Oz is one of the best and most underrated shows of all-time!. It's one of the rare shows where just about every episode is great! HBO is known for having all these great shows over the years and Oz is right at the top of those great shows. It's about the inmates and guards at certain wing in a prison. It's easily the best pest prison series of all-time. You really get attached to the character and care what happens next. That's because the writing and acting is so great. I've watched it all the way through a few times now and probably will again in the best future. I wish they would try to bring this series and back or reboot it but with the same creator and writers.
223 Reviews
Truly tremendous - my favourite drama
Danny_G1323 July 2002
This is such a powerful show, superbly acted, that frankly I feel it's the best TV drama ever made. I know plenty of Hill Street Blues/NYPD Blue/Prime Suspect (etc) fans would enthusiastically argue this point, but I feel Oz is so well acted, so well realised and so darn entertaining that it's no contest. The characters are very watchable, the stories are gripping, and so much happens in each episode that the viewer has a lot of food for thought once the show is over. I'm currently at the 4th season being in UK, so I don't know the latest developments, but I got a lot of story to look forward to...
The fact it's also very satirical, particularly from Augustus Hill's commentary adds beautifully to the mix.
Nothing short of outstanding.
The fact it's also very satirical, particularly from Augustus Hill's commentary adds beautifully to the mix.
Nothing short of outstanding.
Still one of the best shows of all-time!
Supermanfan-1321 March 2020
Do NOT pass go, do not travel down this "Yellow Brick Road"...
cchase2 February 2000
Warning: Spoilers
...if what you want is the usual depiction that passes for prison life in a dramatic format. No SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION here, folks, no benevolent GREEN MILE guards or saintly supernatural inmates. OZ tells it like it is, and baby, it ain't pretty.
Using at times a sense of hyper-realism, (in the narrations of the excellent Harold Perrineau, who serves as the show's conscience and Greek chorus), OZ shows us both the profane and profound aspects of prison life that we good, law-abiding citizens don't like to think about. We have the "authorities" to take care of that, don't we?
Exceptional art, no matter what the medium, has the ability to move us, make us think, make us feel both things we embrace and things we reject. The power this show has to polarize viewers into two different camps--love it or hate it--is proof enough that Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson, the forces behind HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS, have fashioned something we haven't seen the likes of in a very long time.
I would strongly suggest that anyone who has not yet seen it give it a try, if you have HBO. Then I dare you to tear yourself away from it. It's rare television that makes you sit up, take notice, and actually care about even the minor characters in an ensemble such as this, no matter how heinous their crimes, or how street-and-battle-hardened their exteriors.
Augustus Hill, Simon Adebisi, Tobias Beecher, Vern Schillinger, Chris Keller, Jefferson Keane, Ryan O'Reilly, Kareem Said, Nino Schibetta, Bob Rebadow, Tim McManus, Warden Leo Glynn, Sister Peter-Marie, Father Ray, Officer Diane Wittlesey and all the others will imprint themselves on your memory and stay there, until you can't wait to find out what happens next.
A blend of black humor and outright horror, cutting commentary and the basest brutality, it is one of the very few shows being done now that can reveal the most majestic qualities of the human spirit. The ongoing struggle to resist surrendering to impulses and urges that cause the evil that men do, in the one place you would least expect to find any light--in a sea of human misery and darkness.
Using at times a sense of hyper-realism, (in the narrations of the excellent Harold Perrineau, who serves as the show's conscience and Greek chorus), OZ shows us both the profane and profound aspects of prison life that we good, law-abiding citizens don't like to think about. We have the "authorities" to take care of that, don't we?
Exceptional art, no matter what the medium, has the ability to move us, make us think, make us feel both things we embrace and things we reject. The power this show has to polarize viewers into two different camps--love it or hate it--is proof enough that Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson, the forces behind HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS, have fashioned something we haven't seen the likes of in a very long time.
I would strongly suggest that anyone who has not yet seen it give it a try, if you have HBO. Then I dare you to tear yourself away from it. It's rare television that makes you sit up, take notice, and actually care about even the minor characters in an ensemble such as this, no matter how heinous their crimes, or how street-and-battle-hardened their exteriors.
Augustus Hill, Simon Adebisi, Tobias Beecher, Vern Schillinger, Chris Keller, Jefferson Keane, Ryan O'Reilly, Kareem Said, Nino Schibetta, Bob Rebadow, Tim McManus, Warden Leo Glynn, Sister Peter-Marie, Father Ray, Officer Diane Wittlesey and all the others will imprint themselves on your memory and stay there, until you can't wait to find out what happens next.
A blend of black humor and outright horror, cutting commentary and the basest brutality, it is one of the very few shows being done now that can reveal the most majestic qualities of the human spirit. The ongoing struggle to resist surrendering to impulses and urges that cause the evil that men do, in the one place you would least expect to find any light--in a sea of human misery and darkness.
Brilliant series
TheLittleSongbird14 July 2011
Oz is one of HBO's best ever series. It is gritty and violent, yet ceaselessly compelling and riveting.
The production values are consistently of very high quality, with skillful photography and an authentic setting. The writing is superb, in fact Oz is one of my favourite ever shows when it comes to written quality and the story lines are outstanding.
Oz benefits further from efficient direction, strongly drawn characters and the acting particularly Ernie Hudson and Harold Perrineau I don't know where to begin praising.
All in all, a brilliant series. 10/10 Bethany Cox
The production values are consistently of very high quality, with skillful photography and an authentic setting. The writing is superb, in fact Oz is one of my favourite ever shows when it comes to written quality and the story lines are outstanding.
Oz benefits further from efficient direction, strongly drawn characters and the acting particularly Ernie Hudson and Harold Perrineau I don't know where to begin praising.
All in all, a brilliant series. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Oz is a fascinating depiction of humanity in it's strangest forms
xtremeguy6 February 2008
Oz is set in Oswald State Correctional Facility. It tells the story of confrontation, cruelty, violence, hate and survival at any cost. in a place like Oz, you have to have eyes in the back of your head.
