Despite my recommendation for last year's TV season (Jack & Bobby) didn't pan out to predict a long-running series, I'm going to go again and hope that I don't create a Sophomore curse.
My pick for the new season is the Fox mystery/thriller Prison Break. The basic premise is that Michael commits a crime that lands him in the same prison as his brother Lincoln, who is on death row for killing the President’s brother and scheduled to executed in four weeks. It is Michael's intent to spring Lincoln out of prison and save him. Of course, it helps that Michael's architectural firm remodeled the prison just years earlier, and Michael had full access to the blueprints prior to being sent to prison--and he even has parts of them tattooed onto his body.
If that were the extent of the plot, it would be rather boring. Over the first weeks' episodes, an old flame of Lincoln's (Veronica) on the outside is convinced to investigate the case at Michael's encouraging. Lincoln insists he was set up. Veronica is reluctant at first, but learns some disturbing news and is coming to discover that there is more going on than what appears at the surface. The Secret Service is meddling in the execution and swarms on to her after she starts looking at the case, and then starts destroying and stealing evidence.
All the while, of course, Michael is making both friends and enemies trying to plan his escape. The resulting mix of internal scheming and the outside mystery about Lincoln's case makes for a compelling and exciting drama. While it does at times stretch the limits of believability, the intrigue more than compensates.
At the risk of jinxing it, check out Prison Break if you have the time and interest. It airs Monday at 9 pm on Fox, and is a great way to start off the week.