Netflix’s Trending Crime Show From 19 Years Ago Is Perfect To Watch While Waiting For Dexter’s New Spinoffs

Prison Break is now streaming on Netflix, and it is the perfect show for Dexter fans to watch while waiting for Dexter: Original Sin and Dexter: Resurrection. While the upcoming Dexter prequel had been confirmed since January 2023, Dexter’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 included the announcement of a brand-new sequel series. Dexter: Resurrection will take place after Dexter: New Blood, which itself had been a revival of the original series and ended in 2022. Original Sin will premiere in December 2024, with Resurrection eying a Summer 2025 release.

Patrick Gibson will play the younger version of Dexter Morgan in Original Sin, but Michael C. Hall will narrate the prequel. Hall is also returning for Dexter: Resurrection, although it is still unclear how things will work out since Dexter died in New Blood’s divisive finale. The announcement of a sequel series featuring Michael C. Hall has led to many theories about how Dexter could have survived, but it is also possible that he will only appear as a figment of Harrison’s imagination. Regardless, the Dexter universe is expanding with the prequel and the sequel.

Prison Break Is Now Trending On Netflix & It’s Great To Watch Before Dexter’s Prequel & Sequel Shows

Prison Break Is One Of The Best Crime Dramas Of The 2000s

Those who enjoy crime dramas and cannot wait for Dexter to return in Original Sin and Resurrection should check out Prison Break, which is currently trending on Netflix. Similar to Dexter’s original run, Prison Break was a groundbreaking series that set the bar high for crime dramas and is often referred to as one of the best TV shows of the early 2000s. Prison Break premiered in August 2005 and followed the story of Michael Scofield, an engineer who robs a bank so that he can be sent to the prison where his brother is about to face the death penalty.

Prison Break season 1 was the show’s best by far, as it made the most of its premise and made audiences care about Michael, Lincoln, and everyone else who became part of their mission. Prison Break is one of those shows that would have benefited from ending after one season considering it never recaptured the quality of its debut. Still, the other four seasons of Prison Break and the movie also had great moments. The first and third seasons of Prison Break take place almost entirely inside prisons, with the other two taking place out in the open.

Prison Break & Dexter Both Follow Anti-Hero Criminals & Their Families

Michael Has To Do Whatever It Takes To Save His Brother

Dexter was a more traditional procedure in which every episode would see the titular character working on new cases, both as a forensic scientist and as a criminal mastermind serving as an anti-hero. Prison Break also dealt with morally grey characters, starting with Michael Scofield himself. Michael was certain that Lincoln was about to be executed for a crime he did not commit, meaning he was ready to do whatever was necessary to take his brother out of jail. Michael never played by the rules and used his great intellect to fight the powers that wanted his brother dead.

Once Michael, Lincoln, and the others put their prison break plan in motion, it becomes nearly impossible not to root for them. Even though the crew included violent convicted criminals who only joined the escape because they found out about it, Prison Break makes us care about them and whatever dreams and goals they have beyond the penitentiary. Dexter does something similar through its titular character’s twisted crusade, which is part of the reason why the show was fascinating and remained successful for so long. Prison Break’s premise changes after season 1, but Michael and Lincoln remain the heart of the story.

Prison Break & Dexter Both Got Divisive Revivals Nearly A Decade After Their Original Endings

Prison Break & Dexter’s Legacies Are Complicated

Dexter concluded in 2013 after eight seasons but was brought back eight years. While Dexter: New Blood was a very exciting project considering how disappointing Dexter season 8’s finale had been, the revival had its own share of problems. Dexter: New Blood’s series finale was as poorly received as the one from season eight if not more. Prison Break went through something very similar, as the show returned in 2017 for a limited series nine years after it had ended with season 4. Prison Break technically has three endings – season 4’s finale, the 2008 TV movie, and the 2017 revival.

The idea of a Prison Break limited series that would bring back Michael and Lincoln for a self-contained story with modern storytelling and a significant budget sounded incredibly promising. Unfortunately, Prison Break season 5 was a very divisive addition to the show’s legacy and failed to recapture the magic of the series’ original run, particularly the first season. That said, Prison Break’s highs make up for the lows, which can also be said about Dexter. While Dexter continues to revisit its titular character, a Prison Break reboot with new characters and a new story is currently in the works.

Prison Break

3.5

Prison Break tells the story of two brothers who must unravel a political conspiracy while escaping from one of the most secure places on Earth. When petty criminal Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) is falsely convicted of murdering the Vice President’s brother, his own brother, Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), has himself incarcerated in order to stage a daring prison break using the blueprints of the facility he has tattooed on his body.  

Cast

Curtis Lum , Sarah Wayne Callies , Marina Benedict , Amin El Gamal , Wentworth Miller , Steve Mouzakis , Dominic Purcell , Bobby Naderi , Christian Michael Cooper

Release Date

August 29, 2005

Seasons

5

Network

FOX

Showrunner

Paul Scheuring