The Best Episodes of Oz Season 1

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.5/10(3279 votes)

   #1 - The Routine

   S1:E17/12/1997

   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

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   Director:Darnell Martin

   Writer:Tom Fontana
2. 

   8.1/10(2590 votes)

   #2 - Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise

   S1:E27/14/1997

   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

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   Director:Nick Gomez

   Writer:Tom Fontana
3. 

   8.0/10(2405 votes)

   #3 - God's Chillin'

   S1:E37/21/1997

   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

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   Director:Jean de Segonzac

   Writer:Tom Fontana
4. 

   8.3/10(2331 votes)

   #4 - Capital P

   S1:E47/28/1997

   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

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   Director:Darnell Martin

   Writer:Tom Fontana
5. 

   8.1/10(2178 votes)

   #5 - Straight Life

   S1:E58/4/1997

   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.

   Directors:Leslie Libman, Larry Williams

   Writer:Tom Fontana

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   Directors:Leslie Libman, Larry Williams

   Writer:Tom Fontana
6. 

   8.4/10(2144 votes)

   #6 - To Your Health

   S1:E68/11/1997

   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

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   Director:Alan Taylor

   Writer:Tom Fontana
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7. 

   8.8/10(2302 votes)

   #7 - Plan B

   S1:E78/18/1997

   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

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   Director:Darnell Martin

   Writer:Tom Fontana
8. 

   9.2/10(3001 votes)

   #8 - A Game of Checkers

   S1:E88/25/1997

   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

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   Director:Jean de Segonzac

   Writer:Tom Fontana