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Oz
Sept 24, 2008 22:30:29 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Sept 24, 2008 22:30:29 GMT
I recently watched the first two seasons of this brutal prison drama. Now I'm not usually one for brutal prison dramas (though my mother is a big fan of them), but this has a certain compelling watchability due to excellent acting and good scripts from Tom Fontana. There is a certain car-crash quality to it in that part of the strange appeal of watching it is to see how it can possibly get more horrible. The season 2 finale in particular literally had me wincing at many points.
Not for everyone, but worth a try.
No spoilers for seasons 3-6 please!
-Ralph
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Oz
Sept 24, 2008 22:40:26 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 24, 2008 22:40:26 GMT
A brilliant show, one I discovered on Channel 4 late one night. Great ensemble cast and one of the best things is that there are no random background characters. Someone who is sitting playing cards may end up getting a prominent role as the series progresses. The actor J.K Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson) plays a particularly nasty piece of work called Vern Schillinger and shows his skills as an actor in there's nothing of his Jonah in Vern Schillinger and vice versa.
Andy
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Oz
Sept 25, 2008 0:51:03 GMT
Post by Jaymz on Sept 25, 2008 0:51:03 GMT
It's a great show. I also discovered it on channel 4 around series 3. Channel 4 messed up showing series 5 though and I don't think they've ever shown 6, so I ended up getting all the dvds when they came out in the US. Well worth it.
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Oz
Sept 25, 2008 6:39:01 GMT
Post by legios on Sept 25, 2008 6:39:01 GMT
Oz is something I have always been meaning to give a go, but it has never been on a TV channel that my primitive technology can recieve. It does have a good pedigree, what with Tom Fontana's involvement, and with these recommendations I might well dump it in my ever-lengthening rental list to try it out.
Karl
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Oz
Sept 25, 2008 8:40:29 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 25, 2008 8:40:29 GMT
I've long encouraged Ralph to try it so when he was through for the week he got to see Season 1. It also boasts the theme tune most at odds with the tone. Such a happy sounding tune.
Andy
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Oz
Sept 25, 2008 10:38:44 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Sept 25, 2008 10:38:44 GMT
It is indeed extremely jaunty right up until the scream of torment at the end.
-Ralph
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Oz
Oct 19, 2008 21:18:45 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Oct 19, 2008 21:18:45 GMT
I've now watched season 3. The twists and turns!
-Ralph
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Oz
Oct 19, 2008 22:49:36 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Oct 19, 2008 22:49:36 GMT
Wait till Seasons 4 and 5!
Andy
Just about to start S6.
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Oz
Oct 20, 2008 13:09:57 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Oct 20, 2008 13:09:57 GMT
Should be on s4 in a few days. I must know what happens next!
-Ralph
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Oz
Oct 24, 2008 19:55:06 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Oct 24, 2008 19:55:06 GMT
Two episodes into season 4. Good grief. I just can't see this show having a happy ending for anyone!
*jaunty tune*
*AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!*
-Ralph
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Oz
Nov 2, 2008 23:09:16 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Nov 2, 2008 23:09:16 GMT
Now three episodes into season 5. There are three great reasons why this show is great:
-It's very dense. An awful lot happens each episode. No decompressed nonsense here.
-No character is safe, and anyone can be shipped out of Oz or be killed at any time. This adds a great deal of suspense and surprise to the show.
-It uses depth of field very well: the backgrounds are packed with information. Prisoners in the background can become major players later on. Or gestures from background characters add an extra layer of plot to the episodes if you notice them.
-Ralph
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Hero
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
King of RULES!
Everything Rules
Posts: 7,494
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Oz
Nov 5, 2008 15:27:02 GMT
Post by Hero on Nov 5, 2008 15:27:02 GMT
Was'nt there a season 7?
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Oz
Nov 5, 2008 15:29:53 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Nov 5, 2008 15:29:53 GMT
Nope. 6 seasons but I think the way channel 4 mangled the broadcasting meant it had seven seasons in the UK!
Andy
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Hero
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
King of RULES!
Everything Rules
Posts: 7,494
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Oz
Nov 5, 2008 15:32:11 GMT
Post by Hero on Nov 5, 2008 15:32:11 GMT
That explains it. I think it was the Facebook group or somewhere that said the show has 7 seasons.
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Oz
Nov 6, 2008 0:30:39 GMT
Post by Jaymz on Nov 6, 2008 0:30:39 GMT
Nope. 6 seasons but I think the way channel 4 mangled the broadcasting meant it had seven seasons in the UK! Andy Nah, they never showed season 6 as far as I know. Season 4 is twice the length of all the other seasons though, which is where the confusion might come from. |
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Oz
Nov 6, 2008 19:05:29 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Nov 6, 2008 19:05:29 GMT
I just saw something to do with a spoon in an episode which is one of the most horrible things I've ever seen!
