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Oz (TV series)

Oz is an American prison drama television series set at a fictional men's prison created and principally written by Tom Fontana.[1][2] It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by the premium cable network HBO.[3] Oz premiered on July 12, 1997, and ran for six seasons. The series finale aired on February 23, 2003.

Oz
Genre
Created byTom Fontana
Written by
Starring
Music by
  • Steve Rosen
  • Dave Darlington
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes56 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Cinematography
Editors
  • Sue Blainey
  • Cindy Mollo
  • Vanessa Procopio
  • Jay Pires
  • James Y. Kwei
  • Ken Eluto
  • Deborah Moran
Running time55–60 minutes
80 minutes (series finale)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseJuly 12, 1997 (1997-07-12) –
February 23, 2003 (2003-02-23)

Overview

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"Oz" is the nickname for the Oswald State Correctional Facility, formerly Oswald State Penitentiary, a fictional level 4 maximum-security state prison in an unspecified east coast state, although references throughout the series point to New York as its location.[4] The nickname "Oz" is also a reference to the classic film The Wizard of Oz (1939), which popularized the phrase, "There's no place like home." A poster for the series uses the tagline: "It's no place like home".[5] Most of the series' story arcs are set in "Emerald City", a wing named after a setting from the fictional Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900).

Plot

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In an experimental unit of the prison, unit manager Tim McManus emphasizes rehabilitation and learning responsibility during incarceration, rather than carrying out purely punitive measures. Emerald City is an extremely controlled environment, with a carefully managed balance of members from each racial and social group, intended to ease tensions among these various factions. However, almost all of these factions are constantly at war with one another which often results in many prisoners being beaten, raped, or murdered.

Under McManus and Warden Leo Glynn, all inmates in "Em City" struggle to fulfill their own needs. Some fight for power – either over the drug trade or over other inmate factions and individuals. Others, corrections officers and inmates alike, simply want to survive, some long enough to make parole and others just to see the next day. The show's narrator, inmate Augustus Hill, explains the show, and provides context, thematic analysis, and a sense of humor.

Oz chronicles McManus' attempts to keep control over the inmates of Em City. There are many groups of inmates throughout the show, and not everyone within each group survives the show's events. There are the African-American Homeboys (Wangler, Redding, Poet, Keane, Adebisi) and Muslims (Said, Arif, Khan), the Wiseguys (Pancamo, Nappa, Schibetta, Zanghi, Urbano), the Aryan Brotherhood (Schillinger, Robson, Mack), the Latinos of El Norte (Alvarez, Morales, Guerra, Hernandez), the Irish (The O'Reilly brothers, Kirk, Keenan), the Gays (Hanlon, Cramer, Ginzburg), the Bikers (Hoyt, Sands, Burns), the Christians (Cloutier, Coushaine, Cudney) and many other individuals not completely affiliated with one particular group (Rebadow, Busmalis, Keller, Stanislofsky). In contrast to the dangerous criminals, central character Tobias Beecher gives a look at a usually law-abiding albeit alcoholic man who made one fatal drunk-driving mistake.

Main cast

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From left to right: Ryan O'Reily, Vernon Schillinger, Miguel Alvarez, Tobias Beecher, Kareem Saïd, In the front sits Augustus Hill (this photo was also used as the cover for Hill's book)
Main article: List of Oz (TV series) characters
  Main cast ("Starring" in opening credits)
  Secondary cast ("Also starring" in opening credits)
  Recurring guest star (Guest starring for 3+ episodes)
Actor Character Seasons
1 2 3 4 5 6
Ernie Hudson Warden Leo Glynn Main
Terry Kinney Tim McManus Main
Harold Perrineau Augustus Hill Main
Eamonn Walker Kareem Saïd Main[a]
Kirk Acevedo Miguel Alvarez Starring Main[b]
Rita Moreno Sister Peter Marie Reimondo Starring Main
J. K. Simmons Vernon Schillinger Starring Main
Lee Tergesen Tobias Beecher Starring Main
Dean Winters Ryan O'Reily Starring Main
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Simon Adebisi Recurring Starring Main[c]
Cast notes
  1. ^ Walker departs in "Sonata da Oz" (ep. 6.3).
  2. ^ In season four, Acevedo departs in "The Bill of Wrongs" (ep. 4.3). He returns from "Conversions" (ep. 4.10) to "Cuts Like a Knife" (ep. 4.12).
  3. ^ Akinnuoye-Agbaje departs in "You Bet Your Life" (ep. 4.8).

