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Season 1 – Escape at Dannemora

Play trailer 0:59 Poster for Season 1 – Escape at Dannemora 2018 Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 62 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
The small sleepy town of Dannemora is home to the Clinton Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison. Two inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat become entangled in the life of a married female prison employee in the summer of 2015. Tilly Mitchell, an employee at Clinton Correctional Facility becomes romantically entangled with both convicts and aids in their escape from the facility. Emmy winner Ben Stiller executive produces and directs all episodes.
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Escape at Dannemora — Season 1

Escape at Dannemora — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Escape at Dannemora's slow pace demands patience, but those willing to wait will be rewarded with a chilling mystery that provides the perfect showcase for its talented cast -- especially so for the incredible Patricia Arquette.

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Critics Reviews

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Alessa Dominguez BuzzFeed News The resulting program — hardly able to generate Oz-level drama — takes too much time and perhaps too many liberties in fictionalizing the facts... Apr 5, 2022 Full Review Rebecca Nicholson Guardian These two final episodes just about make it feel as if the investment has been worthwhile. Rated: 3/5 Mar 7, 2019 Full Review Alastair McKay London Evening Standard It is a punishing watch. Confinement is everything, though Stiller occasionally entertains himself with jarring moments. Rated: 3/5 Jan 22, 2019 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand It becomes more psychological drama than escape thriller and the story drags out in the middle episodes, but the excellent performances sustain the series until the energy picks up with the escape in the fifth episode ... May 9, 2025 Full Review Martin Carr CBR This low-key character study has plenty of great acting to entice Netflix viewers -- and increasingly slow pacing to frustrate them along the way. Rated: 7/10 Nov 4, 2024 Full Review Dan Buffa KSDK News (St. Louis) Benicio Del Toro just oozes menace without much dialogue. Nov 10, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Drew F Great show!! Acting was top notch. Wish I would have watched it sooner. Check it out! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/30/25 Full Review Jason B Yes, the pace is slow, but the series is never boring mainly because of the excellent cast--Patrica Arquette and her relationship with her husband in particular standout and keep things interesting. I recommend not researching the real life story in advance for the best viewing experience. The expansive, tension-building episodes that lead up to the escape and the consequences explored in the final episodes are the payoff. This briefly allows us into the shoes of the inmates where the repetitive, gnawing nature of confinement allows us a tepid empathy for inmates Matt and Sweat as they plot their escape, and meticulously prepare for it, before the reality of their crimes strips it all away. EFD is a slow burn crime thriller that patience will reward. Deft direction and a stellar cast make it an excellent addition to TV & film prison escape pantheon. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review Lesley B Good acting and cast but should have been 6 episodes at most. Too drawn out Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/27/24 Full Review Billy K Excellent in every regard. Intriguing story, well written, and perfect acting. Thanks to all involved. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/17/24 Full Review DMC M A little more graphic than I thought it would be. I was surprised to see it was directed by Ben Stiller! I think of him in comedies only. Benicio was a little "sleepy" throughout the series, his character was interesting - and lot more ruthless than I expected. I hardly recognized Patricia Arquette - she was amazing! The acting was excellent. It's full of surprises, I really liked the series overall. Well done. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/09/24 Full Review Mike P Solid crime drama and prison break drama; a la Escape from Alcatraz and Oz...There's also shades of Mrs. Soffel here...And this is a docudrama of very true events; actually; focusing on the infamous breakout at New York's Clinton Correctional Facility in 2015...And it's sparked by a superb performance from Rosanna Arquette as prison employee Joyce Mitchell.. And there's a very controlled and reserved tone throughout; using a slow-burn approach to generate suspense...Indeed, this series IS the very definition of solid. Recommended. 👍 Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Escape at Dannemora — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Brett Johnson

Creator

Brett Johnson

Creator

Michael Tolkin

Creator

Patricia Arquette

Tilly Mitchell

Paul Dano

David Sweat

Benicio del Toro

Richard Matt

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Nov 18, 2018 Part 1 After a 2015 prison break in Dannemora, N.Y., Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell is questioned about her involvement; months earlier, Tilly is tempted by inmate David Sweat, while inmate Richard Matt paints pictures for guards. Details Episode 2 Aired Nov 25, 2018 Part 2 Matt has an idea to get out of Dannemora, but Sweat is not interested; Matt begins to help Tilly with an inmate she doesn't get along with in the shop; Sweat comes to miss the freedoms that come with Matt's protection. Details Episode 3 Aired Dec 2, 2018 Part 3 Matt and Sweat run into walls and other obstacles as they search for a way out, but the power of positive thinking helps keep them on track; Tilly feels guilty about her mounting indiscretions, but she has a funny way of showing it. Details Episode 4 Aired Dec 9, 2018 Part 4 Excited by the possibility of a new life, Tilly tries her best to avoid Lyle, who is planning something special for their anniversary; Sweat makes progress on the escape route, but feels like he's doing all the work. Details Episode 5 Aired Dec 16, 2018 Part 5 On the day of the escape, Matt and Sweat know the smallest mistake can derail their whole plan; Tilly and Lyle have a fateful dinner at an all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant. Details Episode 6 Aired Dec 23, 2018 Part 6 In a deep dive into the minds of these individuals, what Matt and Sweat are capable of outside the prison walls is finally seen; Tilly's natural instincts aren't much better. Details Episode 7 Aired Dec 30, 2018 Part 7 Matt and Sweat run for their lives as the tension between them becomes extreme; Tilly tries to evade the authorities; as the law closes in, all three are confronted with hard truths about who they really are. Details Episode 7 Aired Dec 30, 2018 Part 7 Matt and Sweat run for their lives as the tension between them becomes extreme; Tilly tries to evade the authorities; as the law closes in, all three are confronted with hard truths about who they really are. Details Episode 8 Aired Dec 30, 2018 Part 8 The small sleepy town of Dannemora is home to the Clinton Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison. Two inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat become entangled in the life of a married female prison employee in the summer of 2015. Tilly Mitchell, an employee at Clinton Correctional Facility becomes romantically entangled with both convicts and aids in their escape from the facility. Emmy winner Ben Stiller executive produces and directs all episodes. Details

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Escape at Dannemora — Season 1

Escape at Dannemora: Limited Series Teaser - I See Myself Out There Escape at Dannemora: Limited Series Teaser - I See Myself Out There 0:59 View more videos
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Escape at Dannemora — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Ben Stiller
Creator
Brett Johnson, Brett Johnson, Michael Tolkin
Network
Showtime
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Nov 18, 2018
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