Breakout Kings

Breakout Kings

Original promotional poster
Genre Action
Crime
Thriller
Created by Nick Santora
Matt Olmstead
Starring Laz Alonso
Domenick Lombardozzi
Brooke Nevin
Malcolm Goodwin
Serinda Swan
Jimmi Simpson
Composer(s) Ramin Djawadi
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 23 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Peter Chernin
Matt Olmstead
Katherine Pope
Nick Santora
Gavin Hood
Producer(s) Lauren Stein
Ed Milkovich
Joseph Patrick Finn
Editor(s) Etienne Des Lauriers
Eric Seaburn
Paul Trejo
Scott Eilers
Chris Conlee
Location(s) Toronto
Baton Rouge[1]
Cinematography Derick V. Underschultz
Fernando Argüelles
Jim Whitaker
Running time 43 minutes
Production company(s) Matt Olmstead Productions
Blackjack Films
Chernin Entertainment
Fox 21
Distributor 20th Television
Release
Original network A&E
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Audio format Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release March 6, 2011 (2011-03-06) – April 29, 2012 (2012-04-29)
Chronology
Preceded by Prison Break
External links
Website

Breakout Kings is an American drama television series that aired on the A&E network. It is a production of Fox 21. The series was created, written, and executive-produced by Nick Santora and Matt Olmstead, who previously worked together on Prison Break. Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope, and Gavin Hood also served as executive producers.[2] The series premiered on March 6, 2011,[3] and was the most-watched original drama series in A&E’s history among adults 25–54 and adults 18–49, delivering 1.6 million adults 25–54 and 1.5 million adults 18–49.[4]

The series follows a task force assembled by the U.S. Marshals to capture prison escapees. Several current convicts are offered a chance to aid in this effort, with the promise of a transfer to a minimum-security prison and a reduction in their sentences for every fugitive they catch. However, if any of them tries to escape, they will all be returned to their original prisons and their sentences will be doubled.

The series was picked up for a second season which premiered on March 4, 2012.[2] The second season finale aired on April 29, 2012, at 9 pm ET/PT and featured two back-to-back episodes, "Freakshow" and "Served Cold," instead of the usual one-hour installment at 10 pm.[5][6]

A&E canceled Breakout Kings on May 17, 2012, after two seasons.[7]

Cast

The team

The fugitives

Main article: List of fugitives

Development and production

Breakout Kings was originally in development for the Fox network. Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora wrote the pilot, after receiving a script commitment from Fox in August 2009.[9] In January 2010, Fox greenlit a pilot episode.[10] On May 12, 2010, it was announced that Fox did not pick up the series for the 2010–11 television season.[11] Fox attempted to sell Breakout Kings to other networks,[11][12] and in June 2010, it was reported that A&E had picked up the drama for 13 episodes.[13]

Production was expected to begin in fall 2010 in Toronto for a 2011 premiere.[14] Robert Knepper appeared as his Prison Break character T-Bag in episode 3 of season one.[15][16] The other characters from Prison Break are also mentioned as "the Fox River 8" in that episode.

Critical response

The show received mixed reviews. The Daily News's David Hinckley opened, "This is what cable dramas can do well: a simple, stripped-down, focused drama with characters we like."[17] Jonathan Storm of Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "Breakout Kings, an exciting crime drama that adds to its appeal with some character types we don't often see, will attract a much wider audience, as our flawed heroes seek to round up escapees."[18] Mary McNamara of Los Angeles Times opined that "Breakout Kings" starts out with a promising blend of character and plot, action and dialogue, sweet and savory.[19] Maureen Ryan of Huffington Post opined that it isn't a particularly creative drama but, as was the case with Prison Break in its early seasons, 'Breakout Kings' is sustained by a workmanlike momentum. It has its share of clunky characters and predictable moments, but it also has a lot of earnest energy. It's enlivened by a terrific performance from Jimmi Simpson, who plays Lloyd Lowery, the show's all-purpose weirdo.[20]

Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, "There are no television breakthroughs in "Breakout Kings," a pretty pat procedural that tries a little harder than some of its predecessors. It has all the hallmarks of one of those shows that nobody talks about but plenty of people watch."[21] Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter opined,"Kings is mostly closed-ended with snippets of each con's past revealed in the episodes, so there's enough interest to keep the show moving. The leads' backstories might have some meat on the bone as well.It's not The Wire or The Shield but falls comfortably within that basic-cable safe zone where a little edge and bountiful entertainment pass the time just fine."[22] Kregg Janke of Breitbart.com opined that

"Breakout Kings" avoids falling into the just-another-cop-show trap due to the unusual makeup of the task force. Having convicts as members of the team, the show avoids the usual cop show stereotype storylines of good-cop, bad-cop and the overbearing supervisor.

While the storylines are entertaining, the interaction between the characters really drives the series. The cast members are very believable in their roles and interact extremely well together.[…]

If there is a standout character among the ensemble, it would be Lloyd. His own neuroses provide the basis for an excellent comic-relief role, perfectly executed by Simpson.[1]

  1. ^ Kregg Janke. "'Breakout Kings' Review: A&E Series Shatters Cop Show Cliches". Breitbart.com. Retrieved April 26, 2012. 

On the contrary, Hank Stuever of The Washington Post opined,"It doesn't work. There's a bit of banter well-delivered and some artful action, yet "Breakout Kings" lacks a certain vim and chemistry required for a real breakout series. It's all very quick but rather flavorless. They'll catch the escapee, no doubt, but they can't catch us."[23] Robert Bianco of USA Today opined,"Breakout Kings is an uninspiring attempt by the producers and their network to be the last on the procedural match. It's stamped with many of the Prison hallmarks: the same affection for intricate plot mechanics, the same flair for the dramatic—and the same disdain for logic and character motivation." Variety's Brian Lowry wrote,"The premise doesn't really make much sense.It's a tough, competitive cable world out there, and as the cons might testify, coming away with a big score requires risks. By that measure, "Breakout Kings" doesn't do enough to stand apart, diminishing its chances of breaking out."[24] Brian Ford Sullivan from The Futon Critic reviewed Breakout Kings in June 2010. The review called the show a "violent version of Leverage" with colorful characters and a great performance by Jimmi Simpson as Dr. Lloyd Lowery, but with some inconsistencies like the character of Brooke Nevin and a bunch of ideas that don't quite fit.[25] To garner more publicity, the network screened the show for a number of reviewers in the weeks prior to official airing. One such review came out on SpoilerTV (February 22, 2011) and echoed Sullivan's initial problems with characterization and writing. Indications were that Breakout Kings seems to suffer from rough writing in the pilot, but there was slight improvement in a subsequent episode. However, the overall impression was that the flaws of the show may handicap its success.[26] Echoing these issues, FlickDirect's review[27] points out that character background or explanation is lacking in many cases.

Episodes

Season Episodes Originally aired DVD and Blu-ray releases
Season premiere Season finale Region 1 Region 2 Region 4 Blu-ray
1 13 March 6, 2011 May 30, 2011 March 1, 2012[28] March 21, 2012[29] March 28, 2012[30] N/A
2 10 March 4, 2012 April 29, 2012 N/A N/A N/A N/A

Broadcast history

The series premiered on March 6, 2011.[3] It premiered as the most-watched original drama series in A&E’s history among Adults 25–54 and Adults 18–49,delivering 1.6 million adults 25–54 and 1.5 million adults 18–49.[4] The series was picked up for a second season of 10 episodes on July 6, 2011 which premiered on March 4, 2012.[2] The season finale of the second season aired on April 29, 2012 at 9 pm ET/PT featured two hours of back-to-back episodes "Freakshow" and "Served Cold" instead of the usual one-hour episode at 10 pm.[5][6] One of the executive producer and creator Nick Santora once opined, "Our DVR+7-day numbers are really strong. A lot of people are watching the show; a lot of them just don't watch it on the night it premieres."[31]

