Rating: 
Summary: Hollywood's Idea of Prison
Review: Like it warps the truth about everything else, so Hollywood warps the reality of prison life. Having worked at a prison for 2 and a half years (a max security facility that, at the time of opening, was experimental), I find this show's depiction of "deep, complex" inmates' dramatic struggles rather laughable. The show attempts to shock with sordid violence and tries to glorify by using a top-notch cast to portray politically correct takes on actual prison life while the ignorant in the audience gasp at the "drama". The truth is sordid, yes, but equally mediocre. And no, most convicts aren't underdog heros, just cheap crooks who weren't smart enough to care about others or know any better. If they really wanted truthful sleaze, sadism and convoluted soap opera, they should have made it revolve around the life of the prison guards.
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Summary: One of the best TV series ever
Review: OZ continues its DVD treatment with the second of six seasons, which originally aired in 1998. As the first season dealed more with episodic themes (capital punishment, conjugals, drugs, etc.) this is the season where the individual character arcs really began developing. For those who do not know, Oz deals with life in a fictional prison and an experimental unit called Emerald City. It's about hope and survival. This was HBO's first drama, and paved the way for much more successful shows like The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. However in my mind, Oz will always be the best: no other drama can shock you like this one. But it's not all violence; creator/writer Tom Fontana deals with real issues and really makes you think about stuff. Some of the questions addressed in this season: Should neighbors be notified when a convicted child molestor moves into the neighborhood even though he's paid his debt to society? How far will you go to be part of a gang? What's more important: revenge or safety? Is there any hope at all for a prisoner serving life without the possibility of parole? Many of the fan-favorite characters return: Hill, Beecher, Said, Schillinger, Alvarez, McManus, Rebadow, Adebisi, Wangler, Glynn, Mukada, Sister Pete, O'Reilly, Dr. Nathan, Peter Schibetta, Poet, Arif and others. Plus many new characters are introduced: Nappa, Robson, Keller, Hoyt, Cyril, Busmalis, El Cid, Bellinger, Guerra, Pancamo, Kirk, Coushaine and others. This is a great show that deserves a wider audience. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: oz season 2 dvd
Review: oz is a great show this is one of the few shows that shows how great tv can be.
the violence the way the system works and everything is simply amazing. And whats best about oz is pretty much it has no rules, anything can happen and does! most series have rules like you cant kill the main character or the main character cant do this or that... in oz that just doesnt happen. Watch out for the special guest appearences and really enjoy this series i have. Season 3 just came out and should satisfy your "rage" afterwords
Rating:
Summary: Appreciated..
Review: OZ Season 2 is when Fontana and the crew really start to develop the edge that made OZ such a success. Some key characters are developed quite nicely. Beecher has completely hatched out of his OZ cocoon as his entire life's morals have been put into a blender and spit out again. The brutality and corruptness of the inmates and hacks are full blown. Season 2 really sets the stage for Season 3 and 4 (arguably the best seasons of OZ). If you only have the money to buy one season, buy season 2 over season 1. You won't regret it. Then go buy season 3 at the end of Feb. 2004 (Took them long enough to release it)
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Summary: Oz is kind of over-priced but I love it
Review: Oz was one of the best shows on tv and im very upset that it is off. I was very excited to purchase this dvd but i agree with some others when they say that it is kinda over-priced. it may be expensive but its worth the money cause i love this show
Rating:
Summary: A great follow-up to the first season.
Review: Season 1 ended leaving all of us in question about what happend after the whole riot incident occured. We were left in confusion as to just who died, who lived, and what the punishment would be to the prisoners. Luckily, the first episode of season 2 goes into detail about the aftermath of the riot aznd answers all of our much-asked questions. Season 2 further develops all the characters, adds great new storys, and introduces one of the most consistent and greatest storylines of Oz history: The bizarre Beecher-Keller love story. This season may have it's share of boring moments, but it's an overall great DVD set.
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Summary: Somewhere Over the Barb Wire Way Up High
Review: Season 2. Wow. After the riots its safe that Oz really didn't work. The state retries the concept anyway and more mayhem assumes. More brutal, more rapes, more assaults, and more redemption visit OZ. Again, like the first season, I watched the entire season in one setting. I couldn't wait. I was hooked. The stories will carry you away! The action is addictive. Why do they have to end? I can't wait for more. Yes, more! I MUST have more!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Season Two Proves Oz' Staying Power
Review: Season Two of Oz resolves Season One's prison riot finale, and segues into more complex, albeit slightly less believable, story lines and character devlopment than Season One.
If you liked Season One, Season Two will not disappoint. The violence gradually increases throughout this season, coming to a head in a couple of gruesome scenes in the final episode that I had to take the liberty of skipping altogether (something I never even considered in Season One).
Christopher Meloni (also from Law & Order: SVU) joins the cast and is stunning in his duplicitous portrayal of the other side of the law. Further stand-outs include the character of Kenny Wangler, who displays a brilliant dichotomy between hardened thug and frightened child; and the dimensions added to the character of Adebisi, who this season struggles with demons and spirituality.
The story lines in Season Two are more political, more complex, more involving, and more intense. But just like Season One, the bottom line behind Oz is the creation of excellent TV--but probably not the reflection of reality.
Highly recommended.
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Summary: Somewhere over the rainbow indeed
Review: Somewhere over the rainbow is a place called OZ, only in getting to this Emerald City one has to have committed a crime. In this Emerald City the goal isn't to get in to see the wizard the goal here is to survive to the next day. And along the way you pick up the tricks of the trade in doing so and some other nasty little tricks as well. Tom Fontana thrust us into this world making us look at it through the eyes of one Tobias Beecher, he represents the every man. Through him we see there is no such thing as just doing your time and getting out. Through Tobias we see just how a person can be pushed to his limits and beyond. Things one wouldn't in their everyday life on the outside become second nature in OZ. Because no matter how meek one may appear the goal at the end of the day is to live to hear the guard say "lights out." And as we see through Tobias that instinct to survives will win out. This is questionably the best season in a series of great seasons. It gives us a more detailed background into the lives of the men and women in OZ. We get to see their motivations and how they respond when treatened. This season is about denial, revenge, betrayal, and the budding of a truely twisted love affair that for some reason we find outselves rooting for dispite what we know which is: "It is not nor it cannot come to good. But break my heart for I must hold my tongue..." Hamlet...
Rating:
Summary: Oz: Realism and storytelling
Review: That's what you get when you watch Oz. The series portrays the stark realities of prison life and is well written. I recommend it. A few things: -If you haven't seen the first season, don't buy the second season. (Duh) -It's a little more "bare bones" than the first season DVD set. There aren't as many little extras that you can watch over and over again. -The second season, while still good, isn't as good as the first season, and perhaps not as good as the third. -I'm planning on buying the entire set.
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