the plaudits: this is an unusually taut, suspenseful show, somewhat in the mold of 24 but even more gritty, owing to the harshness of its setting. The show's premise is irresistible: engineer Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) purposely gets himself incarcerated in Fox River Penitentiary with the idea of breaking out his brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell), who's been falsely convicted of murdering the Vice President's brother, a crime that actually was part of a huge political conspiracy. Michael's plan seems ridiculous, even insane, until it's revealed that he helped design the Fox River facility and knows every brick in the place. But he'll need help, and to get it he's forced to deal with some of the prison's most vile and dangerous felons. With each of the 22 episodes collected on this six-disc set the plan grows more dangerous and Michael's chances of success diminish. Top-drawer scripting and great acting from an experienced cast of supporting players (including Stacy Keach, Robin Tunney, and Peter Stormare) make Prison Break a remarkably compelling show. DVD extras include audio commentaries for six episodes, a half-hour “making-of” featurette, a look at Joliet Correctional Center in Illinois (where the series is shot), a featurette on Michael's full-body tattoo, and alternate/deleted scenes. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)