This completely original, intelligent and compelling drama tells of how warped life becomes as soon as you step through the gates of Emerald City.
What is supposed to be a state of art correctional facility is in fact far from being such. The show brings to light some of the many flaws in the prison system, the underestimating of the humanity that cold hard killers are capable of still retaining, and the one true fact: The prisoners are the one's who control the prison.
This magnificent and somewhat surreal show teaches about the importance of every life and helps give an understanding to the reasons that most of the prisoners are there. This show may seem shocking at first but to truly tell it like it is, such a thing is necessary.
Oz is a great depiction of hell on earth and how such a place teaches you some of the most important lessons you will ever learn.
This completely original, intelligent and compelling drama tells of how warped life becomes as soon as you step through the gates of Emerald City.
What is supposed to be a state of art correctional facility is in fact far from being such. The show brings to light some of the many flaws in the prison system, the underestimating of the humanity that cold hard killers are capable of still retaining, and the one true fact: The prisoners are the one's who control the prison.
This magnificent and somewhat surreal show teaches about the importance of every life and helps give an understanding to the reasons that most of the prisoners are there. This show may seem shocking at first but to truly tell it like it is, such a thing is necessary.
Oz is a great depiction of hell on earth and how such a place teaches you some of the most important lessons you will ever learn.
Disturbing and thrilling
derezonajazz14 March 2019
Best Show Ever
rainman84023 June 2021
The golden age of HBO
tindfoting24 April 2022
It's strange how Oz somewhat got overlooked by shows like The Wire, Deadwood and Sopranos. I guess it comes to the very dark, adult material. Cause this takes no prisoners (no pun intended) describing what goes on in the experimental prison of Oz. The start of it relates around Tobias Beacher (Lee Tergesen) a white collar ending up in max after a fatal DUI. Naive as he is, he becomes the victim of ubernazi Schillinger (JK Simmons in his breaktrough role). The rest of it is a really well made prison drama. Even Netflix own Orange is The New Black have several times mentioned Oz between inmates. It's NOT for everyone. It's extremely graphic in parts, some terrible rape scenes and the "usual" sex scenes (seeing it again, it seems HBO has censored scenes). But beneath it all, there's an excellent written show, with really good actors. My only big complaint is season 4, which is twice as long as the rest, at 16 episodes. You feel the season drags out with fluffy sidestories. Overall, one of HBOs best, and the start of the great JK Simmons.
Best series I've seen
darieldowning26 April 2019
This should be a award winning series for story line and the outstanding portrayal of the actors. I was stunned by the quality of the actors due to never my never hearing of this series. It's time to bring this series back to life. I believe it ended after 6 seasons in 2003. Please bring Oz back to life.
hands down the best show on tv
The_Wood27 January 2002
Oz, no Dorothy you're not in Kansas anymore. Oz is the television show that pushed the limits in what you can get away with on television. Oz is real and violent, and it also makes for the single best series on TV, ever. With performance that grab attention, and some of the best direction ever on TV, Oz should be watched by ritual.
Made game of thrones, boardwalk empire, sopranos, etc all possible
bhagrak313 June 2013
This is my first review for IMDb, I usually use this site just to see what new movies and shows are coming out. But after seeing all of HBO's later shows leap frog it's first masterpiece I had to say something. Yes this is HBO's FIRST hour long drama, and if it wasn't for this show, many if not all it's later shows would not have existed.The best part of the show is the writing. Each episode starts with inmate Augustus Hill, (Harold Parrineau or "Micheal" from Lost). And focuses on different topics, such as race, law, society, love, etc. He does an amazing job of getting you to think about the lesson being taught. OZ takes place mainly in an experimental unit within the state prison called "Emerald City", managed by Tim Mcmanus. There is no one main story in OZ, (HBO never does that with any of their shows, ain't nobody got time fo dat). Each inmate has their own crimes that they committed, which is described by Hill in satirical form. Murder, torture, dealing t*ts (drugs in prison talk), rape all happen in this show so it's not for anyone with weak stomachs. All of their stories are separate but blend together beautifully. I was addicted after the first episode so check it out. Everyone's got time for game of thrones, make time for the show that MADE IT POSSIBLE!
Graphic, shocking, brutal...with plenty of bunk.
coldwaterpdh27 June 2008
No...I don't mean bunk-beds. I mean bunk.
I watched every season of Oz from start to finish and I have to say, it never wasn't entertaining. Anyone who thinks this show could be viewed by just anyone better think again. Here is just a taste of what you're in for if you decide to embark on the same journey that I just did: defecation, anal rape, (on camera...) suicide, gouging of eyes, shanking, urine being consumed, feces being played with, torture, more anal rape, (this time with a spoon...)and plenty of good old fashioned bloody violence. Needless to say, it's a graphic show, but unfortunately for Tom Fontana, (writer of most episodes in the series) it fails to remain plausible.
What starts out in season one as a well-acted, superbly-filmed prison drama degenerates into a wishy-washy, ridiculous, unsatisfying shock-fest that makes you scratch your head and say, 'how the hell could that happen?'
Examples of ridiculous plot lines:
1. Cyril O'Reilly, a mentally handicapped man is thrown into a maximum security prison, then sentenced to death for defending his brother and taking another man's life. Our right wing (of course!) Governor is cold-hearted and cruel and cares not for any prisoner, much less a retarded one...The political statements in this show are blatant and, as per usual with left wing TV, ludicrous.
2. Chinese refugees are thrown in maximum security prison. Please! Like this would EVER happen. Political refugees would be placed into a middle school before being thrown in with a bunch of murderers and rapists. Of course, one of these refugees who we grow to love is brutally slain in graphic detail for us to enjoy. Barf. Pure shock value.
