Summary
Prison Breakran for five seasons (and one TV film), and following its conclusion, viewers might be craving more. Unfortunately, Fox does not plan to reboot the crime drama series or bringthePrison Breakcharactersback (again) for a possible season 6 anytime soon. However, the good news is thatplenty of other TV shows contain similar themes, characters, or overall vibes when compared toPrison Break.Whether they are also set in a prison, feature geniuses committing crimes, or incorporate intense and thrilling storylines, many series are seemingly like the Fox drama.
Although it’s not similar in any way toPrison Break,DC’s Legends of Tomorrowreunites Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell on the small screen, making the CW superhero show an interesting watch after the Fox crime drama. Miller and Purcell star as Leonard Snart/Captain Cold and Mick Rory/Heat Wave, roles that they previously originated onThe Flash.
Prison Breakfollows two brothers — Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) and Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller)— one of whom, Lincoln, is sentenced to death for a murder he didn’t commit. Consequently, Michael devises a complicated plan to break his brother out of prison, which includes getting himself in prison. Over the course ofPrison Break’s five seasons, the crime drama series had great ratings and the first season received rave reviews from critics, with its quality waning as the years went on. Nevertheless,Prison Breakhas come to an end, leaving fans to search for similar TV shows.
Prison Break’s Best Cast Reunion Happened 3 Years Before The Show’s Divisive Revival
Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell had a better reunion on The Flash, 3 years before Prison Break’s divisive season 5 revival.
Breaking Bad
Cast
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
Breaking Badis often considered one ofthe best TV shows of all timeand for a good reason. The AMC crime drama, created by Vince Gilligan, features a talented cast (led by Emmy winners Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul), interesting character development (or regression), thrilling storylines, excellent direction, and impressive cinematography. Consequently,Breaking Badis a great watch for those who enjoyedPrison Break. It has a crime element, complicated characters, and shocking twists.
Jesse Plemons
Todd Alquist
After watching all five seasons and 62episodes ofBreaking Bad,viewers are in luck because the stories don’t end there. A spinoff,Better Call Saul,premiered in 2015 and ran for six seasons, and Netflix released a sequel/epilogue,El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,in 2019. So, there is plenty ofBreaking Badto go around, andunlikePrison Break,most of the content in the franchise is critically acclaimedand maintains its quality from beginning to end.
Breaking Badwon multiple Emmys over the course of its five-season run, including two Outstanding Drama Series awards, four Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series nods for Bryan Cranston, three Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series awards for Aaron Paul, and two Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nods for Anna Gunn.
Mayor of Kingstown
Mayor of Kingstown, released in 2021, is a crime thriller series set in a small Michigan town where the McClusky family wields influence among police, criminals, and politicians. As power brokers, they navigate the complexities of a community reliant on the business of incarceration.
The theme of incarceration is strong inMayor of Kingstown,similar to howPrison Breakis structured around the prison system. The Paramount+ crime thriller TV series stars Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky, the “Mayor” of Kingstown, Michigan, a company town. The McLusky family has served as the mediators between several factions (prison guards, prisoners, police officers, street gangs, etc.) for decades. So, Renner’s Mike isn’t really the mayor, but he might as well be in theTaylor Sheridan TV show, given his influence in Kingstown and his attempts to maintain peace in the turbulent town.
Paramount+ hasn’t renewedMayor of Kingstownfor season 4 (yet), but the likelihood of more episodes is high given the season 3 finale and the show’s success.
Mayor of Kingstownpremiered in November 2021 and has since released three seasonsconsisting of 10 episodes. So, it would be a relatively quick binge. SincetheMayor of Kingstownseason 3 finaleaired on June 29, 2025, it might be a year or so before season 4 (which has not been confirmed) comes around. Nevertheless, the crime thriller’s high stakes and gritty setting are reminiscent ofPrison Break,making it one of the best shows to watch for fans.
24
24 follows CTU (Counter-Terrorism Unit) agent Jack Bauer as he contends with various threats to national and international security by any means necessary. With each season comprised of 24 episodes telling Bauer’s story in real-time, 24 brings the action to life one day at a time. Racing against the clock, Bauer is forced to make impossible decisions in the name of public service, bending his personal morals to get the job done.
24might not be set in a prison, butits high stakes and thrilling twists certainly make it a worthy follow-up toPrison Break.The Fox action drama TV series, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, has a compelling and unique premise (similar toPrison Break).24follows Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer, a federal agent with the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), who thwarts different terrorist or other threats every season. Each episode encompasses an hour in the show (which adds up to one day a season), depictingBauer and his allies' pursuits in24in real-time.
24sharesPrison Break’s complicated release schedule alongside its intense themes and dynamic characters.
