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The Best Episodes of Oz

Every episode of Oz ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Oz!

Binge this in 2d 6h•Peaking at 8.7/10

The daily lives of prisoners in Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison where ingroups - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans - stick close to their mutual friends and terrorize their mutual

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Oz Season 4 Episode 16 - Famous Last Words
    8.7/10(6 votes)

    #1 - Famous Last Words

    S4:E16

    In the Season Four finale, Hill discovers where his true allegiances lie. Redding's plot to use the Colonel against Morales has an unexpected outcome. Cloutier runs into trouble from his church on the outside and his parishioners in Oz. White gets a little too close to McManus. Beecher's agony about his parole hearing leads to a shocking climax.

    Director:Adam Bernstein
    Writers:Tom Fontana, Sean Whitesell

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  2. Oz Season 4 Episode 4 - Works of Mercy
    8.5/10(6 votes)

    #2 - Works of Mercy

    S4:E4

    The kidnapping of Beecher's children has everyone upset and Beecher inconsolable. Schillinger gets questioned and of course, claims to know nothing about the deed. Beecher decides to initiate his own investigation. Soon after, a package with horrendous contents arrives for Beecher. Meanwhile, Oz prepares for Shirley Bellinger's hanging as the death penalty protests continue. A visit from the Cardinal creates mixed feelings for Sister Pete and Father Ray. Said announces good and bad news in the state's decision for the inmates. Another Rebadow prediction comes chillingly true. O'Reily's still searching for that elusive cell phone and Dr. Nathan asks Glynn for permission to return to work earlier than expected.

    Director:Adam Bernstein
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  3. Oz Season 4 Episode 5 - Gray Matter
    8.5/10(6 votes)

    #3 - Gray Matter

    S4:E5

    Things get a bit lively on death row after Shirley Bellinger's execution-- Miles begins painting a self-portrait, Ginzburg's health deteriorates from AIDS and Deyell severely injures himself. Mobay's ordered to kill someone as a final test of his loyalty and a new prisoner, whom Mobay's familiar with, makes the perfect victim. A call stirs McManus' emotions again. New inmate Supreme Allah arrives creating tension and uneasiness for Arif. On his way to his son's funeral, Beecher asks Keller an intimate question. A changed Rebadow asks for permission from Morales to kill again. After a fight with the gangsters, Cyril's put on heavier sedatives. For Ryan O'Reilly, he gets the cell phone after ratting to Hoyt and he also meets Dr. Nathan's attacker.

    Director:Brian Cox
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  4. Oz Season 1 Episode 6 - To Your Health
    8.4/10(14 votes)

    #4 - To Your Health

    S1:E6

    Three generations of Alvarezes—all prisoners at Oz—are united when the partiarch, Ricardo, is found face down in his cell, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, Beecher, who as Schillinger's "prag" has been forced to wear women's clothes, flips out after taking PCP.

    Director:Alan Taylor
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  5. Oz Season 4 Episode 11 - Revenge is Sweet
    8.3/10(7 votes)

    #5 - Revenge is Sweet

    S4:E11

    Robson and Hoyt tell Rev. Cloutier to back off of Schillinger. Schillinger and Beecher have their first counseling interaction session. Tidd continues to get close to Said by defending Arif in a fight. Arif goes to Said and pleads Tidd's case to accept him into their Muslim group. Busmalis requests that he and his girlfriend be married. Glynn hosts the Warden's conference and is given an update on Hughes by Querns. Glynn soon has Hughes transferred to Oz's cops unit so he can protect him. This unit is also where Johnny Basil (Mobay) is locked up. Keller's old buddy Ronnie gets close to Beecher causing Keller to get jealous. Ronnie's offered a sentence reduction in exchange for corroborating evidence of Keller's involvement in some past murders. Beecher finds this out and warns Keller, who doesn't believe him. Keller question's Ronnie about the matter and then, comes up with his own solution. Em City inmates are selected for drug testing experiment that promises to age the person quickly therefore reducing their actual time spent in prison.

    Director:Goran Gajić
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  6. Oz Season 5 Episode 1 - Visitation
    8.2/10(5 votes)

    #6 - Visitation

    S5:E1

    A ribbon cutting ceremony, complete with the Governor doing the honors, signals the opening of a newly constructed Oz. Warden Glynn doesn't resign but he's more battle weary. White, Alvarez and other inmates in solitary are temporarily transferred to Em City while repairs are being made. As Schillinger and Robson recover from their wounds, they begin planning revenge on the Muslims. Conversely, Said plans to plead guilty for the attempted murder of Robson & Schillinger. The fate of Rev. Cloutier is revealed and inmates expecting visits from family members get shocking news.