Episodes

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Main article: List of Oz episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
18July 12, 1997 (1997-07-12)August 25, 1997 (1997-08-25)
28July 11, 1998 (1998-07-11)August 31, 1998 (1998-08-31)
38July 14, 1999 (1999-07-14)September 1, 1999 (1999-09-01)
4168July 12, 2000 (2000-07-12)August 30, 2000 (2000-08-30)
8January 7, 2001 (2001-01-07)February 25, 2001 (2001-02-25)
58January 6, 2002 (2002-01-06)February 24, 2002 (2002-02-24)
68January 5, 2003 (2003-01-05)February 23, 2003 (2003-02-23)

Oz took advantage of the freedoms of premium cable to show elements of coarse language, drug use, violence, frontal nudity, homosexuality, and rape of males, as well as ethnic and religious conflicts that would have been unacceptable to traditional advertiser-supported American broadcast television.[6][7][3]

On an episode of Saturday Night Live that Jerry Seinfeld hosted on October 2, 1999, a sketch was produced that showed what life was like for his character of the same name behind bars after being transferred to the Oswald State Correctional Facility sometime after the events of Seinfeld (1989–1998).[8]

Broadcast

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Syndication

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On April 21, 2009, Variety announced that starting May 31, DirecTV will broadcast all 56 episodes in their original form without commercials and in up-scaled "high definition" on The 101 Network available to all subscribers. The episodes will also be available through DirecTV's On Demand service.[9]

International broadcast history

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In Australia, Oz was screened uncensored on Channel "OH" on Optus TV, then free-to-air channel, SBS. This was also the case in Brazil, where it was aired by the SBT Network Corporation, late at night; in Ireland, where the series aired on free-to-air channel TG4 at 11 p.m.; in Israel, where Oz was displayed on the free-to-air commercial Channel 2; in Italy, where it was aired on the free-to-air Italia 1; and in the United Kingdom, where Channel 4 aired the show in a late-night time slot.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was aired on the federal TV station called FTV. In Canada, Oz aired on the Showcase Channel at Friday 10 p.m. EST. In Croatia, Estonia, and Slovenia, the show was aired late at night on public, non-commercial, state-owned channels HRT, ETV, and RTV SLO, respectively. In Denmark, it appeared late at night on the non-commercial public service channel DR1. In Finland, it broadcast on the free-to-air channel Nelonen (TV4). In France, the show aired on commercial cable channel 'Serie Club,' also late at night. In Malaysia, full episodes of Oz aired late at night on ntv7, while the censored version aired during the day. In the Netherlands, Oz aired on the commercial channel RTL 5. In New Zealand Oz aired on The Box at 9.30pm on Wednesdays in the early 2000s (decade). In Norway and Sweden, it aired on the commercial channels ZTV and TV3 late at night. In Panama, Oz aired on RPC-TV Channel 4 in a late-night hour. In Portugal, Oz aired late at night on SIC Radical, one of the SIC channels in the cable network. In Serbia, Oz aired on RTV BK Telecom. In Spain, the show aired on premium channel Canal+. In Turkey, Oz was aired on Cine5; DiziMax also aired the re-runs. In Japan, it aired on SuperChannel (now, Super! Drama TV) from 29 December 2001 to 22 July 2005.

Rights

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The series was co-produced by HBO and Rysher Entertainment (who owns the copyright), and the underlying U.S. rights lie with HBO Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment, which has released the entire series on DVD in North America. The international rights were owned originally by Rysher, then Paramount Pictures/Domestic Television after that company acquired Rysher. CBS Studios International currently owns the international TV rights, and Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS DVD owns the international DVD rights.

