Prison Break: Season One DVD Credits:

Region: 1

Prison Break: Season One DVD Release Date: 7th August 2006

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Prison Break: Season One DVD Review:

When shows like 24, Lost and Prison Break started coming on-air, I was confused. I am all for the movement of television towards a more theatrical approach. These shows are filmed in ways that would rival many of the films I watch in movie theaters, both visually and as far as the suspense goes as well. The only problem is that they all had a catch, and that was what confused me. 24 was confusing after the first season, mostly because the show is called 24. I wasn’t sure if it would suddenly be called 48, or if a new character would begin 24 hours in the second season. It simply turned out that Jack Bauer is the only man that has horribly long days, and they are a few years apart. Lost brought the same question about following seasons; how many would it take before they were no longer lost? Prison Break surprised me by throwing the catch of the show out with the season finale of the very first season. The show is called Prison Break, and that is exactly what happens throughout all of season one, but shouldn’t season two now be called Manhunt?

Although the long-term success of shows that will eventually need a conclusion or risk losing the audience is something that may make each of these shows fall apart, Prison Break does a good job of staying afloat through season one. There are endless twists and plenty of action and suspense as a brother risks everything he has to save a life. Many of these twists along with the premise of the show are somewhat difficult to swallow at first, especially watching the episodes all at once on DVD, but the special features are loaded with crew members more than willing to admit that there are holes. Prison Break requires a bit of suspended belief, but after that it is an enjoyable ride the whole way.

Wentworth Miller (The Human Stain) plays Michael Scofield, a structural engineer who has his entire tattooed with the blueprints of the prison his brother is held at and robs a bank. By shooting the gun during the robbery, Michael is eligible to go to the same prison as his brother (Dominic Purcell), who is about to be put to death for a crime he did not commit. On the outside is his ex-girlfriend (Robin Tunney), who is beginning to piece together the conspiracy, and his son are in danger of their own. Michael also begins an unlikely relationship with the prison doctor, who has a past of her own.

Season one of Prison Break is fit onto six discs, which are all placed in three slim-disc cases and into a cardboard case. This is the way the show is best watched. There is no time to question the plot if you watch the episodes one-after-another. There are twenty-two episodes in season one, and there are commentaries available on ten of the episodes, including director Brett Ratner’s commentary on the pilot. Disc one also has two alternate scenes and disc six is filled with three featurettes. “If these Walls Could Talk” is mostly about the set for the show and “Beyond the Ink” discusses the practicality of Scofield’s tattoo. There is also an inside look into the second season.

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Prison Break: Season One DVD review written by: Ryan Izay