Average Rating:

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Oz : Complete Season 1

starring: Ernie Hudson, Rita Moreno, J.K. Simmons, Eamonn Walker, Harold Perrineau
directed by: Adam Bernstein, Gregory Dark, Steve Buscemi, Nick Gomez, Alex Zakrzewski

February 05, 2007
What a disappointment. This is a drama that feels terribly dated. The characterisation is weak and the script more than slightly pedantic. "Give them a chance" "No they're not worth it. They're animals" etc. Yes - this is the kind of embarrassing stuff you have to listen to. In fact it is so risible in places, you may find it hard not to laugh out loud. Definitely not HBO's finest hour(s).

I have the distinct feeling that this may have been impressive at the time but far from now being a fine vintage drama, the show has turned into dramatic vinegar in a remarkably short period of time. After all the hype and the good reviews I'd read on amazon, this was a let-down. I'm going to return to The Wire for a proper fix.