--- title: "Prison Break: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/prison-break/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/prison-break" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Prison Break (2005): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 11 reviews: 7 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like Prison Break, and they like it for the same reason: the premise. A structural engineer tattoos the prison’s blueprints onto his body and gets himself locked up to free his brother, and the reviews agree the first season’s intricate plotting and steady escalation make that idea hold. Wentworth Miller’s steely lead performance gets much of the credit for carrying viewers through it, and the ensemble draws warm notices, with Robert Knepper’s T-Bag named repeatedly as the standout. The reservations cluster on everything after the first season. Later runs are described as a repetitive cycle of capture and escape, with convoluted plotting and diminishing returns, and Paste argues the series should have stopped after one year. The 2017 revival divides the reviews: IndieWire welcomes its return to the old formula of tattoos and conspiracies, while The Hollywood Reporter thinks it should have stayed dead. The spread is wide, from open enthusiasm to that lone dismissal. ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 89/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2006. The critic praises the audacious high-concept premise of a structural engineer tattooing prison blueprints on his body to break out his brother, calling it one of the most compelling serial thrillers from US television. They single out the clever, nail-bitingly intricate plotting and escalating ingenuity in the early episodes for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/prison-break-season-1-part-1-review/) ## IndieWire — Liz Shannon Miller Fi1m's normalised score 84/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2017. The critic celebrates the revival's return to the original series' weird, addictive formula of tattoos, conspiracies and escapes, praising how it embraces the show's unapologetic absurdity without major changes. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/prison-break-review-return-1201801040/) ## The Guardian — Charlie Brooker Fi1m's normalised score 77/100 (inferred from the text). 21 January 2006. The critic celebrates the show's unapologetic stupidity as a potential new golden age of inanity. He singles out the ludicrous premise, including the tattooed prison blueprints and the structural engineer's bank robbery to get imprisoned, for particular mockery and delight. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/jan/21/tvandradio.theguide) ## The Times — Stephen Armstrong Fi1m's normalised score 77/100 (inferred from the text). 22 January 2006. The piece profiles the show's star and describes the bonkers, bruising premise as a surprise hit. It singles out Wentworth Miller's lead performance as largely responsible for carrying viewers through television’s all-time most ludicrous plot involving conspiracies, death row, and intricate escape plans. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/television-he-aint-guilty-hes-my-brother-0tn5s70tqz7) ## Variety — Brian Lowry Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 24 August 2005. The review finds the series intriguing primarily due to its strong cast led by Wentworth Miller as the determined brother masterminding the escape. It singles out Miller’s steely intensity and the tantalizing setup for praise while noting the surplus of moving parts in the premiere leaves some uncertainty about sustaining the premise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2005/film/awards/prison-break-4-1200523700/) ## The AV Club — Josh Modell Rating C+. 4 April 2017. The review notes the revival's silly, convoluted plot and over-the-top elements but finds it ultimately entertaining and fun in a mindless way, highlighting the excitement of the escape premise and some MacGyver-like moments. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/prison-break-rises-from-the-dead-takes-off-running-1798190910) ## The Telegraph Rating 3/5. 11 April 2017. The critic views the revival as a nostalgic blast of pure escapism that works for fans of the original's outlandish schemes. They single out the monotonous cycle of incarceration and escape after season one as the main flaw, alongside the enduring appeal of the clever twists and attractive characters. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/04/11/prison-break-returns-blast-pure-escapism-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 38/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2017. The critic views the revival as one best left dead, aimed only at diehard nostalgic fans, with a clunky story reliant on prior knowledge of characters and motivations. They single out the revival of the main character from the dead and reliance on familiar but exhausted plot devices for complaint. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/prison-break-review-991046/) ## Den of Geek Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2013. The piece praises the first season's compulsive, entertaining prison-break thrills and standout characters like T-Bag and Mahone while criticizing the later seasons' convoluted plotting, diminishing returns and wasted potential. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-wasted-potential-of-prison-break/) ## Digital Spy — Morgan Jeffery Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2011. The retrospective highlights the addictive storytelling and strong ensemble of the early seasons, especially the first, while noting the show's bold risks, memorable characters like T-Bag and Mahone, and its peak as slick, fun TV despite later weaknesses. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a356121/prison-break-tube-talk-gold/) ## Paste — Amy Amatangelo Rating 5.8. 31 March 2017. The critic argues the series probably should have ended after one season, calling it a preposterous but entertaining testosterone-fueled soap opera for its initial run. They single out the breakout performance of Robert Knepper as T-Bag as a highlight amid the cheesy sets and corny dialogue. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/prison-break/prison-break-should-have-stayed-locked-up) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/prison-break.md