8.5/103,239 votes#1 - The Routine
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 7/12/1997
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
8.1/102,708 votes#2 - Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 7/14/1997
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
8.0/102,559 votes#3 - God's Chillin'
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 7/21/1997
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
8.3/102,505 votes#4 - Capital P
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 7/28/1997
Governor Devlin has reinstated capital punishment in the state, and the first Oz prisoner scheduled to die is Keane.
Director: Darnell Martin
Writer: Tom Fontana
8.2/102,391 votes#5 - Straight Life
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 8/4/1997
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.
Director: Leslie Libman, Larry Williams
Writer: Tom Fontana
8.4/102,357 votes#6 - To Your Health
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 8/11/1997
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
8.8/102,468 votes#7 - Plan B
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 8/18/1997
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
9.2/102,950 votes#8 - A Game of Checkers
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 8/25/1997
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
The Best Episodes of Oz Season 1
Every episode of Oz Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Oz Season 1!
The daily lives of prisoners in Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison where ingroups - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans -...
Genres:CrimeDrama
Network:HBO
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"The Routine" is the best rated episode of "Oz" season 1. It scored 8.5/10 based on 3239 votes. Directed by Darnell Martin and written by Tom Fontana, it aired on 7/12/1997. This episode is rated 0.4 points higher than the second-best, "Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise".