It starts tomorrow and the talent involved is incredible.
Have you ever watched something and thought to yourself 'I know that actor from somewhere, they're always excellent'.
Well, in the case of Paul Dano, that description is perfectly apt because despite impressive turns in the likes of Little Miss Sunshine, Prisoners, There Will Be Blood, and 12 Years A Slave, he's not exactly what you would call a household name.
This could be about to change though because Sky Atlantic's new prison break drama/mystery, Escape at Dannemora, will be released on New Year's Day and the eight-part show has already received some fantastic reviews.
Ok, what does it about?
The Ben Stiller-directed series dramatises the 2015 Dannemora prison break in upstate New York, where convicted murderer Richard Matt (Benicio del Toro) plans an escape with fellow inmate David Sweat (Paul Dano). The men also receive help from Tilly Mitchell (Oscar-winner Patricia Arquette), the married prison shop supervisor who had become romantically involved with both men.
What unfolds is a chilling mystery that provides the perfect showcase for its talented cast.
Since being released, the show was nominated for two Golden Globes - Best Television Limited Series and Best Performance by an Actress - and critics have absolutely fallen in love with the gritty drama.
At present, it holds a 78% rating from the very reliable Metacritic and 90% from Rotten Tomatoes. Here's what some of the reviews have said.
USA Today - "Dannemora is the best possible version of a stranger-than-fiction truth told fictionally. Dannemora transcends into one of the best TV experiences of the year."
Washington Post - "Escape at Dannemora is a master work of true-crime dramatisation, remarkable in that it feels true in a way that even transcends the record of what happened."
Newsday - "One of the best series of the year."
TV Guide - "Riveting and superbly acted seven-part true-crime docudrama."
LA Times - "A smart, watchable, elegantly made fact-based drama."
Escape at Dannemora airs on Sky Atlantic at 21:00 on New Year's Day.
Here's what's in store.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVbOjP1Ziec
Clip via SHOWTIME
