Storyline

The daily lives of prisoners in Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison where ingroups - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans - stick close to their mutual friends and terrorize their mutual enemies.

First Aired

1997-07-12
Last Aired

2003-02-23
Creator

Tom Fontana
Genre

Crime, Drama
Seasons

6
Episodes

56
Status

Ended
Language

English
Network

HBO

Keywords:

prison experiment dystopia revenge betrayal racism drugs inmate catholicism aryan prison life abuse of power

Stream and watch Oz

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

1. The Routine

In the "Emerald City" experimental unit of Oswald State Penitentiary, we meet some of the diverse inma...More

In the "Emerald City" experimental unit of Oswald State Penitentiary, we meet some of the diverse inmates who live within a pecking order of Homeboys, Latinos, Muslims, Irish, Aryans, and Wiseguys. No clear-cut leader emerges—with the possible exception of Kareem Saïd, a Muslim author who preaches non-violence and abstinence. Saïd's arrival doesn't prevent a short-fused Mafia inmate named Dino Ortolani from ticking off just about everybody—a habit that ends up burning him.Less

56mins 1997-07-12

2. Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise

With Schibetta and the prison brass in a race to uncover Ortolani's killer (for very different reasons...More

With Schibetta and the prison brass in a race to uncover Ortolani's killer (for very different reasons), we see how inmates react to visits from both their wives and, in one case, family members who are also in prison.Less

57mins 1997-07-14

3. God's Chillin'

As friction grows in the wake of increasing deaths, Schibetta, Saïd, and Keane are brought together by...More

As friction grows in the wake of increasing deaths, Schibetta, Saïd, and Keane are brought together by Glynn, who tells them to keep their respective groups quiet or else he'll lock the prison down. The tension increases following a visit from Governor Devlin, who was responsible for the ban on smoking and conjugal visits.Less

57mins 1997-07-21

4. Capital P

Governor Devlin has reinstated capital punishment in the state, and the first Oz prisoner scheduled to...More

Governor Devlin has reinstated capital punishment in the state, and the first Oz prisoner scheduled to die is Keane.Less

57mins 1997-07-28

5. Straight Life

The infiltration of drugs into Oz has reached unprecedented levels, and the undercover efforts of McMa...More

The infiltration of drugs into Oz has reached unprecedented levels, and the undercover efforts of McManus and Glynn to find out who's smuggling them in backfires in a deadly way. Despite a lockdown in Emerald City, the drugs continue to trickle in—and the blame shifts from prisoners to corrupt officials.Less

57mins 1997-08-04

6. To Your Health

Three generations of Alvarezes—all prisoners at Oz—are united when the partiarch, Ricardo, is found fa...More

Three generations of Alvarezes—all prisoners at Oz—are united when the partiarch, Ricardo, is found face down in his cell, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, Beecher, who as Schillinger's "prag" has been forced to wear women's clothes, flips out after taking PCP.Less

57mins 1997-08-11

7. Plan B

A recovered Saïd ostracizes Mershah for turning his back on him when he was dying—and orders the rest ...More

A recovered Saïd ostracizes Mershah for turning his back on him when he was dying—and orders the rest of the Muslims to do the same. Impressed by Saïd's power, Groves makes a deadly decision in his honor. Meanwhile, Beecher, transformed by prison life, finally gets revenge on Schillinger.Less

56mins 1997-08-18

8. A Game of Checkers

Beecher is released from the hole and Schillinger is left eyeless and weak. A riot breaks out after tw...More

Beecher is released from the hole and Schillinger is left eyeless and weak. A riot breaks out after two white punks get into a fight over checkers. Frustration, sexuality, hate, revenge, racism all rear their ugly heads, causing the violence to escalate.Less