I will never look at a spoon in the same way again.
-Ralph
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Oz
Nov 9, 2008 19:50:44 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Nov 9, 2008 19:50:44 GMT
Finished viewing the full series now. Great show from star to finish, with rock-solid writing and acting, Recommended.
-Ralph
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Oz
Nov 12, 2008 22:18:20 GMT
Post by legios on Nov 12, 2008 22:18:20 GMT
Just seen my first episode of this show - the opener of Season Two, courtesy of Andy's DVDs (must return those to you at Scotcon). Very good stuff, I can see me quite enjoying this series. It walks back and forth across the fine line between drama and melodrama, but does it with enviable grace. One of the best things about it is that all of the characters do sound like real people - like as not one of the benefits of having Tom Fontana doing a lot of the writing work, he has a a fine ear for dialogue.
I have a feeling that it isn't going to be entirely a comfortable show to watch, but I do think it seems like it is going to be darned good television.
*sigh* I have a feeling I am going end up adding this show to my rental queue as well. I think I need to rent some extra hours in my days to get all this stuff watched.
Karl
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Oz
Dec 2, 2008 16:55:11 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Dec 2, 2008 16:55:11 GMT
It is tosh of the highest order.
-Ralph
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Oz
Dec 2, 2008 22:07:37 GMT
Post by legios on Dec 2, 2008 22:07:37 GMT
Well, I have now finished an entire season of "Oz" and I would have to agree with the agreement that it is great melodrama. It isn't by any means gritty, realistic drama - it is quite open that it is much more interested in the somewhat heightened sensibilities of melodrama (and sometimes in the wince-inducing grand-guignol). But nevertheless it is quite good stuff. Some wonderful performances out of some of the cast - in a series where (almost) all the characters are either morally dubious prison officers or criminals of various stripes they nevertheless form a nice continumn from moral dubious to outright evil (and then proceed to cross back and forth across the lines regularly), and some absolutely stellar writing.
It certainly always has a surprise up its sleeve and is wonderfully capable of wrong-footing the viewer. I found myself musing "they wouldn't, no writer would chance it..." on many occassions, only to remind myself "this is Oz, they very well might". Not for the squeamish (being set in a maximum security prison pretty much gaurantees that), and not entirely conventional in either outlook or style but a very good bit of melodrama.
Between this and "The Wire" my rental queue is rapidly taking on near bottomless proportions...
Karl
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Oz
Oct 5, 2010 16:36:36 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Oct 5, 2010 16:36:36 GMT
As I am a good son, I bought season 1 on DVD for my mother's birthday. She loves it and is now hooked. Mission accomplished.
-Ralph
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Oz
Oct 5, 2010 20:41:18 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Oct 5, 2010 20:41:18 GMT
Well done.
I really need to get round to getting the rest of it on DVD.
Andy
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Oz
Oct 6, 2010 22:31:25 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Oct 6, 2010 22:31:25 GMT
FOPP has some of the later seasons at £8. First season was regular price.
-Ralph
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Oz
Oct 6, 2010 22:38:55 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Oct 6, 2010 22:38:55 GMT
Might have a trek through this weekend if I feel up to it.
Andy
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Oz
Nov 7, 2010 21:30:28 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Nov 7, 2010 21:30:28 GMT
Parentals unable to find S2 so I have ordered set from Play for them as an anniversary present. I look forward to their reaction to the extreme "MY EYES! THEY TOOK MY EYES!" violence of the last episode of that set!
-Ralph
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Oz
Nov 7, 2010 21:40:57 GMT
Post by legios on Nov 7, 2010 21:40:57 GMT
Ah yes. I still remember that. Hard not to really.
Karl
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Oz
Nov 7, 2010 21:45:00 GMT
Post by blueshift on Nov 7, 2010 21:45:00 GMT
Dare I ask?
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Oz
Mar 12, 2011 18:24:44 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Mar 12, 2011 18:24:44 GMT
The parentals are now on Season 3. "The best yet", I'm told.
-Ralph
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Oz
Mar 14, 2011 0:20:46 GMT
Post by Andy Turnbull on Mar 14, 2011 0:20:46 GMT
I hope your folks enjoy Querns.
Andy
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Oz
Mar 14, 2011 19:54:06 GMT
Post by The Doctor on Mar 14, 2011 19:54:06 GMT
They have demanded season 4 forthwith! The father parental unit in particular enjoys the extreme violence.
-Ralph
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