3. Prisoners on work detail roam the halls, kitchen, and gym unsupervised. A prisoners' father and brother are even shanked, separately while they are visiting! In one scene, a Moslem gets sliced open with a box cutter by two Aryan thugs in a storage room. No one hears his screams. In another scene, a man gets his arms and legs broken on a wrestling mat while a guard watches and laughs. No one is held accountable.
4. In "Oz," every correctional officer is not only corrupt, but they are even gang members, murderers and sadists. If I had to bet, real correctional officers are deeply offended by this show. The CO's in "Oz" set up murders, are bought by prisoners for a pittance, and show no mercy. A female CO even 'rapes' several male prisoners! And of course, no one sees any of this or investigates the crimes. It's portrayed as 'just part of prison life!' Give me a large break.
5. In "Oz," murders take place on a daily basis. "Oz" has more murders in a given year than the entire city of Detroit. No one thinks to put in camera surveillance? The murders are brushed off unless they are committed by one of our main stars who we like. Then they are sent to death row.
6. Our main character, Tobias Beecher, slices and dices a guard (with fingernail clippers, no less...) and nothing ever comes of it. The guard is simply gone. It's never mentioned again in that episode, or later episodes.
7. Prisoners are purposely left alone with those who they seek to kill. In one scene, a vicious Aryan psycho is left alone with a dentist in a small office. The guard simply shuts the door. I guess the Aryan paid him $20... In another scene, as I mentioned above, a visiting lawyer, who happens to be a prisoner's father, is shut into a hallway so a pragg can shank him and gut him like a fish. When the visitor calls for the guard, the guard slams the door in his face. Guess he got paid off, too.
They tried to intertwine too many stories and introduce too many characters in "Oz," most of whom were uninteresting and did nothing for the main story lines. It probably could have been done in half as many seasons. The audience has to be 'reminded' of plot lines from prior episodes by these little black and white flashbacks. It gets very tiring trying to keep up with it all.
I could probably go on and on but it's not worth it. I did watch every single episode of this show and I did enjoy a lot of it. What I did like tallies up to be more than what I didn't, so for that, I'll say thanks to Tom Fontana, Levinson and crew. Lots of good acting and great lines. Lots of memorable scenes and I especially enjoyed the character Kareem Said who was, by far, the coolest man in the show.
If you can stomach wretched, shocking scenes, a lot of racial slurs along with derogatory terms and plenty of implausibility, I'd recommend buying this series. Buy every season because it is highly addictive. But get it used if you can. And get ready to pass it on because it's not the kind of show that many people will enjoy watching repeatedly.
6 out of 10, kids.
I watched every season of Oz from start to finish and I have to say, it never wasn't entertaining. Anyone who thinks this show could be viewed by just anyone better think again. Here is just a taste of what you're in for if you decide to embark on the same journey that I just did: defecation, anal rape, (on camera...) suicide, gouging of eyes, shanking, urine being consumed, feces being played with, torture, more anal rape, (this time with a spoon...)and plenty of good old fashioned bloody violence. Needless to say, it's a graphic show, but unfortunately for Tom Fontana, (writer of most episodes in the series) it fails to remain plausible.
What starts out in season one as a well-acted, superbly-filmed prison drama degenerates into a wishy-washy, ridiculous, unsatisfying shock-fest that makes you scratch your head and say, 'how the hell could that happen?'
Examples of ridiculous plot lines:
1. Cyril O'Reilly, a mentally handicapped man is thrown into a maximum security prison, then sentenced to death for defending his brother and taking another man's life. Our right wing (of course!) Governor is cold-hearted and cruel and cares not for any prisoner, much less a retarded one...The political statements in this show are blatant and, as per usual with left wing TV, ludicrous.
2. Chinese refugees are thrown in maximum security prison. Please! Like this would EVER happen. Political refugees would be placed into a middle school before being thrown in with a bunch of murderers and rapists. Of course, one of these refugees who we grow to love is brutally slain in graphic detail for us to enjoy. Barf. Pure shock value.
3. Prisoners on work detail roam the halls, kitchen, and gym unsupervised. A prisoners' father and brother are even shanked, separately while they are visiting! In one scene, a Moslem gets sliced open with a box cutter by two Aryan thugs in a storage room. No one hears his screams. In another scene, a man gets his arms and legs broken on a wrestling mat while a guard watches and laughs. No one is held accountable.
4. In "Oz," every correctional officer is not only corrupt, but they are even gang members, murderers and sadists. If I had to bet, real correctional officers are deeply offended by this show. The CO's in "Oz" set up murders, are bought by prisoners for a pittance, and show no mercy. A female CO even 'rapes' several male prisoners! And of course, no one sees any of this or investigates the crimes. It's portrayed as 'just part of prison life!' Give me a large break.
5. In "Oz," murders take place on a daily basis. "Oz" has more murders in a given year than the entire city of Detroit. No one thinks to put in camera surveillance? The murders are brushed off unless they are committed by one of our main stars who we like. Then they are sent to death row.
6. Our main character, Tobias Beecher, slices and dices a guard (with fingernail clippers, no less...) and nothing ever comes of it. The guard is simply gone. It's never mentioned again in that episode, or later episodes.
7. Prisoners are purposely left alone with those who they seek to kill. In one scene, a vicious Aryan psycho is left alone with a dentist in a small office. The guard simply shuts the door. I guess the Aryan paid him $20... In another scene, as I mentioned above, a visiting lawyer, who happens to be a prisoner's father, is shut into a hallway so a pragg can shank him and gut him like a fish. When the visitor calls for the guard, the guard slams the door in his face. Guess he got paid off, too.
They tried to intertwine too many stories and introduce too many characters in "Oz," most of whom were uninteresting and did nothing for the main story lines. It probably could have been done in half as many seasons. The audience has to be 'reminded' of plot lines from prior episodes by these little black and white flashbacks. It gets very tiring trying to keep up with it all.