Fox’s24contains nine seasons (and one TV film, just likePrison Break), with its initial run ending after season 8 in May 2010. However,Fox brought it back for a limited series event —24: Live Another Day,or24season 9. So,24sharesPrison Break’s complicated release schedule alongside its intense themes and dynamic characters.
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D.: This police drama, set in Chicago’s District 21, follows the distinct units within the Chicago Police Department—uniformed officers addressing street crimes and an Intelligence Unit tackling major offenses such as organized crime and drug trafficking, capturing the dedication of those who serve and protect their community.
Even thoughChicago PDshines a spotlight on law enforcement agents whilePrison Breakrevolves around convicts, the two shows have more in common than meets the eye. First of all,Matt Olmstead, who served as an executive producer onPrison Break,co-createdChicago PDalongside TV legend Dick Wolf. Olmstead was even a showrunner on the NBC police procedural series during its early seasons. So, both shows were partly crafted by the same hand. Additionally,Chicago PD(the secondshow in theOne Chicagofranchise) is much darker than other crime dramas and its themes resemble the ones inPrison Break.
Toya Turner
Kiana Cook
The character at the center ofthe cast ofChicago PDis Sergeant Hank Voight, who is a dirty cop, something that has driven the storyline since season 1. Voight’s methods are wholly illegal and controversial, often causing tension between him and his team in the Intelligence Unit.Chicago PD’s episodes are brutal and its characters are complex,and given that it has 11 seasons under its belt with the twelfth coming in the fall of 2024, the NBC series is an exciting and lengthy watch afterPrison Break.
White Collar
White Collar is a crime drama television series featuring Neal Caffrey, a skilled con artist and art thief, portrayed by Matt Bomer. After being captured by FBI agent Peter Burke, Neal agrees to help the FBI catch elusive white-collar criminals as a consultant, leveraging his unique skills. The series explores the evolving partnership and mutual trust between Neal and Peter, blending elements of crime-solving and personal redemption.
White Collaris another police procedural TV series that draws connections toPrison Break.For starters, the man at the center of the USA Network show is a convict and quite intelligent, similar toMichael inPrison Break.Matt Bomer stars as Neal Caffrey, a con man, forger, and a thief, inWhite Collar.The series begins with the FBI capturing Neal after a three-year chase. He is convicted and sentenced to four years in prison. With only a few months remaining in his sentence, though,Neal breaks out of prison (another tie to the Fox crime drama).
As of June 2024, aWhite Collarreboot is in the works featuring several of the original cast members, including [Matt] Bomer.
However, unlikePrison Break,Neal has a bit more luck when striving to obtain his freedom inWhite Collar.After he is caught the second time, Neal strikes a deal with the FBI — he will help Special Agent in Charge Peter Burke apprehend other white-collar criminals (hence the show’s title) in exchange for early release from prison.White Collarlasted for six seasonsbefore airing its finale in December 2014. However, as of June 2024, aWhite Collarreboot is in the works featuring several of the original cast members, including Bomer.
Money Heist
The Spanish heist drama Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), transformed into a global phenomenon by Netflix in 2017, follows a group of criminals as they execute a complex plan to rob the Royal Mint of Spain and the Bank of Spain. Created by Locked Up director Alex Pina, Money Heist is one of Netflix’s biggest international hits that influenced pop culture with its iconic Salvador Dalí masks and Bella Ciao hymn.
Money Heistshares many similarities withPrison Breakas both TV shows revolve around intricate criminal plans. While the Fox series follows a man trying to break his brother out of prison,Money Heistchronicles two complex and thoroughly planned heists,one on the Royal Mint of Spain and the other on the Bank of Spain. The Netflix heist crime drama, created by Álex Pina, is presented in real-time (similar to24) and its story is told by an unreliable narrator (one of the bank robbers).
Money Heistwas critically acclaimed and one ofthe most popular shows on Netflixas of the time of its airing. Consequently, its planned limited, two-part series run was lengthened to five parts when the global streaming rights to the Spanish series were acquired by Netflix.The streaming service also ordered a spinoff,Berlin,right before theMoney Heistseries finale aired in late 2021.Berlinseason 1 was released on Netflix in December 2023, and even though the spinoff didn’t live up to the original show, it still received a second season order.
The Blacklist
The Blacklist follows Raymond “Red” Reddington, a notorious fugitive, who shocks the FBI by surrendering and offering to help capture dangerous criminals. With a mysterious agenda, Reddington insists on working exclusively with rookie FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen, using his deep knowledge of an elusive criminal network.
