Breakout Kings

Breakout Kings was created by Nick Santora and Matt Olmstead, the same writing duo behind Prison Break, and it shares continuity with that series without being a direct spin-off.

The show was originally developed for the Fox network, which greenlit a pilot in January 2010 but ultimately declined to pick up the series for the 2010–11 season in May 2010; Fox then sold it to A&E, which ordered 13 episodes in June 2010.

Robert Knepper reprised his Prison Break role as Theodore 'T-Bag' Bagwell in the season one episode 'The Bag Man,' appearing as a fugitive and confirming the shared universe between the two shows.

Frank Grillo, who had recurred in Prison Break's first season as a different character (Nick Savrinn), returned in a Breakout Kings episode ('Queen of Hearts') playing a new character, Agent Stoltz.

Production was expected to begin in fall 2010 in Toronto ahead of the show's 2011 premiere.

The series premiere on March 6, 2011 became the most-watched original drama series in A&E network history among adults 25–54 and adults 18–49, drawing 1.6 million and 1.5 million viewers respectively in those demographics.

Despite decent live ratings, creator Nick Santora noted that the show's DVR plus 7-day viewership numbers were especially strong, suggesting many viewers watched delayed rather than on premiere night.

A&E cancelled Breakout Kings on May 17, 2012 after two seasons, with the series holding a 41% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season.