TV: OZ
- Thread starter Stealth JD
- Start date
Blackhawkswincup
RIP Fugu
I was a fan of show
Only thing I didn't like was how Beecher had such a miserable conclusion ,, Really was hoping he would at least get a good life at end
Only thing I didn't like was how Beecher had such a miserable conclusion ,, Really was hoping he would at least get a good life at end
sabresfan129103
1-4-6-14
Yeah, I was frustrated with the Beecher ending. The poor man went through so much **** I was really pulling for him in the end. Alas, happy endings isn't really HBO's style.
Yeah...I figured...but it didn't come up in the 'search' function. If a MOD can find/merge, that would be great!
Oscar Acosta
Registered User
- Mar 19, 2011
- 7,695
- 369
Amazing show, watched it a couple times over and will still go for a round 3 one of these days.
O'Reilly is still the best, always hate seeing him in a commercial for auto parts or whatever the hell he's doing.
O'Reilly is still the best, always hate seeing him in a commercial for auto parts or whatever the hell he's doing.
The anti-aging thing was dumb as rocks (it was cool to see the kind of implications it had in the context of the show but the idea itself was weak) and it tended to drag a bit in parts but other than that, this is easily my favorite HBO show. Even if it isn't yours (I know The Wire is untouchable 'round these parts) you have to admit, as JD said, it really did kickstart HBO's era of excellent television. Aside from all the main characters mentioned, even the secondary characters or temporary characters part of an arc were so well crafted and written. It set a high bar for their ensuing programming.
It would never happen but it would be AMAZING to see it get a revival.
Side note, a couple years ago my friend got to a see a stage reading of a play called Godfather IV and it was largely done by Tergesen, Meloni and Winters as well as a couple other Oz guys. She met some of them after the reading and said it was hilarious to see them all hanging out together interacting outside the context of the show like normal friends, so it probably wouldn't be hard talking most of them into coming back (unless they dislike the idea from an artistic standpoint)
It would never happen but it would be AMAZING to see it get a revival.
Side note, a couple years ago my friend got to a see a stage reading of a play called Godfather IV and it was largely done by Tergesen, Meloni and Winters as well as a couple other Oz guys. She met some of them after the reading and said it was hilarious to see them all hanging out together interacting outside the context of the show like normal friends, so it probably wouldn't be hard talking most of them into coming back (unless they dislike the idea from an artistic standpoint)
LightningStrikes
Champa Bay Lightning
- Nov 24, 2009
- 26,237
- 10,091
I'm midway through season 5 (of 6) now and I must say this is a great show. It's fun to see all those great actors before they became stars and/or leading actors on popular shows like The Wire, Dexter, Lost and so on.
La Cosa Nostra
Caporegime
- Jun 25, 2009
- 14,074
- 2,336
It was the first and is arguably the best hbo 1 hour drama. Wire may have had better writing/messages and Sopranos was mesmerizing, but Oz was by far the most grittiest, intense and shocking show ever made. Copious amounts of prison ****/sex, ultra violent and they broke boundaries literally showing Chris Keller urinating in a bucket. Oz was definitely one of a kind.
Belamorte
Feed Your Head
Very good show, I think one of the first true gritty HBO productions. So many cast members that you see in other shows now. However, the last couple seasons were fairly weak in comparison to the first several. And I will always wonder how Adebesi kept his hat on.
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
Just finished the series. Pretty solid show and I agree that it could be revived and it wouldn't miss a beat. I thought the acting was rough in the first season (esp. O'Reilly) but it got better as the show went on. Like mentionned the aging thing and refugees were pointless but any great show is guilty of having some weak sub plots at some point. Keller is one hell of a character, some great feuds with Schelinger and Beacher.
Just noticed the thread for the first time, so thanks for that. But not even a single full written page for that outstanding show? That's sad. Loved it. I get what you're saying about O'Reilly's acting, it seems like that. But I don't know if I indeed would mark it being bad. Just fitting to the overall presence of OZ as a kind of a play and his weird character in that.
