A New Prison
Name: Simon Huber Student Number: Thesis for the completion of the RMa Cultural Analysis Supervisor: Hanneke Stuit Second Reader: Joost de Bloois Index
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: The underrepresentation of Oz’ ambiguity 5
The ideological function of unrealistic hyper-violence 5
Queering in Oz 7
Oz’ mise en abyme reflection on the representation of prisons 9
Chapter 2: A History of Power Operations in EmCity 16
Accumulating mechanisms 16
Control and Spectacular Mechanisms in EmCity 22
Prison in a Control Society 25
Chapter 3: Prison culture and collective resistance 29
Prison Culture 29
Disrupting contained culture 32
Unruly dissensus in Oz 36
The Build-up 37
The Riot 39
The Aftermath 45
Conclusion 49
Works Cited 53
Appendix A: A List of Relevant Characters 56
Appendix B: A Full Synopsis of Oz 61 Huber 1
Introduction
The object of my thesis is the prison drama Oz. The series deals with an experimental unit set up inside Oz, fully named Oswald Maximum Security Prison. The unit, called Emerald City1, is run by college-educated liberal Tim McManus2 who believes he can reform the inmates of this unit and offer them a better life. To do this, EmCity does not match other representations of prisons, which provide an image of a dark and dirty place dominated by steel bars. Instead it is a clean and well-lit cell block filled with clear glass pods and a spacious communal space. As such, it offers a new view of the prison. Oz ran from 1997 to 2003, totalling 56 55-minute episodes. It aired as the first hour- long drama on HBO, a premium cable TV-network. Unsure what kind of drama they wanted to make, they allowed the creator Tom Fontana full creative freedom. Additionally, HBO was not dependent on income from advertising, which allowed Fontana freedom from the constraints of the easily offended advertisers. This meant he could freely show all the violence, nudity and vulgarities he wished. As a result, most of the series' reception focused on Oz’ over the top shock value. I take the series’ new outlook up in a different perspective. The prison has already been taken up as a place where power operations concentrate in their most extreme manifestations, and as such has functioned as a model for how these power mechanisms operate throughout society. Most notably of course by Michel Foucault in his seminal work Discipline and Punish, which will feature heavily in the second chapter of my thesis. Since then, Gilles Deleuze has proclaimed that prisons, like all environments of enclosure, are in a general state of crisis, only waiting for the last rites to be administered. This had led to a shift in attention towards other loci of power operations. However, prisons have not died, the era of mass incarceration3 in the United States following soon after Deleuze’s proclamation. I then once again take up the prison as a model for how power mechanisms operate. However, I do not propose that prisons have stayed the same since Foucault used them as model for the disciplinary mechanism. This is why I will focus on the imaginary prison unit EmCity as presented in Oz, as it internalizes into the prison many of the new power mechanisms Deleuze proposes in his short but provocative article. My central questions are then: What kind of prison
1 In continued reference to the Wizard of Oz, Emerald City is where the Wizard of Oz resides. He is of course famous for not really having any magical powers, but deriving his power from pretending he did through an elaborate set of visual and auditory tricks. An additional reference of the name Oswald is Russell Oswald who was Commissioner of Correctional Services during the Attica Prison riot in 1973, which is heavily referenced in the riot at the end of season one. 2 For full descriptions of each of the characters that figure in this thesis, please refer to Appendix A starting at page 56. 3 The explosion in incarceration rates was already well under way when Deleuze published the text in 1990, with a rise from 503,586 citizens incarcerated in 1980 to 1,148,702 in jail at the time of publishing. Since then, the numbers have continued to increase, to top out at 2,307,504 in 2008. They have remained relatively stable ever since. Huber 2 does Oz represent? Which power mechanisms operate here? And what can the way in which its ambiguous inmates behave mean for our thinking on how these power operations can be resisted? My thesis has a dual relevance. First, for understanding the continued extreme numbers of incarceration in the United States. The most recent numbers, from 2015, indicate that well over two million people remain incarcerated there. With a new law and order president they could very well be going up, as they have in other parts of the world4. To understand this continuity, we have to look at the place the prison takes in contemporary society, where power acts upon mobility and through enclosure simultaneously. I will do this in my second chapter, in which I discuss the integration of Oz in broader circuits of power. Second, I believe the series to have a very strong metaphorical power. In line with traditional characteristics of the prison genre, i.e. “the promise of an unfiltered, raw, and realistic perspective on criminality, systems of authority, and the socially marginal” (Wlodarz 66), many academics have tunnelled in on the question whether Oz is ‘realistic’. Instead I focus on the metaphoric quality of the series, leaving realism behind, instead focusing on what could feel real. Here I am indebted to Monika Fludernik’s concept of the carceral imagery to denote what viewers who most likely have no experience of being in prison imagine being in prison is like. In her article on the carceral imaginary, she traces through history the metaphors used to either describe prison through other places (prison is hell, entombment etc.) or that use prison as a source domain (marriage is prison, my job is jail etc.). Fludernik argues that these metaphors feed directly into the way we as a society imagine prison to be, congealing into a ‘carceral imagery’. As our imagination feeds into our opinions on the subject, the metaphors and the imagery they solidify into must be the object of critical examination. She notes how most literary metaphors pose prisons as sites of ‘uncanny familiarity’: at once terrible places of extreme enclosure and violence, coupled with “the placid attractions of the familiar space of domestic seclusion” (23). The inmates in the same metaphors are set up as a victims worthy of our sympathy, but without real agency. She notes how these tropes function to construct prison as a fantasy world, familiar enough to engage with, but filled with criminals who have to undergo terrible injustice and thus deserve our sympathy. By letting this dual paradoxes of homely-hell and criminal-victim play out at a safe distance in an ‘exotic heterotopia,’ the fundamental ambivalences in our imagination of prisons are resolved without us having to fully engage with our “real-world emotions” (24). I believe Oz refuses to do exactly this. It lets the ambivalence fester, offering no real resolution so as to keep us engaged. Yet, the violence figures along with the nearly exclusive setting of all action within the four walls of Oz to transfer the
4 An example of incarceration rates rising after Deleuze proclaiming the death of prison is Turkey, where the incarceration rate, the amount of people locked up per 100.000 citizens, has doubled since 2006. Many countries fall into either of these two trends, either stabilizing or going up since 2006. Some countries, like the Netherlands, have seen a falling trend. The Dutch incarceration rate has dropped by about 52% since 2006.
sensation of permanent enclosed precariousness onto us, especially if we binge-watch it5, so that we cannot remove it into an ‘exotic fantasy world’. This transferred ambiguity is what I believe many viewers recognize when they call the series ‘real’6. Where most metaphors Fludernik notes seem either cliché or privileged: if I was in prison I could finally focus on myself, I could finally start really working out, finally write that book, I think that Oz’ ambiguity disturbs these metaphors. By being familiar in a different way, by representing the inmates as subjects to some of the same power mechanism that we experience in watered down form, Oz can function as a model for imagining how we would experience and deal with the power operations represented, living out some of the violent fantasies that result from a permanent sense of enclosure and precariousness. My first chapter engages with academic work already done on Oz. I separate the academics into two camps. The first is populated by theorists exclusively concerned with the gruesome depiction of violence in the series. I argue that they become stuck between a criticism of the series’ ‘unrealism’ on the one hand, and their wish that all inmates depicted on TV would behave like model citizens on the other. The second camp reviews the series more positively, recognizing what Oz does in terms of ‘blurring’. Their reviews have, however, not extended far beyond paying attention to what it does in the progressive depiction of homosexuality and an erotically laden depiction of the male body. I try to extend on their thoughts, by discussing S04E09, in which a TV-crew enters EmCity to film a short segment for a show. The show in a show method creates a contrast between Oz and other series portraying prison that highlights the sincere diversity and blurring of expectations Oz accomplishes through engaging with characters who strike double figures throughout. In the second chapter I trace the prison through the thought of Foucault and Deleuze. I place the prison at the centre of their theoretical conflict over whether the different ways in which power is exercised are of a successive or additive nature. After setting the terms for the debate, I will engage with several scenes throughout the series, as this is a slow development. I argue that Oz shows the way different power mechanisms enhance rather than exclude each other, functioning together to create the prison we see in Oz. This is explicitly against Deleuze’s assertion that the prison and its disciplinary mechanism will disappear. Instead I will show how ‘control’ as he theorized it as a power operation becomes integrated into EmCity and simultaneously Oz becomes integrated into a broader ‘control society’. In the third chapter, I come to the core of my argument, now fully enabled by the two previous chapters. The first chapter enables me to look past Oz’ violence and its presumed effect on the
5 A reviewer notes in comparison between watching it on TV and from DVD: “Oz is so emotionally taxing that it's tough to watch more than one episode per sitting.”
viewers in terms of demonizing the inmates of Oz. The second enables me to complicate Rancière’s concept of ‘dissensus’ by intersecting it with the introduction of ‘control’ as an additional power mechanism. His proposed program for disrupting the current unjust hierarchical ordering of society by the speaking up of a marginal group that is not expected to speak in a political sphere or way, fails to fully take account for this new mechanism. The principle of dissensus remains tied to a disciplinary way of thinking that tried to order society into larger, homogenous groups. Instead, the control mechanism, by ascribing the much lower-scale identities suggested by Oz, pushes its subjects to compete with themselves, other individuals, and by virtue of this mechanism adding onto the disciplinary, within and between the groups set up by the disciplinary mechanism. A close reading of the riot at the end of season one shows how this mechanism has to be overcome first, even before any speaking up as a collective marginal group can take place. Overall, it is too easy to focus just on Oz’ over the top shock value, which features so prominently and takes on a wider range of meanings than the show’s critics suggest. I believe the ambiguity allows intense sympathy to be had for the inmates, as often people can feel subject to similar power mechanisms, albeit in much lighter and less violent form. The show thus adds a critical note to our carceral imaginary. Huber 5
Chapter 1: The underrepresentation of Oz’ ambiguity
Even though relatively little has been written on Oz, dealing with the subject does have to start with embedding my words within a discussion of what has been written about the series. Two themes dominate. First, the camp that argues that the ‘hyper-violence’ of the show serves, within its media- context, to legitimize the current brutal prison-industrial complex. The primary academics in this camp are Elayne Rapping, Bill Yousman and Brian Jarvis. In the other camp the focus is on the representation of hyper-masculinity in an enclosed homosocial environment with rampant incidences of both violent and consensual homosexuality that contribute to a queering of this hyper- masculine spectacle. To discuss this focus, I use an article by Joe Wlodarz and a book chapter by Georges-Claude Locoge and Valentin Guilbert. I continue the work of this second camp by extending the blurring beyond queering. I close read S04E09 in which the staging of a show within a show reflects the dilemmas in making a drama series about a prison. The ethical dilemmas intertwine with the difficulty of making the show entertaining through foregrounding violence and sex, while giving an impression of how boring prison time feels.
The ideological function of unrealistic hyper-violence The authors in the first camp seem to prefer an inversed Manichean divide to counteract the ‘hegemonic’ idea that all prisoners are evil and all prison staff is good. As such, they become stuck between exhibiting an ironic wish for an equally unrealistic representation by critiquing Oz for its lack of realism, incorrectly claiming it represents a hegemonic Manichean divide. Rapping’s reflections on Oz through a comparison with prison films shows this most clearly. The critical potential of the prison genre in Hollywood film for her is that the confusion between what is “sheer brutal punishment” and “what passes for ‘correction’ […] is viscerally clarified” (82). The most striking difference with television series like Oz is that after these ‘men of dignity and worth’ are exposed to the uniformly brutal system, their “salvation, or symbolic significance, is rooted in their deep bonding with other human beings, whether prisoners, supporters, or attorneys” (86)7. In the films, the inmates are in the end fundamentally good humans, capable of bonding, who just made a small mistake and were immediately exposed to homogenously bad conditions and evil staff. Beyond the obvious unrealistic implications of inverting the Manichean divide, the question arises why we would need such a clear divide in the first place. Why would we need representations
7 Rapping foregoes for one example among many others the story-arc of Carlo Ricardo, one of the new Latino inmates from season three. The first time his family visits, nearly all of his relatives come. Over the course of the season however, in subsequent visits they one by one drop off, claiming sickness, inability to get off from work, or that it hurts them to see him there. His increasingly no-show family members are framed as the main cause of him slowly losing his sanity over the course of the season, until in the end he is stabbed. Huber 6
of such heroic inmates in order to indict an unjust system? Is it not even more powerful in the metaphorical sense I described above to have deeply flawed people on both sides of the institutional divide, to ask audiences to sympathize with them, and to see the injustice of the system through their eyes? Rapping’s difficulty in dealing with Oz’ refusal to ‘viscerally clarify’ becomes painful in her discussion of the staff members. Indeed, from her point of view, it is a “strange logic” that we are supposed to identify with the staff because they are the “good guys” (93) in spite of all the horrible things they do. If indeed we take a dichotomous view this does result in fraught expectations. These troubles disappear if instead we see the series as ignoring this divide, expecting us to identify or at the very least sympathize with all characters despite or perhaps because of their serious flaws. Rapping’s unreal demands on how fictional inmates should behave block a more comprehensive understanding of the series. Similarly tunnelling on realism, but focusing purely on hyper-violence is an article Bill Yousman wrote in 2013. In it he revisits Stuart Hall’s theory on the encoding and decoding of ideological signs. He reports interviews he held with several ex-inmates, where after a plethora of general questions about prison conditions he presented them with clips from Oz. His biased intention seems to be to find oppositional readings that can prove the unrealism of Oz (199) through looking how the inmates decode these clips, fitting it into Halls model of acceptant, negotiating or oppositional readings of the intended messages. Two things should be noted before reproducing his findings, however. Although the inmates he interviewed are representative of actual race proportions in United States prisons (199), Yousman does not report in what kind of prisons the inmates he interviewed were incarcerated (207). This comes back to bite him in one of the sub- conclusions, as the ex-inmates suggest a lack of diversity in the depictions of prisons (209). The interviewees stress that in the infamous prisons that dominate media images, like San Quentin or Corcoran, the situation is more like the one depicted in Oz. Their responses suggests that they instead spend their time locked up in less violent prisons. Second, Yousman gives no overview of the clips selected for his interviews. However, the excerpts of the interviews in the article suggest that he mostly showed some of the most violent incidents to his respondents. However, even these hyper-violent scenes hardly succeed in convincing the respondents that Oz is unrealistic, leading Yousman to suggest that even if you are part of the subgroup that the media depicts ideologically, you can still be fooled by hegemonic depictions (214). Despite the inmates not identifying with the subgroup that is depicted, this conclusion treats the ex-inmates as easily fooled victims of a hegemonic ideology, rather than investigating why they find the show to be realistic. Much of the work done on Oz, like an earlier article by Yousman on which he based his biased intention, lacks severely in close readings of the series itself, resulting in quick condemnations
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on the basis of the most eye-catching, i.e. the most violent, incidents as well as blatant faults in descriptions8. A notable exception to the lack of close-reading in this camp is Brian Jarvis. Nonetheless, even he neglects engaging with the critical interludes offered by Augustus Hill, which are similar to the function of the Greek chorus in theatre and thus highly relevant to any interpretation of the series. Instead, Jarvis considers these “as entirely secondary to the spectacle of violence” (7). This reflects onto his incomplete conclusion that, lacking serious social critique, Oz is ultimately disappointing, reverting to “flirting with fascism and fatalism” (20). Easily read as fatalism, the inability for McManus, or indeed anyone within Oz, to achieve anything might, however, just as well be read as an indictment of either the principle of the prison itself, or of the influence of Governor Devlin, who insists on taking away as much as possible from the prisoners. It is especially the interludes that suggest these readings over an interpretation of the series as an elongated flirtation with fascism, even if the interludes often do take a fatalistic tone. Even Jarvis then, like the other academics in this camp, underrepresent the full ambiguity of Oz. It is my integration of the interludes and the way the series’ form suggests a consistent ambiguity in prison culture that lead me to a different conclusion than Jarvis.
