Published September 30th, 2019
With an approval rating of 94% on rotten tomatoes, Orange is the New Black is a must-see for everyone who loves prison drama. With great humor and effective storytelling, the show has managed to present the realities of prison life in a bittersweet way.
As we eagerly await for its seventh and final season, here are other TV shows about prison life that you should definitely check out.
PRISON BREAK
Image Credit: IMDB
When his brother received a death sentence for a crime he didn’t commit, Michael Scofield robs a bank to join him in prison. He devised an elaborate plan to get his brother out of prison and clear his name. Throughout four seasons, the brothers lived as fugitives, broke out of a Panama prison and fought corporate organizations. According to recent reports, a revival of the series is in the works.
WENTWORTH PRISON
Image Credit: IMDB
This Australian TV drama focuses on the struggles of Bea Smith after she went to prison for killing her husband. It follows her journey from the early days of her incarceration to her rise as one of the prison’s top dog. The show explores the harsh realities of women in prison and how incarceration changes them. It also shows how most inmates are also victims of bigger crimes than they were locked up for.
60 DAYS IN
Image Credit: IMDB
With the end goal of exposing abuses and questionable activities inside US prisons, seven volunteers go undercover as inmates for 60 days. They took fake names and made up stories about their background and supposed crime. No one knows who they are, not even the correctional officers. The volunteers’ first-hand experience of prison life provides a rich and compelling source of what really happens behind bars. The show has gathered documentary pieces of evidence of corruption and irregularities. This has resulted in several prison officers getting relieved from their posts.
LOVE AFTER LOCKUP
Image Credit: IMDB
For some people, jail bars and handcuffs are never a hindrance to love. This TV show follows couples who met while the other is incarcerated. It documents what they have to go through when the other is finally released. Produced by the same people who made 90 Days Fiancee, each episode is also filled with drama and intrigue. Though the show centers on post-prison relationships, it also offers great insight on how inmates adjust to post-prison life in general.
MAKING A MURDERER
Image Credits: IMDB
After serving 18 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Steven Avery finally gets exonerated. Then, together with his nephew got arrested again for murder. The two got convicted even though the evidence was questionable. His story and struggles are now the subjects of this award-winning Netflix documentary. Filmed over the course of 10 years, the show has generated great controversy nationwide. It’s even led to a signature campaign asking for Avery’s pardon, which got denied.
ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA
Image Credits: IMDB
Based on a true story, the series follows two convicted murderers who escaped the Clinton Correctional Facility in 2015. Their escape was made possible by a married prison employee, Joyce Mitchell, with whom they were both sexually entangled. With a powerhouse cast and a gripping story, this is simply a masterpiece.
If there’s one thing we can learn from these TV shows is that prison life is hard for both the inmate and their families. In the US, their suffering is often compounded by expensive prison calls. This often creates communication barriers that can drive families apart.
To help inmates and their families, GlobalTel offers an alternative way to make cheap jail calls and send cheap jail mail postcards. Our special jail phone numbers let you receive jail calls from anywhere in the world at local rates. Visit our homepage to know more.
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GlobalTel’s inmate calling service lowers jail call rates by 90% for jail calls to US facilities. Sign up for our service to eliminate the long distance jail call fees for $45.99 for 90 days. Make US/domestic and international jail calls at the local rate and stay connected to your incarcerated loved ones for less. Learn more about how to sign up for calls from inmates on our website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Judy Ponio is a firm believer in the power of sharing knowledge. Having extensive experience in the prison industry, she wants to share what she knows with the world. Judy also loves to write about political and legal topics.