| Season | Year | Episodes | Primary Setting | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Season 1 | 2005–06 | 22 | Fox River (Illinois) | | Season 2 | 2006–07 | 22 | On the Run (USA/Panama) | | Season 3 | 2007–08 | 13 | Sona (Panama) | | Season 4 | 2008–09 | 22 + 2 TV Movies | USA / Company HQ | | Season 5 | 2017 | 9 | Yemen / USA |
The second season shifts from a "prison break" to a nationwide manhunt, described by creators as "The Fugitive times eight."
Shortened due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, Season 3 returns to the claustrophobic feel of the first season. Michael is trapped in Sona, a prison run by the inmates rather than the guards. He must break someone out of Sona to secure the freedom of his girlfriend, Sara. list of prison break episodes
The inaugural season is widely considered the show's strongest. It focuses entirely on Michael Scofield’s elaborate scheme to break his brother, Lincoln Burrows, out of Fox River State Penitentiary. The tension is derived from the intricate mechanics of the escape and the shifting alliances among inmates.
The tension peaks as "The Fox River Eight" finally scale the walls, only to find their getaway plane taking off without them. Season 2: The Manhunt (22 Episodes) | Season | Year | Episodes | Primary
Picking up minutes after the Season 1 finale, the "Fox River Eight" are on the run. The scope expands significantly as the show adopts a style often compared to The Fugitive . The season introduces Alexander Mahone, an FBI agent who is Michael’s intellectual equal.
Michael Scofield enters Fox River with a full-body tattoo concealing the prison's blueprints. The inaugural season is widely considered the show's
A massive two-part riot provides cover for Michael to drill through a critical wall while saving Dr. Sara Tancredi.
A flashback episode revealing the life of each character before they arrived at Fox River.
