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Inside the World's Toughest Prisons

2016 – nowShow7 seasons27 episodesTV-MA

CrimeDocumentary
71
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2

A gripping, tense crime series about everyday modern life and crime, with standout world-building.

Good for friends night · teens · binge-friendly

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Shows with

Episodes

7 seasons · 27 episodes · best: S3E4 "Norway: The Perfect Prison?" 8.0

Episodes

6.8
7.2
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.2

Story

Crime journalist Raphael Rowe goes behind the bars of some of the world’s most notorious and toughest prisons. Immersing himself in maximum security facilities around the world to live as a prisoner, he encounters the inmates locked up for their crimes and meets the men and women on the right side of law tasked with keeping the criminals behind bars.

Feels like

  • Documentary Series
  • Prison Life
  • True Crime
  • Social Commentary
  • Global Prisons
  • Immersive Journalism
  • Human Condition
  • Psychological Exploration
  • Justice System
  • Unflinching Look

Cast

2 of 2 · most episodes first

Facts

April 20, 2016 · September 15, 2023 · Still running

First aired
April 20, 2016
Latest episode
September 15, 2023
Status
Still running
Length
7 seasons · 27 episodes
Age rating
TV-MA
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Strong Language
Genres
Crime, Documentary
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom
Available in
131 countries

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Inside the World's Toughest Prisons?"

Questions about Inside the World's Toughest Prisons

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Inside the World's Toughest Prisons?

Netflix

In the United States, Inside the World's Toughest Prisons streams on Netflix. It also streams in 130 other countries.

Is Inside the World's Toughest Prisons worth watching?

71
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 71 (IMDb 7.2).

Does Inside the World's Toughest Prisons get better after season 1?

Yes: season 1 has an IMDb average of 6.8, and seasons 3, 4, and 5 peak at 7.4. The highest-rated episode is Norway: The Perfect Prison? (season 3, episode 4) at 8.0, and the lowest is Danli Prison, Honduras (season 1, episode 1) at 6.7.

How long does it take to watch Inside the World's Toughest Prisons?

20 h

About 20 hours: 27 episodes in 7 seasons of about 44 minutes each since 2016, and it's still in production.

Will I feel good after watching Inside the World's Toughest Prisons?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.