Prison Break is going to that great, big slammer in the sky: Fox has announced that its once-signature drama will end its four-season run later this year. Exec producer Matt Olmstead tells EW exclusively that there was ”nowhere to go beyond this season,” adding that he ”didn’t want the show to become a parody of itself.” Ratings-wise, the decision was easy since viewership is down 22 percent from last year. Luckily, fans will get some closure. Break returns April 17 to air its remaining six episodes. Michael and Lincoln (Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell) will finally catch a break — at a huge cost — in May’s finale. Says Olmstead, ”There will be deaths.” But since Fox extended Break’s 22-episode order by two hours earlier this year, that ”finale” may not even be the show’s last gasp. Olmstead has filmed a couple of extra segments that he says ”address a couple of other storylines [and] can play as a standalone [movie].” What’s more, there are rumblings that Break might get a stay of execution under somewhat different circumstances. Explains exec producer Dawn Parouse, ”I would love to do a show about a women’s prison. It would have to be a fresh start — if not by us, then somebody.”
'Prison Break' exclusive: Exec producer talks about the final season
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Comments (1-30) of 141 Add your comment
I totally disagree that Prison Break has played out or could become a parody. That would depend on the writers. There are many ways the show could go. I think they are limiting themselves as to trying to stay true to the title only. I will miss the show very much and all the main characters!!
Probably one of the best shows of the decade, so why stop? Every episode has it’s twist in the story line. I would hate to see this show come to an end.
They could make it like the A Team and have a lot of fun in it. Have the brothers go against their mother and help all the people somehow effected by the company.
I will take Prison Break anyway I can get it.
I’m so glad it’s ending, and I’m a big fan. This show has become so over-the-top. I mean, how many years can they keep getting involved in this? It’s gone so far from where the show began. Not all shows should run forever like Law & Order, you know, some shows were only destined to be on the air for a few years.
Kill Michael, that’s what I want. I don’t hate his character, but I think it would be an interesting twist to the end of the series, and could stir up some emotions from the others. Or Linc, either one. I don’t think it’ll happen though. Maybe they’ll kill Sara again. Personally, since I’m such a huge fan of the previous seasons, I’m glad it’s ending, because it is becoming rather over-the-top. The only problem: what will happen to the cast members’ careers? The show is basically all they have, really. Maybe they’ll break out, but you never know.
See folks! Even Matt Olmstead knows when t quit when your ahead. Tired of reading all these comments from people thinking the show could go on 2-4 more seasons.
Wentworth Miller will become a big action star beyond Prison Break.
I’m sorry for all PB fans. Don’t watch it myself but know how hard it is to have a show go off. Hope they find as satisfying an end as possible.
I think it’s time to call it a day. How many more times can they be double-crossed and betrayed by people they’re working with? How many more people have to “die?” Just give everyone a satisfying ending, so no one can complain that the show was abruptly canceled without any resolution.
Thank god. Unlike Olmstead, I thought PB already hit self-parody in the middle of season 3’s Sona excursion plot (made all too irrelevant by Whistler’s hasty death) and season 4’s A-Team-meets-Mission-Impossible plot made the show far too ridiculous for its own good. Gone is the tense action that made season 1 a nail biting drama and now it’s as silly as CSI: Miami. PB should’ve ended strongly with two seasons like the writers originally planned instead of getting caught up into this current mess.
I really loved the first two seasons, but the show started to lose steam pretty quickly. The beginning of this season, I thought, had alot of potential but it did not pan out. I stopped watching part way through the season. With the show being cancelled, I may watch the last few episodes for closure. After Michael found out he had a tumor, I just couldn’t watch the show anymore…it was too silly and painful to watch. Seriously!
I’m a big fan of the show,but I’m also an even bigger fan of W.Miller.All the actors did their best and the show came to this point that there are little things unsaid.Let it end now that it is still on top.By the way I would like Michael to be killed.That would be a great end and a perspective for my lovely mr.Miller to start from the beggining(beyond Micheal).
