Any OZ fans here?
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Definitely watch the first season. It's really gripping, almost scary. Well acted too. I feel it kind of went off the rails as it went on, and the storylines were just way too over the top, which was unfortunate. I stopped watching about midway through season 4 and have only seen a handful of episodes after that. I rewatched season 1 a couple of years ago though and it's still excellent.
Not a fan so much as...I dunno. I watched it all the way through just to see how completely over the top it would get. 
At times it veered into science fiction territory.
At times it veered into science fiction territory.
I LOVE Oz! Easily one of my favorite series of the last 20 years and my favorite HBO series. Every character has a fascinating story (even those you hate with the burning passion of a thousand suns...or just find very annoying) and nobody is perfect. Definitely watch this series.
Yes, it's definately worth a watch. The first season is probably the peak in terms of quality, but it remains compelling throughout. As the show goes on though it certainly gets more and more, well, over the top I guess. 
Definitely watch it, at least up through the first half of season four. Season One and the first eight episodes of Season Four are easily the best. HBO certainly hit a home run with this series.
Starting with the second half of Season Four, however, it gets, well, over the top,
but it's still good.
The seasons were usually eight episodes long, but they decided to make another season for airing more rapidly after Season Four, so that season is technically two seasons jammed together and called Season Four. The ending of Season Four, Part I is so awesome that I don't think anything after could live up to it. I won't give away any spoilers, but it was an amazing ending.
Starting with the second half of Season Four, however, it gets, well, over the top,
but it's still good.The seasons were usually eight episodes long, but they decided to make another season for airing more rapidly after Season Four, so that season is technically two seasons jammed together and called Season Four. The ending of Season Four, Part I is so awesome that I don't think anything after could live up to it. I won't give away any spoilers, but it was an amazing ending.
One of my favourite shows from the past 15 years. Lots of compelling, well-rounded characters and great storylines - you'll be hooked in no time. The fact that the seasons are so short is actually one of the show's big strengths, I think.
As other posters have pointed out, season one is probably the best, though I think S2 is just as good, if not better - the ending of that season felt like a perfect conclusion to all the storylines that had developed up to that point.
As other posters have pointed out, season one is probably the best, though I think S2 is just as good, if not better - the ending of that season felt like a perfect conclusion to all the storylines that had developed up to that point.
One of my all-time favorite shows. 
I agree that it was better until the second part of season 4, but it was still good till the end... But the entire show was not just dark and gritty (and boy, to call it gritty is an understatement... it was definitely not for the faint of heart), but incredibly intense... after watching it, I felt like I needed time to get adjust to the other, ordinary shows! It's true that it could get quite OTT, but I felt that the show was always a bit like that - at times I felt like I was watching a modern version of a Shakespeare tragedy. Its greatest strength were the characters - complex, compelling and well acted, and each with an elaborate backstory. I can't think of any show that went so far in its depiction of not just violence and sex but also of darker aspects of humanity, of the capacity for good and evil, and complexities of human sexuality.
I agree that it was better until the second part of season 4, but it was still good till the end... But the entire show was not just dark and gritty (and boy, to call it gritty is an understatement... it was definitely not for the faint of heart), but incredibly intense... after watching it, I felt like I needed time to get adjust to the other, ordinary shows! It's true that it could get quite OTT, but I felt that the show was always a bit like that - at times I felt like I was watching a modern version of a Shakespeare tragedy. Its greatest strength were the characters - complex, compelling and well acted, and each with an elaborate backstory. I can't think of any show that went so far in its depiction of not just violence and sex but also of darker aspects of humanity, of the capacity for good and evil, and complexities of human sexuality.
Damn, you guys are making it sound really good!! It's such a different premise for a show than anything else on television, which is what got me intrigued. That, and it sounds like the characters on it are amazing. I was looking at iTunes last night and saw that they have all the eps, so I might check out one or two before getting a whole season. Is the first episode a real grabber, or is it more of a slow build?
It's such a different premise for a show than anything else on television, which is what got me intrigued. That, and it sounds like the characters on it are amazing. I was looking at iTunes last night and saw that they have all the eps, so I might check out one or two before getting a whole season. Is the first episode a real grabber, or is it more of a slow build?