Queering in Oz Jarvis’ critique that Oz is nothing more than a fascistic, hyper-masculine portrayal of prison life can also be relativized by looking at the second major strain of work done on Oz, from the perspective of queer studies. These scholars are far more positive about Oz’ critical potential than the authors mentioned above. They note the sincere diversity in homosexual relations, ranging from rape to true love. Moreover, these romances are coupled with storylines that ‘queer’ male characters, like when O’Reily contracts breast cancer and struggles with the ramifications on his identity. In a more comprehensive close-reading than that of Jarvis, Wlodarz notes how this extends into the genre- blurring that Oz accomplishes, especially after the first season, in which the series combines the characteristics of a prison aesthetic with many of the characteristics of a soap opera. In reviews this nets Oz the nickname ‘Melrose Prison’ after the already long running soap opera Melrose Place (62). Wlodarz suggests that this perhaps unexpected hybridization, after the very ‘manly’ first season and the soap opera qualities of the later seasons, contributes to a destabilization of gendered, racial and
8 Rapping is perhaps the worst example of this. In a short paragraph on a supposed race bias within the series calls the Latina doctor Gloria Nathan African-American (91). In another, she attacks the show’s creator for only paying lip-service to criticism of the criminal justice system. She proves this by showing how Fontana cited an Amnesty International report which contained an example where COs put rats in inmates’ cells, and then goes on to claim: “[In Oz] it is not the prison staff who are shown committing the atrocities cited by Amnesty international; it is the inmates themselves” (88). This would be a valid point, if the rat in the show was not put in Saïd’s cell by COs. Huber 8
classed norms (95). The genre-confusion then contributes to the ambivalence that authors like Rapping struggle to account for, with Oz at once representing hegemonic hyper-masculinity and sincere queerness. The series, as Wlodarz suggests, fails to provide a hegemonic unambiguity through “a certain disavowal of affect in order to shield male bonding narratives from the threat of homosexuality [in the homosocial space of the prison]” (77). The hyper-masculine in the series becomes reframed not as a reiteration of a hegemonic norm, but as a nervous over-the-top compensation for inmates not feeling at home in their prescribed identities. A chapter by Guilbert and Locoge in an anthology interrogating influential representations of social deviance shows how Oz makes use of physical masculinity as a prison trope to introduce further ambiguity. Traditionally building up muscles, the masculinity they are talking about here, functions as a means of both reasserting control over your own body and virility as well as providing safety in often violent conditions where a bigger physique translates into more power (69). Oz complicates this by giving these bigger physiques extensive erotic overtones, usually reserved for the female body. This introduces a deep ambivalence in the show’s representation of homosexuality, that is as Guilbert and Locoge say “never dealt with lightly, and several points of view are always provided” as the show does with all difficult themes (69). However, as Wlodarz notes, the queering of prison identities is the only incidence of ‘blurring’ that has received proper academic attention, whereas the shows criticism of easy identity politics, not to mention its indictment of a barbaric prison system, has even within gay media received too little attention (95). This is a shame for those other storylines in which people struggle with their ascribed identities, as the examples of the troubled Jefferson Keane, who struggles to leave his Homeboy identity, or Jaz Hoyt trying to distance himself from the Bikers, suggest. This is something I will correct in the coming chapters to come to a comprehensive view on the show. In the second chapter I will reflect on the ascribed identities as a result of changes in McManus’ policy to intensify identitarian competition among inmates, to in the third chapter describe it as an obstacle to be overcome in collective resistance. In line with these queer theorists, I want to shift the focus away from the problematic hyper- violence and hyper-masculinity that the first camp stresses, toward the consistency and relevance of the ambivalence Oz portrays in most characters. Beyond the most eye-catching incidents, Oz provides plenty of reflection on the unjust prison system as it is currently organized, and even on prison as a concept. My first close-reading will be of S04E09, in which not only the criticism of the prison system is obvious, but the episode’s format as a show in a show brings it into direct contrast Huber 9
to contemporary reality-TV like Lockup9. This contrast highlights both similarities between the two and what Oz adds to these popular representations of prisons. An underlying difference between the two is that Oz as a drama-series can through switching of perspective and through flashbacks reveal underlying motivations to the acts visualised. This benefit is amplified by the ability to follow the same, albeit fictional, inmates for a long time. This allows for character development that the set-up of the self-encompassing episodes of Lockup precludes.
Oz’ mise en abyme reflection on the representation of prisons Nonetheless, so as to give the readers of this thesis an impression of the usual progression of an episode before delving into specific scenes in later chapters, my close-reading here will deal with the events of only one episode chronologically, discussing all major scenes. Not only does this give insight in the way the episodes are structured, it also enables me to make a theoretical point about how the passage of prison time is represented. Despite only focussing on one episode, Oz’ set-up as drama series allows for the two further themes to appear: sincere and diverse motivations for violence alongside the impact of the usual bias in media depictions that portray the inmates as inherently violent. Before starting with the close-reading, I will briefly sketch the narrative context within which the episode takes place. It is the first episode of the second part of the fourth season. At the start of the first part, Querns was appointed as administrator of EmCity. Warden Leo Glynn gave him the explicit job description to keep violence, and the media attention this brings, to zero. Querns is free to achieve this in whatever way he wants. Querns allies himself with Adebisi. He is given free reign over EmCity, as long as he vows to be nonviolent. Swiftly, most whites, both inmates and Correctional Officers (COs), are moved out of EmCity and replaced with blacks. It becomes a drug-fuelled paradise of sexual debauchery with Adebisi as king. Saïd is allowed to stay. Over the season he tries unsuccessfully to put an end to the new situation. In the end Saïd plots to leak videotapes that Adebisi made of the current situation to the media, hoping that that will bring an end to things. In his attempt to acquire the videotapes, however, he ends up in a struggle with Adebisi that climaxes in the latter’s death. The return of violence means the end of the Querns administration and consequently McManus is reassigned to EmCity. The episode opens like all others with a compilation of shots from previous and coming episodes, cluttered together around themes10 all interspersed with shots of the show’s creator Tom
9 Lockup is a prison documentary series that follows two or so inmates per episode. The episodes are self- encompassing, with an introduction and a recap at the end, so that the entire story takes only about 45 minutes. 10 Chains, orange jumpsuits and barbed wire; Praying intermixed with shots of a shakedown; shot of someone stabbed in the neck; light going on in EmCity, followed by images of inmates playing chess/cards and eating in the cafeteria, playing basketball, Keller and Beecher wrestling (clothed); boxing match, ending with someone
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Fontana having Oz tattooed on his upper arm in graffiti style with a tear drop. Like every season premiere, it opens with a short introduction by Hill on the name of the show and a suggestion of life in Oz. In this one he describes the structured life in Oz as the lights in EmCity turn on and the common area fills with people. The prison routine is divided into four parts: eating, sleeping, working and free time. He notes that it is a joke to give a man who is locked up free time, as there all still all kinds of regulations to follow11. Next he goes into how inmates use this free time, some to better themselves (reading, exercise, praying), others to plot (the theoretical significance I will come back to in the second chapter). A lot of the time, however, they just watch television. He concludes with “yes, television keeps us busy, keeps us happy” which is the set up for the rest of the episode. A TV-producer, Lisa Logan, comes into Oz to do a television special “inside one of America’s toughest prisons”. She briefs the staff in a meeting, explaining the layout for the program, which is very similar to the first episode of Oz: an overview of the routine, following an inmate on his first day, then the shows presenter Jack Eldridge spending a night with an inmate in a cell. She claims her goal to primarily be showing how difficult the jobs of the staff are, while at the same time “kick[ing] ’60 Minutes’ [i.e. the competition for viewers] in the ass”. Her framework clearly fits into hegemonic depictions of prisons: the staff are good people whose sacrifices must be showcased, while the fascinatingly violent inmates will be a vehicle for outcompeting other shows. Warden Glynn addresses the inmates in the cafeteria, warning them to behave: “when the cameras are gone, I’ll still be here”. Nonetheless, after lights out the inmates are shown discussing their plans for dealing with the TV-crew. Saïd intends to draw attention to prison conditions. His pod mate Arif is worried. He is afraid the circumstances of Adebisi’s death will come to light and be used to cast a negative light on the Muslims. O’Reily specifically tells his mentally disabled younger brother Cyril to duck out of sight when the cameras point to him and hints at some history between them and Eldridge. Oz presents them as agents in their own representation, although there plots will mostly be thwarted by Logan’s ambitions.
knocked out; images of the drug trade coupled to drug-sniffing dog during shakedown; Muslims playing drums combined with images of inmates communicating via mirrors in solitary, bringing of food in solitary; a few violent shots (O’Reily killing Keenan with dumbbell, bloody prisoner in corner of cell, inmate falling down elevator shaft); shots of inmates with particular greetings (handshakes); four different state executions as the nervous music comes to an intermediate climax; shots of unrest and violence (inmate with shank combined with CO clearly suffering); shot of Keane’s girlfriend naked, Alvarez masturbating; Keller and Beecher smooching in shower; CO Howell fellating O’Reily while he holds onto her pigtails; CO Lopresti having sex with Shirley Bellinger behind a curtain on Death Row; Drag-Queen cheerleading during basketball match; shots of inmates fighting, restless, followed by the S.O.R.T. team coming in to restore control, S.O.R.T. team training; more images of fighting (riot in cafeteria/new Homeboy initiated in gym by being beaten up by other Homeboys); rat released into Saïds cell in solitary ; white curtains close in a pod (Adebisi’s in season four who was the only one allowed curtains in his cell), heavy metal cell door in solitary closes on inmate. 11 Perhaps Hill’s remark could be construed as a general remark about ‘free time’, as we on the outside also have regulations to follow. However, the regulations in prison are of course much more intense, so that here we already find a difference in intensity, rather than the two worlds being absolutely different.
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The TV-crew coming in is first filmed from the prisoners’ perspective, which becomes conflated with an objectifying male gaze directed at Logan through nasty comments by new inmate Omar showcasing his masculinity. Omar has been selected as the inmate to be followed on his first day. He immediately pleads innocent to the camera, as the visual style switches back and forth between Oz’ usual style and raw camera footage made by the TV-crew, a habit which continues through the rest of the episode. The head CO of EmCity, Sean Murphy, immediately provokes Omar by calling him a ‘mutt’, which results in a first, mostly verbal conflict acted out in front of the cameras. Murphy gives further background information on EmCity to the cameras, stressing that here “the prisoners are given a lot more leeway than the rest of Oz”. Logan asks Murphy to bring Beecher for a preliminary interview. Beecher is confronted with some of the things he has done, framed by Logan asking “Is that what it takes to survive?” He replies: “I’m not the man I was. Or maybe now I’m the man I always was and never knew,” he haziness of his response highlighting his difficulty in communicating his motivations for violence in response to such a loaded question. His interview is cut short when a fight breaks out between Poet and another inmate, a customer, in the common area and the cameras immediately switch onto this. Next up is an interview with Keller, who mocks the crew. He only responds to a question about homosexual activity, explicitly making the distinction between love and sex, asking which one the crew is curious about. They naturally focus on the second. The crew is then taken to Unit B12, which Murphy introduces as your typical cellblock, matching nine other cell blocks in Oz. Schillinger, who is in Unit B, is next up for interview, in line with the continued focus on the Schillinger, Beecher and Keller story. Logan tries to provoke Schillinger, ignoring how he wants to present himself, instead focusing on the story. A Homeboy interrupts the interview and calls Schillinger a pussy, leading to another fight in front of the cameras. Narratively, the story returns to Omar’s entry into prison, creating confusion about whether the interviews were either earlier or later while in a consistent timeline the TV-crew stayed with Omar the whole time. Not much else happens before the day ends, as the TV-crew films lights out. Murphy, McManus and Glynn discuss how things are going so far. Glynn comments “I don’t care if the prisoners look bad, I just don’t want us to,” aligning himself to hegemonic depictions of prison. All in all, the first day of filming takes up about twenty minutes of show time. A Hill interlude. Like always, the interludes substitute for something like a commercial break between different parts of the show. Hill is shown as one image spread across nine TV’s in a square grid, twice removed then from the show’s viewers. As he talks about watching news programs on TV, he reflects on how the different networks present the same story differently. Visually, the centre
12 Unit B matches common expectations of prisons better: dark, overcrowded, dirty and dominated by steel bars.
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screen turns to black as he says “ABC leaves out a fact”. As he says “that CBS makes a big deal of” all other screens turn to black while the centre turns back on. Similar visual tricks lead to his conclusion: “I figure if I catch all ... versions, maybe combined, I get a little taste of the truth”. New day starts with count13 as inmates are shown appearing from their cells, Omar visibly fiending for some heroin. O’Reily gives him some drugs, in exchange for a favour to be called upon. The scene switches to Poet in the hole. He calls it hypocrisy that he is locked up, while the COs and staff run free for what the Adebisi situation turned into. Even with Murphy there, he points Logan towards the videotapes. Logan immediately calls Eldridge, saying she found their story for the show. Poet’s desire to have the hypocrisy revealed is immediately transmuted into a story. Logan wants to interview O’Reily and Saïd again, creating further confusion for the viewers as the implied previous interviews were not part of the episode, this time without COs present. Although Logan was supposed to do at least a few days of preparatory work before Eldridge was supposed to come in, we jump forward in time. Eldridge comes in to interview O’Reily. O'Reily from the start of the interview keeps hinting at an earlier time they met, but Eldridge does not recognize him. Next, Saïd is interviewed, who is under the impression the interview will be about his political work. Instead, the first question immediately focusses on Adebisi, visibly taking Saïd off guard. Eldridge suggests that talking about Adebisi highlights one of the prison conditions: ‘brutality, senseless violence’. Saïd nonetheless tries to move on to the larger issues, claiming fundamental civil rights abuses. Eldridge keeps pushing for the tape, which prompts Saïd to end the interview early. Logan tries to intercede and suggests Saïd tells the story of Adebisi first before moving on to prison conditions. Saïd retorts: “And then which part will be aired?” which Eldridge patronizingly laughs off. Less naïve perhaps than Poet, Saïd refuses to participate in a scandal, that would make injustice seem like an exception rather than systematic. Informed by Murphy, the Warden decides to destroy the tapes to avoid the truth coming out. Even so, the Warden manages to convince Eldridge the Adebisi story is not worth pursuing, to Logan’s frustration. The resulting conversation between them, held in the lobby with their faces quite closely zoomed in is worth quoting at length:
Eldridge: There are people who do things for malicious reasons. This prison is full of them. I don’t think Leo Glynn is one. He’s uh... imperfect, but he’s not incompetent. Logan: That is no reason not to expose what happened here. A man died. Eldridge: Yeah, from all appearances, a bad man.
13 Every morning after lockup and every night before lockup, the inmates are ‘counted’. They stand in lines in front of their cells while a CO passes by calling them out by their inmate number.
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Logan: Oh, you’re making judgments now? What, Simon Adebisi’s life is not as important as the Pope’s? Eldridge: Don’t get high and mighty with me. I’ve brought presidents, serial killers, corporate giants to their knees. Logan: And now’s not the time to go soft. Eldridge [walking off]: I’m going home. Big day tomorrow. Logan: [angry] You’re making a mistake, Jack. Letting this story go is a fuckin’ mistake! Eldridge: Yeah, probably, but you know, every once in a while, even a newsman has to have a heart.
The discussion highlights the dilemma’s in engaging with prisons: how do we humanize the inmates without vilifying the staff while simultaneously making a good story. Logan and Eldridge are only concerned about the latter two, as Logan’s defence of Adebisi seems to be only hollow words to justify making a good story. The shift of ‘heartlessness’ from Eldridge, who is heartless because he does not even pay lip service to Adebisi, to Logan, who’s motivations are called into question when she refers to it as a story, confronts viewers with the ambiguous character of taking an interest in prisons and their inhabitants as neither is interested in humanizing the inmates. The second interlude expands on this. In total darkness, Hill now without being shown on TV opens with “journalists are supposed to be impartial”. As he opens with “However” the image reverts to him being shown on nine gridded TV’s. As the camera zooms in he comments how even when the journalists try to be impartial, by their physical reactions we can see “what they really think about the person who they’re reporting on”. He fames Walter Cronkite, the journalist, for his poker face, never showing what he was thinking. So, he concludes, “while he was telling the truth, he was also lying to the camera. That’s genius”. The relation between realism and impartiality is broken in this interlude. Instead it is better to lie to the camera, as in a drama series, to show ‘the truth’, which is a good story without dehumanizing the inmates or vilifying the staff. As we return to prison, we see O’Reily playing Omar’s ‘hyper-masculinity’ to push him into attacking Eldridge in his pod at night, suggesting Eldridge disrespected him and might hit on him at night. An assistant producer reveals to Eldridge, and to us the viewers, the reason for O’Reily’s plotting. In a piece on urban gangs twenty years ago, Eldridge interviewed the O’Reily brothers, making them look brutal and heartless. As Eldridge and the producer enter EmCity, the perspective switches to Omar and O’Reily. Omar flips out too early. He tries to attack Eldridge but is held back by the COs. He pulls out a shank but gets overpowered by the S.O.R.T. team coming in.