Similar toPrison Break,a criminal leadsthe cast ofThe Blacklist— Raymond “Red” Reddington, played by James Spader.Red was on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitives Listbefore turning himself in during the premiere of the NBC crime thriller series. He makes a deal with the FBI, though. In exchange for his freedom, Red will help the government track down the criminals he has associated with over the course of the past two decades. Red entices the agents by claiming that the people he worked with are so dangerous that the FBI isn’t even aware of their existence.
NBC developed and released a spinoff,The Blacklist: Redemption, which aired for only one season in 2017 before the network canceled it due to low ratings.
The Blacklistwas one of NBC’s most successful TV showsfor a long time as it ran for 10 seasons and 218 episodes, givingPrison Breakfans a lot of content to consume. Of course, like many series, the quality ofThe Blacklist’s episodesdeclined over time. But it had at least six intriguing seasons before the crime thriller began to lose the plot, which is a lot more than many TV shows can say.
Oz
Oz was a crime-drama series from HBO created by Tom Fontana. The series focuses on the inmates and officers of the fictional experimental Oswald State Correctional Facility. The prison, prioritizing rehabilitation instead of corrective punishment, navigates the fragile social cliques within its halls, where tensions never relent.
Ozis a bit of an obvious answer when debating which TV shows are most likePrison Break. Similar to the Fox crime drama,Oztakes place in a prison — the Oswald State Correctional Facility in New York,which is a fictional level 4 maximum-security state facility. The series focuses on an experimental unit that stresses the importance of rehabilitation rather than punishment in prison, run by unit manager Tim McManus and Warden Leo Glynn.Ozis arguablythe best TV show about prison, thanks to its brutal and graphic nature and thrilling storylines, making it the perfect watch afterPrison Break.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Simon Adebisi
Oz, which debuted in July 1997, ran for six seasons and helped put HBO on the map. It was praised for its performances, diversity, brutal but necessary plot, complex characters, and more during its time on TV.Ozwas also nominated for and received several awards,including Primetime Emmy Award nominations, GLAAD Media Award nods, NAACP Image Award nominations, and much more.
Prodigal Son
Before becoming an FBI Profiler, Malcolm Bright turned in his father when he discovered he was an infamous serial killer called “the Surgeon.” Despite having a strained relationship with his father, Malcolm must visit him to get insights on a copycat killer. Prodigal Son starred Tom Payne and Lou Diamond Phillips and aired for two seasons.
Prodigal Sonis a compelling and unique TV show that was gone too soon as itonly lasted for two seasons before Fox canceled it.Nevertheless, the Fox procedural drama series, created by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver, premiered in 2019 and centers around the complicated relationship between a father and a son. The son — Malcolm Bright, played by Tom Payne intheProdigal Soncast— is a former FBI profiler working with the NYPD. Meanwhile, the father — Martin Whitley, played by Michael Sheen — is a convicted serial killer who was caught when Malcolm turned him in when he was a child.
[Prodigal Son] deviates a bit fromPrison Breakdue to the fact that Malcolm and Martin’s relationship is much more complicated than Michael and Lincoln’s, and Martin is actually guilty of his crimes.
Similar toPrison Break,Prodigal Sonfollows the relationship between two family members, one of whom is in prison.However, it deviates a bit fromPrison Breakdue to the fact that Malcolm and Martin’s relationship is much more complicated than Michael and Lincoln’s, and Martin is actually guilty of his crimes.Prodigal Sonstill contains high stakes, exciting twists, and complex characters, so, fans of the older Fox crime drama should like the newer one.
Orange is The New Black
Based on the memoir by Piper Kerman, Orange Is the New Black follows Piper Champman (Taylor Schilling) after she turns herself in for a 15-month sentence in a minimum-security women’s prison for aiding in a drug-smuggling operation run by her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon). One of Netflix’s most popular original series, the show explores the corruption inherent in the US prison system through the lens of Piper’s experiences.
Orange Is the New Blackis another prison drama that mainly takes place in a prison setting just likePrison Break(at least the first season). The Netflix TV series leans a bit more into its comedic side than the Fox crime drama does, though. It follows Piper Chapman, played by Taylor Schilling inthe cast ofOrange Is the New Black, who is sentenced to 15 months inLitchfield Penitentiary, a fictional minimum-security women’s federal prison in New York.Piper is in prison due to her ex-girlfriend, who she reunites with while at Litchfield Penitentiary.
Orange Is the New Blackis based on Piper Kerman’s memoirOrange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison.
Over the course ofOrange Is the New Black’s six-year run, the comedy-drama received high praise from critics and audiences alike for humanizing prisoners, along with its diversity, writing, direction, and the cast’s performances.Orange Is the New Blackeven received eight Emmy nominations, including one win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Uzo Aduba. Of course, many should watchOrange Is the New Blackregardless of its similarities toPrison Break, but both are among the top prison TV shows of all time.