U.S. Nielsen ratings

Season Timeslot (ET/PT) # Ep. Premiered Ended TV season Viewers
(in millions)
Date Premiere
viewers
(in millions)
Date Finale
viewers
(in millions)
1
Sundays 10:00 pm
13
March 6, 2011
2.80[32]
May 30, 2011
2.01[33] 2011 1.89[34]
2 10
March 4, 2012
2.12[35]
April 29, 2012
1.33[36] 2012 TBA

DVD releases

DVD NameRegion 1 release dateRegion 4 release dateEp # Discs Additional information
Breakout Kings: The Complete First Season March 1, 2012[28] March 28, 2012[30] 13 4[28] Bonus material includes Audio Commentary on selected episodes, Deleted and Extended Scenes, "Good Cons, Bad Cons" Featurette, Bullpen Sessions, and T Bag: Dealt a Bad Hand.[37]

International distribution

Country Channel References
 Australia One HD [38]
 Brazil A&E Brasil [39]
 Canada CHCH A&E (TV channel)[40]
 Finland Sub [41]
 Germany RTL Crime [42]
 France TF1 [43]
 India STAR World India [44]
 Japan Fox (Japan) [45]
 Mexico Azteca 7 [46]
 Netherlands RTL Crime / RTL 5 [47]
 Norway TV 2 Zebra [48]
 Philippines Chase (TV channel) [49]
 Lithuania TV3 Lithuania [50]
 Poland Fox (Poland) [51]
 Portugal Fox (Portugal) [52]
 Slovakia TV JOJ [53]
 Spain Fox Crime [54]
 United Kingdom Universal Channel (UK) [55]
 New Zealand TV3 (New Zealand) [56]
 Slovenia POP TV and FOX Crime [57]