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Glynn and McManus try to convince Eldridge to postpone sleeping in a pod with an inmate, but he remains overconfident. With Omar in the hole, he chooses to spend the night with Cyril. As Eldridge introduces himself, Cyril has a confused flashback. While Eldridge struggles to keep an interview going, Cyril reveals he has not taken his medication today. The confused flashbacks continue, showing the report interspersed with images of their mother crying after having seen it. The flashbacks enrage Cyril as he blames Eldridge for giving their mother cancer. He knocks down Eldridge and continues hitting him while screaming “you gave my mama cancer”. The S.O.R.T. team comes in and takes him away, while Logan comes running to check on Eldridge. His first instinct is to ask whether she got it all on tape. A last Hill segment follows, again twice removed, about the power of the media “to lay the bare truth before the eyes of the public”. Ironically, a news report is shown on the TV in the EmCity common area as well as the Warden’s office, detailing Eldridge’s injuries from a ‘brutal beating by a convicted murderer’, after calling it a ‘ratings stunt that backfired’. It further informs that despite Logan’s objections, the segment will not be aired.
Of course, the episode is a somewhat atypical episode, as no one gets murdered. Three themes stand out. First, Oz throughout couples the bias in media reporting as a result of the direct association between higher ratings and screening violence and sex, to the impact this bias has on the inmates. The bias is the focus of Hill’s segments, although it explicitly drives Logan’s decisions throughout. The impact becomes clear in Saïd’s frustrated refusal to cooperate and additionally through the lasting impact of the uneven report Eldridge did on the O’Reily brothers twenty years ago. By sounding these notes of criticism, Oz once again showcases ambiguity. The gory violence and explicit sex are the most eye-catching features of the series, giving in to the desire for high ratings. The attention-grabbing by these features is however immediately employed to integrate criticism and the creation of sincere interest for the characters. This becomes evident in the second theme: the diverse motivations for violence that are shown. In a simple formula equating violence and ratings, violence serves mostly to make the inmates seem a fascinating kind of scary, which is enabled by the violence being incomprehensible. Instead, in this episode there is a wide range of motivations for violence. Only the fight between Poet and the other inmate as inherently criminal, inherent to the drug trade that is. The fight between Murphy and Omar as well as the fight in unit B are presented rather as theatrics, as putting on a show for the cameras and the other inmates. The attempted attack on Eldridge by Omar similarly results from a nervous hyper-masculinity, proving that he will not be disrespected nor a target for homosexuals. To the extent that Omar’s attack is a result of O’Reily’s plotting, his desire
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for revenge on Eldridge appears human. The only ‘animalistic’ violent incident is Cyril beating up Eldridge, which is however strongly contextualized by his mental disability, exemplified by his yelling out the nearly endearing “you gave my mama cancer” during the beating. While violence thus figures heavily in the series, the additional context provided causes friction when we try to make it represent a hegemonic Manichean divide. Rather some of the incidents invite sympathy. The incidents figure in an additional way, which brings me to my third theme: the passage of time. A recurrent theme throughout the series is the indeterminateness of time. Although the structured time within the prison is often the focal point (i.e. morning count, lockdown at five, lights out at ten), this does not transfer into a clear structure in the documentation. Days bleed together, get compressed or elongated and sometimes seem non-chronological. This is partly a dramatical consideration, as a show of inmates sitting around, watching TV all day would not spark much interest. The confusion however also transfers a sense of prison time to the viewers. Through the lack in structure in the representation rating considerations become aligned with a trope addressed in the first episode of the series: the routine kills. The time inside has to bleed together otherwise it will bore you, the inmate as well as the spectator, to death. As becomes clear then, a close reading reveals that while Oz does make use of familiar forms of the prison aesthetic that usually feed into hegemonic discourses of incarceration, these are employed to attract attention to a critical reflection on both the genre-aesthetic and the hegemonic discourse. It offers a much wider image that is easily missed with a lens that merely registers the discourses itself and the way Oz contributes to these as a ‘social pedagogy’. I will show in the next chapters additional ways in which the ambivalence within in the show can be put to productive theorizing about prisons and resistance.
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Chapter 2: A History of Power Operations in EmCity
To enable my third chapter, I want to introduce an additional theoretical framework that in the texts discussed above serves only as a side note. For me, however, it constitutes one of the fundamental lenses through which to look at the series: the tension between Foucault’s notion of discipline and Deleuze’s use of control. Typically theorized as successive paradigms in the exertion of power,14 I argue that Oz shows how they are instead mechanisms that exist together, informing and enhancing each other. This chapter will first give a history of these power mechanisms, before introducing the concept of the assemblage that allows for a better view on the multiplicity with which these mechanisms function together. While there are some suggestions of this in the later work of Foucault, I am only able to make these points through a close reading of several key scenes throughout the series that provide insight in both how these mechanisms do figure together in EmCity and how EmCity takes its place in a broader society that has become subject to security/control mechanisms. Together, this integration into broader society and the additive functioning of power mechanisms create additional obstacles and avenues for collective resistance, which will be the focus of my third chapter.
Accumulating mechanisms To be able to show the additive dynamic between discipline and control, it is important to conceptually separate the different mechanisms and their technologies. This requires a short history of them. Luckily, Foucault himself has provided this in his lecture to the Collѐge de France, which I will refer to in addition to his book Discipline and Punish that offers more detail on the first two mechanisms: spectacular punishment and disciplining enclosures. Foucault provides us with three forms of the Western penal order: the legal system in the Middle Ages, the modern system from the eighteenth century onwards and the contemporary system (Security 21). Although the latter appeared quite shortly after the disciplinary mechanism, it took until the contemporary moment to become central to new and old penal forms. The legal system is defined by “the system of the legal code with a binary division between the permitted and the prohibited, and a coupling, comprising the code, between a type of prohibited action and a type
14 The mechanisms have been theorized as successive paradigms by Deleuze himself: “[t]he administrations in charge never cease announcing supposedly necessary reforms: to reform schools, to reform industries, hospitals, the armed forces, prisons. But everyone knows that these institutions are finished, whatever the length of their expiration periods” (Postscript 4). The explosion in United States incarceration rates since Deleuze’s text was first published in 1990 seemingly contradict this, although it could also be called the last convulsion of the system. Both arguments depend on the further development of incarceration rates to be tested and neither is of particular relevance here, as the attention is on how several technologies of power, spectacle, control and discipline, exist together in the contemporary prison.
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of punishment” (20). Its technology is the spectacular punishment, a public and often brutal ritual in the full light of day that at once marks the condemned, but also reaffirms through the spectacular act of punishing the sovereignty of the one that punishes (Discipline 34). In the punishment itself the ‘truth of the crime’ is performed, reaffirming the triumph of the sovereign over the condemned in a duel for the truth. In this duel the condemned lost in the moment they confessed the ‘truth’, usually while being tortured (40, 56). Deleuze holds that in such societies of sovereignty, his name for this system, the goals of the sovereign are “to tax rather than to organize production, to rule on death rather than to administer life” (Postscript 3), stressing the difference of these societies from the disciplinary societies and the societies of control that followed. Foucault complicates this suggestion noting the corrective intentions in the public nature of the punishment (Security 21) that still resonate in death penalty justifications today. In these justifications, it is argued that these atrocious punishments will hopefully make those inclined to murder think twice, a corrective intention that fits well into disciplinary thinking. Similar blurring occurs in the disciplinary mechanism that is introduced around the 18th century. Whereas in the legal system the body is punished, the disciplinary system focusses on the soul: “The expiation that once rained down upon the body must be replaced by a punishment that acts in depth on the heart, the thoughts, the will, the inclinations” (Discipline 16). The corrective intentions are no longer limited to the public, but instead focused on the criminal himself. “The disciplinary mechanism is characterized by the fact that a third personage, the culprit, appears within the binary system of the [legal] code, and at the same time, outside the code” (Security 20). This change in the object of punishment brought with it a change in the politics of truth finding. The torturer in the duel is replaced by representatives of modern sciences such as criminology and psychiatry, whose task is to confirm not whether the suspect committed the crime, but: “does the convicted person represent a danger to society? Is he susceptible to penal punishment? Is he curable or readjustable?” (Discipline 21). That this mechanism adds onto the legal system is implicit in the way the questions of the disciplinary mechanism take up the answer to the fundamental question of that system, is this person guilty, as a premise. No longer is power aimed at reaffirming the potency of the sovereign, but instead at making the ‘convicted person’ once again adhere to ‘the norm’. This is achieved through a mechanistic arrangement in which all of the inmate’s behaviour is visible to the supervisor, while the supervisor remains invisible. This arrangement makes the inmate permanently unsure whether he is being surveyed and hence unsure whether he will be caught if he deviates. This permanent insecurity ideally transforms into the sensation that transgressing is not worth the risk and the subsequent
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internalization of the ‘norm’ by continued adherence to it (195, 201)15. In his lectures, Foucault reiterates the primacy of the norm and thus the multiplicity, the mass of individuals to whom the regulations are laid down, over the individual (Security 26). The wish for individual adherence toward a centrally laid down norm, “called for multiple separations, individualizing distributions, an organization in depth of surveillance and control, an intensification and a ramification of power” (Discipline 198). Individuation is thus only a by-product of the mechanism that tries to enforce a pre- set norm. The norm as ethically pre-set disappears in the contemporary power mechanism. With the laissez-faire an idea of a ‘natural’ optimum, now familiar in its neoliberal guise, starts to become the norm. Through statistics we can find this optimum, then define deviants and slowly manipulate them so they become normal. Evens famine and crime are stripped of ethical considerations, “It is what it is” (Security 59), namely merely extreme occurrences. The lens shifts away from individuals and masses towards the population as a whole in a utilitarian fashion; the questions in relation to crime become: “how can we predict statistically the number of thefts at a given moment, in a given society, in a given town, in the town or in the country, in a given social stratum, and so on?” “What is the comparative cost of the theft and of its repression, and what is more worthwhile: to tolerate a bit more theft or to tolerate a bit more repression?” and “Is it worth punishing [the culprit]? … Can he really be re-educated?” (19-20). It moves from a statistical calculation of the probability of deviation and its impact to considerations of relative cost of punishment into a mechanism where there is no longer a simple binary between permitted and prohibited, but instead an ‘optimal’ average between the two. This average is then coupled with “a bandwidth of the acceptable that must not be exceeded” (20-21). The disciplinary mechanism proliferates with the introduction of the security dispositif16, and further questions are added to those of the spectacular and disciplinary mechanisms. To maintain this natural optimum, those in power will try to “plan a milieu in terms of events or series of events or possible elements, of series that will have to be regulated within a multivalent and transformable framework” (35), a milieu being “the medium of an action and the element in
15 Simon has argued that through CCTV cameras now becoming widespread this mechanistic arrangement has extended beyond the enclosed institutions of the disciplinary form. However, the database as supervisor suggests a disconnect between the embodied subject and its ‘databased double’ that complicates the interpellation of the subject, suggesting a growing irrelevance of the ‘actual’ subjects (17-8). However, the ‘sudden’ changes in the mesh that modulates mobility noted by Deleuze in his essay on societies of control suggest an unpredictable but nonetheless frequent interaction with these ‘databased doubles’ (Postscript 4). 16 While dispositif is usually translated as apparatus, in his texts Foucault distinguishes between appareil and dispositif, a distinction lost in the English translation which variably translates both as apparatus or mechanism (Bussolini 85). First, the term dispositif, by not overlapping with Althusser’s ideological state apparatus, suggests a more distributed sense of power not limited to the state (87). Second, besides its mechanistic and military meanings, dispositif also remains close to a legal meaning, marking the force of the decision, i.e. who is allowed to decide when the ‘law’ is applicable and applied (105-6). Huber 19
which it circulates” (36). The milieu consists of an interdependent range of variables, like rivers or roads. For the security dispositif, all these variables are open to manipulation. They are connected to the probability of certain events or series of events, like the outbreak of disease or the amount of carts stopping in a town, occurring. Through the manipulation of the variables, the dispositif of security increases or decreases the probability of certain events or series of events occurring to an optimal effect. By enabling or limiting certain variables, forms of circulation can be increased or decreased, so that some events become repressed and others stimulated, while the inherent dangers of circulation themselves are suppressed (93). For this style of government, only the population as a whole is pertinent. No longer do security mechanisms “convey the exercise of a will over others in the most homogeneous, continuous, and exhaustive way possible” (93). No longer does the government try to completely suppress an event like robbery occurring, nor does it try for the perfect disciplining of criminally deviant groups. Instead, it tries to nullify the effect of the deviance on the level of population. The population becomes a “technical-political object of management and government” (98), a datum dependent on a wide range of variables to be manipulated for optimal effect (100). Within a wide range of variables that act upon the population, one is deemed naturally invariable and constant: desire. It is postulated, like Smith’s invisible hand, that “this desire is such that, if one gives it free play, it will produce the general interest of the population” (101). Likely Foucault’s discussion of desire here is strongly linked to Deleuze and Guattari’s reflections on the concept in Anti-Oedipus. Allison Ross in The Deleuze Dictionary iterates Deleuze and Guattari’s definition of desire as “a process of experimentation on a plane of immanence” (66). The process in this sentence is the desiring-production. While there is creative experimentation, our future experimentation is in part informed by what we have produced in an earlier moment of experimentation. There is thus a cycle between creative production and being produced by the product of your production (Deleuze and Guattari 6-7). Additionally, this cycle takes place within a social field, in a specific plane of immanence, where a cycle similar to that of desiring-production takes place. As we produce in a social setting, our production is already in part formed by this social setting, while our product contributes to or changes this social setting. A social-production cycle takes place, which always provides “the determinate conditions under which desiring-production takes shape” (Holland 68). As such, the desiring-production within the dispositif of security is limited by the conditions of this dispositif. While the desires may be postulated as natural and invariable, through social-production and desire-production they have already become more aligned to the dominant paradigm. Huber 20
This is the basis on which Deleuze writes the Postscript on the Societies of Control (1992), which has a far stronger polemical tone than Foucault’s writing or lectures. The manipulation of the security dispositif becomes modulation, circulation becomes mobility. The new words suggest a shift in focus to people rather than Foucault’s interest in the milieu where the population appears as a special variable among a range of others. Because mobility originates in the desiring subjects themselves rather than in the disciplinary apparatus of power, Deleuze argues that one could easily mistake this increase in mobility for an increase in freedom (4). Instead, through the social setting there is a new continuous modulation of our mobility and of our desires. Contrary to the alleged analogous, discontinuous and active power of the disciplinary age, the passive power of control manifests itself continuously across different spaces in contemporary society, constantly reassessing and differentiating its subjects. A coding operating becomes the central technology of this mechanism. The subjects of Control Society become the “dividuals,” divided by the algorithm into differently coded parts. Through making competition between parts, within an individual, but also between differently coded individuals and groups, seem desirable and natural, subjects are controlled. Rather than being part of masses, the dividuals are part of “samples, markets, banks” (5), perhaps pre-empting the currently popular term databases, so that they can easily be found and modulated. The ‘freedom’ suggested by the disappearance of active enclosures of the disciplinary age, is limited by the differentiating coding of our figures. Controlled mobility replaces the disciplinary enclosure. Whereas Foucault’s theorization of the security dispositif retains a sketch-like character, Deleuze provides us with a clear and consistent, albeit very technical, vocabulary for thinking through this new dispositif. However, Deleuze’s insistence on the successive or mutually exclusive character of disciplinary and control societies obscures how different technologies of oppression can coexist. This is surprising as he also introduced the concept of the assemblage, which allows for discontinuities, inconsistencies and internal contradictions within a social field. As such, it allows for thinking through the messy situations we will encounter in my close-reading, not only in this chapter, but as assemblage theory also allows for lines of resistance that refigure the assemblage, it is also fundamental to the core of my argument in chapter three. I will use Manuel DeLanda’s (2006) explication of the concept of the assemblage, as it provides a clear image of how these assemblages function and relate to each other in the context of society in more general terms, but also in specific group dynamics. Assemblages are somewhat united entities. They consist of components in relations of exteriority, meaning that a component, for example a person, can be detached from one assemblage and plugged into another (10). Inside assemblages, however, these components are caught up in processes of territorialisation, which Huber 21
stabilize the assemblage by increasing internal homogeneity and the sharpness of its outside boundaries, and deterritorialisation, which destabilizes the assemblage by doing the inverse (12). Through the recurrence of these two processes the assemblages become associated with populations, being produced by them and producing them, as already mentioned above in the social-production cycle (16-17). These processes take place through both material and expressive components (12). We should take assemblages as individuals. Though the term is mostly reserved for persons, a person as an assemblage of body parts is only one among a variety of assemblages. Because institutions and all other kinds of assemblages are “unique, singular, historically contingent” they have a similar status as individuals (40). By tracing both their original and continued emergence, their processes of territorialisation and deterritorialisation, one can find individual singularity of that specific assemblage. These common characteristics of assemblages give them a horizontal quality. However, between different assemblages there is also a vertical component, in that higher scale assemblages, encompassing bigger populations, can causally affect other assemblages by providing them with constraints and resources (34). As the inmate is limited and provided for by the prison, so the prison is limited and provided for by society. Through this effect of the higher scale assemblage on a lower scale assemblage, the lower scale assemblages purposed with the same limits and resources become similar to other assemblages on the same scale. So while a prison is a unique and historically contingent result of its own processes of de- and reterritorialisation, it is also similar to other prisons in that society, by virtue of the constrains and resources provided by the very same society. My aim here is to trace the way the mechanisms of power described above have accumulated in Oz’ representation of the contemporary prison and its population in a combination of processes of de- and re-territorialisation, so as to give an image of what happens to prisons when the constrains and resources offered by society change. This will provide substance to my criticism of Deleuze that we should see it as an additive rather than a successive dynamic, while adding to Foucault’s theory a practical side that reveals in which way the disciplinary mechanisms are transformed, but by no means nullified, by the questions and technologies of the security mechanism. To do this, I will first argue that Oz shows how contemporary prisons are only able to function internally through control measures like dividual modulation on mobility and desires. After that, I will show how Oz confirms the continued utility and necessity of prisons in what we may dub a security dispositif or control assemblage on the societal scale.
