Prison Break Is an Underrated Crime Thriller Beloved by Stephen King

Stephen King once drew a line between what he thinks is great television and what he can’t stop watching, and his choice for the latter was Prison Break. The series premiered on Fox in 2005 with a premise that should not have worked: structural engineer Michael Scofield gets himself imprisoned so he can break his brother Lincoln Burrows out, the entire escape plan tattooed across his body.

The first season averaged 9.2 million viewers and became an early example of appointment TV that encouraged binge viewing before the term existed. The show really peaks early. Season 1 set the tone, and Season 2—a sprawling, cross-country chase—arguably stands as the best, but Seasons 3 and 4 pushed the premise further than made sense and Fox canceled the series in 2009.

King summed up his affection in Entertainment Weekly: "I love Prison Break madly, deeply, truly...

prison break, stephen king, michael scofield, lincoln burrows, fox, season 1, season 2, tattoo, escape plan, appointment tv