I could probably go on and on but it's not worth it. I did watch every single episode of this show and I did enjoy a lot of it. What I did like tallies up to be more than what I didn't, so for that, I'll say thanks to Tom Fontana, Levinson and crew. Lots of good acting and great lines. Lots of memorable scenes and I especially enjoyed the character Kareem Said who was, by far, the coolest man in the show.
If you can stomach wretched, shocking scenes, a lot of racial slurs along with derogatory terms and plenty of implausibility, I'd recommend buying this series. Buy every season because it is highly addictive. But get it used if you can. And get ready to pass it on because it's not the kind of show that many people will enjoy watching repeatedly.
6 out of 10, kids.
Promising first season, but did the writers abandon ship?
siegal-jonathan29 March 2012
Oz starts off extremely well in the first season. I was almost to the point of convincing my wife to rewatch it with me since I knew I had a few more seasons to go, but I started the second season and was extremely dismayed.
If you're a fan of The Wire, you'll love seeing so many of the actors from that cast on Oz, but you'll miss the intricate plots. After season one, where characters' values actually mean something to them, it seems that the writers got as uncreative as Grey's Anatomy by just having each character question the values that defined his or her character.
There's way too much expositional dialog. So much of the show is recapped through inmates retelling what just happened in unnatural ways. If the plot needs to progress, they don't even bother waiting within a few tin minute blocks. Prisoner A needs to be killed? Prisoner B has a knife under his bed. Prisoner C steals knife; Prisoner A gets killed. That's about as complicated as the plot ever gets after the first season, and they don't at least give the audience the benefit of anticipating the action by letting the plot encompass a few episodes.
Throughout much of the show, I continually ask myself, "So what? What's the significance?" It becomes plot by the numbers with no metaphor.
I watched through half of the third season and just couldn't take it anymore. There are a few actors that still do a good job with the bad writing they are given, but it's not enough to continue.
If you're a fan of The Wire, you'll love seeing so many of the actors from that cast on Oz, but you'll miss the intricate plots. After season one, where characters' values actually mean something to them, it seems that the writers got as uncreative as Grey's Anatomy by just having each character question the values that defined his or her character.
There's way too much expositional dialog. So much of the show is recapped through inmates retelling what just happened in unnatural ways. If the plot needs to progress, they don't even bother waiting within a few tin minute blocks. Prisoner A needs to be killed? Prisoner B has a knife under his bed. Prisoner C steals knife; Prisoner A gets killed. That's about as complicated as the plot ever gets after the first season, and they don't at least give the audience the benefit of anticipating the action by letting the plot encompass a few episodes.
Throughout much of the show, I continually ask myself, "So what? What's the significance?" It becomes plot by the numbers with no metaphor.
I watched through half of the third season and just couldn't take it anymore. There are a few actors that still do a good job with the bad writing they are given, but it's not enough to continue.
More genius from the creators of "Homicide: Life on the Street"
thensheappeared20 July 2004
OK, it's violent and bloody and vicious and cruel. It's also wildly creative, beautifully filmed, brilliantly acted (with very few exceptions) and has a great framing device. The stories are both filled with detail and minutiae, and also have overarching moral tales and "big picture" flow. At the end of almost every episode you'll probably find yourself muttering "This is SUCH a good show!"
Although it is ostensibly the story of a prison and its many prisoners, 'Oz' can be viewed as primarily the story of one man, Tobias Beecher. Beecher has committed vehicular manslaughter while driving drunk. Because Beecher is a lawyer, the court decides to make an example of him and sends him to maximum security at Oswald Penitentiary. His journey through Oz is basically the rest of the series, and it's certainly no yellow brick road he follows. Everything that you could imagine happening in a prison setting happens, and probably a lot you wouldn't imagine.
He gets assigned to "Em" City (Emerald City), an experimental unit in Oz; the goal of Em City is to try a different living environment, one that might give the prisoners a chance at changing their lives and possibly rehabilitate them. Managed by a true prison reform zealot, Tim McManus, Em City is for many prisoners the only hope in their lives. The inmates of Em City are some of the most brutal offenders in the entire penitentiary - McManus insists that these are the prisoners to try to reach. McManus also picks newer prisoners, ones that don't have life sentences, to add to the mix and to give them a shot at rehabilitation.
Every episode has a storyteller - most of the time the storyteller is Augustus Hill, shot while killing a cop and now confined to a wheelchair. Because he is unable to be physically brutal anymore, because he is more imprisoned than even his fellow prisoners, Augustus is very insightful and is used to heighten and clarify themes for the audience.
The other inmates in Em City all have their own character development and story arcs - some are impressively vibrant but brief, others last for the whole series - but ultimately the writers always return to Beecher and his story. His friends (few), his enemies (many), his family, and his relationships with the prison staff.
Amid the worst that prison can dish out, the inmates struggle with the meaning of religion, with definitions of family, with the corruption of politics, with friendship, betrayal, and ultimately, survival. There are moments of sheer wanton destruction, unspeakable violence, shocking cruelty, and pure evil. It's prison! There is nothing glorified here; inmates do drugs to escape the horror of their realities, gangs murder each other over trivialities, inmates and guards commit rape just because they can. But how they manage to survive - and IF they manage to survive - keeps you watching.
Some key performances: The always perfect J.K. Simmons as Schillinger, the leader of the Aryans; Chris Meloni as Chris Keller (quite a different part than his character on L&O: SVU!); Lee Tergesen as Beecher; Eamonn Walker as Said, the leader of the Muslims; Dean and Scott Winters (real-life brothers) as Ryan and Cyril O'Reilly; and Kirk Acevedo as Miguel Alvarez, a member of the Latinos. But honestly, the whole cast is excellent. Even most of the "guest starring" roles - new inmates who practically have an expiration date stamped on them - are good, and at least are pretty interesting.
It's coming out on DVD in dribs and drabs - rent it, borrow it, steal it, whatever. But watch it!