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Control and spectacular mechanisms in EmCity This argument requires a different approach in the close reading than I employed in the previous chapter. As it is a much slower history, with control measures slowly being introduced and Oz slowly being integrated into a wider control assemblage, I will discuss specific scenes from across the series. A first interesting moment occurs each time when new inmates are introduced to the concept of EmCity. They are welcomed by the head CO of that moment with a sermon that reveals the balance between discipline and control. In the first episode of the series, for example, Diane Whittlesey explains with an extremely bored demeanour:
In Emerald City we got rules. Got a lot more rules than anywhere else in Oz. Your cell is your home. Keep it clean, spotless. You are to exercise regularly, attend classes, go to drug and alcohol counselling. You are to work in one of the prison factories. You are to follow the routine. We tell you when to sleep, when to eat, when to piss. There is no yelling, no fighting, no fucking. Follow the rules. Learn self-discipline. Because if you had any self- discipline, any control over yourself at all, you wouldn’t be sitting here now. (S01E01)
The disciplinary intentions are explicit. As we find out throughout the series though, the actual practice in EmCity more closely matches later head CO Sean Murphy’s iteration, given in a preachy tone:
In Emerald City you’re given a lot more leeway than the rest of Oz. But the leeway has a price. We got rules: there’s no yelling, no fighting, no fucking. You’re expected to keep your cells and the common areas pristine. You obey the rules, we’ll get along fine. You don’t, we dropkick your ass to GenPop. (S04E01)
Of these four rules, only those on fighting and cleanliness are shown as being close to consistently enforced. Rather than having to work, the inmates are mostly given the ‘free time’ that I already touched upon in the previous chapter. Inmates spend some of their ‘free’ time doing desirable activities, desirable both by staff and the inmates themselves: reading, exercising and praying. As the introduction of a control mechanism would suggest, however, they also spend a lot of the time plotting, suggesting an obsession with competition rather than resistance. Finally, like already mentioned in the prelude to the episode close-read in the last chapter, they watch television shows, favourites being a hand-puppet show mostly watched for its attractive presenter and later on in the series game shows, of which Deleuze remarks: “If the most idiotic television game shows are so
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successful, it's because they express the corporate situation with great precision” (Postscript 4). For Deleuze then, the metaphorical quality of television shows is evident, as it is for the inmates of EmCity, shifting from being played as hand-puppets, to participating in game-shows17. Twice removed, the viewers of Oz are being offered these same metaphors. Once removed, however, we are additionally offered the way the inmates deal with these operations of power, of being played and brought into endless competition with one another, which is the focus of the third and final chapter. This disappearance of explicit disciplinary reform in EmCity, instead of opting for ‘keeping them busy,’ matches a cynicism about being able to improve all inmates that grows throughout the series. McManus as the head of the unit in S02E02, titled ‘Ancient Tribes’, codes the inmate population of EmCity into ten ‘tribes’, each with four members18. Each group has to choose a representative to sit on a council, where he would have influence in exchange for keeping the members of his group in line. As a control measure, the coded group identities become the framework for competition amongst the inmate population. Even the leaders of the groups, as already highlighted in the first chapter, sometimes have trouble identifying with their ascribed identities, like Alvarez who claims in the series finale: “in Oz you don’t have friends, just people who look like you”. McManus combines this control measure with some disciplinary purposes. He makes the G.E.D.19 program mandatory for those inmates without a high-school diploma, which means about half of EmCity’s inmates would have to join classes. To get the inmates to actually join, McManus becomes more pragmatic or to say it differently, manipulative. Speaking one on one in the EmCity common area, McManus promises Poet that if he gets his G.E.D., he will arrange for Poet to have a conjugal visit with his girlfriend, to which Poet retorts: “ain’t there rules about this, man?” McManus shrugs his shoulders “Fuck the rules. Deal?” Poet agrees and is shown in class in the next scene. McManus’ approach shows the growing flexibility in the application of the general rules as the series progresses. Poet is the only inmate to succeed in graduating, before only a few episodes later the Governor announces the end of the G.E.D. program.
17 A self-awareness of this is visible in a Hill’s interlude in S02E07, while lions hunt in the background: “Those National Geographic specials, they’re popular here in Oz. All those wild beasts attacking each other. Ferocious lions walking down to the watering hole, brutalizing antelopes and gazelles. How come there’s never a program where the animals get along? Where they help each other?” The remark is followed by the prisoner’s council all coming together to help finance an operation for Rebadow’s grandson, who is suffering from leukemia. 18 McManus’ edict: “the Muslims, the Gangsters, the Latinos, the Italians, the Irish, the Aryans, the Bikers, the Christians, the Gays, and one called the Others [Beecher, Hill, Busmalis and Rebadow]. Each group will have four prisoners living in EmCity, no more, no less. Each group will be equal, each individual, equal”. Adebisi interrupts: “Bullshit”. 19 Officially ‘tests of general educational development,’ G.E.D. programs offer the opportunity for those without a high-school diploma to attain an equivalent degree. Huber 24
Upon graduating, Poet is paroled before McManus can live up to his promise. He is paroled still a fiend though, and soon returns to Oz after killing his dealer over a drugs debt. This shows how McManus is able to address one ‘lacking’ part in Poet, while failing to address others. While the alcohol and drug counselling group does become more centre focus later in the series, most drug- addicted inmates are left alone. Only some extreme cases are pressured to minimize the behavioural impact that the addictions have, and then usually only if it is believed that the inmate can be helped. Omar White, the fiend that entered EmCity in the ‘television episode’ that I detailed in the previous chapter, becomes a special project for McManus after White stabs him while high in S04E12. Despite the stabbing he is allowed to return to EmCity by McManus on the condition he gets clean. What follows is a roller-coaster ride where every time Omar seems to get clean, McManus derives personal satisfaction Evidently, McManus considers himself a disciplinary sovereign, in charge of making his inmates better, and taking it personally when they fail. He is in a duel with the proclivities of the inmates, in this case Omar. As McManus remarks to Dr Gloria Nathan over coffee, shortly before Omar transgresses again in S05E08, entitled “Impotence”: “Today I was walking in solitary, and [pause] I was surrounded by all my mistakes. And my head was going to explode. But then I thought about Omar White. About how hard it was to turn him around, but we did it. I mean we can’t save ‘em all, Gloria, but if we can save just one, that’s enough”. The ‘spectacular’ case of Omar White reaffirms the power of ‘the sovereign’ to be able to help people, as well as possibly being an example for other inmates. Thus, while the case reaffirms the power of the sovereign, it becomes conflated with disciplinary purposes in a way that seems impossible in Foucault’s conceptualization of the technology, in which ‘condemned’ can only be punished, not helped, the disciplinary purpose remaining limited to the viewing mass. This disciplinary mutation of the spectacle, however, does become strongly associated with the cynicism of the security mechanisms that have also infiltrated into EmCity’s originally disciplinary purpose: “we can’t save them all” and thus it is more worthwhile, cost-effective, to focus our attention on a few inmates, who although they look like a ‘lost cause’, can be helped and rehabilitated. The frequent and often critical discussion within the series surrounding the death penalty sheds light on another spectacular method of dealing with criminals. Despite the internal criticism, the executions provide climaxes to the episodes or even the series in general, as is the case with the execution of Cyril. Simultaneously, as already mentioned in the first chapter, the show is littered with images of mostly unit B, which becomes iconic for the ‘normal’ prison, i.e. overcrowded and badly maintained, that provides a contrast to EmCity conditions. By integrating these alternative ways of punishment into its depiction of prisons, EmCity becomes framed as a comprehensive alternative that although it is closely associated to these other mechanisms of punishment,
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embraces all three mechanisms of power. Like in the disciplinary method a clear norm is laid down, although it is differentially applied in addiction counselling, music classes and a brief G.E.D., often through measures of control, i.e. dividualized modulation of mobility and desires and code-based competition. Meanwhile a clear sovereign is at the head to keep these in balance, who performs the truth of his sovereignty by spectacular measures. In a throwback to earlier times, in S04E10, McManus sets up a cage in the middle of the common area, where inmates can be put for interminable amounts of time by his or the head COs discretion. The inmates thus contained become the focus of much of the inmates’ taunting. A spectacular punishment, albeit less physically violent than those described by Foucault, it shows McManus’ power. Instead of one of the series of questions outlined by Foucault being dominant, they continually shift for primacy. The mechanisms of spectacle, discipline and control align themselves to keep the sovereign in power, maintain the ‘peace’ and sometimes try to help some inmates a little bit. However, as the constraints and resources provided continually shift with the further integration of Oz in the wider society, these internal mechanisms are under constant pressure. New demands for further profit to be made of the prisoners serve as threats disciplinary ideals and to the precarious peace. McManus’ sovereignty is threatened by companies taking over prison labour and incessant meddling by Governor Devlin.
Prison in a control society The show’s internal reflections on the place of Oz within its broader society - the US around the turn of the millennium - come mostly from the Hill interludes. A few other developments, however, while not always directly framed as such, also mark the integration of Oz into broader circuits of economic power. First, the MedWard is privatized in season three. In the final season, the privatization of the workplaces in Oz follows. A telemarketing agency is set up, where inmates are paid under minimum wage to work20. Both privatizations are ordered by Devlin, whom I already mentioned above, so as to achieve cost-reduction or even profitability. The privatization of the MedWard meets heavy resistance from Dr Gloria Nathan, who fears she will be unable to provide proper care to the inmates. The series proves her right, starting with the case of Miguel Alvarez. Alvarez is a central character in the show, whose father and grandfather are also in different parts of Oz. An unstable character prone to fighting and auto-mutilation, he got sent to solitary after attacking a CO at the end of season two. In solitary confinement, he continues destabilizing, which is part of the show’s framing of solitary confinement as inherently detrimental to inmate’s mental health, let alone
20 The first order of the company is to recruit votes for a Republican member of senate, who like Devlin, supports harsher sentencing and harsher sentences.
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disciplinary purposes21. He is prescribed anti-depressants by Dr Nathan. However, with the privatization of the MedWard, his prescription comes under the auspices of a new doctor, who for cost-efficiency considerations cancels Alvarez’ treatment. Shortly after, Alvarez tries to hang himself in his cell. Devlin, afraid of a scandal, reconsiders and achieves a compromise with Dr Nathan: the doctor from the private company will be fired and there will be a slight increase in budget. The obvious suggestion is that even if there is no primary goal like rehabilitation in keeping prisons around in the neoliberal age, there is at least profit to be made, by making conditions for inmates as horrible as possible. The same suggestion arises in the privatization of the prison workplace. Its first introduction is accompanied by a remark by CO Claire Howell who is afraid that the telemarketing shop set up inside will directly compete with those on the outside, one of which employs her brother. Nonetheless, the telemarketing company is set up. Burr Redding is at that time looking to move ‘his group’, the Homeboys, away from drugs. The telemarketing company provides an excellent opportunity in his mind to provide an alternative source of income for the men under his leadership. The integration of the prison in the wider economic circuit allies itself with the mechanism of power that tries to modulate the prisoners behaviour and desires, still exploiting them as the inmates will be paid only eight dollars a day, as well as possibly driving the wages of those on the outside down22. Beyond the utility of prisons, the Hill interludes point towards the supposed necessity of prisons in neoliberal thought. They deal with the vicious circle of debt and imprisonment, the similarity between prisons as warehouses and junkyards and the benefits of placing prisons in rural, mostly white areas. They all show mechanisms of keeping some specific people oppressed, while others remain in power. Hill tells the following story (somewhat shortened for space purposes):
With heavy industry heading south, small towns are battling for state contracts to build correctional facilities … the census bureau counts prisoners just as they count everybody else. But, the census bureau considers prisoners as residents of the township where the prison is located, not where they lived before they got convicted. So what, you say. The state uses these numbers to determine where financial aid like poverty funds is spent. Some winky-dink town upstate gets a big fat check, while the inner city where the money would keep people from committing crimes gets zippity doo-dah … [The census numbers] are also
21 Recently maximum security prisons have shifted to locking all inmates in permanent solitary confinement. See Shalev (2009) for a long description of this shift and its impact on the (mental) health of inmates. 22 This is the reason for Saïd to start an alternative company. Asked by Warden Glynn whether he is not against the entire concept of prison labor, he responds: “Not the concept, the way it’s practiced. I’m not gonna drive some local competitor out of business. … and more importantly McManus, I will pay the decent wage, minimum wage.”
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used to determine election districts. A senator from a white rural area with a prison, can count the inmates as his constituents and therefore increase his political influence. Those inmates, who are largely of colour, aren’t allowed to vote. The senator has no allegiance to them at all. In fact, he benefits by voting for laws to keep them incarcerated longer. The town [and the politicians] benefit by the increased population, yeah.. Everybody benefits. (S04E07)
With this many people benefitting from the warehousing function of prison, the amount of people locked up considered ‘optimal’ could indeed be extremely high, as it currently is. To get and keep so many people in prison, new measures are put in place, that throw an interesting light on Deleuze’s remark about the difference between disciplinary and control societies: “Man is no longer man enclosed, but man in debt” (Postscript 6). Hill comments on a recent development in Oregon law that ties directly into the privatization of prison services and work:
“Here’s a story, and it’s true. The Oregon legislature passed a law authorizing the state DOC to charge inmates for costs associated with their imprisonment. [Picks up ‘donation bucket’ while inmates start to hand him money from behind]. Here we’re talking about such luxury items as [pauses] medical care, administrative expenditures, room and board, which they estimate cost 65 dollars a day or twenty-five thousand a year per prisoner. Given that Oregon pays those incarcerated only 10,80 a week for work, you could end up leaving prison in debt. And then be forced to commit a crime, you know, in order to make restitution, which of course could lead you back to prison where [nods head like ‘you guessed it’] you’d have to pay. Huh. I’d guess you’d call that a vicious circle. [To inmates behind him] Give it up boys.
Being in debt was obviously not strange in the disciplinary societies. However, perhaps the number of people in debt has increased with the oncome of control society. Reality is complex however, as Oz shows. Man is man in debt, but unable to pay the debt via legal means, man is afterwards also man enclosed, and leaves prison with even more debt to his name. As such, the prison continues to function in a neoliberal logic to keep a large group of people down and punish those unable to pay their debt. As such, the series paints a clear picture of both the function and functioning of prison in a neoliberal time.
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I have separated two lines in this chapter. First, I noted the effects of the internalization of control mechanisms into EmCity. The control mechanism refigures the other power mechanisms, at the on hand intensifying the hold of McManus on EmCity, while undermining a general program of rehabilitation, instead leading McManus to opt for more dividually aimed attempts at discipline. Second I reproduced the slow integration of Oz in broader economic and power circuits. While the prison takes on new meanings beyond merely reforming the criminals, the relevance of prison in control society remains evident: easy exploitability and displacement of political power. In terms of assemblage theory, clear de-territorialising lines are evident in at the one hand making the boundaries of the assemblage more permeable through the integration of the inmates in outside companies, and even literally through the telemarketing company that forces its employees to all day long tele-contact with people on the outside. On the other hand, the dividuating mechanisms described in the previous section serve to increase internal heterogeneity, differentially coding and modulating inmates, breeding competition among them, breaking apart the possibility of mass resistance. However, true to assemblage theory, these movements are met by territorialising lines as described above, that still try to uni-form the inmates behaviour so as to ‘keep the peace’, while trying to isolate the inmates as a group from the outside world, by banning conjugal visits and in general keeping them locked up in a closed institution. In the end, the lines described here align to reinforce each other, mostly to the benefit of the sovereign, be it Devlin, McManus or the private companies. In the next chapter, I instead will describe the lines of resistance in this assemblage as depicted in the series and their metaphorical quality for us, who are met by some of the same operations of power.
