Club Benefits
- The Deadline: All 5 seasons leave Netflix on Jan. 29
- The Legacy: 20 years since Michael Scofield’s iconic tattooed-blueprint debut.
- The Future: A Hulu reboot is in the works, but stars Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell are not involved.
- The Verdict: Don't miss out on witnessing one of the greatest TV setups in history.
Over 20 years after "Prison Break" aired on Fox, I still remember the line in the first promo that immediately hooked me: “I’m getting you out of here.” When Michael (Wentworth Miller) gets locked up to break his brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) out, Linc tells him it’s impossible. Michael simply reveals his torso—a masterpiece of tattooed blueprints—and counters, “Better than that, I’ve got ‘em on me.” It remains one of the most iconic TV entrances of all time.
Growing up, sass was my love language, so I was punished with TV bans more often than not. For "Supernatural," I broke into my mom’s room a la "Prison Break" to watch; for "Prison Break" itself, I had a co-conspirator librarian write me passes to watch taped episodes during study hall. These characters felt like family, which makes it even harder to say goodbye now that the entire series is breaking out of Netflix on January 29.
Why Michael Scofield is the ultimate anti-hero
You can frame Michael and Lincoln as anti-heroes, but every dicey decision they make is rooted in loyalty. Few things annoy me more than “sympathy for the devil” plotlines that use a tragic backstory to exonerate a villain, but Michael Scofield is different. He doesn’t turn his childhood trauma on innocent people; he’s a deeply empathetic genius repaying the brother who protected him.
That nuance won over audiences for four seasons, even when the show struggled with its own name. Once the big escape happens in season 1, where do you go? While the cycle of breaking into new prisons (Sona, anyone?) eventually felt redundant, I didn't hate the change of pace in season 4 — until the final episode.
The 'Prison Break' finale and controversial time jump
The "Prison Break" finale destroyed 15-year-old me. I went into mourning: I made blueberry pancakes (if you know, you know), donned Scofield-style aviators, and carried an origami crane to school. I’m not opposed to main characters dying, but the way they did it felt like “cruel and unusual punishment.”
The writers used a “four years later” time jump to kill Michael off-screen, then expected fans to pay $30 for "The Final Break" DVD special to see how it happened. It was a lackluster cash grab that the characters didn't deserve, followed by a 2017 revival that retconned his death but left the characterization a mess.
Is Hulu's 'Prison Break' reboot worth the wait?
Now, the cycle begins again. Hulu has officially ordered a "Prison Break" reboot starring Emily Browning and Lukas Gage. While it’s set in the same universe, Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell won't be involved.
I’m bracing myself for the writers to retcon the retcon. It already took me seven years to rewatch the show in preparation for the last revival, a process that required enough origami cranes to fill a trash bag.
Whether you're rewatching for the first time or the 10th, do it now before the blueprints disappear from Netflix on January 29.
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