See also


References

  1. Joey Groner (May 7, 2012). "Baton Rouge film industry sees steady growth". The Daily Isureville. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Seidman, Robert (February 6, 2012). "A&E's Drama Series 'Breakout Kings' Returns for Its Second Season Sunday, March 4". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Gorman, Bill (January 18, 2011). "A&E's 'Breakout Kings' Premiere Changed To March 6". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  4. 1 2 Robert Seidman. "'Breakout Kings' Scores Record Audiences for A&E". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Amanda Kondolojy. "A&E's Hit Original Drama Series 'Breakout Kings' Airs Two-Hour Season Finale Sunday, April 29 at 9 pm ET/PT". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  6. 1 2 "A&E's Hit Original Drama Series "Breakout Kings" Airs Two-Hour Season Finale Sunday, April 29 at 9 pm ET/PT". FutonCritic. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  7. ANDREEVA, NELLIE (May 17, 2012). "A&E’s ‘Breakout Kings’ Cancelled After Two Seasons". Deadline. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  8. "Breakout Kings: Season 1, Episode 6: Like Father, Like Son". video.tvguide.com. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  9. "Development Update: Friday, August 21". The Futon Critic. August 21, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  10. Andreeva, Nellie (January 22, 2010). "Fox greenlights 'Breakout Kings'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  11. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (May 12, 2010). "PRIMETIME PILOT PANIC: Fox Picks Up 5 New Series & Renews 'Lie To Me', 'Target'; Passes On 'Breakout Kings', 'Breaking In', 'Tax Men', 'Strange Brew', 'Most Likely To Succeed' & 'The Station'". Deadline. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  12. Andreeva, Nellie (May 15, 2010). "PRIMETIME PILOT PANIC: 'Breakout Kings' Looks For New Home After Fox Passes". Deadline. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  13. Ausiello, Michael (June 28, 2010). "It's official: Fox's 'Breakout Kings' moving to A&E". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  14. "A&E Greenlights New Original Drama Series "Breakout Kings" from FOX 21 and Chernin Entertainment". The Futon Critic. June 29, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  15. Rice, Lynette (November 5, 2010). "Exclusive: 'Prison Break' baddie confirms he's doing 'Breakout Kings' for A&E in early 2011". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  16. "Development Update: Monday, October 11". The Futon Critic. October 11, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  17. David Hinckley (March 25, 2012). "The top 10 things on TV for the week of March 25, 2012". NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  18. Jonathan Storm (March 3, 2011). "Jonathan Storm: 2 cable premieres. Sunday brings more Tosh, A&E drama". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  19. Mary McNamara (March 4, 2011). "Television review: 'Breakout Kings'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  20. Maureen Ryan (March 3, 2011). "Review: 'Breakout Kings' Follows 'Prison Break' Formula With Some Success". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  21. Rob Owen (March 6, 2011). "Tuned In: New mediocre crime drama 'Breakout Kings' bursts into prime time". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  22. Tim Goodman (3/4/2011). "Taking on Tyson/Breakout Kings: TV Reviews". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2012. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. Hank Stuever (March 4, 2011). "TV review: A&E's 'Breakout Kings,' where prisoners outsmart the escapees". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  24. Brian Lowry (March 2, 2011). "Breakout Kings". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  25. "The Futon's First Look: "Breakout Kings" (FOX)". The Futon Critic. June 2010. Retrieved June 2011.
  26. "Breakout Kings – Advance Screening". SpoilerTV. February 22, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  27. "Breakout Kings Series Review". FlickDirect. February 22, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  28. 1 2 3 "Breakout Kings: The Complete First Season". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  29. "Breakout Kings: Season 1". CDON.com. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  30. 1 2 "Breakout Kings: Season 1". EZYDVD.com.au. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  31. Andy Lewis (April 28, 2012). "‘Breakout Kings’ Creator Nick Santora Touts New Novel, Teases Season Finale (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  32. Seidman, Robert (March 8, 2011). "Sunday Cable Ratings: Tosh Leads Night + More 'Breakout Kings;' 'Shameless' Up & MUCH More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  33. Gorman, Bill (June 1, 2011). "Monday Cable Ratings: 'Pawn Stars' Tops Night; Plus 'WWE Raw,' 'Khloe & Lamar,' 'Real Housewives of NJ', 'American Chopper,' 'Breakout Kings' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  34. "Development Update: Wednesday, July 6". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  35. "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'The Walking Dead,' 'Storage Wars,' 'Army Wives,' 'Real Housewives' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  36. Sara Bibel. "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Game of Thrones' Rises, Ties NBA Playoffs + 'Real Housewives,' 'The Client List,' 'Army Wives,' 'Mad Men' & More". Tv by the Numbers. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
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  38. David Knox. "Airdate: Breakout Kings". TV Tonight. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
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  40. "A New Series from the Producers of Prison Break". CHCH.com. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  41. "Pako-sarjan tekijöiden uutuusdraama Vankikarkurit alkaa Subilla torstaina 29.3." [Exhaust-new drama series of factors fugitives Sub begins on Thursday, 29.3.] (in Finnish). Sub. February 29, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2012. Check date values in: |date= (help) Translation via Google Translate.
  42. "Breakout Kings". http://rtl-crime.rtl.de.com. Retrieved November 23, 2012. External link in |publisher= (help)
  43. "Breakout Kings". http://www.programme-tv.net. Retrieved April 13, 2013. External link in |publisher= (help)
  44. "Breakout Kings on Star World India". Star World India. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  45. "Breakout King". tv.foxjapan.com/fox. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  46. "Breakout Kings (Series / Drama)". entutele.com. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  47. "Crime for everyone". rtlgroup.com. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  48. "Breakout Kings". Tv2.no. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  49. "Chase". Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  50. 21, 2012 "Breakout Kings" Check |url= value (help).
  51. "Breakout Kings". foxtv.pl. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  52. "Kings Trail". fox.canais-fox.pt. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  53. "Company credits for "Breakout Kings" (2011)". imdb.com. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  54. "Ex Convicts Wednesday at 21:25 pm". foxcrime.es. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  55. "New Dramas for Universal Channel". Sky. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  56. "Breakout Kings Every Wednesday at 21:30"./
  57. "Poletje na POP TV"./

External links

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