Oz - I Can't Wait Until January For New Episodes!
Written: Oct 16 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Original, Complicated Story Lines, Unique Perspective
Cons: Graphic Violence.
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| coldsteel7's Full Review: HBO |
Home Box Office has become the prominent alternative to mainstream "commercial" television serial programming. HBO has the advantage of being able to maintain cutting edge programming free of the restrictions often placed on commercial television, as well as offering their serials without commercial interruption.
Among the popular programs recently offered on the Home Box Office, are "Arli$$," "Sex in the City," "The Sopranos," and "Oz." I have watched all four of these widely acclaimed programs, and didn't really care for the first two. However, "The Sopranos" and "Oz" are two of my favorite television series.
"Oz" is short for Oswald Correctional Facility. This weekly program takes place in a violent correctional setting, and continually tests the boundaries of violence and believability. However, I do not allow my children to view this program, and am able to withstand the extremely graphic violence, which is sometimes overdone.
I worked for a few years in a state prison that contained Death Row, Safekeeping, a Mental Health Facility, Clinic, Maximum Custody, and General Population. All of these different custody experiences are explored in "Oz" and are woven into the story line seamlessly. Although the story line often exceeds believability, it does seem to go to great lengths to capture the dynamics of prison life.
The story lines in "Oz" are what makes it special. Although often extreme, the story lines manage to draw the viewer in. They are often very complicated, and part of a broader story line. Sometimes new characters are brought in, developed and killed off shortly afterwards. Although this seems like an easy way out, it keeps the main characters intact to develop larger themes. Although the main focus of the program remains within the prison walls, the use of "flashbacks" reveal the outside environment that led to an inmate's incarceration. The program also closely follows several of the staff members, who interact outside the prison walls. However, the story line seldom strays outside for long.
"Oz" manages to portray hot political issues, and seems to track actual events that have taken place in the real world. This adds to the believability, and sometimes borderlines on making political statements, without being preachy. It actually captures opposing sides of many hot-topic issues. For example, a nun on staff is opposed to the Death Penalty, yet attends an execution. The dynamics of the issue involved are explored through the eyes of the participants.
Another accurate portrayal in this program concerns the internal groupings within the prison system. Certain people tend to cluster together....Bikers, Muslims, Irish, Aryans, Christians, Irish, Homosexuals, and Gangbangers. The power structures and interaction between these groups provide an inside look at the mechanics of institutional life. I was very surprised at some of the very accurate issues that were explored in the relational interaction between these groups.
"Oz" is not a program for the weak hearted. An episode does not get by without some exposure to a violent act. Among the violence that has been covered are shootings, stabbings, rape, a crucifixion, poisoning, feeding another inmate ground glass in his food, and commonly beatings. There was even a scene where an inmate slices an officer's face up with sharpened fingernails.
The program is narrated by a paraplegic inmate in a wheelchair. He interacts with the other characters in the program, but occasionally the program stops, and this character interjects statistics or information applicable to the current issue, or prison life in general. These snippets are interesting and allow for the producers to tie some of the more complicated concepts together that a viewer might miss just watching the inmates interact. In other words, it helps the viewer focus on the issues that are being covered in the episode.
Although "Oz" is not necessarily a political program, political issues are explored and usually receive balanced and objective treatment. Weaving these issues into a fabric of complicated characters and an ever-changing story line make "Oz" a very addictive program. If you are not turned off by the graphic violence, you will probably enjoy the change from mainstream sitcoms and cop shows. "Oz" offers a fresh and intriguing program that I would highly recommend.
Recommended:
Yes
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