If you were ever a fan of the HBO series “Oz,” a show about a bunch of derelicts trying to escape a maximum-security prison, or if you’re merely into “prison drama,” then “Prison Break” is a must-see series for those of your ilk.

If you haven’t seen the previous three seasons yet, don’t fret. If you can walk into a major keg-party and manage to walk out with a new friend, then you can walk into this series and get the gist of what’s what and who’s who.

But if you’d like a brief rundown of the last season, here is it is: Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) has purposefully sent himself to the same prison that his brother, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), is locked up in.

Why would anyone do such a thing?

Well, Scofield knows his brother has been framed for a crime he did not commit, and is intent on setting him free and setting the record straight. For the first two seasons, viewers learn about the reasons behind this massive frame-up and how it operated. The brothers also learn about the evildoers behind the conspiracy, called “The Company.” If you’re a conspiracy theorist yourself, this plotline is right up your alley.

“The Company” is run by rogue government agents who scheme behind the scenes to make things happen their way … think back to the Gore/Bush election debacle of 2000. “The Company” is the type of creepy organization that would rig an election.

Season three follows the two brothers’ journey to take down the corrupt firm. They also find some of the answers they are looking for as to why they are involved, much of it having to do with their father, who was an inside man at “The Company.” Sadly, their father died in the process of trying to take the organization down.

The back-to-back premiere on Sept. 1 saw the two brothers teamed up with a motley crew from their days in various prisons in the U.S. and Panama. With the help of these reformed thugs and new series regular Donald Self (Michael Rapaport), an undercover federal agent of Homeland Security who needs the Scofield/Burrows duo to defeat and unlock “The Company’s” secrets, the series takes on an interesting new story line.

Although there have been a wide array of characters on the show to be axed, the one who was missed most was Scofield’s love interest, Dr. Sara Tancredi (Sarah Wayne Callies), who was supposedly dead last season, but has thankfully come back to life for season four. Their love and tension adds dimension to the series, and the psychology of the many other characters’ personal lives also gives the show depth that not many other drama series have managed to convey.

If all of this doesn’t convince you enough to tune in, be aware that this series was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy back in 2006, so apparently, America and the professional critics agree, this is a good series. Tune in to FOX at 8 p.m. on Mondays for more and get hooked.

Show: Prison Break
Network: Fox
Time/Date: 8 p.m. on Mondays
Grade: A