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Oz

Drama Series

About This Show

From Wikipedia:

Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes. It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by the premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons; the series finale aired February 23, 2003.

Oz is the nickname for the Oswald State Correctional Facility, formerly Oswald State Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison (level 4) at an undisclosed location in the United States of America. Many of the plot arcs are set in "Emerald City" ("Em City"), an experimental unit of the prison in which the unit manager attempts to emphasize rehabilitation and learning responsibility during incarceration. Emerald City is an extremely controlled environment where there are a controlled number of members of each racial and social group. 

The large ensemble cast includes Eamonn Walker, Rita Moreno, Ernie Hudson, John Lurie, Terry Kinney, Betty Buckley, Kathryn Erbe, Christopher Meloni, Lee Tergesen, B. D. Wong, J. K. Simmons, Dean Winters, Scott William Winters, Kirk Acevedo, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Harold Perrineau Jr., Erik King, David Zayas, Lauren Vélez, and Edie Falco.

Oz is primarily narrated by Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau Jr.), former drug dealer, convicted murderer and former crack addict. Now in a wheelchair, he appears in surreal segments and introductions that usually relate to an overall theme of the episode, as well as setting up scenes, introducing characters, or adding epilogues. When necessary — usually when a character is introduced — Hill appears as an omniscient narrator. Used as a literary tool of the writers, he narrates the details of characters' crimes, their prison number, and their sentences. Hill appears as a recurring character within the show's story lines until the sixth season, in which narration by various deceased characters was added.

Who Talked About This Show

  • Chris Albrecht
  • Edie Falco
  • Tom Fontana
  • Barry Levinson
  • Anne Meara
  • Rita Moreno

Resources

OZ DVDs

DVD: Oz on DVD

Website: The Official Oz Website

YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
  • Highlights
  • All Interviewee clips on this show

Highlights

  • Tom Fontana on coming up with the title for <i>Oz </i> and the opening credits of the show, which feature him getting an <i>Oz</i> tattooTom Fontana on coming up with the title for Oz and the opening credits of the show, which feature him getting an Oz tattoo
    Clip begins at: 36:15, Duration: 02m 06s
  • Edie Falco on her favorite moment on <i>Oz</i>Edie Falco on her favorite moment on Oz
    Clip begins at: 23:29, Duration: 00m 38s
  • Rita Moreno on co-starring in <i>Oz</i> and the freedom of working on a cable seriesRita Moreno on co-starring in Oz and the freedom of working on a cable series
    Clip begins at: 00:01, Duration: 02m 19s
  • Chris Albrecht on programming <i>Oz</i>Chris Albrecht on programming Oz
    Clip begins at: 00:01, Duration: 02m 41s
  • Anne Meara on appearing on <i>Oz</i>Anne Meara on appearing on Oz
    Clip begins at: 27:47, Duration: 00m 24s

All Interviewee clips on this show

  • Chris Albrecht
    • Chris Albrecht on programming Oz
      Clip begins at: 00:01, Duration: 02m 41s
  • Edie Falco
    • Edie Falco on working on Oz and her character, "Diane Whittlesey"
      Clip begins at: 14:30, Duration: 01m 31s
    • Edie Falco on the two Oz  characters Tom Fontana presented to her for her to play
      Clip begins at: 16:02, Duration: 00m 35s
    • Edie Falco on her interactions with the writers on Oz
      Clip begins at: 16:38, Duration: 01m 03s
    • Edie Falco on not doing research for her role on Oz, and how she generally does not do research for roles
      Clip begins at: 17:42, Duration: 01m 03s
    • Edie Falco on the relationship between her character, "Diane Whittlesey" and Terry Kinney's character, "Tim McManus" on Oz
      Clip begins at: 18:46, Duration: 01m 00s
    • Edie Falco on the production schedule on Oz
      Clip begins at: 19:47, Duration: 00m 40s
    • Edie Falco on working with the producers and cast on Oz
      Clip begins at: 21:41, Duration: 01m 14s
    • Edie Falco on leaving Oz
      Clip begins at: 22:56, Duration: 00m 31s
    • Edie Falco on her favorite moment on Oz
      Clip begins at: 23:29, Duration: 00m 38s
    • Edie Falco on the legacy of Oz
      Clip begins at: 24:09, Duration: 00m 48s
  • Tom Fontana
    • Tom Fontana on creating Oz for HBO
      Clip begins at: 24:01, Duration: 04m 44s
    • Tom Fontana on doing extensive research in prisons for Oz
      Clip begins at: 28:45, Duration: 04m 41s
    • Tom Fontana on the themes of Oz
      Clip begins at: 33:26, Duration: 00m 50s
    • Tom Fontana on feedback he received from prisoners and prison workers about Oz
      Clip begins at: 34:16, Duration: 01m 59s
    • Tom Fontana on coming up with the title for Oz and the opening credits of the show, which feature him getting an Oz tattoo
      Clip begins at: 36:15, Duration: 02m 06s
    • Tom Fontana on Emerald City, the experimental prison unit in Oz
      Clip begins at: 38:21, Duration: 01m 42s
    • Tom Fontana on Harold Perrineau as "Augustus Hill," the narrator of Oz
      Clip begins at: 40:03, Duration: 03m 50s
    • Tom Fontana on the end of Oz
      Clip begins at: 43:53, Duration: 01m 47s
    • Tom Fontana on where Oz was filmed and the tone of the set
      Clip begins at: 45:40, Duration: 00m 51s
    • Tom Fontana on the cast of Oz
      Clip begins at: 46:31, Duration: 03m 26s
    • Tom Fontana on writing Oz with no network censorship 
      Clip begins at: 49:57, Duration: 01m 26s
  • Anne Meara
    • Anne Meara on appearing on Oz
      Clip begins at: 27:47, Duration: 00m 24s
  • Rita Moreno
    • Rita Moreno on the graphic nature of her then-current series, Oz
      Clip begins at: 26:09, Duration: 02m 02s
    • Rita Moreno on co-starring in Oz and the freedom of working on a cable series
      Clip begins at: 00:01, Duration: 02m 19s
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From the Collection

  • Tom Fontana (tattoo on OZ)

    The arm being tattooed with the show's logo in the opening credits of Oz belongs to TOM FONTANA, creator and writer of the hit drama series.

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