Although it is ostensibly the story of a prison and its many prisoners, 'Oz' can be viewed as primarily the story of one man, Tobias Beecher. Beecher has committed vehicular manslaughter while driving drunk. Because Beecher is a lawyer, the court decides to make an example of him and sends him to maximum security at Oswald Penitentiary. His journey through Oz is basically the rest of the series, and it's certainly no yellow brick road he follows. Everything that you could imagine happening in a prison setting happens, and probably a lot you wouldn't imagine.
He gets assigned to "Em" City (Emerald City), an experimental unit in Oz; the goal of Em City is to try a different living environment, one that might give the prisoners a chance at changing their lives and possibly rehabilitate them. Managed by a true prison reform zealot, Tim McManus, Em City is for many prisoners the only hope in their lives. The inmates of Em City are some of the most brutal offenders in the entire penitentiary - McManus insists that these are the prisoners to try to reach. McManus also picks newer prisoners, ones that don't have life sentences, to add to the mix and to give them a shot at rehabilitation.
Every episode has a storyteller - most of the time the storyteller is Augustus Hill, shot while killing a cop and now confined to a wheelchair. Because he is unable to be physically brutal anymore, because he is more imprisoned than even his fellow prisoners, Augustus is very insightful and is used to heighten and clarify themes for the audience.
The other inmates in Em City all have their own character development and story arcs - some are impressively vibrant but brief, others last for the whole series - but ultimately the writers always return to Beecher and his story. His friends (few), his enemies (many), his family, and his relationships with the prison staff.
Amid the worst that prison can dish out, the inmates struggle with the meaning of religion, with definitions of family, with the corruption of politics, with friendship, betrayal, and ultimately, survival. There are moments of sheer wanton destruction, unspeakable violence, shocking cruelty, and pure evil. It's prison! There is nothing glorified here; inmates do drugs to escape the horror of their realities, gangs murder each other over trivialities, inmates and guards commit rape just because they can. But how they manage to survive - and IF they manage to survive - keeps you watching.
Some key performances: The always perfect J.K. Simmons as Schillinger, the leader of the Aryans; Chris Meloni as Chris Keller (quite a different part than his character on L&O: SVU!); Lee Tergesen as Beecher; Eamonn Walker as Said, the leader of the Muslims; Dean and Scott Winters (real-life brothers) as Ryan and Cyril O'Reilly; and Kirk Acevedo as Miguel Alvarez, a member of the Latinos. But honestly, the whole cast is excellent. Even most of the "guest starring" roles - new inmates who practically have an expiration date stamped on them - are good, and at least are pretty interesting.
It's coming out on DVD in dribs and drabs - rent it, borrow it, steal it, whatever. But watch it!
...
mattiasflgrtll610 December 2015
That's right. This show is so fantastic there are no words which make it justice!
Right from the very first episode, there is a LOT going on, and many reasons why the next episode is worth watching. Conflicts are introduced which are built upon in the next episode, and new conflicts then arise in THAT episode. Sometimes as a result of the PREVIOUS conflicts. That's how complex this show is, the heat is in the air the whole time.
The writing is AMAZING. You never can be certain of what will happen next and the dialogue ranges from witty or darkly hilarious to intense or very heartbreaking. A lot of episodes among all the violence and scumbags contain interesting messages about life. Every episode has a theme; it could be revenge, sex, love, drugs... These are presented with the narration by this show's moral centerpiece Augustus Hill. And still, he's not perfect himself. All of the characters have their own flaws which this series present excellently.
The characters are MANY, but somehow this show manages to make almost every one of them fascinating in some way. Even those who appear in only one single episode can make you attached to the screen and anticipated over what will happen with him next (it's USUALLY a him, it's a prison full of males after all). Just when you think you know how someone is like, that character can go through things which radically alter their behavior. Even the most innocent of people can suddenly flip. Among my favorites are Tobias Beecher (the closest thing to a main character), Vern Schillinger, Tim McManus, Kareem Said, Father Ray Mukada, Simon Adebisi, Omar White... There are just too damn many, man! There are all sorts of people to get invested by, and the writers respect character development to such a point that you rarely feel like someone is one-dimensional.
Taboo subjects are touched upon, such as racism, homophobia, rape, drug abuse among other things. You will find at least 10 people here who either holds these opinions or has done any of the latter stuff. Despite what is said to be a maximum security level, Oz is a rat maze! You have to look around the corner, be suspicious about everyone. Somebody could act like your best friend just to later brutally execute you. Sure it occasionally gets unrealistic and even a bit convoluted (Aging pills? An unconscious body which disappears without explanation?) but it's easy to overlook since there's always something to keep my eyes on. It never gets so distracting that I become angry and turn it off. Oh no, boy. My eyes are glued to the screen even more than Charlie Sheen is addicted to sex.
Everything is mesmerizing. Hell, it even has one of the best theme songs of all time! The cinematography as well, it's shockingly impressive! I especially have to praise Alex Zakrzewski, who is the most frequent director of photography. Give the man an award already!
To say this show is a must-see would be an understatement. If you've never seen Oz, you haven't completed your life. Breathtaking television.
Right from the very first episode, there is a LOT going on, and many reasons why the next episode is worth watching. Conflicts are introduced which are built upon in the next episode, and new conflicts then arise in THAT episode. Sometimes as a result of the PREVIOUS conflicts. That's how complex this show is, the heat is in the air the whole time.
The writing is AMAZING. You never can be certain of what will happen next and the dialogue ranges from witty or darkly hilarious to intense or very heartbreaking. A lot of episodes among all the violence and scumbags contain interesting messages about life. Every episode has a theme; it could be revenge, sex, love, drugs... These are presented with the narration by this show's moral centerpiece Augustus Hill. And still, he's not perfect himself. All of the characters have their own flaws which this series present excellently.