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Chapter 3: Prison culture and collective resistance
In this final chapter I will first paint a picture of what prison culture looks like when spectacular, disciplinary and control mechanisms combine in the way that I described in the previous chapter. Prison culture is the alternative part of the prison assemblage, combining both (lower) staff and inmate habits and beliefs in a setting dominated by these formalized mechanisms. By combining its representation in Oz with anthropological studies done of American prisons in the 1950’s we see how these mechanisms are dealt with and resisted by the EmCity inmates and staff. With their structuralist lens, these anthropological studies by Erving Goffman and John Irwin and Donald R. Cressey offer an intriguing way into thinking about prison culture. These scholars abhor blurring of boundaries and archetypes, and because of this provide a stark contrast to Oz’ incessant impurity. Similarly to the need to conceptually separate the different mechanisms in the previous chapter, here the structuralist concepts serve as preparation to reflecting the continual messiness of Oz. By referring to the work done by James C. Scott on ‘everyday forms of resistance’, I hope to show the political relevance of prison culture, which becomes important in the second part of this chapter. In this second part, I will look at the way the fictional inmates of EmCity both in the build-up and execution of the riot at the end of season one try and partly succeed in overcoming the (in)dividualizing power operations I discussed in the previous chapter. By using Jacques Rancière’s concept of ‘dissensus’ together with Femke Kaulingfreks’ concept of ‘unruly politics’, I will show the ‘political sense’ of the actions of the inmates within these episodes. I hold that these actions are too easily discredited by calling them ‘hyper-violent’, as the academics of the first camp I discussed in chapter one do. Additionally, while ‘unruly politics’ in Kaulingfreks’ work denotes ‘spontaneous’ events, I will pay special attention to the continuity between prison culture and organization of collective resistance during the riot.
Oz’ prison culture In itself, prison culture is already a problematic term. It is markedly different from the term inmate culture that the aforementioned structuralists use, because it blurs the boundary between prison staff and inmates. However, like the case of Diane Whittlesey shows, staff and inmates often share similar backgrounds that in practice compound the blurring already inherent to the incessant contact between the two groups inside prison. Halfway through season one, Scott Ross moves into EmCity. Several decades before, he was in the same bike gang as Diane’s ex-husband. Recognizing her when he enters EmCity, Ross approaches Diane to ask her to help him smuggle cigarettes, this being shortly after the smoking ban has been instituted. While initially she refuses, after overtime for COs
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is banned, she sees no other options to provide for her family than to go along with Ross’ enterprise. This ties directly into Scott’s theorization of ‘everyday forms of resistance’, the shared habits of marginalized groups that rather than directly confront those in power, try to circumvent their edicts while remaining invisible to them. However, before turning to these often overlooked habits and entanglements, I will provide a short history of inmate culture as line of thought separate from my conception of it as part of prison culture. Studies of inmate culture focus on it as sets of informal norms that exist alongside the official norms laid down for the inmates in ‘total institutions’. The seminal work in this respect is Erving Goffman’s 1961 collection of essays ‘Asylums’ that introduced the term total institution to denote enclosed institutions removed from society, where inmates are never outside of the purview of the administrators (1). While he did his anthropological work in an asylum, he extended his theory to other closed institutions like prisons. In many ways similar to the disciplinary institutions that formed the basis for Foucault’s theorization of the disciplinary mechanism, it only designates institutions where inmates spend entire days inside, rather than factories where ‘inmates’ only spend part of their day. Goffman identifies several of the methods employed in these institutions to pacify the inmates, either for easier manageability or to make them more susceptible to rehabilitative intentions. Primary among these methods is ‘mortification of the self’, in which the institutions try to literally strip new inmates of their previous identity, through humiliating strip searches, mandatory uniforms and the assignation of numbers to replace their names (18). Assuming that the institutions are successful in this process, Goffman is logically forced to view inmate culture as developing in response to these measures in the intensely social setting of the institution. These are then secondary adjustments to the primary adjustments, i.e. the norm, laid down (54). These adjustments function primarily to maintain a sense of control over the self, through an obsession with attaining internal privileges and developing ‘counter-mores’ like inmate solidarity and an alternative language (50, 54, 62). In an article written in 1962, shortly after Goffman’s book was published, John Irwin and Donald R. Cressey fundamentally disagree with the notion that “behaviour systems of various types of inmates stem from the conditions of imprisonment themselves” (142), as they describe Goffman’s position. Instead, they argue, inmates bring their histories with them23. Irwin and Cressey construct an in their own words “crude typology” (153) that divides inmates into three archetypes, each
23 If published thirty years later, the article could have been a direct attack on Deleuze’s assertion that “[t]he different internments or spaces of enclosure through which the individual passes are independent variables: each time one is supposed to start from zero, and although a common language for all these places exists, it is analogical” (Postscript 4). The possibility of a convict bringing experiences from earlier spaces of enclosure or a thief bringing with him the experiences of the ‘street’ directly negate the thesis of continually restarting from zero.
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adhering to different informal norms: the convict, the thief, and the ‘do-right’. The convict has a long history within institutions, either prisons or more benign versions like boarding schools, and not much life outside them. His status depends on how well he does on the inside, how many goods he’s able to acquire, the comfortability of his job etc. He is only judged by what he attains internally, and is thus free to cheat, snitch and steal. This is in stark contrast to the thief, who is part of a criminal subculture on the outside, and whose behaviour on the inside reflects on this. If he is caught snitching, not only will he suffer inside the prison, he will also lose his reputation ‘outside’. It is in the thief’s best interest to do ‘good time,’ i.e. cause the least amount of trouble necessary, so that he can return to his mischief elsewhere. The third type is the do-right, who is averse to both convict and thief attitudes but rather tries to stay in the background and ‘get through his time,’ before returning to his ‘normal’ life outside. In recent times of course a more indeterminate synthesis has been reached that inmate culture is a mix of “street culture and [the] social deprivation [inherent to prison]” (Trammel 6). What remains however is the interesting relationship between primary and secondary adjustments. Goffman holds that the secondary adjustments can be both disruptive and ‘contained’, i.e. complementary, to the primary adjustments (199-200). Irwin and Cressey distribute the secondary adjustments across the different archetypes by this measure: the secondary adjustments of the thieves and the do-rights tend to be contained, enabling an easy functioning of the total institution. Those of the convicts instead are more likely to be disruptive, so as to reorganize the situation for their benefit. In her book on inmate violence, Rebecca Trammel notes as the primary motivation for inmate violence that it enables control over others inmates, specifically the ‘troublemakers,’ who “brought unwanted attention to the inmates. They also increase the chance of a riot, which puts the prison into a lockdown” (5). Although the administrators will disagree with the ‘contained secondary adjustments,’ probably branding them illegal, they will nevertheless share with the inmates the motivation ‘to keep the peace’, moving them to interfere only in the case of excess and not to look too deeply. These ‘contained adjustments’, with their emphasis on maintaining the peace by keeping most of their ‘illegal’ components away from the attention of the administrators, gains political and historical significance through James C. Scott’s ‘Everyday Forms of Resistance’. His conceptualization originates in the study of peasant cultures in South-East Asia and is moulded into a class framework24. Through this framework, Scott can extrapolate the concept to large-scale histories of
24 However, this binary framework obstructs the interesting line of thought suggested above. Lower staff levels often actively condone or even participate in these everyday forms of resistance. Though they may perceive other wrongs as a deep injustice, like insufficient pay for the COs, they still participate. As such, shared everyday forms of resistance may not mean a shared informal culture in the sense of meaning making.
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resistance around the world. He mentions among others the desertion from the Confederate army in the US, grain-tax evasion in Malaysia and poaching in England from 1650 to 1850. Despite its inflated size, the framework does offer a fruitful way of thinking through the political significance of ‘prison culture’. Scott theorizes everyday forms of resistance as individual acts consciously hidden from those in power, usually for personal gain. They are the acts available to the powerless to resist the powerful when open resistance is “impossible or entails mortal danger” (34). These acts are embedded in an informal culture that provides both suggestions for acts and how to go about them, plus simultaneously legitimizing the act by reiterating the injustice of the current power- arrangement or resource-distribution. According to Scott, “[i]t is this sense of injustice that is responsible for the tacit cooperation that develops among the resisters” (53), i.e. the code of silence among ‘resisters’ that enables these individual acts. The culture surrounding these acts is difficult to document because of its direct goal of staying disguised, but can be intuited from patterns of acts developing. A pattern that “may have aggregate consequences all out of proportion to [the acts’] banality when considered singly” (34). For example, Scott blames part of the collapse of the Confederate army in the US civil war on the creeping numbers of desertion. While personal benefit, usually in terms of survival, is a root motivation for these contained secondary adjustments, on a higher scale these everyday forms of resistance can have major impact in other ways as well. Scott already notes how these seemingly hardly relevant coping mechanisms can in retrospect prefigure revolutionary actions, by probing the limits and weak points in the defence of the administrators and providing a sense of solidarity among those resisting. This is then what I want to investigate further in the context of Oz. Initially, these ‘contained adjustments’ or ‘everyday forms of resistance’ do help to keep the institution running and the inmates to survive. However, I believe Oz shows how these adjustments also form the basis for the disruptive events of ‘dissensus’ and ‘unruly’ politics. First, I will give a short description of these latter concepts as worked out by respectively Jacques Rancière and Femke Kaulingfreks.
Disrupting contained culture For dissensus I will be relying on Rancière’s original text in which he laid out the concept, ‘Ten Theses on Politics’, and a paper he presented at a conference in 2003, but which was only printed in 2011, entitled ‘Thinking of Dissensus’. In this paper he engages with critics of this original text. Initially, dissensus as a concept was developed in response to a growing trend to define politics as speaking people confronting their interests and desires in parliament (Thinking 2). In this definition, the actors of the political stage are already consensually pre-constituted as speaking creatures, effacing the litigiousness that is the essence of politics for Rancière (Theses 8) and reducing politics
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to the domain of the state (Theses 1). Rather, according to Rancière, politics is the conflict about who is heard when speaking and who is not. It thus directly ties into what he has earlier theorized as the distribution of the sensible, that pre-constitutes who is heard speaking and where speech can be found. A distribution of the sensible is an arrangement in which “a relation between a shared ‘common’ and the distribution of exclusive parts is determined through the sensible” (Theses 7). In a reconsideration of the Kantian categories of perception, i.e. the ‘sensible’, Rancière claims that rather than these categories being naturally given, and thus universal to all humans, they are the object of politics (Distribution 13). It is through these modes of perception that we construct our expectations of who is going to say something relevant and who is not disposed to do so. In traditional distributions, one part is designated for those disposed to rule, i.e. politicians who try to maintain an exclusive claim on the domain of ‘politics’, and another part for those disposed to be ruled, their utterances understood merely as self-centred cries of pain. Instead, Rancière argues, we should strive for a politics based on a fundamental equality in the right to speak, combined with a fundamental denial of any disposition to rule (Thinking 3, 4). To achieve this, those marginal groups, like prisoners, who are denied speech in the currently ‘normal’ distribution of the sensible, should speak unexpectedly in the normal way. By speaking, they lodge their take on the distribution of the sensible into the ‘normal’ one, so as to rupture it and make it more inclusive and egalitarian. This is then the politics of dissensus: by unexpectedly making sense while this is not your part to play, one can disrupt the ‘normal’ distribution of the sensible and break the dominant consensus. Criticism of this model can be divided into three lines. First, some critiques bring into view the underplaying of longer-lasting processes by Rancière’s focus on a singular ‘rupture’ of events. The “laborious processes of organizing a collective struggle by mobilizing various forms of skills and knowledge” (Gündoğdu, Disagreeing 191) that can help to achieve such an event thus escape thought. Second, another as of yet undertheorized point arises in this thesis itself. As Scott points out, marginal groups will consciously leave the public stage to the administrator, so as to enable the status quo in which everyday forms of resistance remain invisible to the administrators. This could help to explain the habit of inmates to violently keep down ‘troublemakers’, as noted by Rebecca Trammel, since a rupture event is as much a threat to the ‘normal’ distribution of the sensible, as it is to the sensibility of the inmates themselves. I will return to this in my close-reading of the riot in EmCity. However, an additional third vein of criticism focusses on the demand placed on the marginal groups to make sense in specific ways. I already touched upon this in the first chapter when I criticized the academics from the first camp for refusing to try to make sense out of Oz because of
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the violence. The inmates are not allowed to be portrayed as violent in their expression of their hurt, because this could undermine the political project to make them ‘regular’ sense-making citizens. The obstacles to making sense in this regular way are underplayed. This blocks looking for alternative ways of dislodging the normal distribution of the sensible, the only avenues available to those who face insurmountable obstacles to making sense in Rancière’s way. Without looking, it is hard to find the sense in these avenues, which might lead to an all too easy condemnation of these ‘animals’. This third line of criticism has recently been contributed to by Ayten Gündoğdu and Femke Kaulingfreks. While Gündoğdu stresses the discontinuity of her argument with Rancière’s work, Kaulingfreks offers a more positive line of thought. In both pieces the 2005 riots in Paris’ banlieues take centre stage. Gündoğdu quotes Rancière’s criticism of these riots, in which he discredits them as a moment of ‘dissensus’: “’a wordless scene,’ which ‘doesn’t construct a time or a space that can be shared‘” (209). This highlights the demands placed on those wanting to achieve dissensus: a disidentification with a socially ascribed identity combined with “forging ties between identities, roles and places considered to be separate and unconnected in an inegalitarian social order” (199). The failure of the rioting banlieue youth to construct a time or space to be shared, while in the act of rioting reaffirming their ‘ascribed’ identity as violent and unruly youth is enough to call it a ‘wordless scene,’ i.e. a scene where no one is speaking that is worth listening to. Gündoğdu argues against this by turning Rancière’s own words on him: “[p]olitics always entails working with the existing partition of the sensible, mobilizing ‘the weapons of the police description of the common’ and reconfiguring their uses for the purposes of verifying equality” (217). The dependence of politics on the existing distribution of the sensible means that those resisting are also dependent on how “amenable” (205) these distributions are to ruptures. In a resistant distribution, marginal groups are put in a position where they become ‘impure’, stuck between “a desire to reconfigure the social order and an exasperation arising from the resilience of the inegalitarian partition” (218). No longer the pure political subject of Rancière’s who unexpectedly show their equality by speaking in ‘normal’ words, these impure subjects combine dissensual speech with enraged violence. Unlike Rancière, for Gündoğdu this enraged violence is not necessarily ‘wordless’. If we try to make sense of it, it can “forc[e] into view deep-seated forms of injustice and the frustrations that arise from their systemic neglect” (196). Kaulingfreks discusses both the 2005 Paris riots and the 2011 riots in The Hague. In her discussion, she goes beyond merely understanding riots as bringing into view obstacles, This results in a richer picture of riots. She uses the term ‘unruly politics’ to denote the political agency of those marginal groups interfering with institutional politics, while not being allowed or recognized as doing so, nor “abid[ing] by the formal, moral and legal rules of accepted practices of civil engagement and
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political participation” (4). The absence of a clear agenda as well as “the lack of connections with other groups in society which suffer from similar injustices and mechanisms of exclusion” (9) mark these events as pre-political. Contra to Rancière, this does not mean that such events are politically insignificant. In line with Gündoğdu then, Kaulingfreks claims that they instead reveal obstacles to formal participation. She adds to this observation however, by bringing into view other aspects that get lost in a framework that reduces riots to exasperation or enraged violence. The rioters seem to be motivated by the enjoyment of venting rage and the autotelic performance of violence, a deep felt sense of injustice, personal opportunism or by the symbolic significance of literally taking over the space used to police them (6)25. These motivations combine into something that is a collective action rather than the articulation of collective meaning (13). This does not preclude collective meaning-making during or after the riot, but the absence of a collective meaning during the event does make it something other than Rancière’s politics. There is a third line of richness in Kaulingfreks analysis, however, that she herself hardly accounts for. She notes that “unruly politics is not about creating a state of total anarchy, but rather about creating ‘subversive ruliness’” (12). In this statement, there is thus a paradox in calling these riots ‘unruly’. Although the formal rules are explicitly transgressed, within the riots there is a ‘preoccupation’ with social justice that often gets lost in a focus on the rage or the supposed chaos of riots (12). This subversive ruliness is, however, exactly where the riots link back to the contained secondary adjustments or the everyday forms of resistance that I spoke about above. The sense of solidarity that was already present in wide-spread everyday forms of resistance that is required for a ‘collective action’ like a riot, gets transformed and concretized by its execution in what old-time sociologist Emile Durkheim calls a moment of ‘collective effervescence’26. Such an intensified sense of solidarity can both enable an increase in everyday forms of resistance as well as lead to long-term collective meaning making that Rancière posits as a requirement for the disidentification and traversing of different identities needed for politics. The collective meaning-making, rather than articulation, in the moment of the riot can in this sense lead to dissensus as a way to make the ‘normal’ distribution of the sensible more inclusive and egalitarian.
