Watch Escape at Dannemora

Escape at Dannemora is a gripping seven-episode series from Showtime, released in 2018. The show is based on a real-life prison break that took place in upstate New York in 2015. The showrunner, Brett Johnson along with screenwriters Michael Tolkin and Jerry Stahl weaves an enthralling tale that explores the lives of inmates and prison staff while capturing their motivations and inner conflicts.

The story follows two convicted murderers, Richard Matt (played by Benicio del Toro) and David Sweat (played by Paul Dano), who escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility with the aid of a married prison employee, Tilly Mitchell (played by Patricia Arquette). The series starts in 2014, with a glimpse of the inmates' daily routine, location, and their interaction with the staff. The viewer gets an insight into the claustrophobic nature of their living conditions and the challenges of prison life. Matt is a master manipulator, who creates handmade artwork and uses it to maintain his power and influence over others. Sweat is the opposite, introspective and quiet.

Tilly Mitchell leads a mundane life, working in the tailoring shop within the prison walls and struggling with the monotony of her marriage to her husband Lyle (played by Eric Lange). Her life takes a turn when she starts an illicit affair with Richard Matt, a man she sees as her saviour. Matt charms her with his charisma, promises and manipulates her to the point of convincing her to help him and Sweat escape from prison. Arquette's performance as Tilly Mitchell is exceptional, capturing the character's vulnerability, desperation, and inner turmoil.

The series is not just about the prison break but also provides a glimpse into the hardships of the prison staff. Alongside the escape narrative, the viewer follows the lives of the correction officers who interact with Matt, Sweat, and Tilly. Michael Imperioli plays a prison worker with the disposition of an experienced officer but struggles to maintain his family's financial stability. Bonnie Hunt plays a female correction officer, a rare breed in the male-dominated prison system. She encounters challenges such as sexual harassment from inmates and colleagues.

The direction of the series by Ben Stiller adds another layer of aesthetics to the show's narrative. His work manages to bring out the gritty, realism of the prison setting while capturing its bleakness and the characters

Escape at Dannemora is a series that ran for 1 seasons (9 episodes) between November 18, 2018 and on Showtime