The characters are MANY, but somehow this show manages to make almost every one of them fascinating in some way. Even those who appear in only one single episode can make you attached to the screen and anticipated over what will happen with him next (it's USUALLY a him, it's a prison full of males after all). Just when you think you know how someone is like, that character can go through things which radically alter their behavior. Even the most innocent of people can suddenly flip. Among my favorites are Tobias Beecher (the closest thing to a main character), Vern Schillinger, Tim McManus, Kareem Said, Father Ray Mukada, Simon Adebisi, Omar White... There are just too damn many, man! There are all sorts of people to get invested by, and the writers respect character development to such a point that you rarely feel like someone is one-dimensional.
Taboo subjects are touched upon, such as racism, homophobia, rape, drug abuse among other things. You will find at least 10 people here who either holds these opinions or has done any of the latter stuff. Despite what is said to be a maximum security level, Oz is a rat maze! You have to look around the corner, be suspicious about everyone. Somebody could act like your best friend just to later brutally execute you. Sure it occasionally gets unrealistic and even a bit convoluted (Aging pills? An unconscious body which disappears without explanation?) but it's easy to overlook since there's always something to keep my eyes on. It never gets so distracting that I become angry and turn it off. Oh no, boy. My eyes are glued to the screen even more than Charlie Sheen is addicted to sex.
Everything is mesmerizing. Hell, it even has one of the best theme songs of all time! The cinematography as well, it's shockingly impressive! I especially have to praise Alex Zakrzewski, who is the most frequent director of photography. Give the man an award already!
To say this show is a must-see would be an understatement. If you've never seen Oz, you haven't completed your life. Breathtaking television.
One of the best shows ever. Period.
f-j-stuiver13 April 2013
I just recently picked up this show, because I was bored with all the shows that get canceled after just one season. I wanted something that I could dig into for a longer time. I knew the show existed for quite some time and I always felt intrigued to watch it, but I just never got around to it.
This show was just one big surprise. The acting is superb, the character development is just insanely great. The dialogue is thrilling, the humor is very subtle and the violence is very realistic. From the first episode I was completely hooked, and it only got better and better from the start.
This show represents everything I miss in current TV-shows; psychologically challenging, sometimes so realistic that it becomes uneasy to watch. As if it was happening right in front of your eyes in real life.
One of the best shows I've ever seen. For me, this goes right next to The Wire and the Sopranos.
This show was just one big surprise. The acting is superb, the character development is just insanely great. The dialogue is thrilling, the humor is very subtle and the violence is very realistic. From the first episode I was completely hooked, and it only got better and better from the start.
This show represents everything I miss in current TV-shows; psychologically challenging, sometimes so realistic that it becomes uneasy to watch. As if it was happening right in front of your eyes in real life.
One of the best shows I've ever seen. For me, this goes right next to The Wire and the Sopranos.
Suspend disbelief
clownbaby-060066 April 2023
First off, this show is amazing. The drama, suspense, action - it's addictive. The character development and arcs are intense, emotional, well constructed. A definite recommend.
That being said, you have to suspend disbelief. All the reviews saying how this is an accurate portrayal of prison life - it is surely not. The constant hits and stabbings, the corrupt guards. It's not real. Do these things happen? Yes. But they're a rarity, not the norm. Also, prisoners don't have access to weapons like this - no straight razors in the Barbershop, the knives in the kitchen are tethered down. And all the unseen murders? No. Just no. There are cameras nearly everywhere in prison. They would all get caught.
Despite the exaggeration of prison life, it is an intensely addictive show. Oz > Sopranos.
That being said, you have to suspend disbelief. All the reviews saying how this is an accurate portrayal of prison life - it is surely not. The constant hits and stabbings, the corrupt guards. It's not real. Do these things happen? Yes. But they're a rarity, not the norm. Also, prisoners don't have access to weapons like this - no straight razors in the Barbershop, the knives in the kitchen are tethered down. And all the unseen murders? No. Just no. There are cameras nearly everywhere in prison. They would all get caught.
Despite the exaggeration of prison life, it is an intensely addictive show. Oz > Sopranos.
Great show, left me wishing for more seasons.
legerinia14 March 2017
Much like Game Of Thrones now a days, I watched this show religiously when it came out. I looked forward to every episode, and every season, and yeah I was disappointed when they ended the show after only 6 seasons, but man, talk about some great work by these actors. It's cool going back now after all these years, and seeing actors in the show, who are now known for other great roles. Yeah sure it was fake as hell when it came to what actually goes on in prisons (I have friends who are employees in a couple prisons), but it was pure entertainment, and I enjoyed it, and that's all that matters.I wished they had gone a little further with a couple extra seasons, but towards the end it was obvious, they really couldn't go any further with the plot lines without possibly "jumping the shark". Although the ending was a bit anti climatic for me, and I wish it had been done differently, but all in all, it's a great show, and I enjoyed re-watching it recently, and I may even watch it again sometime down the road. Like I said, it's a great show that left me wishing for more seasons, and is definitely binge watch worthy.
Best
briantjordan-8226426 April 2021
One of the greatest TV series ever!
tv_is_my_parent29 January 2011
This show has no big award. How can people let this happen? This show is one of the best thing on TV by miles. The stories by Augustus Hill,presenting a new prisoner, not knowing who's gonna die next...every thing is great.
I really wasn't sure if i'm gonna like a show with bunch of drug addicted black guy, disturbingly bad Natzi men. There's not one good character. Everyone is doing some bad things. It makes you one of those prisoner but you wouldn't wanna be there because that place is like hell.
As a whole, Oz is a gripping series. It's cannot to be missed. You can start anytime. 9.7/10 Best Seasons: Compelete Series (6 Seasons)
I really wasn't sure if i'm gonna like a show with bunch of drug addicted black guy, disturbingly bad Natzi men. There's not one good character. Everyone is doing some bad things. It makes you one of those prisoner but you wouldn't wanna be there because that place is like hell.