The developments going on for many of the inmates were really well executed. Still one of my favorite series out there. Saw it pretty late and had to get used to the quite old camera standards first. But after that, it really starts to flow and you start getting dragged into that "world". The dynamics between the different groups, Augustus' voice-over/commentary, the inmates' personal flashbacks, sound and the composition itself, just awesome.
The developments going on for many of the inmates were really well executed. Still one of my favorite series out there. Saw it pretty late and had to get used to the quite old camera standards first. But after that, it really starts to flow and you start getting dragged into that "world". The dynamics between the different groups, Augustus' voice-over/commentary, the inmates' personal flashbacks, sound and the composition itself, just awesome.
I feel like there was another Oz thread, but I guess I'll repeat myself here. Loved this show during its initial run. Looking back at the air dates brings back memories.
I don't think I got into the show until season 2 which aired Summer 1998 which makes some sense. I think I was taking summer classes in 1997 but had all the time in the world after graduating high school in 1998. We had HBO on campus, so I remember watching a few episodes with friends. Seems like I would have caught the original airings at home during summer 1999 and 2000.
But when they did new episodes in the winter (January 2001), I was now living off campus without HBO. I seem to recall visiting home, turning on an episode, and having zero idea what was happening since I missed a handful of episodes. I never did watch seasons 5/6. [/coolstorybro]
I don't think I got into the show until season 2 which aired Summer 1998 which makes some sense. I think I was taking summer classes in 1997 but had all the time in the world after graduating high school in 1998. We had HBO on campus, so I remember watching a few episodes with friends. Seems like I would have caught the original airings at home during summer 1999 and 2000.
But when they did new episodes in the winter (January 2001), I was now living off campus without HBO. I seem to recall visiting home, turning on an episode, and having zero idea what was happening since I missed a handful of episodes. I never did watch seasons 5/6. [/coolstorybro]
David Dennison
I'm a tariff, man.
Couldnt help but keep thinking about Keller and Beecher with the main character and her prison lover in Orange is the New Black.
Dr Pepper
Registered User
This show was pretty much my intro to J.K.Simmons. Such a great performance throughout, even if the character wasn't the most popular. 
O'Reilly was a great character as well, IMO.
O'Reilly was a great character as well, IMO.
No offense, but only difference that they are poles apart in every way. Thumbs up for Beecher + Keller, thumbs down for Chapman + Vause.
This show was pretty much my intro to J.K.Simmons. Such a great performance throughout, even if the character wasn't the most popular.
I still don't trust him. He could be playing a jovial benign character and I'm still half-expecting him to do something underhanded.
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
Oh like I said, O'Reilly acting was great after the first two seasons, especially in that episode where Cyril is supposed to be executed. And yeah I definitely agree that the camera standards takes a bit of time to get used to but I loved seeing actors that were on LOST, Dexter or TWD/Breaking Bad later on. I feel like they could have maybe done 1-2 more seasons but I understand why they decided to end it then. Glenn's death, the end to the Beecher/Schillinger feud, Keller's final moments, Miguel and his parole and Cyril's execution were all the major plots in the final seasons or throughout the series.
And ditto on Beecher deserving a better fate, poor guy.
ProstheticConscience
Check dein Limit
Still my favourite ever tv show. To this day, whenever my wife and I see actors from the show in anything, our default is always to refer to them by their Oz names.
Lee Tergesen just showed up as a new bad guy in Defiance, and my wife pipes up: "Oh, there's Toby!" thereby negating any chance of us ever being intimidated by any character he ever plays. I don't even see Ernie Hudson as the black Ghostbuster anymore; he's Leo Glynn forever.
Oh, and I discovered it's still out there! (credit to whoever made this up and had it on an old Geocities site)
The Oz Drinking Game!
