ADVERTISEMENT

When it comes to entertainment, people are always looking for the next big thing. And sometimes, that thing is a good TV show set in prison. The best prison series are the ones that make you remember why you love the genre in the first place: they’re uncompromising, they’re realistic (most of the time, at least), and above all, they’re full of intriguing characters who were just trying to get by in life before things went south. It’s always interesting to get a glimpse of what it’s like to be stuck in an enclosed area with people who have no regard for your personal space or, sometimes, who possess barely any shred of humanity whatsoever.

With so many great prison shows and docuseries, how do you choose which one to watch next? Whether you’re in the mood for a lighthearted comedy about a convict trying to go straight or something more dramatic and gritty, we have the one for you! We’ve rounded up some fan favorites here, but let us know if we missed any gems.

#1

Wentworth

Wentworth

2013 | 8 seasons

Wentworth is an Australian show set in a women’s prison, and it’s got all the drama of Orange Is The New Black but with a lot more blood and gore. The show follows Bea Smith, sent to Wentworth after being charged with attempted murder. However, she quickly finds herself embroiled in an intense prison hierarchy, which puts her in danger but also makes her more powerful than ever before.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
tamrastiffler avatar
Tamra
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This series is fantastic! I've watched it twice. The Aussies knocked it out of the park - highly recommend!

View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

Orange Is The New Black

Orange Is The New Black

2013 | 7 seasons

Orange Is The New Black has everything you could need from an excellent prison tv show: it’s funny, it’s serious, it’s romantic, it’s heartbreaking, it’s terrifying, and it makes you think about how unfair the world can be. But even though the show has its heavy moments, it gifted us with episodes of pure joy and hilarity. And it’s so good to witness the rollercoaster of emotions that Piper, Alex, and the rest of this incredible cast of women blessed us with.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#3

Prison Break

Prison Break

2005 | 5 seasons

If you’re looking for your prison fix, Prison Break is the show for you. The premise is simple: Lincoln Burrows is wrongly sentenced to death for murder. His brother Michael Scofield, sure of his sibling’s innocence, gets himself incarcerated to get Lincoln out of prison. But obviously, it’s not as easy as it sounds. The show follows the brothers’ efforts to break out of the facility and clear their names in the process.

amazon.com Report

#4

Oz

Oz

1997 | 6 seasons

If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on one hell of a great show. Oz takes place in the Oswald State Correctional Facility, a fictional maximum-security state prison. Here, the unit manager McManus tries to keep inmates in line through rehabilitation rather than punishment but struggles with the various factions constantly at war with each other.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#5

60 Days In

60 Days In

2016 | 7 seasons

Ready to turn yourself in? Well, not literally, but this is the closest you’ll get to it. 60 Days In is a prison docuseries that features seven people going undercover for 60 days in a correctional complex to discover illegal activities within the jail that officers and surveillance systems may have missed. The show has been kept secret from inmates, guards, and most officials. Representatives from A&E stated that multiple corrections officers were fired due to the program.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#6

Girls Incarcerated

Girls Incarcerated

2018 | 2 seasons

Girls Incarcerated is the latest prison documentary on Netflix that you need to be watching. It follows the story of the teenage inmates of a juvenile detention center. It’s a raw, honest look at what it’s like to be locked up at such a young age and how the inmates cope with the struggles of being confined while the world keeps going on without them. The docuseries also details their lives outside the facility and how they plan to make amends.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#7

Escape At Dannemora

Escape At Dannemora

2018 | 1 season


Escape At Dannemora is a mini-series based on the real-life Clinton Correctional Facility escape that happened back in 2015. The story follows two convicted murderers — David Sweat and Richard Matt — who fled from a maximum security prison and went on a run through New York State, aided in their escape by two prison employees. The massive manhunt and investigation that followed made headlines in the papers.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#8

Making A Murderer

Making A Murderer

2015 | 2 seasons

If you’re looking for a true crime docuseries that’s both gripping and thought-provoking, you need look no further than Netflix’s Making A Murderer. It’s the story of Steven Avery, a man who served 18 years in prison for crimes he didn’t commit. Released in 2003 by DNA testing, he got charged again for murder only two years later. The documentary generated tremendous publicity, leading to follow-up interviews and articles with family members and reporters who covered the trials.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Lockup

Lockup

2005 | 25 seasons

Lockup is a long-running prison documentary series that follows inmates’ daily lives in different prisons around the US. It gives you a whole new perspective on life inside prison, especially when inmates are provided with personal video cameras to record their most intimate thoughts. The series spanned an entire franchise, with titles such as World Tour, which features prisons outside of the United States, and Life After Lockup, which follows those who have been released and are trying to reintegrate into society.

amazon.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#10

Beyond Scared Straight

Beyond Scared Straight

2011 | 9 seasons

Beyond Scared Straight is a reality show that follows a handful of at-risk teens as they spend up to three days in a penitentiary with real convicts to learn about the reality of life inside prison and what it means to get incarcerated. A follow-up meeting with the teenagers one month later collects their impressions and thoughts on their current lives and the direction they’re going to take.

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#11

Prisoner: Cell Block H

Prisoner: Cell Block H

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#13

Bad Girls

Bad Girls

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#14

Locked Up Abroad

Locked Up Abroad

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#15

Prison Playbook

Prison Playbook

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
#23

Inside The World’s Toughest Prisons

Inside The World’s Toughest Prisons

netflix.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#24

Jailbirds New Orleans

Jailbirds New Orleans

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#26

Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast

Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#28

Within These Walls

Within These Walls

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#32

Kids Behind Bars: Life Or Parole

Kids Behind Bars: Life Or Parole

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
#33

The Program: Prison Detox

The Program: Prison Detox

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#34

Love After Lockup

Love After Lockup

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#35

Inhuman Resources

Inhuman Resources

netflix.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#36

When They See Us

When They See Us

netflix.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#37

First And Last

First And Last

netflix.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#38

Women In Prison (1987)

Women In Prison (1987)

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#39

Love During Lockup

Love During Lockup

amazon.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
#40

Vis A Vis/Locked Up

Vis A Vis/Locked Up

netflix.com Report

Add photo comments
POST