As a whole, Oz is a gripping series. It's cannot to be missed. You can start anytime. 9.7/10 Best Seasons: Compelete Series (6 Seasons)
Top 10 TV Shows of all time
katalist42024 May 2022
One of the greatest TV shows of all time. It is a show I come back to atleast once every 2 years to watch again. From the acting, to the camera work, to the characters, to the writing, for me its a top 10 tv show of all time. I am not joking, OZ has given me the same level of enjoyment as Twin Peaks, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Endeavour and Carnivale.
Go buy all the seasons and watch them, you will end up being hooked!
ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS OF ALL TIME!
Go buy all the seasons and watch them, you will end up being hooked!
ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS OF ALL TIME!
Best acting on any show of AlL-Time!
tyler2658-220-23498813 September 2021
One of the best!
misse197718 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a hard show to watch. It's not something to sit back and relax to. It kept me on the edge of my seat for several seasons. People get screwed over, raped, tortured and die like flies. There are male organs everywhere, there is excrement, puke and blood. Oz is a brave show. It brings up issues like racism, homosexuality, prisoners reality and most of all; -capital punishment. It is, in my opinion also successful in doing so, unlike for example, the single-tracked "Medium".
It bored me sometimes. It had some weird story lines and they spent to much time on characters that just didn't interest me. Strangely enough, I found season 1 to be quite boring. If I had watched it while it aired I think I wouldn't have continued to watch it. I love seasons 2 - 4. Season 5 and 6 are watchable, (although I think it shouldn't be allowed to utter the words "Cyril" and "Death Row" in the same sentence)
There are so many marvelous characters to root for. The old guys Bob and Busmalis, who I absolutely fell in love with from day one. Said, Adebesi, Pancamo and Schillinger, four very strong and charismatic leaders in their own way. Augustus Hill, who's monologues tied the episodes together so efficient. The staff with people like Sister Pete and Ray Mukada-also brilliant. Also minor characters that was only in for a couple of episodes or a few seasons, but left a good impression as well.
My favorites are the O'Reily brothers. Their relationship was the most gut-wrenching and warmest I seen on television. If there is anything I will always remember about this show it's them. There will never be another "pairing" or what to call it, that will make me ache so much. Thats why, when the ends come for them as well, it almost hurt to much. I wish it would never have happened. I wish I had never watched it.
But good one Fontana. I do recommend it.
It bored me sometimes. It had some weird story lines and they spent to much time on characters that just didn't interest me. Strangely enough, I found season 1 to be quite boring. If I had watched it while it aired I think I wouldn't have continued to watch it. I love seasons 2 - 4. Season 5 and 6 are watchable, (although I think it shouldn't be allowed to utter the words "Cyril" and "Death Row" in the same sentence)
There are so many marvelous characters to root for. The old guys Bob and Busmalis, who I absolutely fell in love with from day one. Said, Adebesi, Pancamo and Schillinger, four very strong and charismatic leaders in their own way. Augustus Hill, who's monologues tied the episodes together so efficient. The staff with people like Sister Pete and Ray Mukada-also brilliant. Also minor characters that was only in for a couple of episodes or a few seasons, but left a good impression as well.
My favorites are the O'Reily brothers. Their relationship was the most gut-wrenching and warmest I seen on television. If there is anything I will always remember about this show it's them. There will never be another "pairing" or what to call it, that will make me ache so much. Thats why, when the ends come for them as well, it almost hurt to much. I wish it would never have happened. I wish I had never watched it.
But good one Fontana. I do recommend it.
It's like Prison Break without the "break," and taking place in a high school rather than a prison.
Anonymous_Maxine26 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
First of all, season 1 is intolerably bad. The prison is ridiculously unrealistic, the characters are so two dimensional they're nearly transparent, and the direction is terrible. It runs like a bad video of a junior high school play, characters wandering past the camera and uttering highly timed and rehearsed lines, passing off as random prison talk. Soon the show gets better, but not by much. The return from the commercial break is always accompanied by some ridiculous monologue by wheelchair-bound Augustus Hill, who is played impressively by Harold Perrineau. The only time his character is consistently bad is during the bad performance art monologues, most of which take place in an inexplicable rotating glass cube and generally have nothing to do with what's taking place in the show.
Unfortunately, the bad ideas in Oz could fill an encyclopedia of several volumes. Consider the whole situation, first of all. Prisoners are able to hang out in plain sight getting drunk, doing drugs, and they not only have CD players (CDs?? They might as well pass out steak knives), but all incoming mail is thoroughly examined by PRISONERS. Christ, the place is like a men's club with guards. Guards that don't do much.
Near the end of season two, an older prisoner's grandson is diagnosed with leukemia, and all of the prisoners pitch in thick wads of $20 and $50 bills to help send him to Disneyworld to fulfill his dying wish. These have to be the richest prisoners in the world. Every single prisoner in Oz all of a sudden became caring, loving guys except Kenny Wangler, an irritating character but one of the only ones who is consistently convincing. Even Adibisi wanted to be nice. But that's okay, because there is no order or sense in the show, so even this is not much of a distraction.
Later, shockingly, there is a boxing scene in which one inmate is wearing an "I Love Cops" t- shirt. In prison!! Can you imagine?? I have a cousin who was in prison a few years ago. I sent him an old picture of us with some friends in high school, and in the picture, one of my friends was holding an "I Love Cops" bumper sticker, and one of "the woods" (guys who have been in prison for years and years) saw the picture but just grabbed it and ripped it to shreds. My cousin got lucky.
Kenny Wangler also constantly berates the guards and even more senior officers for not calling him Bricks. One of them even tried to bribe him to go to an English class. You may lose track of who is in charge, the prisoners or the guards. More than one investigator, for example, goes into the prison undercover and gets killed trying to stop the drug trade. Personally I would just stop letting prisoners inspect incoming mail rather than risk the lives of investigators.