Reception

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Critical response of Oz
SeasonRotten Tomatoes
180% (25 reviews)[10]
2100% (6 reviews)[11]
3100% (6 reviews)[12]
692% (12 reviews)[13]

Critical reception

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Critical reception of Oz was mostly positive. The first season of Oz has been ranked a 70 based on the rating aggregator website Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews by critics.[14] Caryn James from The New York Times stated: "Set almost entirely in the prison, a high-tech horror with glass-walled cells, Oz can also be unpleasant to watch, it is so gruesome and claustrophobic. Yet... as the series moves beyond its introductory shock value, it becomes more serious, disturbing and gripping.... The point of Oz, with its depiction of guilty men in torturous circumstances, is never subtle, but it is complicated and strong."[15] Steve Johnson of the Chicago Tribune wrote: "Engaging, often Brutal."[16]

Other reviews were more critical of the series. Frederic Biddle of the Boston Globe said: "A pretentious exercise in cheap thrills, by great talents allowed to run amok."[17][18] Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times reported: "Its uniqueness and arresting style don't earn it an unqualified endorsement here, for its first two Fontana-written episodes are absolute downers--there's no light at the end of a tunnel, nor even a tunnel--that offer no central characters to like or pull for...Be forewarned, too, that Oz is flat-out the most violent and graphically sexual series on TV."[19]

Awards and nominations

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Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Oz

Oz has had a successful run at many award associations,[20] including, four wins out of sixteen nominations at the ALMA Awards, three wins out if six nominations at the Artios Awards,[21][22][23][24][25] three wins out of seven nominations at the CableACE Awards,[26][27] one win out of twenty-two nominations at the Online Film & Television Association Awards,[28][29] and two wins out of five nomination at the Satellite Awards.[30][31] It has also received awards at Il Festival Nazionale del Doppiaggio Voci nell'Ombra and the Edgar Awards.[32]

Additional nominations consist of the NAACP Image Awards (seven), a GLAAD Media Award,[33] a Producers Guild of America Award,[34][35] a Writers Guild of America Award,[35] and although the series has not been the recipient of any major awards, it was however nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Charles S. Dutton),[36] and Outstanding Casting for a Series (Alexa L. Fogel).[37]

Home media

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VHS & DVD

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The first two seasons of Oz were released on VHS in box sets.[38][39] HBO Home Video has released all six seasons of Oz on DVD in Region 1 and Region 2. The Region 1 releases contain numerous special features including commentaries, deleted scenes and featurettes. The Region 2 releases do not contain any special features.

Season Release date Additional
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
The Complete First Season March 19, 2002 February 5, 2007[40] February 15, 2007[41]


  • Released on VHS & DVD in U.S.
  • 8 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 15
  • ACB rating: MA15+
The Complete Second Season January 7, 2003 August 6, 2007[42] August 16, 2007[43]


  • Released on VHS & DVD in U.S.
  • 8 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 18
  • ACB rating: MA15+
The Complete Third Season February 24, 2004 October 29, 2007[44] November 8, 2007[45]


  • 8 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 18
  • ACB rating: MA15+
The Complete Fourth Season February 1, 2005 March 3, 2008[46] March 20, 2008[47]


  • 16 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 18
  • ACB rating: MA15+
The Complete Fifth Season June 21, 2005 June 30, 2008[48] June 19, 2008[49]


  • 8 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 18
  • ACB rating: MA15+
The Complete Sixth Season September 5, 2006 September 22, 2008[50] September 18, 2008[51]
  • 8 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 18
  • ACB rating: MA15+
The Complete Series (Seasons 1–6) September 5, 2006 September 7, 2009[52] TBA


  • Released as Special Edition (U.S.)
  • Released as The Emerald City Collection (UK)
  • 56 episodes
  • BBFC rating: 18
  • Re-released in UK on February 3, 2014

Soundtrack

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Main article: Oz (soundtrack)

Avatar Records released a soundtrack containing East Coast, West Coast, and Southern hip hop on January 9, 2001. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Soundtrack Charts, #42 on the Billboard 200, and #8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[53] The soundtrack featured the song "Behind the Walls" recorded by Kurupt & Nate Dogg.