It's the best series about male rape and shitting on someone's face since 'The Lawrence Welk Show.'
It's inspirational too, like when the Aryans and a Jew teamed up against the blacks. You can't see that kind of heartwarming message of peace and forgiveness on just any run-of-the-mill show.
It's inspirational too, like when the Aryans and a Jew teamed up against the blacks. You can't see that kind of heartwarming message of peace and forgiveness on just any run-of-the-mill show.
I thought the show was pretty good aside from season 6--by that point it seemed like the writers were trying to kill nearly every character they could simply because they could.
And the last scene of the last episode? Ridiculous. As interesting as OZ was (and when it was good it was very good), I felt it wasn't nearly as complex or compelling as The Sopranos, or my new favourite HBO show, The Wire.
And the last scene of the last episode? Ridiculous. As interesting as OZ was (and when it was good it was very good), I felt it wasn't nearly as complex or compelling as The Sopranos, or my new favourite HBO show, The Wire.
I'll be honest, that's not a part I'm gonna object to. 
LOL, another great review!
Awww, that's kind of a bummer. I don't mind it when characters are killed, especially when it fits the story, but I hate to hear about a bunch of them dying. I get attached to characters.
So I went ahead and watched the first episode and really liked it!
Just in case someone else is considering checking it out...spoilers below for the first ep.
I was surprised that Ortoloni (sp?) died--it felt like the show was setting him up as a main character, but I think that was a pretty effective surprise, killing him off at the end of the episode. And really, it definitely seemed like he had a death wish.
The Aryan dude is creepy to the max... at first I thought he was befriending the lawyer guy, Beecher, but it was creepy to see that he had an agenda. I have a feeling that Beecher went from a bad situation to a much, much worse one.
Said seems like an interesting character as well, and the guy who Ortoloni hated who is now in jail, too.
Overall, I really liked it, and will definitely be watching more!
I liked the show, but they should have called it Law and Oder: Oz as there are so many actors from the various L&O shows, In Oz you get to see some of them naked like the over mention Stable from SVU and Kathreen Erbi from Criminal Intent. There are also a ton of other actors you see in other shows over the past years like the guy who played Charlie in Fringe.
OK, I just watched that with some of my co-workers and we were all laughing pretty hard. That was hilarious!Yeah, I saw Harold Perrineau from Lost in there as well (as Augustus, the narrator).
Thanks for reminding me of another great contribution of Oz to TV!
I don't think there has ever been a show with so much male nudity. And at times you had to wonder if being well-endowed was a casting requirement! 
You have no idea how right you are about it all! O'Reilly (Ortolani's enemy) became my favorite character after a while. I liked Said, too, and Beecher had the most interesting development, or should I say transformation, of all the characters. And as for Schillinger (Aryan leader) being creepy, you ain't seen anything yet!
Lost is another show with quite a few Oz actors. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Adebisi on Oz) later played Mr. Eko on Lost, Lance Reddick has quite a big role in a later season of Oz, and Ken Leung also guest starred.
Yeah, I saw Harold Perrineau from Lost in there as well (as Augustus, the narrator).
And as for Schillinger (Aryan leader) being creepy, you ain't seen anything yet!
No kidding. I was so off-put by J.K. Simmons for a long time, it took a while to get used to seeing him in more light-hearted comic or warm roles.
Lost is another show with quite a few Oz actors. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Adebisi on Oz) later played Mr. Eko on Lost, Lance Reddick has quite a big role in a later season of Oz, and Ken Leung also guest starred.
Yeah, I saw Harold Perrineau from Lost in there as well (as Augustus, the narrator).
Dexter is another too. Lauren Velez, Erik King, and David Zayas all have/had major roles in both shows.
Thanks for reminding me of another great contribution of Oz to TV!
If I wasn't sold before...
I think I'm going to try to get through a season or two (since they're short) over the Xmas holiday. I'm just waiting on the DVDs to arrive! I can't wait to see more.
Schillinger is really, really creepy and evil. Is he one of the big bad guys for the show?
I like Beecher. I feel bad for him, even though what he did was terrible of course.
Can't wait to see more!
Oh yes, big time!
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