Debapriya Bhattacharya
Helmed by Paul Scheuring, ‘Prison Break’ is set around Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) being falsely convicted of a crime and sentenced to death. While he is being held at the Fox River State Penitentiary, his brother Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) devises a plan to break him out and clear his name. A skilled structural engineer, Michael gets himself convicted of armed robbery to gain access to the prison. Inside, he quickly gains a handful of allies before setting his plan in motion. However, the brothers’ efforts are not only challenged by the guards but also by members of an underground organization that has been responsible for Lincoln’s conviction in the first place. The crime drama thriller champions the spirit of brotherhood, highlights the importance of brain over brawn, and lays out the thrilling formation and execution of strategies under pressure. If you are in search of shows similar to ‘Prison Break’ on Netflix, the following list will help you get started.
10. Squid Game (2021-2025)
Originally titled ‘Ojing-eo geim,’ ‘Squid Game’ created by Hwang Dong-hyuk follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a middle-aged man who finds himself at the end of his rope. He is a divorced father with massive gambling debts who lives with his elderly working mother. When Seong Gi-hun is offered a chance to win a massive cash prize by participating in a tournament of children’s games, he readily agrees. He is taken to an unknown location, where he meets 455 other contestants with similar financial constraints. The players are made to wear green tracksuits and kept under surveillance round the clock by masked guards. As soon as the first game begins, they realize that, similar to the prize money, losing the game also comes with a very high price. Like the brothers in ‘Prison Break,’ Seong Gi-hun and his fellow contestants become desperate to leave the game. Binge-watch the show here.
9. Who Killed Sara? (2021-2022)
Created by José Ignacio Valenzuela, ‘Who Killed Sara?’ tells the story of Álex Guzmán (Manolo Cardona), who is falsely convicted of killing his sister Sara (Ximena Lamadrid) as a teenager while they were partying with their friends at a lake. After spending 18 years in prison, Álex comes out with his mind set on identifying the true killer of his sister, and making them pay for their crime. He also sets his eye on the influential Lazcano family, who played a role in his imprisonment. Similar to Lincoln Burrows in ‘Prison Break,’ Álex gets incarcerated without just cause, which later fuels his desire for justice. Stream the show originally titled ‘Quién Mató a Sara?’ on Netflix.
8. Money Heist (2017-2021)
From the mind of Álex Pina, ‘Money Heist’ chronicles the attempt of a small group of robbers led by the Professor (Álvaro Morte) to steal billions of euros from the Royal Mint of Spain and the Bank of Spain. To protect their identities, the group members take up city names as aliases. They deal with hostages and law enforcement officers while carrying out their plans, the unfolding of which is narrated by one of the team members, Silene Oliveira aka Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó). Much like the brothers in ‘Prison Break,’ the Professor lays out elaborate plans for their mission to be successful. Originally titled ‘La casa de papel,’ you can view the show here.
7. The Sea Beyond (2020-)
Originally titled ‘Mare fuori,’ ‘The Sea Beyond’ takes place in a correctional facility in Naples, Italy, where two new inmates are brought in on the same day. Carmine Di Salvo (Massimiliano Caiazzo) is born in a mafia family but wants to become a professional hairdresser, while Filippo Ferrari (Nicolas Maupas) is a rising pianist from a wealthy family who has been in the city on vacation. Inside the prison, they are picked on by Ciro Ricci (Giacomo Giorgio), son of a mob boss who commands his own gang within the walls. The challenges that the inmates face within the facility are reminiscent of what the inmates of the penitentiary have to go through in ‘Prison Break.’ Watch the show created by Maurizio Careddu and Cristiana Farina here.
6. Prison Playbook (2017)
Helmed by Lee Woo-jung, ‘Prison Playbook’ stars Park Hae-soo as Kim Je-hyuk, a popular baseball pitcher who is set to fly to the US to join the Boston Red Sox. Days ahead of his departure, he jumps in to protect his sister from becoming the victim of an assault and uses fatal force on the perpetrator. As a result, Kim himself gets charged for assault and earns one year of jail time. Inside prison, he painfully learns that despite his mastery over baseball, he has to struggle to look after himself. Similar to the inmates in ‘Prison Break,’ Kim gets accustomed to the new way of life while counting the days he will be out by. You can stream the show originally titled ‘Seulgirowun Gamppangsaenghwal’ on Netflix.
5. Locked Up (2015-2019)
Created by Iván Escobar, Esther Martínez Lobato, and Álex Pina, ‘Locked Up’ revolves around Macarena Ferreiro Molina (Maggie Civantos), who embezzles money under the influence of her boss, with whom she is infatuated. Charged with four counts of tax fraud, Macarena becomes an inmate of the Cruz del Sur Prison. Since her conviction carries a maximum sentence of seven years, she begins to acquaint herself with the new environment in preparation for the worst. The high bail set for her further hinders her chances of getting out. Macarena’s encounter with the world behind bars is reminiscent of what Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield go through in ‘Prison Break.’ Follow the show originally titled ‘Vis a vis’ on Netflix.
4. El Marginal (2016-2022)
Developed by Israel Adrián Caetano and Sebastián Ortega, ‘El Marginal’ centers around ex-cop Miguel Palacios (Juan Minujín). Assuming a false name and under a fake judicial case, he enters a prison in San Onofre as an inmate to infiltrate a gang whose members are incarcerated in the institution. Miguel’s objective is to extract information on the missing daughter of a judge, for whom the gang is suspected to be responsible. Getting imprisoned by choice in order to fulfil a mission unites the storylines of Miguel and Michael Scofield in ‘Prison Break.’ You can watch the show on Netflix.
3. Prison Cell 211 (2025)
Inspired by a true incident, ‘Prison Cell 211’ follows human rights attorney Juan Olvera (Diego Calva), who visits a state prison in a Mexican border town on December 31, 2022, to meet with a client. Unfortunately, a prison riot breaks out while he is inside the facility, and Juan finds himself trapped among the incarcerated. To save himself, he assumes the identity of a prisoner and frantically searches for a way to escape in the unrest. Juan doing whatever it takes to get out of the prison alive is much similar to what the brothers do in ‘Prison Break.’ View the show here.
2. Escape at Dannemora (2018)
Helmed by Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin, ‘Escape at Dannemora’ reimagines the 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility escape in upstate New York. Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell (Patricia Arquette) is a married prison employee who becomes romantically involved with two inmates, convicted murderers Richard Matt (Benicio del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano). She helps them escape the facility, only to be recaptured. Tilly is taken into custody and well, and forced to put her affairs and her role in the prison break on record. The prison break orchestrated by Richard and David is much like what Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield attempt in ‘Prison Break.’ You can stream the show here.
1. The Inmate (2018)
Originally titled ‘El recluso,’ ‘The Inmate’ tells the story of former US Marine Lázaro Mendoza (Ignacio Serricchio), who assumes the false identity of Dante Pardo and is accused of triple homicide. Incarcerated in La Rotunda, a maximum security prison in Mexico, he attempts to infiltrate a ruthless gang comprising convicted criminals and corrupt prison guards, who are the primary suspects in the disappearance of the teenage daughter of a judge. Similar to the brothers in ‘Prison Break,’ Lázaro is a man on a mission who seeks to get in and out of prison while succeeding in his objective. Based on the Argentine show ‘ El Marginal,’ you can binge-watch Joaquín Casasola, Enrique Vázquez, and Gerónimo Barriga’s creation on Netflix.
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