    Director:Alex Zakrzewski
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Oz

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  7. Oz Season 1 Episode 1 - The Routine
    8.0/10(30 votes)

    #7 - The Routine

    S1:E1

    In the "Emerald City" experimental unit of Oswald State Penitentiary, we meet some of the diverse inmates who live within a pecking order of Homeboys, Latinos, Muslims, Irish, Aryans, and Wiseguys. No clear-cut leader emerges—with the possible exception of Kareem Saïd, a Muslim author who preaches non-violence and abstinence. Saïd's arrival doesn't prevent a short-fused Mafia inmate named Dino Ortolani from ticking off just about everybody—a habit that ends up burning him.

    Director:Darnell Martin
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  8. Oz Season 6 Episode 3 - Sonata de Oz
    8.0/10(5 votes)

    #8 - Sonata de Oz

    S6:E3

    Schillinger has a disappointing visit with his "hero", Mayor Loewen. Glynn has to face up to the truth when Oz loses its first prisoner to toxic poisoning. Down in solitary, Officer Brass gets some quality one-on-one time with Morales. Cyril undergoes a round of unusual therapy, and Said gets more than he bargained for in leading the Muslims into a new business venture.

    Director:Unknown
    Writers:Tom Fontana, Sunil Nayar

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  9. Oz Season 6 Episode 7 - Junkyard Dawgs
    8.0/10(5 votes)

    #9 - Junkyard Dawgs

    S6:E7

    Three new inmates arrive, one of whom is close to the O'Reilys; Busmalis and Rebadow prove to be "true Romeos"; the Keller-Beecher-Schillinger triangle gets more pointed; and an awards banquet ends in a fateful discovery.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  10. Oz Season 1 Episode 8 - A Game of Checkers
    7.9/10(18 votes)

    #10 - A Game of Checkers

    S1:E8

    Beecher is released from the hole and Schillinger is left eyeless and weak. A riot breaks out after two white punks get into a fight over checkers. Frustration, sexuality, hate, revenge, racism all rear their ugly heads, causing the violence to escalate.

    Director:Jean de Segonzac
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  11. Oz Season 5 Episode 2 - Laws of Gravity
    7.8/10(5 votes)

    #11 - Laws of Gravity

    S5:E2

    Alvarez and Guerra come up with a new way to settle their beef -- Guerra will stab Alvarez in the shoulder without killing him. Morales questions Guerra's decision to do this while he attempts to grieve for his sister. Rebadow gets more bad news about his grandson which prompts him to search for alternatives. Montgomery asks for more hush money from Ryan so Ryan devises a plan to have Montgomery eliminated. Officer Brass returns to Oz to get facts on who attacked him. Ellie O'Connor arrives as the Governor's liaison to Oz only past memories of her failed marriage to McManus return. Schibetta returns and Schillinger shanks Pancamo after learning that he had Hank killed. McManus makes an offer to Said and White to hopefully curb White's erratic and sometimes bizarre behavior. Ryan's mom, Suzanne Fitzgerald comes to Oz to instruct inmates in performance arts.

    Director:Rob Morrow
    Writers:Tom Fontana, Sean Whitesell

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  12. Oz Season 5 Episode 8 - Impotence
    7.8/10(5 votes)

    #12 - Impotence

    S5:E8

    Robson returns from solitary to discover he's been kicked out of the "Brotherhood" and moved to another cell. McManus tells Glynn he'll write a letter supporting Alvarez's bid for parole. Problem is, Alvarez attacks one of the parole board members and gets thrown back into solitary. Dr. Nathan's guilt worsens as Chucky slips into a coma from the septic infection. Schillinger tells new inmate Cutler he has to kill a black inmate to join the "Brotherhood" and Cutler selects Said as his victim. White's gets this information and goes to protect Said only they get into a tussle and Cutler almost dies. Rebadow gets to go see his dying grandson only to have to return later for the boy's funeral. Busmalis gets a letter from Norma who wants to visit. She does and brings surprising news. Beecher moves to make a confession during the interaction session. The result? Schillinger gets convicted of rape and is transferred to solitary indefinitely. Father Meehan touches a nerve with Ryan and forces him to acknowledge a childhood incident that scarred Ryan for life. A stabbing intended for Redding, claims an innocent inmate instead.

