Breakout Kings: Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

A&E | Season Premiere Date: March 6, 2011

Starring: Domenick Lombardozzi, Brooke Nevin, Jimmi Simpson

Summary: To help capture fugitives, U.S. Marshals Charlie Duchamp (Laz Alonso) and Ray Zancanelli (Domenick Lombardozzi) form an unlikely team with three criminals that Ray put behind bars.

Creator: Nick Santora and Matt Olmstead

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E13. Where in the World Is Carmen Vega
Air Date: May 29, 2011
tbd
S1:E12. There Are Rules
Air Date: May 22, 2011
tbd
S1:E11. Off the Beaten Path
Air Date: May 15, 2011

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

Jonathan Storm

Mar 3, 2011

Absorbing, if not squirm-worthy. Read full review

Tim Goodman

Mar 4, 2011

It does not--repeat, not--take a con to catch a con. That is by now a very tired television cliche and one that's embraced by Kings. But the series overcomes this crutch to become a mostly interesting diversion from going to work five days a week. Read full review

Ken Tucker

Mar 4, 2011

The series is sort of fun, more of a USA Network "Characters Welcome" kind of show than a hard-boiled thriller. [11 Mar 2011, p.72]

Robert Bianco

Mar 4, 2011

Breakout Kings is an uninspiring attempt by the producers and their network to be the last on the procedural match. Read full review

Tom Gliatto

Mar 10, 2011

Not a bad concept, but the casting is out of whack. [21 Mar 2011, p.46]

Zap2it (Inside the Box) Rick Porter

Mar 7, 2011

Once you get past the idea that the bad guys are working for the good guys, it's a pretty by-the-numbers crime show. Read full review

Linda Stasi

Mar 7, 2011

Breakout Kings is not only dumb and mind-numbingly silly, but what makes it all-the-more terrible is that all this silliness has been stolen from other mind-numbingly-silly shows. Read full review

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User Score

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7.4

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User Reviews

jamesnancy

Jan 17, 2014

Get another season going of this show my husband and I are going nuts without it. This show was awesome and must be back on please please please. We are hurting without this show. How much longer do we have to jones for more breakout kings. The actors are excellent and they make us wantGet another season going of this show my husband and I are going nuts without it. This show was awesome and must be back on please please please. We are hurting without this show. How much longer do we have to jones for more breakout kings. The actors are excellent and they make us want more. Isn't that what the tv station should want? We are addicted to this show that no longer airs even watching each episode two or more times. Is there anything us the public can do? If anyone should know please post it. Thanks for reading.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

lilymay

Mar 21, 2011

So far I have only watched the first three episodes and they seem, entertaining. They keep me interested during the whole hour and the characters seem okay. Hopefully as the show progresses we get to see more about the characters personalities and maybe that will bring more people to watchSo far I have only watched the first three episodes and they seem, entertaining. They keep me interested during the whole hour and the characters seem okay. Hopefully as the show progresses we get to see more about the characters personalities and maybe that will bring more people to watch because so far they don't actually seem like cons. It still feels like they could just be cops as well that have bad attitudes like other shows and the show hasn't shown what they really bring to the table that cops couldn't. That's just my opinion.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Aiygeo

Mar 28, 2011

I love this show. It is not a reality show, or a sitcom. I sit every Sunday with my boyfriend and look forward to seeing this show. I hope that it keeps on, because some shows are worth it and some are not. This one is definitely worth it.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

spadenx

Dec 30, 2011

It's a very likeable show, Enjoyable characters that are entertaining to watch. The acting is good as well. The storying telling...not so much. Its a rather generic and over used plot to the series "Using criminals to catch other criminals" and the episodes are rather generic as well but itsIt's a very likeable show, Enjoyable characters that are entertaining to watch. The acting is good as well. The storying telling...not so much. Its a rather generic and over used plot to the series "Using criminals to catch other criminals" and the episodes are rather generic as well but its really the acting and the chemistry the actors have with one another that keeps this show afloat. I enjoyed season 1 and I cant wait for season 2.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JennetP

