Nominated for 2 Emmys, including Best Casting for a Series, Oz is widely regarded as one of the best prison dramas ever created. The brainchild of creator Tom Fontana (former writer for such hit TV shows as Homicide: Life On The Streets and St. Elsewhere), Oz was one of a number of a highly successful HBO original series to premiere in the 1990s, keeping good company among such shows as Sex And The City and The Sopranos. Premiering in mid-summer 1997, Oz quickly built a large and loyal following of voyeuristic viewers hypnotized by the series' vivid depiction of no-holds-barred prison life. Following six critically acclaimed seasons, Oz was cancelled in early 2003, but lives on via DVD Oz is the street name for the Oswald State Penitentary, a rough and hardened prison where survival of the fittest is the prevailing law. But the focus of Oz is Level 5, an experimental cell block deemed "Emerald City" that's managed by Unit Administrator Tim McManus (Terry Kinney) and thick-skinned Warden Leo Glynn (Ernie Hudson). One of the prisoners, wheelchair-bound convicted murderer Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau Jr. of Lost) narrates for the viewer, tying together the various storylines that play out within the prison. In an atmosphere of well-governed anarchy, prisoners come and go (some paroled; some murdered), prison guards uphold their duty (while some are corrupt), and various groups (such as Muslims, Aryans, Latinos, Italians, gangstas, gays, etc.) compete for power over each other and over the prevalent drug trade rampant within the walls of Oz. Tobias "Toby" Beecher (Lee Tergesen) plays the "everyday man," having been convicted for manslaughter while driving drunk, and his character's experiences force the viewer to place himself in the shoes of the inmate. Other notable characters include Prisoner Miguel Alvarez (Kirk Acevedo), Prisoner Bob Rebadow (George Morfogen), Prisoner Vernon Schillinger (J.K. Simmons), Prisoner Kareem Said (Eamonn Walker), Prisoner Tony Masters (Steven Wishnoff), Officer Diane Whittlesey (Edie Falco of The Sopranos), and Father Ray Mukada (B.D. Wong of Law & Order: SVU). Together, they form a solid cast that makes Oz one of the best original cable dramas ever produced The Oz (Season 4) DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere "A Cock and Balls Story" in which two weeks have passed since the riots between the Muslims and Aryans. Warden Glynn meets with both the blacks and the whites, getting assurances from each side that if he ends the lockdown, the violence will stop. Meanwhile, Beecher tries to locate Schillinger's son Hank in an effort to bring peace between the two Other notable episodes from Season 4 include "A Word to the Wise" in which, among other things, Rebadow tries to kill Busmalis while he sleeps, and "Famous Last Words" in which Emerald City survives a bomb scare when the aforementioned device turns out to be a dud Below is a list of episodes included on the Oz (Season 4) DVD: Episode 25 (A Cock and Balls Story) Air Date: 07-12-2000
Episode 26 (Obituaries) Air Date: 07-19-2000
Episode 27 (The Bill of Wrongs) Air Date: 07-26-2000
Episode 28 (Works of Mercy) Air Date: 08-02-2000
Episode 29 (Gray Matter) Air Date: 08-09-2000
Episode 30 (A Word to the Wise) Air Date: 08-16-2000
Episode 31 (A Town Without Pity) Air Date: 08-23-2000
Episode 32 (You Bet Your Life) Air Date: 08-30-2000
Episode 33 (Medium Rare) Air Date: 01-07-2001
Episode 34 (Conversions) Air Date: 01-14-2001
Episode 35 (Revenge is Sweet) Air Date: 01-21-2001
Episode 36 (Cuts Like a Knife) Air Date: 01-28-2001
Episode 37 (Blizzard of '01) Air Date: 02-04-2001
Episode 38 (Orpheus Descending) Air Date: 02-11-2001
Episode 39 (Even the Score) Air Date: 02-18-2001
Episode 40 (Famous Last Words) Air Date: 02-25-2001 |
