Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

nate-car Hardest-core crime show ever, an absolute 10/10, an amazing ensemble cast, and a really quality flawless production in every category. Not one for the squeamish, this show does not hold back on sex violence or depravity.

Dana H I am a big fan of prison shows. I think they are a good spotlight into the human soul. The monsters society can make us and the ultimate redemption even the worst of us can find given the right motivation. HBO's Oz is more Wentworth then Orange Is The New Black if you are going by current prison TV. It is gritty and brutal and often painfully unfair. The war between Beecher, Keller and Schillenger is one of the most intriguing and long running story lines of the series. One of the most tragic involved Cyrill O'Reilly and the repercussions of housing a man with deep mental issues in a maximum security prison. This is not a show for the faint hearted or those who want a light hearted show or even a show about politics. Although politics racial, economic and otherwise run throughout. It is more the story of human nature and how it is ultimately our nature that rules us all to the bitter...and inevitable end.

mattiasflgrtll6 That's right. This show is so fantastic there are no words which make it justice!Right from the very first episode, there is a LOT going on, and many reasons why the next episode is worth watching. Conflicts are introduced which are built upon in the next episode, and new conflicts then arise in THAT episode. Sometimes as a result of the PREVIOUS conflicts. That's how complex this show is, the heat is in the air the whole time.The writing is AMAZING. You never can be certain of what will happen next and the dialogue ranges from witty or darkly hilarious to intense or very heartbreaking. A lot of episodes among all the violence and scumbags contain interesting messages about life. Every episode has a theme; it could be revenge, sex, love, drugs... These are presented with the narration by this show's moral centerpiece Augustus Hill. And still, he's not perfect himself. All of the characters have their own flaws which this series present excellently.The characters are MANY, but somehow this show manages to make almost every one of them fascinating in some way. Even those who appear in only one single episode can make you attached to the screen and anticipated over what will happen with him next (it's USUALLY a him, it's a prison full of males after all). Just when you think you know how someone is like, that character can go through things which radically alter their behavior. Even the most innocent of people can suddenly flip. Among my favorites are Tobias Beecher (the closest thing to a main character), Vern Schillinger, Tim McManus, Kareem Said, Father Ray Mukada, Simon Adebisi, Omar White... There are just too damn many, man! There are all sorts of people to get invested by, and the writers respect character development to such a point that you rarely feel like someone is one-dimensional.Taboo subjects are touched upon, such as racism, homophobia, rape, drug abuse among other things. You will find at least 10 people here who either holds these opinions or has done any of the latter stuff. Despite what is said to be a maximum security level, Oz is a rat maze! You have to look around the corner, be suspicious about everyone. Somebody could act like your best friend just to later brutally execute you. Sure it occasionally gets unrealistic and even a bit convoluted (Aging pills? An unconscious body which disappears without explanation?) but it's easy to overlook since there's always something to keep my eyes on. It never gets so distracting that I become angry and turn it off. Oh no, boy. My eyes are glued to the screen even more than Charlie Sheen is addicted to sex.Everything is mesmerizing. Hell, it even has one of the best theme songs of all time! The cinematography as well, it's shockingly impressive! I especially have to praise Alex Zakrzewski, who is the most frequent director of photography. Give the man an award already!To say this show is a must-see would be an understatement. If you've never seen Oz, you haven't completed your life. Breathtaking television.

john smith This is my second favorite show (behind Breaking Bad) of all time. This show has the perfect balance between action,drama, and a great plot. Watching this show will give you the hard truth about America's prisons. It does not sugar coat prison it gives you full detail starting with the gangs, murders, violence, rape, and drugs. The show is shown with many different gangs including the Aryans, Homeboys, Muslims, Latinos, wise guys, bikers, and the others. It shows how drugs and race promote most of the violence in prison. There is a lot of killing and a lot of blood. It depicts how prisoners sometimes can stand together against the guards. It shows how racial tension can escalate violence into riots both small and big. If you want a show about the full story of prison this is the one. It shows some prisoners who are street tough, some who are plain big and strong, some who are crazy, some who are smart, some who just are not prepared for prison life and have to adapt. I do give a warning that this is very graphic and there are a lot of homosexual sex and rape scenes but that just gives you a better understanding of what real prison is like. The main character throughout the series is wheelchair inmate Augustus Hill who is mainly the narrator but a regular smaller character too. He is in for life with parole in 20 years for killing a cop. Other big characters include Tobias Beecher who is in for 15 years with parole in 4 for DUI and vehicular manslaughter. Ryan O'Reilly who is for life with parole in 12 years for DUI, Possession, 2 counts of vehicular manslaughter. Vern schillinger (Aryan Brotherhood Leader) in for 8 years parole in 5 for aggravated assault. Kareem Said (leader of Muslims) in for 15 years parole in 4 for blowing up a warehouse. Simeon Adebesi (leader of the homeboys) in for murder life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. These are just a few of the many characters in oz. Some of your favorites may die but new ones will always come. This a show I highly recommend.