1. If a new character is introduced, open a new drink (even if you already have one on the go)
2. Everytime someone dies, finish your drink. This includes outside deaths (ie. Beecher's wife or Diane's mother, etc).
3. Everytime someone gets fired, finish your drink.
4. Everytime someone gets sent to death row, finish your drink.
5. Anytime someone changes jobs, 1 drink. If they argue about it, 2 drinks.
6. Anytime Hill addresses someone with 'Yo!' is 1 drink (for die hards, 1 drink per 'Yo!')
7. Anytime Schillinger corrects someone on the pronunciation of his name, 1 drink.
8. Anytime Cyril cries, drink for duration of hissy fit.
9. Anytime Said says 'A Salaam A Laikum' or calls someone 'My brother' 1 drink.
10. Anytime Adebisi calls someone 'Boss' take 1 drink.
11. Full Frontal Nudity! 1 drink if they're in the hole, 2 if not in the hole.
12. Whenever Leo says 'My hands are tied', 'I need more proof' or 'I have no choice', take 1 drink.
13. Anytime Adebisi touches his hat, stand up, yell "HOW DOES HE KEEP THAT DAMN THING ON!" and take 1 drink.
14. Anytime McManus has women troubles, 1 drink.
15. Everytime you see Busmalis with his toothbrush, 1 drink.
16. Anytime Beecher changes facial hair (ie. how he has his mustache and/or beard trimmed) 2 drinks.
17. Anytime someone is seen pissing, 1 drink, 2 if on another person, 3 if you're drinking something clear or yellow.
18. Anytime someone is doing laundry, 1 drink per person in the laundry room.
19. Every attempted murder, 1 drink. (If victim dies, see #2)
20. Everytime someone is told to 'Take a walk' 1 drink.
21. Anytime a hack is out of uniform (includes changing room), take 1 drink.
22. Anytime someone's family brings food to them, 1 drink.
23. Anytime someone asks for 'An ask', 1 drink.
24. Anytime Miss Sally is on:
i. and bounces, 1 drink.
ii. and a puppet touches her breast, 2 drinks,
iii. and hugs a puppet to her bosom, finish your drink.
25. Every mention of a female character having nice **** (includes hacks, people on TV, etc) 1 drink.
26. Everytime there's a special guest star, take 1 drink.
27. Everytime Clayton Hughes screws up, take 1 drink.
28. Anytime a flashback is shown, take 1 drink; take 2 if the flashback is different than it originally happened. (ie. when Beecher flashes back about hitting himself with his car instead of Cathy Rockwell)
29. Everytime a lockdown is called, take 1 drink for every time the word Lockdown is spoken.
Lee Tergesen just showed up as a new bad guy in Defiance, and my wife pipes up: "Oh, there's Toby!" thereby negating any chance of us ever being intimidated by any character he ever plays. I don't even see Ernie Hudson as the black Ghostbuster anymore; he's Leo Glynn forever.
Oh, and I discovered it's still out there! (credit to whoever made this up and had it on an old Geocities site)
The Oz Drinking Game!
