After five seasons on Fox Network, Prison Break was canceled in 2017, and there will be no sixth season. It was one of the first shows to become extensively binged on Netflix, and it was a major hit for Fox in its early seasons. As one of the most exciting shows on television, Prison Break has inspired talk about a possible sixth season.
Season 5 of Prison Break, which premiered nine years after season 4, was a reboot of sorts for the series. However, Prison Break season 5 was not as successful as the previous seasons had been, marking a disappointing conclusion to the remake.
The original four seasons of Prison Break drew a huge audience, and despite certain problems in season 5, many viewers were eager for more. Yet, a number of factors conspired to ensure that Prison Break would be axed after its fifth season and that a sixth would never be made.
What the heck happened with Prison Break season 6, and was it even necessary to bring the show back after season 4?
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The Show Prison Break Was Originally Canceled Because Of Creative Problems
Despite rumors that the show was terminated because of falling ratings, Prison Break was discontinued after season 4 owing to internal creative issues. At the time, the president of Fox Network, Kevin Reilly, informed the press that the show had “played out” and that all the stories needed to be aired. Once the events of season 4 of Prison Break wrapped up the story of the Fox River Eight, the show’s creators may have felt stuck.
Fox decided to renew Prison Break for a fifth season nine years after the conclusion of season 4, so obviously a lot has changed in that time. Season 5 of Prison Break wasn’t as successful as the previous seasons, proving that Paul Scheuring and Fox president Kevin Reilly were correct in their assessment that the show had run its course.
Reboots of popular television programs, such as Prison Break’s fifth season, are not unusual for going on for too long.
Prison Break Season 6 Was Supposed To Air But It Never Did
There were plans for Prison Break season 6 despite the failures of seasons 4 and 5. But, Fox eventually lost interest in the show, and those plans fell through. Wentworth Miller, who plays Michael Scofield on Prison Break, ruled himself out of returning for a seventh season due to his wish to cease playing straight characters.
After being canceled twice, the show’s popularity is evident in the fact that Prison Break almost returned for a sixth season. Fox must have thought, at least temporarily, that the Prison Break franchise still had financial potential.
The Prison Break fan base has certainly diminished since the show’s infancy, and the show had almost no shot at regaining popularity without Wentworth Miller in the lead role of Michael Scofield.
Prison Break Should Have Never Come Back
In retrospect, it’s clear that the show Prison Break should never have returned from its initial cancellation. It’s risky to bring back a show that’s been off the air for so long, especially given that Michael Scofield’s death at the end of Prison Break season 4 was the most satisfying way for the series to go out.
Michael’s death was the logical culmination of his story arc, but it created a massive roadblock for Prison Break season 5. The show had to instantly go back and explain Michael’s survival, which detracted from his character development.
Also, as the show progressed, Prison Break became rather repetitive. It became a never-ending loop of escaping from one prison only to be sent to another. Scofield and his companions’ repeated prison breaks became less significant as time went on because it seemed certain that they would be recaptured. The concept of Prison Break isn’t sustainable for a five-season run, as it will inevitably recycle itself.
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Although it’s packed with twists and turns, Prison Break loses some of its mystique because it becomes too predictable. It’s for the best that there was never a sixth season of Prison Break, as these problems were already apparent by the time the show reached season 5.
Thankfully, Fox canceled the sixth season of Prison Break before they could ruin the show’s image by repeating the same mistakes they made with season 5.
You can now stream the adventure series Prison Break, which stars Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, and Amaury Nolasco. You can watch it on your Roku device using Hulu, Vudu, Prime Video, or Apple TV.
