When Prison Break premiered on Fox in 2005, it became an instant cultural phenomenon. The thrilling story of structural engineer Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) getting himself incarcerated to break his brother Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) out of death row captivated audiences worldwide. A huge part of the show’s gritty, claustrophobic, and desperate atmosphere came from its authentic-looking locations.

While the show is set primarily in Illinois (Chicago and the fictional Fox River State Penitentiary) and later Panama, the vast majority of filming took place in and around Chicago, Illinois, as well as Dallas and Houston, Texas, with significant portions filmed in California.