Oz
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Season One (1997)
Rate:
5 out of 5
Viewed:
6/16
6/16:
If you asked me what the top show was on HBO back then, I'm going to have to say it's Oz.
The episodes were so compelling that I couldn't get enough of them. Watching Oz again, I still remember many characters'
names. Quite often, it's a hard-hitting show with unexpected results. Countless characters die, and much of the content is
sexually graphic and brutally violent, reinforcing the ages-old stereotypes about prison life.
Anyway, here is my analysis for some of the episodes:
The Routine: No matter how many episodes I've gotten into Oz, Jon Seda's Dino Ortolani is among the most
memorable characters. His violent temper notwithstanding, he's a likeable guy in a certain way with a bundle of potential.
It's too bad he went down so soon.
Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise: It's probably for the best that Alvarez's baby is deceased. He was going to make for the
fourth straight generation in his family to spend the rest of his life in prison with a high chance of being mentally insane.
God's Chillin: The narrator sucks, and all he does is say nothing useful and rotate around in a glass cube.
There's too much religion in this episode.
Capital P: Executions don't occur this fast. It takes years for them to be processed.
To Your Health: Cool, Rick Fox is in Oz. He's a good actor who brings credibility to the table.
A Game of Checkers: Kareem Saïd said there were reforms after the riot at Attica. That's not true. Hence, he's delusional
as ever because riots don't solve problems but make things worse.
Season Two (1998)
Rate:
4 out of 5
Viewed:
7/16
7/16:
The quality of the episodes in Season Two is down compared to Season One.
Although there are several well-developed subplots, there isn't much of substance throughout. Worse, there are many
unrealistic situations. Some of them are certainly eye-rollers.
Why are the convicts allowed to check the mail? Why don't the corrections officers monitor activity behind the stairwell? Why do
the male and female staff members share the same locker room? Why is there a female prisoner on death row at a maximum-security
penitentiary for males? In reality, females are transported there within the same day of their scheduled execution.
Nonetheless, the quality of acting is consistently high which is the difference maker in the show's watchability. Everybody
has made themselves very realistic and isn't afraid to bare themselves or have homosexual relations, so kudos to them.
Based on various information, the location of prison is probably Buffalo, New York, or thereabouts.
Anyway,
here is my analysis for some of the episodes:
The Tip: I'm surprised Scott Ross is dead. He was a good character.
Ancient Tribes: When is somebody going to kill the narrator? The guy sucks and says nothing of value. Tim McManus is full
of shit and is the biggest walking contradiction ever. Somebody needs to put a shiv in him.
Losing Your Appeal: Next to McManus, Kareem Saïd has to be the most delusional person in Oz. Where does he come off
thinking he's qualified to be a lawyer? On the other hand, Ryan O'Reily is a master manipulator. Why would Gloria risk her
career to fall in love with a convict? For a doctor, she seems dumb and is too pretty to work in prison.
Escape from Oz: What a weak finale. Scott Winters, who plays Cyril and is actually the brother of Dean Winters (Ryan
O'Reily), was the Michael Bolton clone in Good Will Hunting.
Season Three (1999)
Rate:
5 out of 5
Viewed:
7/16
7/16:
Season Three is the best yet.
Everything has finally come together, and the characters look like a family. They're in the flow of things. Of course, somebody has
to die occasionally; it's part of the rotation: out is the old and in is the new. The quality of acting remains uniformly high.
And the finale is a lot better than the previous one.
Anyway, here is my analysis for some of the episodes:
Unnatural Disasters: Tim McManus and Claire Howell must go. The former is a walking sexual harrassment while the latter is
psychotic. Hill's narrations have been irrelevant and nonsensical. He needs to die. I realized now the actor who plays Nikolai
Stanislofsky is Philip Casnoff. He played Elkanah Bent in the highly popular miniseries
North and South. And when is somebody going to kill Kenny Wangler? I hate that guy.
Out o' Time: Carlo Ricardo is finally dead. Good riddance of that stupid idiot. I'm starting to realize
Chuck Zito bears an uncanny resemblance to Sylvester Stallone. In fact, he was his bodyguard. In the meantime, the argument
between Leo Glynn and Tim McManus is unprofessional.
Season Four (2000-01)
Rate:
4 out of 5
Viewed:
7/16
7/16:
Season Four has a lot of ups and downs, but the quality of the show remains high.
There are a couple of problems. One, the ideas for some of the episodes are patently ridiculous and far-fetched. Two, the cycle is
getting to be repetitive: somebody gets dissed, he's killed, the killer is sent to the solitary and serves some time, he comes
back to Em City, and everything is all good again.