    Director:Alex Zakrzewski
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  13. Oz Season 2 Episode 5 - Family Bizness
    7.7/10(8 votes)

    #13 - Family Bizness

    S2:E5

    With their enmity at a boiling point, Adebisi poisons Schibetta -- but not fatally. Now that his brother has turned himself in for murder, Glynn no longer owes Schibetta any favors. Sister Peter Marie figures out that Giles witnessed who killed her husband. Poet, now a published author, gets his parole, but Governor Devlin still takes away funds from McManus's high-school equivalency program. When Beecher learns his wife committed suicide, Keller offers comfort, but his advances are rebuked. Meanwhile O'Reily is in love with Dr. Nathan, and gets his brother Cyril to have her husband killed.

    Director:Kathy Bates
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  14. Oz Season 4 Episode 15 - Even the Score
    7.7/10(6 votes)

    #14 - Even the Score

    S4:E15

    McManus finds he is unable to turn his back on White. Beecher tells the parents of the young girl he killed that he's up for parole. Howell tries to blackmail O'Reily so she can get to Cyril, but he throws her for a loop--and then O'Reily is thrown himself by a family secret.

    Director:J. Miller Tobin
    Writers:Tom Fontana, Sunil Nayar, Sean Whitesell

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  15. Oz Season 1 Episode 5 - Straight Life
    7.6/10(18 votes)

    #15 - Straight Life

    S1:E5

    The infiltration of drugs into Oz has reached unprecedented levels, and the undercover efforts of McManus and Glynn to find out who's smuggling them in backfires in a deadly way. Despite a lockdown in Emerald City, the drugs continue to trickle in—and the blame shifts from prisoners to corrupt officials.

    Directors:Leslie Libman, Larry Williams
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  16. Oz Season 1 Episode 7 - Plan B
    7.6/10(16 votes)

    #16 - Plan B

    S1:E7

    A recovered Saïd ostracizes Mershah for turning his back on him when he was dying—and orders the rest of the Muslims to do the same. Impressed by Saïd's power, Groves makes a deadly decision in his honor. Meanwhile, Beecher, transformed by prison life, finally gets revenge on Schillinger.

    Director:Darnell Martin
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  17. Oz Season 2 Episode 8 - Escape from Oz
    7.6/10(12 votes)

    #17 - Escape from Oz

    S2:E8

    Wittlesey is transferred to Gen Pop and replaced by Karl Metzger, a Nazi. Mack and another Aryan try to escape through Busmalis and Rebadow's tunnel but the tunnel collapses and kills the two Aryans. Hill gets the idea of escaping Oz by hiding in a coffin. Sippel re-enters Oz because he can't deal with life on the outside, but Schillinger crucifies him -- literally. Alvarez gouges out Rivera's eyes and is put in solitary for life. Needing a blood transfusion for Rivera, Dr. Nathan finds that only O'Reily has the same blood type; he agrees to donate in exchange for getting his brother Cyril near him. Keller and Schillinger reveal their sordid plan of deceit to Beecher while breakingv both his arms and legs. Fortune teller Kipkemei Jara gives Adebisi hope of a new life; but he is murdered by Wangler on orders from Antonio Nappa. The grief this causes Adebisi lands him in the psych ward. Said is pardoned by Governor Devlin, but refuses choosing to return to Em City instead.

    Director:Jean de Segonzac
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  18. Oz Season 6 Episode 4 - A Failure to Communicate
    7.6/10(5 votes)

    #18 - A Failure to Communicate

    S6:E4

    Glynn receives some good and bad news on the toxic-poisoning case. Meanwhile, Rebadow's relationship with Stella hits a snag; Keller and Beecher work out a mutually beneficial arrangement; Poet and Redding nearly come to blows; Hoyt is transferred from Death Row; and Robson finally gets some redemption.

    Director:David Von Ancken
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  19. Oz Season 1 Episode 2 - Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise
    7.5/10(20 votes)

    #19 - Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise

    S1:E2

    With Schibetta and the prison brass in a race to uncover Ortolani's killer (for very different reasons), we see how inmates react to visits from both their wives and, in one case, family members who are also in prison.

