The characters are really good. You really get to know them, but just so good that they're still unpredictable. You get to know some of their history and what kind of people they are. The actors do a great job in portraying these characters.
The story may seem a little incredible and some facts may be wrong, but never the less it's made quite believable. You believe the locations and the characters and how they behave and react. The story is well written and detailed and it all seems possible. They've managed to give this series kind of it's own style and personality. The basic idea of escaping a prison is old and so you might not wanna call this show original. On the other hand you don't know what else to call it. It is a new twist to an old idea (and a good one I might add) and it is not filled with cliches. It gives a realistic image of what could very well be. At the same time you got the old hero who's out to save the innocent. Yet, Michael is not treated like a hero. He leans more towards being a anti-hero.