Directed by Brett Ratner and written by creator Paul Scheuring, the first episode set the stage for one of the most celebrated seasons in television history.

The episode introduces the main characters, including Michael's fellow inmates, Fernando Sucre (played by Amaury Nolasco) and Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell (played by Robert Knepper), as well as the prison's corrupt officials, including Captain Brad Bellick (played by Wade Williams).

Reviewers praised the episode for its fast pacing and high-concept premise. Metacritic gave the first season a score of 65/100 , while Rotten Tomatoes maintains a 79% approval rating for the season. Production Facts

The series begins with Michael Scofield (played by Wentworth Miller), a brilliant engineer who gets himself incarcerated in Fox River State Penitentiary to break out his brother, Lincoln Burrows (played by Dominic Purcell), who is on death row for a crime he did not commit.

The pilot was filmed at the in Illinois, which had closed in 2002. The choice of a real, decommissioned prison added a layer of grit and realism that helped the show stand out during its initial run.

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