1. If a new character is introduced, open a new drink (even if you already have one on the go)
2. Everytime someone dies, finish your drink. This includes outside deaths (ie. Beecher's wife or Diane's mother, etc).
3. Everytime someone gets fired, finish your drink.
4. Everytime someone gets sent to death row, finish your drink.
5. Anytime someone changes jobs, 1 drink. If they argue about it, 2 drinks.
6. Anytime Hill addresses someone with 'Yo!' is 1 drink (for die hards, 1 drink per 'Yo!')
7. Anytime Schillinger corrects someone on the pronunciation of his name, 1 drink.
8. Anytime Cyril cries, drink for duration of hissy fit.
9. Anytime Said says 'A Salaam A Laikum' or calls someone 'My brother' 1 drink.
10. Anytime Adebisi calls someone 'Boss' take 1 drink.
11. Full Frontal Nudity! 1 drink if they're in the hole, 2 if not in the hole.
12. Whenever Leo says 'My hands are tied', 'I need more proof' or 'I have no choice', take 1 drink.
13. Anytime Adebisi touches his hat, stand up, yell "HOW DOES HE KEEP THAT DAMN THING ON!" and take 1 drink.
14. Anytime McManus has women troubles, 1 drink.
15. Everytime you see Busmalis with his toothbrush, 1 drink.
16. Anytime Beecher changes facial hair (ie. how he has his mustache and/or beard trimmed) 2 drinks.
17. Anytime someone is seen pissing, 1 drink, 2 if on another person, 3 if you're drinking something clear or yellow.
18. Anytime someone is doing laundry, 1 drink per person in the laundry room.
19. Every attempted murder, 1 drink. (If victim dies, see #2)
20. Everytime someone is told to 'Take a walk' 1 drink.
21. Anytime a hack is out of uniform (includes changing room), take 1 drink.
22. Anytime someone's family brings food to them, 1 drink.
23. Anytime someone asks for 'An ask', 1 drink.
24. Anytime Miss Sally is on:
i. and bounces, 1 drink.
ii. and a puppet touches her breast, 2 drinks,
iii. and hugs a puppet to her bosom, finish your drink.
25. Every mention of a female character having nice **** (includes hacks, people on TV, etc) 1 drink.
26. Everytime there's a special guest star, take 1 drink.
27. Everytime Clayton Hughes screws up, take 1 drink.
28. Anytime a flashback is shown, take 1 drink; take 2 if the flashback is different than it originally happened. (ie. when Beecher flashes back about hitting himself with his car instead of Cathy Rockwell)
29. Everytime a lockdown is called, take 1 drink for every time the word Lockdown is spoken.
Good show, just watched it all a couple months back. I have to say though, I thought I would love it, but ended up just liking it.
The characters were all pretty great (Beecher, Schillinger, Keller, Adebisi, Said, O'Reily brothers, Alvarez, McManus, Glynn, etc), but after the Adebisi death at mid-season 4, it just dropped off a bit. The violence became a bit too over the top by the end, and some of the sub-plots were a bit off-putting (aging drug, the "musical" episode). As well, I wasn't a fan of the "instant delivery" style of the show (how a character would talk about doing something, and immediately go do it, rather than allow time for build-up).
But I have to say, I really really liked season 3 (season with the boxing matches).
I'd probably rank the seasons:
3
2
4
1
6
5
Anyone else have rankings off the top of their heads?
The characters were all pretty great (Beecher, Schillinger, Keller, Adebisi, Said, O'Reily brothers, Alvarez, McManus, Glynn, etc), but after the Adebisi death at mid-season 4, it just dropped off a bit. The violence became a bit too over the top by the end, and some of the sub-plots were a bit off-putting (aging drug, the "musical" episode). As well, I wasn't a fan of the "instant delivery" style of the show (how a character would talk about doing something, and immediately go do it, rather than allow time for build-up).
But I have to say, I really really liked season 3 (season with the boxing matches).
I'd probably rank the seasons:
3
2
4
1
6
5
Anyone else have rankings off the top of their heads?
Last edited:
"It's SchillinGER! God dammit! I've been here 10 ****ing years!"
JK Simmons was awesome in this show
JK Simmons was awesome in this show
Behn Wilson
Registered User
I saw JK Simmons on an episode of Celebrity Poker and he could not have been a nicer / funnier guy. He was laughing talking about his character in Oz (the Celebrity Poker episode was before he became more of a mainstream star) and how people find him so intimidating when they meet him in real life. He said its funny because it couldn't be farther from the truth that he is a total wimp in real life. He was pretty funny.
Also, a short lived character I liked on the show was the Ukranian Hitman, Yuri Kosygin. That guy was scary as Hell. probably the most intimidating character ever on the show, even more so then Adebisi & Schillinger.