25 Gündoğdu notes the strong sense of imprisonment among banlieue youth, quoting one: “’We feel like we’re locked up in here, and we’re not the ones with the keys. They are’” (212). 26 Durkheim in his seminal, for sociology at least, 1912 book The Elementary Forms of Religious Life tried to trace the genesis of religions through the study of what were then considered ‘primitive tribes’. He recognized as a formative moment rituals producing ‘collective effervescence,’ in which the members of a tribe gathered in a high-energy ritual, speaking in the same thought and participating in the same action. The collective excitement created profound sentiments of shared-ness and unity transcending the individual. These feelings however, much like assemblages, are ephemeral and as such the rituals need to be repeated often for the sense of unity to survive.
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Unruly dissensus in Oz As I have repeatedly shown in previous chapters, Oz presents a very messy image of prison life. While accounting for this messy image and gauging its critical potential, I will try to conceptually separate some of the relevant lines in the process of ‘disidentification’ and the building of collective resistance. These lines take on a double figure. From the perspective of the prison assemblage most figure as de-territorialising and re-territorialising, breaking apart and restoring the contained prison culture that allowed for the smooth functioning of the institution. However, for the inmates they do the inverse. They create and then close down the space for a new assemblage, that of the inmates as a unified group. From the perspective of this assemblage, many of the de-territorialising lines instead figure as attempts at territorialising. First, I will address some breaks in the contained adjustments that contribute to a rapid escalation of the situation in EmCity and eventually to the riot. Second, I will focus on the impact of two affiliations across the inmate-staff divide and their effect on the development of the riot. Third, I will analyse the impact of and changes in ‘gang’ affiliations throughout the riot. Fourth, I consider the unsuccessful attempts at making sense in a ‘normal’ way. Finally, I review the attempts at collective meaning-making in the aftermath, thwarted in part by new control measures, part through a shortcoming in the representation in the series. I will try to integrate additional motivations and mechanisms on the part of the inmates that usually disappear in rage or anarchy frameworks, but that instead figure as additional territorialising lines, suggesting a political over a pre-political character of the riot. On top of that, I will include the extra considerations that result from not taking the rioters as an already ascribed homogenous group, i.e. the ‘banlieue youth’ or the ‘inmates’. As I noted in the second chapter, a feature of the control mechanism includes a power operation that dividuates inmates, placing them in permanent conflict with themselves, with each other and with other gangs. Not recognizing this fact, it becomes easy to miss the attempts made at overcoming this power operation which themselves hint at a preliminary process of disidentification in Rancière’s terms. A close-reading of episodes S01E07 to S02E01, that span the build-up to the riot, the riot itself and its aftermath, can provide us with insight into this contentious process in which the attempt for a change in identities and the ‘normal’ distribution of the sensible is ultimately thwarted. As such, the close-reading can integrate this new power into Rancière’s guidelines for resistance, allowing us to make sense of others riots, and inspire new guidelines for resistance.
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The Build-up Perhaps a prime moment to start my reading is when a Muslim brother, Huseni Mershah, goes to McManus and the Warden to rat on the preparations for the riot in S01E07. Presenting a serious break in the contained adjustments, the snitching intensifies a spiral of escalation, McManus’ quickly losing control. In episode five, Saïd is diagnosed with hypertension and Mershah enters EmCity, becoming his pod mate. Mershah is a far more violent inmate than Saïd27, and immediately wants to start a holy war in EmCity. This leads to heated disagreement with Saïd, who wants a better planned, better controlled riot with not just the Muslims participating. When Saïd suffers a heart attack at night, Mershah is the only one there. He decides to let Saïd die, so he can take over as leader of the Muslims, simultaneously creating a casus belli for a riot. In S01E07 we find Mershah trying to convince the other Muslims to start the holy war. However, before he succeeds, Saïd recovers, returns and excommunicates him. After first trying to convince the Muslims to rebel against Saïd, he finally goes to McManus and Glynn. He tells them about the preparations for the riot, but they fail to take him seriously, in part because of his lack of evidence and because they suspect ulterior motives. McManus is obviously under severe stress and disappointed over losing sovereign control over his perfect unit. Partly through this, he views this as just another secondary adjustment, albeit disruptive, i.e. a battle for leadership within one of the gangs. This results in an underestimation of the risk of a riot28. Nonetheless, he is extremely aware of the tense situation in EmCity and moves Mershah out to avoid this bad blood to become the trigger for escalation. Obviously the status quo is precarious and the easy functioning of secondary adjustments is interrupted. In a shakedown called for on the insistence of the Warden to take Mershah’s snitching seriously, the COs find a lot of weapons and drugs. Mershah is moved out of EmCity after the shakedown, which the other inmates immediately link to him ratting. Angry, they spit on him as he is escorted out by the COs in a ‘walk of shame’. Once in protective custody, he slits his wrists. Instead of Saïd being the casus belli for the riot, Mershah becomes the martyr. Mershah’s excommunications, first from the Muslims and later from EmCity mimic a more ‘regular’ behaviour in dealing with ‘troublemakers’ in Irwin and Cressey’s terms, who rat and thus interrupt the smooth
27 Mershah’s ‘violent’ character is due to him being too heavily influenced by ‘street culture’. This street culture is posited as incompatible with the ‘Muslim code’. The conflict that this supposed incompatibility creates is already suggestive of the problematic relationship between re/de-territorialising lines present in the identification/disidentification process. The paradoxical suggestion is that before a struggle for disidentification can take place, it has to be preceded by a struggle for a stable identity to depart from. 28 Obviously, Mershah is not someone who can honestly say something. He can only be self-obsessed and manipulative. Of course, he is presented in the series as being exactly this, but at the same time the series manages to show the fault in easy framings by presenting Glynn’s decision to listen to him being the correct call. The scene highlights the dangers of sticking to a ‘normal’ distribution of the sensible that fails to listen to inmates.
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functioning of the institution. However, his death is politicized and used to cause further trouble. Stuck in a circle of escalation, the Warden responds by ordering a press-blackout and a ban on ‘gang- paraphernalia,’ which is made to include the Muslims’ prayer mats and their kufi’s. The next escalation occurs during a speech by the Warden in the cafeteria. Before he can complete his speech, Saïd instigates a peaceful protest. On his mark, the Muslims start banging their spoons on the table, soon joined by most other inmates, except notably the Aryans. His speech interrupted, Glynn soon gives up and, again on Saïd’s mark, the inmates simultaneously stop banging. While the protest is wordless, i.e. not an accepted practice of civil engagement, it does represent a first step at making sense. Its primary goal is to show how many inmates support a protest, and thus how they outnumber the Warden and his staff. Simultaneously it forms a first step toward, in Scott’s terms, no longer leaving the public stage to the administrator, i.e. the first step away from the invisibility that enables the contained secondary adjustments. Donald Groves gets ‘inspired’ by the protest and decides to try and kill the Warden. He fails, but in the scuffle kills a CO. Of course, violence against staff represents a severe break in the secondary adjustments across the staff-inmate divide, which proscribes absolute non-violence against staff. The COs immediately start taking their anger out on the inmates in a series of abuses. This forces Glynn to put some of the COs on temporary leave until things cool down, which leads to Gordon Wood, a black CO who sympathizes with Saïd’s cause, coming in as a temporary help. On his first day in EmCity, he puts a gun in Saïd’s laundry. The implications of this are immense. First, practically, the gun allows Saïd to take charge of the riot when it breaks out and bring the other ‘gang’ leaders under his control. I will return to this point in my close-reading of the riot itself. Second, symbolically, this is a first step toward the breaking of the ‘violence monopoly’ in EmCity. The ‘violence monopoly’ is in many ways already fragmented. McManus, who as the sovereign should be at the top, tries to intervene in the COs abusive behaviour, but fails. Meanwhile the many previous violent incidents where inmates controlled each other through violence indicate that it was never pure in the first place. Nonetheless, by virtue of the guns they wear the COs are ultimately, if sometimes somewhat delayed, in control of the perpetration of violence. This hierarchy is breached when Saïd receives the gun. In this sense, the transfer of the weapon is the prelude to the symbolic importance of the inmates literally taking over the space used to police them. Third, the transfer suggests the necessity of looking beyond a staff-inmate divide. Wood is expected to be fully defined by his identity as a CO. Instead, he is forced to combine his position as a CO with sympathies for Saïd. To great effect, he acts on the latter. This is then the first instance of solidarity across the divide. The second challenge only takes place halfway through the riot, and I will return to it in appropriate time. First, however, a sketch of the situation shortly preceding the riot as concerns the ‘gang’
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affiliations, to highlight the attempts at overcoming the competition between the coded groups before the riot. Saïd and his Muslims are the obvious instigators of the riot, but unlike Mershah, they do not want just a ‘holy war’. As such, Saïd seeks the support of Schibetta. A few episodes earlier, McManus has cracked down on the drug trade that is under Italian control. After the crackdown, Schibetta is the only Italian left in EmCity. To keep control over the drug trade, he has ‘employed’ Adebisi and O’Reily. O’Reily also provides a bridge between Schibetta and the Bikers/Aryans led by Ross. As such, when Saïd approaches Schibetta for support, he assumes that Schibetta’s support will also deliver the support of Adebisi, O’Reily and through the latter, even the support of the Bikers/Aryans. So while the initial cooperation starts in the drug trade, a contentious but mostly contained secondary adjustment, it becomes transformed into the basis for preparation of the disruptive event. When O’Reily catches Saïd and Schibetta plotting however, he tries to get involved, already aware of the rumours about a riot. Stonewalled, he is afraid that when Saïd will take over, he and Ross will be the first to die. So he forms an alternative block with himself at the head, consisting of the Homeboys and the Aryans, a tense alliance in itself29. Unbeknownst to Saïd, O’Reily and Adebisi were working together to kill Schibetta together by feeding him ground glass, so that they could take over. Shortly before the riot breaks out, Schibetta finally starts haemorrhaging and ends up in the MedWard. As such, when the riot breaks out, Saïd has lost some of the initiative, despite being the main agitator.
The Riot The riot breaks out in S01E08, the season finale, entitled ‘A Game of Checkers’30. The opening frame by Hill is in line with Scott’s framework. He debunks the idea that history is shaped by the deeds of great men. Instead, “the world keeps moving because of you and me, the anonymous. Revolutions get going because there ain’t enough bread. Wars happen over a game of checkers”. It adds to Scott’s framework a random element of escalation, which becomes evident in the direct occasion for the start of the riot: a game of checkers where one biker accuses another of cheating. As they start fighting, the COs try to intervene. However, instead of continuing to fight each other, the inmates turn on the COs. Although shortly before Ross has reported that his gang is ready for the riot, the event is presented as not having been pre-planned31.
29 In part negated by having Ross, who is primarily a biker, as their leader. 30 Already the title suggests a far more rational approach than the usual ‘chaotic’ framework applied to riots. The ‘game’ element, however, throws a slightly inappropriate ‘playful’ shadow over the extremely violent development of the riot. 31 Saïd has, however, ordered the Muslims to instigate a riot through an argument with a guard, and having the guard hit first. The riot already breaks out before this can happen.
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During an initial only seemingly chaotic phase, in which several of the COs are badly beaten up, the Homeboys collectively take over McManus’ office, the Aryans/Bikers take over the security office and, on Saïd’s mark, the Muslims take over the control desk that overlooks all of EmCity. Meanwhile, a lot of inmates help blockade the central gate from EmCity to the rest of Oz. It is all overlaid with a strong sense of enjoyment in the violence committed against COs, and in the destruction of prison property. From his spot on the control desk, Saïd fires his gun in the air a single time and proclaims: “Now, let’s get organized,” met by loud cheers from the inmates. He sets up a democratic council with the leaders of the various gangs: Adebisi, Ross, O’Reily, Alvarez and himself. This is then where we encounter the first attempt at disidentification through identification. Although the inmates become firmly identified with their gangs under the fascist rule of a leader, on a higher scale the leaders try to reconstitute themselves as a collective of inmates with collective goals. This is of course a contentious process, as the first gathering of the council shows:
[Saïd, holding a notebook, Alvarez, O’Reily and Ross are sitting on chairs in a circle, while Adebisi walks around restlessly, leaving his seat in the circle vacant]
Saïd: Glynn has given us time to come up with a list of demands. But I think the most important element is that we remain united. Alvarez: I don’t have a problem with that. O’Reily: Me neither. As long as we get a few ground rules laid down. Saïd: Such as? Adebisi [leans over]: Well, you’re not the boss. Saïd: [chuckles, pauses] I’m willing to share the power. That is why I have asked you here. You see, we can become a kind of council. We will, together, make all the decisions. Ross: We can talk parliamentary procedure later. How many guns do you have? Saïd: Just the one. Ross: I don’t believe you. Saïd: [condescending] Well, you’re gonna have to learn to trust me, just like I’m gonna have to learn to trust you. O’Reily [points finger]: Yeah, but you’ve got the gun. And that gives you one up one the rest of us. Alvarez: That’s right. You know, I hear you talking about sharing power, but I can’t turn my back on you.
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Saïd: Okay.. How would you like me to demonstrate my sincerity? Adebisi [puts hand palm upwards on Saïd’s shoulder]: Give me the gun. Ross [gestures disagreement]: Oh! Saïd: Okay, okay, how about we divide up the responsibilities. [Everyone chuckles] Look, O’Reily, Ross, Adebisi, you already have control of the front entrance. I propose O’Reily be our spokesman when dealing with Glynn. Ross, you be in control of the distribution of food. Adebisi, all of the comings and goings. Alvarez: [flat] My men should have the hostages32. Saïd: Okay. [to Ross] You’re gonna have to give up Hunt [one of the COs taken hostage]. Ross: No way. Saïd: Look, we all have to give up something. It is much more efficient to have all the hostages in one place. O’Reily: He’s got a point. Besides, as long as we’ve got control of the gate, hacks aren’t going anywhere. Saïd: So, we all agreed then? Others: [soft] Yeah. Saïd: All right. So all that remains is the list of demands. Who wants to start?
[As Adebisi grabs Saïd’s notebook, the others suggest demands chaotically (‘bring back conjugals’, ‘I wanna see my girl’) as the image switches to the common area of EmCity, full of trash.]
A rather long quote, but three important issues stand out. First, the conflict over the violence monopoly, i.e. sovereignty takes centre stage33. The sovereignty is at first signified by the control over the gun, but flows together with something like a representative democracy, perhaps because of Saïd’s dependence on O’Reily to keep the others in line. This is probably why he appoints O’Reily as liaison to the Warden. Only shortly before, the Warden came to the front gate to open the dialogue, asking for ‘someone in charge to speak to’. The demand of the Warden gives specific symbolic significance to this position. He asks for someone capable of speaking in his ‘distribution of the sensible’, i.e. someone who is in charge of a preconceived group. Thus Saïd’s denotation of the position as ‘our spokesman’ already represents a break with the expectation that one person would
32 Six COs, one of them badly hurt, and father Ray Mukada have been captured during the riot. 33 Specifically, Adebisi’s remark ‘you’re not the boss’ nicely set up by O’Reily’s demand for some ground rules as a prerequisite for ‘remain[ing] united’.