    Director:Nick Gomez
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  20. Oz Season 5 Episode 6 - Variety
    7.5/10(6 votes)

    #20 - Variety

    S5:E6

    Said returns from the hole ready to apologize to White. The inmate variety show takes shape with Busmalis as MC and White the featured performer. Robson's painful teeth force him to the dentist, something he secretly fears. The dentist recommends gum replacement surgery. Alvarez wants to give his dog to Rivera the Oz guard he blinded. Cyril's trial looms and Ryan's worried. Redding continues to search for culprit that gave Hill the drugs. Poet, in an attempt to hide the truth from Redding convinces Busmalis to tell Redding that one of the Italians did the deed. This results in Redding having DeSantos poisoned. Chucky's condition worsens and out of fear, he summons Sister Peter for spiritual help. Meanwhile, Sister Pete starts looking for Guenzel's attackers only the 3 who know (Said, Beecher, Schillinger) refuse to divulge.

    Director:Roger Rees
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  21. Oz Season 2 Episode 3 - Great Men
    7.4/10(8 votes)

    #21 - Great Men

    S2:E3

    Alvarez knows who raped Glynn's daughter, but refuses to tell the warden. Wangler is making progress at school, but his cellmate, Adebisi, isn't a fan of higher education. When Augustus Hill's judge is convicted of accepting bribes, Said takes up Hill's case to get him a second trial. Diagnosed with cancer, O'Reily goes to a hospital to get a prison-paid lumpectomy, which is cheaper than a mastectomy. The Aryans are losing credibility in Oz, so Schillinger arranges to have a tough named Vogel killed with Beecher being the next on the hit list. Finally, the prison is filled with excitement as a woman, Shirley Bellinger, arrives on death row to be executed.

    Director:Bob Balaban
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  22. Oz Season 5 Episode 3 - Dream a Little Dream of Me
    7.4/10(5 votes)

    #22 - Dream a Little Dream of Me

    S5:E3

    After recovering from his shank wound, Alvarez gains a follower. Busmalis starts a letter writing campaign to get "Miss Sally's Schoolhouse" back on the air. Rebadow finds a way to raise the money for his grandson's treatment. Jia Kenmin returns to Oz after recovering from the coma induced by a blow from Cyril. After Schillinger's released, Redding and Morales form a pact to eliminate the Italians from the drug trade. Schibetta makes a move on the Aryans only it backfires with terrifying results. Kirk continues planning ways to kill Cloutier. After carrying out messages he "received" from Cloutier, Hoyt confesses to all his past murders. Cloutier makes a move that mystifies everyone.

    Director:Adam Bernstein
    Writers:Tom Fontana, Sean Whitesell

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  23. Oz Season 5 Episode 7 - Good Intentions
    7.4/10(5 votes)

    #23 - Good Intentions

    S5:E7

    Redding discovers that Busmalis lied about DeSantos. Furious, he confronts Morales and the confrontation gets the two of them thrown in the hole. Cyril gets convicted of the murder and Ryan tells the attorney not to appeal. Meanwhile Sister Pete, Father Meehan and Suzanne Fitzgerald meet to devise another plan in Cyril's defense. Rebadow fumes over not getting the lottery money. Mc Manus' offer to search Oz's databases reveals an inmate with the same blood history as Rebadow's grandson. Rebadow meets the man only to be rejected by him. The rumor of Robson's replacement gums coming from a black patient prompts Schillinger to consult with Aryan Nation leader. The result? Robson gets banned from the Aryans.

    Director:Adam Bernstein
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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  24. Oz Season 6 Episode 6 - A Day in the Death...
    7.4/10(7 votes)

    #24 - A Day in the Death...

    S6:E6

    Idzik faces his enemies; the intrigues behind the Loewen case get more complicated; changes are made in the hospital; the Muslims run into business trouble; Rebadow and Stella get closer; and the inmates rally to support the O'Reilys.

    Director:Unknown
    Writers:Tom Fontana, Sunil Nayar

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  25. Oz Season 1 Episode 3 - God's Chillin'
    7.3/10(19 votes)

    #25 - God's Chillin'

    S1:E3

    As friction grows in the wake of increasing deaths, Schibetta, Saïd, and Keane are brought together by Glynn, who tells them to keep their respective groups quiet or else he'll lock the prison down. The tension increases following a visit from Governor Devlin, who was responsible for the ban on smoking and conjugal visits.

    Director:Jean de Segonzac
    Writer:Tom Fontana

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Best Episodes Summary

"Famous Last Words" is the best rated episode of "Oz". It scored 8.7/10 based on 6 votes. Directed by Adam Bernstein and written by Tom Fontana, Sean Whitesell, it aired on 2/25/2001. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Works of Mercy".