Let's see, what else? Shillinger's son OD's in solitary and no one thinks to ask the guard how he got the drugs. He just...got them, I guess. And make sure to pay attention, otherwise you'll miss the reason why the prisoners have enough money to be able to afford ascellular dermal grafts when they get bad gums. I didn't know guests in maximum security prisons were afforded such luxurious treatment options. How about this, when Robson asks about Dr. Faraj's schedule so he can ask what race of gums he was given, Faraj is so terrified that he goes to the warden and quits his job on the spot. Do doctors and dentists not have the right to request not to see certain prisoners? After Poet and O'Reilly make the announcement to the entire prison, Robson asks to see Dr. Faraj, and is escorted to his office, brought in without knocking, and the guard promptly leaves without a word. They might as well give him a gun.
I shouldn't go on about stupid ideas in this show, but it's like a flood, I can't stop it. Who thought of the Chinese refugees who can't speak Chinese and who disappear en masse from sight unless they're needed? Who thought of the goofy religious wars and all the reverend prisoners? Who though of Robson's gum transplant? What's the deal with Busmalis and Agamemnon? Agamemnon because he clearly doesn't belong in prison and Busmalis because of the whole thing with his grandson. Macbeth, because it was nothing but a ridiculous means to an end, as it were.
But what are the worst ideas? Things that go nowhere, which are constant. An Irish man comes to the prison and builds a bomb. He threatens to blow up the entire prison, the bomb turns out to be a dud, and the episode ends with him being led away by the bomb squad after the entire prison is evacuated. Nothing is ever heard from him or about the whole situation again. It's like it never happened. In one episode, prisoners are given dogs to train. What the hell?? If that wasn't bad enough, during one training session, a guard fires his gun inside the prison walls as a training exercise. No one seems to mind.
I also like how anytime some kind of altercation breaks out, the culprits are pulled aside, they don't say anything, and the guards or warden or sister Pete or whoever always says, "I hope you don't think I'm gonna let this go!!" And then they walk away and let it go. The audience won't remember.
Maybe I'm spoiled by Prison Break, but Oz is just a goofy prison drama that might be better as a play. A short one. At least a low-budget movie. There is just not enough here to sustain a multi-season TV show. Then again, I watched six seasons of it on DVD. Sometimes I don't understand myself...
Unfortunately, the bad ideas in Oz could fill an encyclopedia of several volumes. Consider the whole situation, first of all. Prisoners are able to hang out in plain sight getting drunk, doing drugs, and they not only have CD players (CDs?? They might as well pass out steak knives), but all incoming mail is thoroughly examined by PRISONERS. Christ, the place is like a men's club with guards. Guards that don't do much.
Near the end of season two, an older prisoner's grandson is diagnosed with leukemia, and all of the prisoners pitch in thick wads of $20 and $50 bills to help send him to Disneyworld to fulfill his dying wish. These have to be the richest prisoners in the world. Every single prisoner in Oz all of a sudden became caring, loving guys except Kenny Wangler, an irritating character but one of the only ones who is consistently convincing. Even Adibisi wanted to be nice. But that's okay, because there is no order or sense in the show, so even this is not much of a distraction.
Later, shockingly, there is a boxing scene in which one inmate is wearing an "I Love Cops" t- shirt. In prison!! Can you imagine?? I have a cousin who was in prison a few years ago. I sent him an old picture of us with some friends in high school, and in the picture, one of my friends was holding an "I Love Cops" bumper sticker, and one of "the woods" (guys who have been in prison for years and years) saw the picture but just grabbed it and ripped it to shreds. My cousin got lucky.
Kenny Wangler also constantly berates the guards and even more senior officers for not calling him Bricks. One of them even tried to bribe him to go to an English class. You may lose track of who is in charge, the prisoners or the guards. More than one investigator, for example, goes into the prison undercover and gets killed trying to stop the drug trade. Personally I would just stop letting prisoners inspect incoming mail rather than risk the lives of investigators.
Let's see, what else? Shillinger's son OD's in solitary and no one thinks to ask the guard how he got the drugs. He just...got them, I guess. And make sure to pay attention, otherwise you'll miss the reason why the prisoners have enough money to be able to afford ascellular dermal grafts when they get bad gums. I didn't know guests in maximum security prisons were afforded such luxurious treatment options. How about this, when Robson asks about Dr. Faraj's schedule so he can ask what race of gums he was given, Faraj is so terrified that he goes to the warden and quits his job on the spot. Do doctors and dentists not have the right to request not to see certain prisoners? After Poet and O'Reilly make the announcement to the entire prison, Robson asks to see Dr. Faraj, and is escorted to his office, brought in without knocking, and the guard promptly leaves without a word. They might as well give him a gun.
I shouldn't go on about stupid ideas in this show, but it's like a flood, I can't stop it. Who thought of the Chinese refugees who can't speak Chinese and who disappear en masse from sight unless they're needed? Who thought of the goofy religious wars and all the reverend prisoners? Who though of Robson's gum transplant? What's the deal with Busmalis and Agamemnon? Agamemnon because he clearly doesn't belong in prison and Busmalis because of the whole thing with his grandson. Macbeth, because it was nothing but a ridiculous means to an end, as it were.
But what are the worst ideas? Things that go nowhere, which are constant. An Irish man comes to the prison and builds a bomb. He threatens to blow up the entire prison, the bomb turns out to be a dud, and the episode ends with him being led away by the bomb squad after the entire prison is evacuated. Nothing is ever heard from him or about the whole situation again. It's like it never happened. In one episode, prisoners are given dogs to train. What the hell?? If that wasn't bad enough, during one training session, a guard fires his gun inside the prison walls as a training exercise. No one seems to mind.
I also like how anytime some kind of altercation breaks out, the culprits are pulled aside, they don't say anything, and the guards or warden or sister Pete or whoever always says, "I hope you don't think I'm gonna let this go!!" And then they walk away and let it go. The audience won't remember.
Maybe I'm spoiled by Prison Break, but Oz is just a goofy prison drama that might be better as a play. A short one. At least a low-budget movie. There is just not enough here to sustain a multi-season TV show. Then again, I watched six seasons of it on DVD. Sometimes I don't understand myself...
See also
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