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be in charge. While the COs transposed the possession of guns directly into control over the inmates, Saïd uses it to create something akin to democratic procedure. Second, the way they discuss the role of trust in achieving a form of disidentification. Trust is antithetical to the ascribed control identities that proscribe maximum competition among the inmates, as I showed in the second chapter. However, in stating that ‘the most important element is that we remain united’, Saïd postulates a unity. This unity is strengthened by the establishment of common ground rules, the assignation of parts34 and the insistence on a common ‘giv[ing] up something’. Although here all members of the council are in agreement, trust has not yet been fully established, but continues to grow throughout the episode. Headway made in trust is caught up in a contentious struggle with whose ‘subversive ruliness’ becomes the norm. The O’Reilly bloc is able to democratically push through their norms, which threatens to undermine the trust essential to collective action. As the riot develops however, it is the most mistrusted element, Saïd’s gun, that helps to restore balance and keep the unity intact. To prefigure these developments, it is important to note a third issue: Alvarez’ position, in the conversation as the leader of the Latinos, in the conversation quoted. Aligned with neither Saïd nor O’Reily, his flat comments seem non-committal. He is left out of the first assignation of parts, only to conspicuously suggest himself that his men will guard the hostages. Much more than just wishing for a part to play, this suggestion is born from his desire to protect Father Ray Mukada. Alvarez wishes to protect Mukada as a sign of gratitude for the support he offered during Alvarez’ breakdown, in which Alvarez almost killed himself after his baby's death. It is then the second instance of ‘solidarity’ across the staff-inmate divide, this time initiated from the other side. During the riot, a difference in sensibilities emerges. In the cell used to lock up the hostages, Mukada complains about Alvarez not lifting a finger during his beating. CO Hunt suggests, however, that Alvarez had no choice: “He’d get whacked if he tried to help you”. The differential treatments, as well as revenge motivations35 become clear after Alvarez beats veteran CO Mineo unconscious. Shortly after the death of Alvarez’ son, Mineo had made a harsh joke about it. Mukada tries to call Alvarez to order, asking him that even if ‘he can’t change shit’ as Alvarez proclaims, he does not have to give in to the brutality. Alvarez responds: “Man, you so fucking naïve”. Mukada’s alleged naiveté lies in his lack of recognition for how much brutality Alvarez is already saving them from as well as for his justifications for revenge. A lack of recognition on Mukada's part then for Alvarez’ subversive
34 The assignation of parts is itself of course very suggestive of Rancière’s work, suggesting a forming of a new distribution, although not yet quite through the sensible. 35 This is shortly after Mineo has asked for the opportunity to take a piss. Alvarez returns with a bucket “You know what it’s like in the hole, right? You get a bucket to piss and shit in, stays with you the whole time. Get it?”
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ruliness that results in a differential treatment, which partly ignores the staff-inmate divide. This lack of respect for the divide puts Alvarez in a difficult position with the rest of the council. It is part of a struggle over whose subversive ruliness becomes the ‘norm’, made explicit through two decisions made by the O’Reily power bloc. Like in a democracy, the majority sets the norm. The decisions are made in similar cases, except that they concern objects on either side of the divide. First, Hill petitions O’Reily to open the gate for a dying inmate, so he can go to the doctor. The victim, Eugene Dobbins, is the only victim of random and serious inmate on inmate violence. In a plot not further explained, he is repeatedly stabbed by an unknown black inmate in the first moments of the riot. Partly to prove his power to Adebisi and Ross, part perhaps out of a sense of justice, O’Reily lets Vahue carry Dobbins out. In the second instance, Alvarez, pressured by Mukada tries to convince the O’Reily majority to let out the two seriously hurt COs, Armstrong and, thanks to Alvarez’ beating, Mineo. Alvarez has already gone to Saïd first, who voted to let them go. As he petitions O’Reily however, first Adebisi, then Ross say no. With the tiebreaker in his hands, O’Reily asks Alvarez what it is worth to him. While throwing suspicions on Alvarez’ motivations, it simultaneously serves as an invitation to join the bloc. When Alvarez responds with a flat ‘nothing’, O’Reily votes against it. His decision seems a conflux of his desire to prove his allegiance to Adebisi and Ross, to show his autonomy from Saïd and partly from a subversive hatred of the COs. The struggle for the setting of a norm becomes conflated with a struggle for personal power, which focusses in the character of O’Reily. He is the inmate accused most easily of a lack of disidentification. Except, he once again, as he does throughout the series, represents a double figure. While all his actions seem for his own benefit, he is pivotal to maintaining the unified order set up in the democratic council. During the riot, Adebisi and his Homeboys are rapidly using up the stockpiles of drugs. Extremely high, they are soon getting into fights with the Aryans who are guarding the gate with them. O’Reily succeeds in de-escalating the conflict, and proposes that the Aryans exchange place with the Latinos, a ‘sensible’ solution to the problem. Even though he is temporarily successful, when the drugs run out, a fiending Adebisi orders the Homeboys to go on a rampage to find drugs. They start attacking everyone and each other, until Saïd pulls out his gun and restores control. With the implied support of the other council members, the Muslims tie up the Homeboys shortly before the electricity cuts out and the tear gas comes flying in. As such, O’Reily and Saïd together successfully ‘police’ the space they have literately taking over, before the old guard comes rushing in again. The setting of a norm based on subversive ruliness36, a contentious process of disidentification, that requires trust that other will adhere to a similar norm, and the policing of a new unified order are clearly interdependent processes that start with taking over a
36 The revenge fantasies often suggested as part of the ‘rage’ framework instead function here as contributing to this new norm.
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space and that ends up in trying to make sense to those outside that space, or the space being violently retaken by those on the outside. There is the continued attempt, especially by Saïd, to make sense to the trifecta of sovereignty, in order of scale: EmCity Administrator Tim McManus, Warden Leo Glynn and Governor James Devlin, the hard-line Republican who has promptly come to deal with the riot. I already touched upon the first sign of dissensus in Glynn’s request to ‘someone in charge’ and Saïd instead opting for a democratic council. Since then the democratic council has handed over a list of demands which Glynn and Devlin discuss in the Warden’s office:
[Glynn is walking around restlessly while Devlin sits slouching in a lazy chair, smoking a cigarette; hand on his forehead suggesting a headache37]
Glynn: [reading out of notebook] We want to speak directly to the media, uncensored. Devlin: [chuckles] Sure, we’ll put ‘em on right after Seinfeld. Glynn: There are to be no reprisals or repercussions to any inmate involved in the riot. Devlin: [agitated] Oh Jesus Christ, why don’t they just ask to go free?! Glynn: [sighs] You know, most of these demands are harmless. Say, bring back conjugal visits, smoking. Devlin [jumps up]: Yeah, well, I reject all their demands. I won’t negotiate with animals. Glynn: [with slight exasperation] Well, then, how do you expect me to end the situation? Devlin [smirk playing around his mouth]: The old fashioned way... by force.
Unfortunately, we still only hear part of the list of demands. If we had heard the rest of the discussion among the leaders in the democratic council we could have seen whether Saïd for example slipped the first demand in. Alternatively, if it was grounds for an extended discussion among the council members it could have suggested that the attempt at dissensus in Rancière’s understanding was widely shared. As such, here we also miss some of the contentious process that precedes the speaking up ‘as a group’ unified in one council that Rancière insufficiently accounts for. If the Warden had been the sole sovereign, this debate over the list of demands would have been important. Glynn suggests a compromise over the demands, perhaps a control technique. By giving in to the more ‘harmless’ demands, he could pacify part of the rioters, undercutting support for Saïd’s radical program. Simultaneously this control technique gives insight into the Warden’s distribution of the sensible. He views the inmates as non-speaking creatures, violently crying out
37 McManus has exchanged himself for the two badly wounded hostages, so is not present.
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over a lack of privileges, and like giving a dog a bone to stop it from howling, he suggests giving in to their basal, ‘harmless’ demands. This could have come back to bite him, however, if it indeed was a unified attempt at dissensus. These considerations are made irrelevant by the intervention of the higher sovereign38, the Governor. Interestingly, he shows a complete disregard for the Warden’s sophisticated control technique. The Governor’s use of the slippery slope argument exemplified by his agitated remark “Oh, Jesus Christ, why don’t they just ask to go free?!” resembles the desire for a clear delineation in the code between the legal and the illegal typical of the spectacular mechanism, along with his insistence on the use of force. Devlin’s complete disregard for the lives of inmates and hostages as collateral damage suggests a radicalization of Rancière’s ‘wordless scene’. He does not listen to the words spoken, or what the violent acts signify. Instead he ridicules them. This enables him to continue his vision of the inmates as ‘animals’ who are in our distribution of the sensible the most common group of ‘ungrieveable bodies’, which Judith Butler (2009) has placed at the centre of the politics of mourning. His sovereignty means however that refusal to consider these bodies grieveable will guide the response, as the troops are sent in with orders to shoot at will.
The Aftermath Episode S02E01 is titled ‘The Tip’39, primarily suggesting that it can only deal with the tip of the iceberg. It opens with Hill shortly recapping the riot. As only images of the most violent ‘highlights’40 play accompanied by a deep and nervously beating drum, he informs us that six inmates and two COs have been killed, while 34 were injured. The leaders of the riot have been “dropkicked” into solitary, while the rest of the ‘unhurt‘ inmates have been moved to GenPop. Until EmCity reopens, its inmates are thinly dispersed throughout the different units of GenPop, which at least for the immediate period after the riot are in 24 hour lockdown. Their energies focus on conflicts with their new cellmates, who resent the newcomers for further overcrowding. Hardly any interactions between inmates about the riot are shown41, the implication of the move to GenPop being that hardly any such conversations took place.
38 Like DeLanda noted, higher assemblages provide constraints and limits to lower assemblages. Usually, these are rather diffuse, leaving a lot of discretionary space for lower level assemblages. Here, the higher assemblage directly intervenes, which has to be covered up by the Governor in the aftermath by describing it as ‘Warden Glynn’s response’. 39 It is also a direct reference to the tip of a GenPop inmate being bit off by Beecher as the GenPop inmate is trying to rape him. Indirectly it references the ‘tips’ given to Alvah Case in his investigation that forms the core of the episode. 40 Throughout the episode, nearly only the most violent moments are shown. This sadly supports the criticism made by the authors described in the first camp that Oz supports hegemonic discourses of incarceration. 41 The only one committed to communicating with other inmates about the riot is Hill, who only focusses on finding out what happened to Dobbins.
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After Hill’s introduction, the image switches to Devlin walking in the hallways while journalists walk alongside him, announcing the setting up of a gubernatorial commission, to investigate “One, the causes of the riot, two the criminal activities of those prisoners involved and three the appropriateness of the response to it by Warden Glynn”. He announces that Alvah Case will preside over the commission. In the first interaction among them, Devlin informs him about the soon available position of State Attorney General, before with a smirk pushing him to find the ‘truth’, “for the truth will set your fee”. When Case goes to interview Saïd, he calls him out on this: “[t]he judicial system created [the] circumstances [in which so many people got killed], not I. Your commission is a fraud, Case. Governor Devlin, the one man whose actions should be investigated, is the man that appointed you. [pause] That’s like me getting to pick the jury at my own trial”. While after a first few interviews Case is seen introducing the rest of the commission, the representation continues to be focused through Case’s perspective. He continues interviewing those involved and we get a quick reel of some of those reacting to his primary question, first asked of Hill: “So tell me, in as many words as necessary, what you think led to the riot”. Whittlesey: “Those men are violent. All they know is violence”. Alvarez: “The COs, man, they treat us like shit”. Dr Nathan: “Sometimes the inmates get bored”. O’Reily: “They took away conjugals. They took away smoking”. Sister Pete: “No, it's more than that. You deny a man his freedom, his family, his privacy, his dignity, then all he has left is time to simmer. And eventually, the simmer becomes a boil”. Schillinger: “We'd been hearing whispers that the Muslims were gonna start trouble”. Arif: “The Aryans are paranoid”. Hill: “What caused the riot? Two brain-dead, crackhead motherfuckers playing checkers”. Mukada: “And then all of a sudden, the world imploded”. Alvarez [shortly after images of him hitting Mineo being shown]: “We treated the hostages good”. CO D’Agnasti: “They treated us like shit”. O’Reily: “We tried to negotiate”. Devlin: “Their demands were ridiculous”. Without further interpretation, Case and the viewers tunnel in on the murder of Scott Ross, who is revealed to have been killed by Whittlesey in the chaos of the end of the riot. What remains is the suggestion of an irreconcilable choir of voices, which remains that way without any attempts at collective sense-making. This leads to the non-committal report at the end of the episode. As the Warden is pushing Case to bury the case against Whittlesey, Devlin comes in agitated, having just read the preliminary report. It proposes none of the riot leaders be persecuted, while Devlin wants them on trial, on TV. Case replies “as far as I can see, whatever they did came about as a direct result of your actions […] if the prisoners are guilty so are you”. No sense is made of what the inmates did, they are only framed as the victims of measures taken by the governor. Obviously not good for him, Devlin tries to change the outcome of the report, by whispering to him “this is not the kind of behaviour I expect from an attorney general”. Case replies “Well, I’ve thought about it... I don’t want to be attorney general. I
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want to be governor. I’ll see you on the campaign trail. Now, I have a press conference to do”. In the press conference he announces “no one at particular is at fault. We do feel there are certain measures to be taken, to ensure that an event like this, does not happen again”. Before he has time to sum up said measures, the image cuts to the riot leaders being released from solitary. However, I have already discussed some of these new measures in the second chapter: a formalization of gang competition, hidden under a thin veneer of democratic participation, an increase in the flexible application of general rules and more ‘programs’ to help inmates develop themselves. Although they are only instituted when EmCity reopens ten months after the riot, the first two especially discourage further collective sense-making in the aftermath, as they once again move the inmates to compete against each other instead of the sovereign. The latter instead offers alternative avenues to the inmates, so that they will have less reason to start another riot. In the rest of the series, only Saïd still remains concerned with the riot, writing a book about it, and later in season three as he has become convinced of possibilities to change the system from within, starting a lawsuit over use of excessive violence in the riot. The lawsuit becomes a narrative device for the development of Saïd’s character42, and while won by the inmates in S04E03, does not have further impact in the last three seasons.
We now have an overall view of the development of the riot. First the breaks in the contained secondary adjustments coupled with a rapid increase in the voluntary visibility of the resistance of the inmates through the spoon protest and the killing of a CO by an inmate that serve to break apart the prison culture. Nonetheless, hidden secondary adjustments have immense impact on the development of the riot. The transfer of the gun allows Saïd to retake control despite the reconfiguration of power relations that puts O’Reily instead of Schibetta at the top of the hidden hierarchical organization of criminal inmates. If we drop the pre-installed frame of taking the inmates as a homogenous group, as well as a dismissal of the developments because of its gruesome depiction of violence, the riot turns out to be incredibly rich. It is rich in contentious and messy processes of subversive social justice, self-policing a new unified order, disidentification and attempts to make sense to both sovereigns and the outside. These processes are ultimately interdependent, as disidentification relies on a new unified order that is based in a subversive social justice. Without disidentification dissensus is doomed from the outset. However, slow progress is made in disidentification through the new unified order set up in the democratic council, and dissensus is ultimately thwarted not because of internal disorder, but
42 Saïd falls in love with Ross’ white sister, Patricia, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. This nets him ridicule from other inmates, and eventually leads to him being deposed as leader of the Muslims. When the suit is won, Patricia uses the settlement money to move away to California, abandoning Saïd.
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by the institutional authority’s refusal to listen. Or in DeLanda’s terms, after the inmates have collectively produced a new assemblage, it quickly dissipates in a lack of territorialising lines, in this case the neat guarding of its border. This leads to the other territorialising line, creating homogeneity, to fall apart as well. The refusal of the series to engage with the aftermath of these processes in the next season is in this regard an especially painful shortcoming. Instead of showing attempts at a process of meaning-making, it offers a quick discordant choir of opinions without bringing these into contact with each other. It ends in something that most resembles a cover-up.
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Conclusion
To be able to take up once again the prison as a model for the power mechanisms operating in our society, as well as seeing the way Oz contributes to a change in the carceral imaginary that helps us imagine ways of resisting against these power mechanisms, I asked three questions at the start of my thesis:
What kind of prison is represented in Oz? Which power mechanisms operate here? And what can the way in which its ambiguous inmates behave mean for our thinking on how these power operations can be resisted?
To answer these questions, in the first chapter I started off by critically reviewing the academic work already done on Oz. I criticized a line of thought in scholarship on Oz for a lack of close-reading and an exclusive focus on the hyper-violence that resulted in incorrectly claiming that Oz represents a traditional Manichean divide, where the staff is good and the inmates are bad. With the help of a second camp, I argued that through its continuous ambiguity in characters, situations and genre, Oz in fact destabilizes this Manichean divide. Sadly I also had to note that this second camp had not extended far beyond queer theory. By close-reading of the episode in which the Oz through a mise en abyme contrasted itself to reality-TV shows with dubious interest in the inmates they document, I was able to add onto this. I noted some interrelated themes. First, the critical representation of the use of violence and sex to increase television ratings, both tropes that feed directly into hegemonic discourses about incarceration. Through its critical representation, Oz profiled itself as different from similar shows that exclusively focus on violence and sex. While containing these, Oz also shows the diverse motivations for violence, which was often theatrical, and the impact on several of the inmates of being depicted as animals. Nonetheless, the pressure of acquiring high ratings necessitates something more than merely inmates sitting around most of the day. This brought me to my second conclusion, enabled by giving a close-reading of an entire episode in chronological order. Oz often confuses its viewers, so that the bleeding together of time is transferred over from the prisoners onto the audience. While it has become a cliché, inmates throughout the series note that even more than violence threatening your life, it is the boredom that kills. Oz tries to walk the line by through its often confusing structure giving an impression of this boredom, while showing enough violence and sex to keep the viewers interested, employing this interest to give context to violence and sex. In the end then, it is a pity to focus exclusively on these ‘hegemonic’ features of the series, and not pay attention to the context and the critical discourses that Oz offers. As such I concluded that Oz represents prison messily, both with critical and hegemonic elements to its representation.