I am really saddened at this news. I admit that Season 3 was dire but Season 4 is back on form. I will be really sad to see the end of this show. I hope we get a happy ending for Michael and Lincoln.
I deeply upset that they are cancelling Prison Break! I have been a huge fan of this show since the moment it aired. I own a pet grooming business, and I am a breeder of Exotic AKC registered Pomeranians. I have Pomeranians named after this show.
I think the writers and producers are wrong … PLEASE PLAY IT OUT!!!! AS LONG AS IT IS GOING WELL, THEN WHY STOP IT? You have one devoted watcher here as long as you keep the episodes coming!
I’ve only seen bits of season 3, and although I like some aspects of the show, I think the acting is pretty bad. A case in point: that glowering look that Michael gives all the time is insincere and overused. Some of the actors in this show are familiar and so much better than the show they’re in, it’ll be great to see them get back to more worthy work.
good grief, if the tv networks listened to u lot about when a show should finish their would’nt b anything left on the box 2 watch. pb…great show by the way
They can kill off Sucre and T-Bag HAS to die. But please, please, please don’t kill off Mahone! He’s too cool to die! And if this is the last season I hope they bring back Kellerman for the end.
Considering how many television executives love to milk all the life out of a good thing, I’m a bit surprised they haven’t considered a spinoff with the main characters that has nothing to do with the original Prison Break premise. Surely, there’s life after “Prison” for these characters. I don’t watch the show, but I think a spinoff could be very re-energizing, if done right.
Prison Break’s first two seasons were some of the best network TV ever. action-packed, character-driven, sinsightfully slow and nauseatingly fast, all at the same time with twists that put all other cliffhangers out there to shame. seriously addictive series are rare today, however it should have ended with the Season 2 Finale. this way it was a wonderfully round story with amazing actors and courageous plots. Season 3 was not PB anymore, setting-wise, character-wise, tone-wise. It did not answer questions, it only confused and I did not care anymore. Season 4 is back at former strength and satisfies most die-hard fans, yet it also “got rid of Season 3″ really quickly, making it so irrelevant one wonders why Season 3 actually took place the way it did. Although addiction is hard to break, I’m glad it’s ending because this way it will not go down-hill but remain in my memory as a wonderfully entertaining ride.
Lynda Wed.Jan.14 9:00 AM EST
I am really going to miss PB, it was getting silly but that could be fixed by the writers, either way I will be watching until the bitter end, hopefully it will be a good ending.
Thanks for a great few years.
Introduce my to movies.
I used to love prison break!!! Season 1 was by far the best! The season was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunatly by seasons 2 and 3 it went down hill fast. By the middle of season 3 I stopped watching. It’s no surprise that it has been canceled. I love Micheal and Linc but its time to move on
I am surely going to miss T. Bag and Scoffield, but i agree the show has surely run its course. I still do not understand why they had to ruin the plot by bringing Scofields mum who was long thought to be dead into the picture. That did it for me.
“There will be deaths”??? Someone dies every darn episode. What’s so shocking about that? I’m tired of all of the characters that I like dying.
Pleas don’t kill Sucre. Give him his happy ending!
Nooo…. I love that show..!!!
As to the women’s prison idea, too bad the L Word producer and the PB producer couldn’t get together and he offer her the idea that Gretchen can be the inmate we follow in (aka like Carter in ER, not necessarily the sole storyline, but the one people will know a little)
Oh PB, I will miss you terribly, but at the same time I’m glad I will be cured of my addiction of you! You’ve entertained me for four years (which was probably about two years too long), but I’ve still watched every ep and can’t wait for the finale!
Man-Crush. Oh now where am I gonna get to stare into Wentworth Miller’s dreamy blue eyes??
loved the first season! thinking back to all the great characters from then seems so long ago..tweener, and the kid before tweener, and the dude who loved the windmill painting, and the warden…i think my favorite episodes were the prison revolt and subsequent lockdown ones. such great tv!