Mar 21, 2011

I've seen three episodes now, including the one in which Robert Knepper's T-Bag escapes yet again, and I like the show well enough. Of course, the premise is ludicrous (and overused), though I don't think there's anything wrong with making the point that US prisons house a range ofI've seen three episodes now, including the one in which Robert Knepper's T-Bag escapes yet again, and I like the show well enough. Of course, the premise is ludicrous (and overused), though I don't think there's anything wrong with making the point that US prisons house a range of criminals, from decent people with problems better addressed therapeutically to homicidal sociopaths. Most of the characters are weak, however. The two not in jail are burdened with serious health and legal problems--a sign of inadequate characterization when it happens in the pilot. You can almost hear a writer say, "I know, let's give him a heart condition!" but it's hard to care when that's his defining trait. And the mostly bland cast doesn't help much, except for Jimmi Simpson, who is great as the brilliant-but-feckless MD/PhD. Domenick Lombardozzi is the other actor who stands out, but it's because he's doing Herc from The Wire, which just makes me miss that show. But "Breakout Kings" almost gets it that there's something fascinating about prison breaks, a moral complexity for onlookers who admire the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the escapees while horrified by their crimes. So far, the show has come down heavily on the "horrified" side by depicting particularly brutal escapes, but I hope to see a few cases that challenge the felon-marshals' commitment to the cause. And it wouldn't hurt to change up the cast a bit--easy enough to do given their many problems.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Gavinn

Apr 13, 2011

So much potential wasted here. Despite a decent cast, apparently the writers can't break out of the formula they are using. Whether by design or sheer lack of imagination, every episode follows the exact same pattern. Guy or gal escapes, hurts/kills people in the process, heads immediatelySo much potential wasted here. Despite a decent cast, apparently the writers can't break out of the formula they are using. Whether by design or sheer lack of imagination, every episode follows the exact same pattern. Guy or gal escapes, hurts/kills people in the process, heads immediately to rendezvous with friend, relative, or acquaintance for [insert reason here], marshals arrive only to find out they have narrowly missed the suspect. Repeat a few times. Catch up and capture bad guy. Solve personal problem of one of the cops or cons that was alluded to earlier in the episode. End.

I could forgive a lot for a show that casts a veteran of "The Wire", but unfortunately they go a step further and pretty much put paid on this already troubled show with a completely laughable lack of continuity. They don't pretend to be following even "make believe" law enforcement procedures, let alone real ones. (Crazed convicted child molester is going to the office of the social worker who testified against him. "She doesn't answer her phone? Oh, we better get driving." Followed by the inevitable, " Gee, we just missed him...." Why not...I don't know...call the local cops to go babysit her and make sure she's safe. Or something.) I know sacrifices need to be made in order to spin a good yarn, but one can't help thinking that your average high schooler could sign on to the writing staff and turn out more plausible stories.

The last thing that bugs me a little bit is that a fair few of the episodes drag discussions about racism into the show for some reason. This typically wouldn't bother me, but in this case it seems a little ironic and meaningless coming from a show about convicts breaking out of prison. ~14% of the U.S. prison population is Caucasian, yet 100% of escapees on the program are white.Any way you try to come up with a logical reason for that decision stinks to high heaven.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

TVG

Apr 11, 2011

Apparently the default score is a '10', that is a little ridiculous in itself. I'm correcting my scored opinion. Well, looks like I haven't made my 150 character 'minimum character' count yet...

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

SEE ALL 9 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

56

Series Overview
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: March 4, 2012
Season 1

56
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: March 6, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E13. Where in the World Is Carmen Vega
  Air Date: May 29, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E12. There Are Rules
  Air Date: May 22, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E11. Off the Beaten Path
  Air Date: May 15, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E10. Paid in Full
  Air Date: May 8, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E9. One For The Money
  Air Date: May 1, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E8. Steaks
  Air Date: April 24, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E7. Fun With Chemistry
  Air Date: April 17, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E6. Like Father, Like Son
  Air Date: April 10, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E5. Queen of Hearts
  Air Date: April 3, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E4. Out of the Mouths of Babes
  Air Date: March 27, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E3. The Bag Man
  Air Date: March 20, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E2. Collected
  Air Date: March 13, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: March 6, 2011