Oz (1997–2003)

Cast
Series cast summary:
  Ernie Hudson  ...  Warden Leo Glynn (56 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  J.K. Simmons  ...  Vern Schillinger (56 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Lee Tergesen  ...  Tobias Beecher (56 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Dean Winters  ...  Ryan O'Reily (56 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  George Morfogen  ...  Bob Rebadow (56 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Terry Kinney  ...  Tim McManus (55 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Rita Moreno  ...  Sister Peter Marie Reimondo (55 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Harold Perrineau  ...  Augustus Hill (55 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Eamonn Walker  ...  Kareem Said (51 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Craig muMs Grant  ...  Poet (49 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Lauren Vélez  ...  Dr. Gloria Nathan (48 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Granville Adams  ...  Zahir Arif (48 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Tom Mardirosian  ...  Agamemnon Busmalis (47 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Kirk Acevedo  ...  Miguel Alvarez (46 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  BD Wong  ...  Father Ray Mukada (46 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Chuck Zito  ...  Chucky Pancamo (46 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Philip Scozzarella  ...  Officer Joseph Mineo (46 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Scott William Winters  ...  Cyril O'Reily (45 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Otto Sanchez  ...  Chico Guerra (40 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Christopher Meloni  ...  Chris Keller (38 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Robert Clohessy  ...  Officer Sean Murphy (38 episodes, 1999-2003) 
  R.E. Rodgers  ...  James Robson (36 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Kristin Rohde  ...  Officer Claire Howell (35 episodes, 1999-2003) 
  Carl DiMaggio  ...  Officer Len Lopresti (34 episodes, 1999-2003) 
  Evan Seinfeld  ...  Jaz Hoyt (33 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje  ...  Simon Adebisi (32 episodes, 1997-2000) 
  Timothy L. Brown  ...  Officer Jason Armstrong (32 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Zeljko Ivanek  ...  Governor James Devlin (27 episodes, 1997-2003) 
  Steven Wishnoff  ...  Tony Masters (27 episodes, 1999-2003) 
  David Zayas  ...  Enrique Morales (26 episodes, 2000-2003) 
  Sean Dugan  ...  Timmy Kirk (26 episodes, 1998-2003) 
  Anthony Chisholm  ...  Burr Redding (23 episodes, 2001-2003) 
  Edie Falco  ...  Officer Diane Whittlesey (23 episodes, 1997-2000) 
  J.D. Williams  ...  Kenny Wangler (23 episodes, 1997-2000)

Storyline

Oz chronicles life inside an experimental cell block in the Oswald Maximum Security Correctional Facility: Level Four called Emerald City. Under unit manager Tim McManus and Warden Leo Glynn, the inmates in Em City all struggle to fulfill their own needs. Some fight for power; either power over the drug trade or power over the other inmate factions. Others want money, either through slinging 'tits' (drugs), gambling or other scams. Others, Corrections officers and inmates alike, simply want to survive long enough to make parole or even to see tomorrow. The show gives a no-holds-barred account of prison life with all the plots, subplots and conflicts given context and explaination by the show's wheelchair-bound narrator, Augustus Hill.

This is such a powerful show, superbly acted, that frankly I feel it's the best TV drama ever made. I know plenty of Hill Street Blues/NYPD Blue/Prime Suspect (etc) fans would enthusiastically argue this point, but I feel Oz is so well acted, so well realised and so darn entertaining that it's no contest. The characters are very watchable, the stories are gripping, and so much happens in each episode that the viewer has a lot of food for thought once the show is over. I'm currently at the 4th season being in UK, so I don't know the latest developments, but I got a lot of story to look forward to...

The fact it's also very satirical, particularly from Augustus Hill's commentary adds beautifully to the mix.

Nothing short of outstanding.

Date：2012-5-19　【Return】