References

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  1. ^ Adam Dunn (21 February 2003). "The end of 'Oz'". CNN. Archived from the original on 2010-01-17. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  2. ^ "Oz Production Notes". Archived from the original on 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
  3. ^ a b Bruce Fretts (11 July 1997). "Nasty As He Wanna Be". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  4. ^ Bish, Joe (2017-06-06). "20 Years of 'OZ': The Show That Changed TV Forever". Vice. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  5. ^ Beeler, Karin (Nov 7, 2005). Tattoos, Desire and Violence: Marks of Resistance in Literature, Film. p. 120. ISBN 978-0786423897.
  6. ^ Dilday, K. A. (5 January 2003). "In the Brutal World of 'Oz,' A Rare Place for Women". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  7. ^ Klemm, Michael D. (July 2003). "Jailhouse Rock". Outcome. via cinemaqueer.com. Archived from the original (Reprint) on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  8. ^ Saturday Night Live season 25
  9. ^ MICHAEL SCHNEIDER (20 April 2009). "'Oz,' 'Deadwood' join DirecTV". Variety. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on 2010-03-09. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  10. ^ "OZ: SEASON 1 (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  11. ^ "OZ: SEASON 2 (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  12. ^ "OZ: SEASON 3 (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  13. ^ "OZ: SEASON 6 (2003)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  14. ^ "Oz Season 1". Metacritic. OCLC 911795326. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  15. ^ James, Caryn (12 July 1997). "High Tech Prison and the Face of Horrors". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2017-02-18.
  16. ^ "Oz Season 1". Metacritic. OCLC 911795326. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  17. ^ Biddle, Frederic M. (1997-07-11). "Prison Drama 'Oz' Locked in Bad Concept 'Homicide' Creators Fail Inside". The Boston Globe. ProQuest document ID 403849210, Accession number 04647083: The New York Times Company. p. D, 1. ISSN 0743-1791. OCLC 66652431.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  18. ^ Biddle, Frederick. "Metacritic". Boston Globe. OCLC 911795326. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  19. ^ Rosenberg, Howard. "Metacritic". Los Angeles Times. OCLC 911795326. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  20. ^ "Oz (1997–2003) Awards". IMDb. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  21. ^ "1998 Artios Awards". castingsociety.com. November 4, 1998. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  22. ^ "1999 Artios Awards". castingsociety.com. September 22, 1999. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  23. ^ "2000 Artios Awards". castingsociety.com. November 1, 2000. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  24. ^ "2001 Artios Awards". castingsociety.com. October 4, 2001. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  25. ^ "2002 Artios Awards". castingsociety.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  26. ^ "CableAce Nominations". Variety. September 24, 1997. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  27. ^ "CableAce Awards". Variety. November 16, 1997. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  28. ^ "2nd Annual TV Awards (1997-98)". oftaawards.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  29. ^ "3rd Annual TV Awards (1998-99)". oftaawards.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  30. ^ "1999 3rd Annual SATELLITE™ Awards". pressacademy.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  31. ^ "2000 4th Annual SATELLITE™ Awards". pressacademy.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  32. ^ "Category List – Special Edgars". edgarawards.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  33. ^ "GLAAD announces nominees". The Advocate. Pride Media. January 19, 2020. ISSN 0001-8996. Archived from the original on October 25, 2000. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  34. ^ "12th Annual Golden Laurel Awards are announced". Producers Guild of America. Archived from the original on February 11, 2001. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  35. ^ a b "Oz (TV Series) (1997)". filmaffinity.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  36. ^ "Charles S. Dutton". emmys.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  37. ^ "Alexa L. Fogel". emmys.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  38. ^ "HBO Store - Other HBO Shows: OZ: The Complete First Season VHS". February 7, 2005. Archived from the original on 2005-02-07.
  39. ^ "HBO Store - Other HBO Shows: OZ: The Complete Second Season VHS". February 5, 2005. Archived from the original on 2005-02-05.
  40. ^ "Oz : Complete Season 1 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  41. ^ OZ Season 1. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Booktopia.
  42. ^ "Oz : Season 2 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  43. ^ OZ Season 2. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Booktopia.
  44. ^ "Oz : Season 3 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  45. ^ OZ Season 3. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Booktopia.
  46. ^ "Oz : Season 4 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  47. ^ OZ Season 4. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Booktopia.
  48. ^ "Oz : Season 5 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  49. ^ OZ Season 5. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Booktopia.
  50. ^ "Oz - Season 6 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  51. ^ OZ Season 6. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Booktopia.
  52. ^ "Oz - Complete Season 1-6 [DVD]". amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  53. ^ Steve Rosen
    Dave Darlington. "Oz – Original Soundtrack (2001)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2009-10-21.

Sources

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  • Season 1, Episode 2, DVD Commentary on "Oz: The Complete First Season."
  • Season 2, Episode 5, "Oz: The Complete Second Season."

Further reading

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