Anyway, here is my analysis for some of the episodes:
A Cock and Balls Story: Kenny Wangler is finally dead. That took a long time, and good fucking riddance. The part when
Keller was shot in the shoulder is funny which has high rewindablility. Why send Shirley Bellinger back to Oz? Fools,
she's going to get pregnant again. Asked to be Devlin's lieutenant governor, Leo Glynn would make a good politician.
Works of Mercy: Shirley Bellinger is finally dead. Man, she was pointless.
Gray Matter: That's not Stephen King but David Johansen from Car 54, Where Are You?
You Bet Your Life: The biggest shocker of Oz: Adebisi is dead. I don't either like or hate him, but I've gotten
used to him like a piece of furniture although he was getting stale.
Medium Rare: This is the funniest episode of the show.
Conversions: Tim McManus and his fucking dinners. It's just an euphemism for "sex." *sigh* The best advice I have for
Dr. Nathan is to resign and find another place of employment before things get out of hand (and they will). The Chinese
immigration problem may be the most preposterous subplot in Oz's history. What did everybody think was going to happen
after the Chinese were forced to mingle with the hardcore criminals? On the contrary, why not house them at a detention center? Is
that so hard to accomplish? At any rate, what a public relations disaster.
Season Five (2002)
Rate:
5 out of 5
Viewed:
11/16
11/16:
The acting is still uniformly strong in Season Five.
There's not much to say except it's more of the same...just how I like it.
Anyway, here is my analysis for some of the episodes:
Dream a Little Dream of Me: Omar White has the IQ of a half dollar.
Wheel of Fortune: It's time for Omar White to die. He's so annoying to put up with, but it's good acting by Michael Wright,
regardless. Meanwhile, I knew Saïd was a hypocrite, and I had mentioned this many times already. On the other hand, it's time to
let Cyril go. He's just too far gone.
Good Intentions: Good job, Alvarez, with the dog.
Impotence: Ha! Parole for Alvarez? Even worse is McManus' recommendation for him to be set free. He's clueless as fuck.
Meanwhile, Ryan O'Reily is by far the best character of Oz; it's not even close. And a big one goes down in this episode.
Season Six (2003)
Rate:
4 out of 5
Viewed:
11/16
11/16:
Oz is finally over.
It was getting to be like daytime soap opera. Nevertheless, it's a great TV show with some of the best acting. The series
finale is somewhat disappointing. George Morfogen, J.K. Simmons, Lee Tergesen, and Dean Winters are the only cast members to appear
in every episode.
The total body count of Oz, whether they occured inside or outside of prison, is 110. Directly or indirectly, Chris
Keller is credited with the most kills: 19. So, congratulations...I guess.
The following characters are whom I liked:
Miguel Alvarez, Tobias Beecher, Agamemnon Busmalis, James Devlin, Leo Glynn, Jefferson Keane, Chris Keller, Enrique Morales,
Dr. Gloria Nathan, Dino Ortolani, Ryan O'Reily, Bob Rebadow, Sister Peter Marie Reimondo, Andrew Schillinger, and
Alonzo Torquemada.
And the rest whom I hated:
Simon Adebisi, Shirley Bellinger, Augustus Hill, Claire Howell, Clayton Hughes, Timothy Kirk, Tim McManus, Antonio Nappa,
Chucky Pancamo, Carlo Ricardo, James Robson, Kareem Saïd, Vernon Schillinger, Robert Sippel, Kenny Wangler,
Omar White, and Diane Whittlesey
Anyway, here is my analysis for some of the episodes:
Dead Man Talking: Welcome back, Jefferson Keane.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Smell No Evil: The doctor is left alone in the room with a male prisoner? I have a serious
problem with that. Well, well, well...obvious, is it? Of course, Hoyt was going to kill Kirk. What a stupid idea the
photo shoot is. And not to mention how unethical it is, too. Imagine the victims' feelings.
Sonata da Oz: The word "prag" means "PRison fAG" which is a "sex slave, bitch, etc." Anyway, I didn't see that
coming for Kareem Saïd.
4giveness: When an inmate is set free from prison and it's truly a first-time encounter for him, never, ever stay in
contact with former cellmates. That was Beecher's fatal mistake.
A Day in the Death...: Dino Ortolani returns. Robson is a funny guy. Act tough outside, and then break down to cry
like a little bitch during the so-called therapy sessions. He'll always be known as the Neo-Nazi with "nigger" gums.
Junkyard Dawgs: Omar is finally dead. I'm sure McManus would pretend to shed a tear
or two, but in reality, he doesn't give a fuck just like the plant he threw in the trash can. What a hypocrite.
It's too bad about Alonzo Torquemada who's introduced this late. He had potential written all over him. Oh well about
Leo Glynn...he was a good warden, and I liked him a lot.
Exeunt Omnes: There goes Vern Schillinger. I can't say I'll miss him. It's great acting by J.K. Simmons, regardless,
but what a horrible-looking tattoo at the back of his head.