Breakout Kings: The Complete First Season

From the creators of Prison Break, this A&E cable series applies the concept of It Takes a Thief to a federal law enforcement squad assigned to catching prison escapees. U.S. Marshals Charlie DuChamp (Laz Alonso) and Ray Zancanelli (Domenick Lombardozzi) use a handpicked bunch of convicted criminals (some of them successful breakout artists themselves) to track the most dangerous runaways. Both sides feature damaged crews: the good guys have skeletons in their closets, while the convicts—compulsive gambler and psychology savant Lloyd (Jimmi Simpson), former gang leader Shea (Malcolm Goodwin), and revenge assassin Erica (Serinda Swan)—can't really be trusted. Not surprisingly, the cons don't play well with others, but they have a powerful incentive—a reduced sentence—to make things work. Serving up a smart twist on the high-energy crime show, Breakout Kings boasts the attitude and style of dramas like The Shield coupled with the urgency of 24. Not only is there a 72-hour window before escaped prisoners are generally beyond the reach of the Marshals, but those on the run are particularly dangerous because they have nothing to lose. The show doesn't flinch from that reality—some of the targets leave a grisly trail of victims—and the stories keep the tension running high. Compiling all 13 episodes from 2011's first season, DVD extras include episode audio commentaries, behind-the-scene featurettes, and deleted scenes. A clever, well-made show with strong characters and a good cast, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)