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In the second chapter I went over from reflecting on the way Oz represents prison, to what kind of prison it represents. By introducing an underutilized lens to view the series, I could further demonstrate how much gets lost if we consider Oz as only confirming hegemonic discourses. I gave a short history of three power mechanisms as they slowly add onto each other: first the spectacular mechanism, with its focus on confirming the power of the sovereign, second the disciplinary mechanism, which is focused on trying to make inmates adhere to a pre-set norm, and third the security and control mechanisms, that promise more freedom but instead still passively manipulate and modulate the circulation and mobility of subject populations. This last mechanism operates through differentially coding individuals so that they have to have different desires compete within themselves, as well as naturalizing continuous competition between individuals and groups. I used assemblage theory to think through how these mechanisms could co-exist within one setting. Here I noted the cyclic nature of assemblages, where populations are produced by assemblages and assemblages produced by populations. This happens through lines where internal homogeneity is increased and outside boundaries sharpened. Inversely, the assemblages are constantly threatened by other internal lines as well as by the influence of higher scale assemblages that increase internal heterogeneity and make the boundaries more porous. Consequently, through my close reading, I went on to show how all three mechanisms combine in the figure of McManus, who places himself as a sovereign in charge of laying down the norm, trying to get the inmates to adhere to it as well as recognize his sovereignty through spectacular, disciplinary and control measures. As such, he used his position as sovereign to make the other two mechanisms enhance rather than exclude each other. Simultaneously, EmCity integration into control society, a new higher assemblage, proved to be another set of de-territorialising lines that threaten the boundary of the EmCity assemblage. However, McManus turns out to be able to integrate these into his balance, making them work for his disciplinary norm within the prison. As such, it shows how prisons have a continued relevance in a ‘control society’, as when they are locked up and under a clear sovereign, the inmates can be exploited even further. I concluded that all the three power mechanisms added up inside this prison, to enable the maximum exertion of power and maximum exploitation of the inmates, combining de- and re-territorialising lines within it. In the final chapter I discussed how the inmates responded to the power mechanisms and the de- and re-territorialising lines within them. I used a framework that tried to link contained adjustments to the laid-down norm, that help them to deal with this lack of self-control as a result of the maximum exertion of power and allows them to survive in this setting that tries to exploit them maximally, to specific moments of rupture. While both moments of rupture and contained adjustments have been theorized separately in the past, my close-reading allowed me to successfully
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argue the close link between these two. This framework allowed me to first complicate the moment of political rupture as theorized by Rancière, who remains in many ways lodged in a disciplinary way of thinking politics. As the everyday forms of resistance in Oz come under fire from a new control measure that tries to break apart a sense of solidary among marginal groups, who were constituted as a mass by the disciplinary mechanisms, the moments of rupture require additional work. If we only use Rancière’s vision, we easily miss this work being done here. This led me to criticize the demands placed on these moments of rupture by Rancière’s theory. Although some of his critics had already done the latter, they had quickly reverted to calling the moments that did not live up to their definition of ‘dissensus’ impure or pre-political, because of their violent or unconnected nature. My complication of the moment of rupture by linking it to the new control mechanism, allowed me to show how much disidentification is actually already needed to precede what these critics call connection. Additionally, through linking it to the already present everyday forms of resistance, I was able to show the political relevance of the presence of a ‘subversive ruliness’ that makes the undirected violence used to discredit these moments instead appear as part of an alternative political culture. While an easy critique is that by its more violent nature this alternative is less credible, the pure pleasure taken in inverting the violence systematically exercised on these inmates also shows it to be viable as an alternative assemblage, with inmates at the head of the violence monopoly and the COs as hostages. Through placing the literal take-over of the place used to police at the centre of my analysis, I could show how inmates were already quite successful at this contentious process of disidentification through creating a new unified order built around a new norm rooted in the subversive ruliness originating from a longer history of everyday forms of resistance. By taking over they created a place for producing a new assemblage under the leadership of Saïd and being produced by it, i.e. disidentification. As such, I was sad to note how quickly this new assemblage dissipated after the National Guard took over the place once again, without trying to make sense of the subversive ruliness or the demands made by the inmates. Unfortunately, this is in line with DeLanda’s argument about the contingent nature of assemblages, congealing and dissipating quickly. This throws a further complication in Rancière’s program of dissensus, as connections made between marginal groups may be equally short-lived. A special point of critique here, however, is aimed at Oz as a series, as it also does not represent any attempts at maintaining this assemblage in the face of new control measures that now formalized the competition between the groups of inmates. As such, my close-reading of Oz ended on a critical point. Nonetheless, I believe to have properly shown how much looking beyond the most eye-catching moments of Oz can net in terms of criticizing dominant discourses on power mechanisms and resistance. It brings us a new view of the
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prison as it could exist in a control society, with control measures internalized. If we look beyond the gory violence, there is plenty of criticism of this new warehousing function that it seems to take on for control society, as well as the inhumane effect of these new control measures. As such, it adds a critical note to our ‘carceral imaginary’ while remaining close enough to the aesthetics of the prison genre to transfer onto the viewers a sense of enclosure and precariousness that is never resolved. It dares its viewers to engage with these ambiguous characters, through their ‘good’ characteristics, so that it moves us to also try to make sense of their ‘evil’ characteristics. Or instead by giving these evil characteristics the overlay of living out violent fantasies, moving the viewer to think if I share these fantasies, should I deal with them in the same way. In the riot the inmates eventually work together with other inmates to try change the horrible system.
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Appendix A: List of relevant characters
Inmates:
Simon Adebisi is a Homeboy inmate. He perhaps best matches the Black predator stereotype out of all characters. Heavily drug-addicted, he is ruthlessly violent. After the death of Jefferson Keane, he becomes the leader of the Homeboys, He has a single rehabilitative storyline, when a animist priest, Jara, from his home tribe, the Yoruba of Nigeria, enters EmCity. He begins to successfully ‘Africanise’ Adebisi, making him non-violent and drug free. When Jara is murdered by the Sicilians, Adebisi suffers a psychotic break. But on his return from the insane ward, he retains ideas of Black power. This prompts him to orchestrate the downfall of McManus and pushed for the appointment of a Black man as EmCity unit administrator. Together with Querns, the new administrator, he turns EmCity into his personal paradise, filled with drugs and sexual debauchery. Adebisi being killed by Saïd at the end of season four, part one, put an end to Querns administration.
Miguel Alvarez is a Latino inmate. His father and grandfather are also in Oz, while his pregnant girlfriend was convicted simultaneously with him. After his son dies, he starts to suffer from severe mental instability, leading to auto-mutilation and several suicide attempts. His friendship with Father Ray Mukada helps him cope. He is the on and off leader of the Latino gang in EmCity. He survives until the end of the series
Zahir Arif is a Muslim inmate. He mostly serves as Saïd’s lieutenant. After Saïd is deposed, he takes over as leader of the Muslims until Saïd returns as leader. After Saïd death, he takes on the leadership role once again.
Tobias Beecher is a White inmate. He is the figure through whom we first enter EmCity. An alcoholic middle- class lawyer in prison for manslaughter, he is soon targeted by Schillinger, who makes him his ‘bitch’. He turns to drugs, and in a PCP fuelled rage, partly blinds Schillinger, and in a later fight beats him down and shits on his face. This turns into a long-term feud, which kills among others Beecher’s young son, his father and his brother and both of Schillinger’s sons. In season two, Beecher falls in love with Chris Keller, who is at first an agent of Schillinger, but falls in love with Beecher too, leading to the main homosexual romantic entanglement, that lasts the rest of the series.
Eugene Dobbins is a hot-shot cello player, who enters EmCity halfway through season one. He becomes the new idol for Hill when Hill’s other hero, Vahue, starts using drugs. This sparks Vahue’s jealousy, who smashes Dobbins’ cello, leaving Dobbins severely depressed. He is stabbed by a unknown black inmate in the riot at the end of season one and does not survive.
Augustus Hill is a Black inmate, who has been in a wheel-chair since he was thrown off a roof by the police officers that arrested him. He figures as once as an character in the regular setting of inmate, on and off associated with the Homeboys, but mainly with the ‘Others’, as well as the ‘Greek chorus’ that provides interludes and commentary to the regular events in the series. He is killed at the end of season five, after he tried to protect Red. A memoir written by him is found in his pod, suggesting post-la-lettre that all the interludes were based on this memoir.
Jazz Hoyt is a fascinating inmate. He is the leader of the Bikers from his entry in Oz in season two until his stabbing by other bikers as retribution for him snitching in season six. In the first seasons he is mainly in the background, but he takes centre stage in season six after he has a psychotic breakdown. It is revealed that he was actually adopted, his biological father also having died in prison. His criminality is framed as being the result of a genetic anti-social disorder. As he gets treated for this, he tries to distance himself from the Bikers, eventually informing which results in him getting killed.
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Arnold ‘Poet’ Jackson is a literally gifted Homeboy, often shown performing poetry in the cafeteria. He attains his G.E.D. and is paroled, but still a fiend, he soon returns to Oz after killing his dealer over a drugs debt.
Jefferson Keane is the leader of the Homeboys at the start of the series. After his gay brother is beaten up by Italian inmate, who is on self-destruct after getting a life sentence and does not want to live out his entire life in prison, he has the inmate killed. While this indicative of a street-code of retribution, he is uneasy with his ‘gangster’ identity. He is an easy target for Saïd, who is trying to convert other Black inmates to Islam. Keane’s conversion however puts him at odds with other gang leaders, and O’Reily with the help of several COs stages a gladiator fight between him and two Latinos, while the COs watch and film. Seemingly absurd, the gladiator fight is a direct reference to similar gladiator fights staged in Corcoran. In the fight he kills the two Latinos and is consequently sentenced to death under the newly reinstated death penalty.
Chris Keller is a White inmate. He first enters the story as an agent for Schillinger in his feud with Beecher, aiming to make Beecher fall in love with him and then revealing he was an agent all along. However, he falls in love with Beecher, leading to a romantic story arc that last the rest of the series. A sociopath, he kills and manipulates a lot of people every time he falls out of Beecher’s good grace, his love for Beecher being his near sole human characteristic.
Huseni Mershah is a Muslim inmate, but also adheres to a street code that is far more violent that Saïd’s Muslim code. This brings him into conflict with Saïd and Mershah lets him die when he suffers a heart- attack. Saïd recovers however, and banishes Mershah. Moved to solitary, Mershah cuts his wrists.
Bob Rebadow is an older White inmate, who mostly stays in the background, participating in illegal activity only in so far as is required for the other inmates not to bother him. However he knows everything that goes on inside Oz, and is often approached by inmates and staff for this reason. He provides a sense of mysticism to the series, as he claims he knows everything because he can speak to God, and later wins the lottery with numbers given to him by God.
Burr ‘Red’ Redding is an older Homeboy. Ge is proud of his ability to survive on the streets for so long. Upon his entry into EmCity, he takes over the leadership of the Homeboys. As Hill is killed protecting him however, he has a breakdown and decides to move the Homeboys away from illegal activities, instead gaining employment for them in the Telemarketing Company set up in Oz.
Cyril O’Reily is an Irish inmate, the mentally damaged brother of Ryan O’Reily. In prison for the murder of Dr Nathan’s husband on Ryan’s order’s, he is seen suffering from frequent attacks of schizophrenia or psychosis. After murdering another inmate, he is condemned to death, which becomes the basis for a long struggle over whether you can condemn mentally disabled inmates to death. Eventually he is subjected to electroshock therapy to make him mentally able enough to be executed.
Ryan O’Reily is an Irish inmate, he continually throws a double figure. At the one hand he is shown as being manipulative and heartless to the point of sociopathy. Despite not having a gang behind him, due to his ability to manipulate other inmates, especially the other gang leaders, he manages to carve out an important position for himself in EmCity. On the other hand, he is shown as being deeply caring for his brother, his mother and later, after he has fallen in love with Dr Nathan, also as extremely caring for her, despite ordering his brother to murder her estranged husband to clear the way for their romance.
Scott Ross is a Biker, who enters the series halfway through season one and recognizes Diane from an earlier shared history in the same bike-gang. He approaches her for a cigarette smuggling enterprise. She agrees, but after being caught by McManus tries to back out. Ross’ refuses, blackmailing her. He is killed by Diane in the riot at the end of season one.
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Imam Kareem Saïd is the prime Muslim inmate, who was already famous on the outside. He ends up in prison for setting fire to a ‘White-owned warehouse’ and immediately takes over the leadership of the Muslims, as well as converting other Black inmates to Islam. He is the main instigator for the riot at the end of season one, but afterwards turns to non-violent means to overthrow the system from within, by starting a lawsuit and writing a book about the riot. He falls in love with Ross’ sister, who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Falling in love with a White woman is unacceptable for the rest of the Mulims, so he is deposed, only to be reinstated after killing Adebisi at the end of season four part one. He starts a book-binding company as an alternative for the telemarketing company, which is set to publish Hill’s memoir as the first order of business. He is killed by someone pretending to be a journalist at the end of season five.
Nino Schibetta is a rather cliché old-school Sicilian mobster. He runs the drug trade in Oz. After McManus comes down on the drug trade with the help of Saïd, Schibetta is the only Italian left in EmCity. He is forced to hire Adebisi and O’Reily to stay in control of the drug trade, hoping that when he plays them out against each other he will be able to stay in power. O’Reily sees through his plans, and instead plots together with Adebisi to slowly kill him by feeding him ground glass in his daily meals. He dies shortly before the riot at the end of season one.
Vern Schillinger, the leader of the Aryan brotherhood inside Oz, he features as the antagonist in the Beecher storyline. He has some redeeming moments, but usually returns to evil-doing shortly. He is eventually killed through a plot by Keller, in which he replaced a prop knife with a real one in in a prison version of Macbeth, which featured Beecher and Schillinger as antagonists. As such, it is Beecher who in the end unbeknownst to him uses the real knife to fatally stab Schillinger.
Jackson Vahue, a guest role of ex-NBA basketballer Rick Fox, the character, who is also a famous basketballer, becomes Hill’s idol upon entering Oz, but soon hits up the Homeboys for drugs, which prompts Hill to start looking up to Dobbins instead. Out of jealousy, he destroys Dobbins’ cello. But when Dobbins is stabbed, Vahue has a change of heart, and he is the one to carry Dobbins out of EmCity during the riot.
Kenny ‘Bricks’ Wangler is still a minor when he enters EmCity. He is held off by the then leader of the Homeboys, Keane, who does not want him to become a full on Homeboy. Afterwards, Kenny tries to join the Muslims, but gets sick of the taunting by the other inmates, and with Keane gone, joins the Homeboys. He figures prominently as Adebisi’s lieutenant, but gets killed when another inmate goes on a shooting spree with a gun he received from Adebisi in a plot to get McManus fired.
Staff:
Alvah Case is the Black Dean of Ferber University Law School. He heads the commission that will investigate the riot, but uses it as a vehicle to start his race to challenge Devlin as Governor. He loses the election and nothing more is heard of him.
Governor James Devlin figures as a stereotypical, White Republican. He advocates harsher punishments for prisoners, instituting among others the bans on smoking and conjugal visits in the first season, as well as reinstating the death sentence. He is pervasively portrayed as being corrupt, having a personal interest in the privatization of prison services and labour. He gets into a few scandals throughout the series, but is re- elected two times.
Warden Leo Glynn is a prison veteran, who as a Black man worked his way up from CO to Warden. He tries to navigate between McManus’ rehabilitative ideals, the CO’s habits and preferences, and Devlin’s hard Republican line. Overall he is a balanced and intricately good character, although he loses some of his self- control after the rape of his daughter by a group of Latino gangsters. He gets fatally stabbed by an inmate near the end of the series and gets replaced by Querns.
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CO Claire Howell enters in the third season. She is one of the more brutal COs, often being violent with inmates, while having sex with others, which O’Reily abuses to have her fix things for him. She also dates McManus for a while, but when he breaks up with her, she files sexual harassment charges, which she is eventually forced to withdraw. She has a singular humanizing storyline at the end of the series, when she learns she is pregnant by one of the inmates she has been having sex with, and ends up with a moral dilemma because her religious beliefs prohibit abortion.
Tim McManus is the direct opposite of Devlin. An idealistic college-educated man, McManus has no previous experience working in prisons until he is allowed to develop the new experimental unit EmCity. His vision of the inmates as fundamentally good humans often brings him into conflict with the CO’s, Warden and Governor, who all think his ideas are unrealistic, and dangerous because they give extra freedom to inmates. In the riot, he is blamed by several of the CO’s for creating the circumstances that allowed the inmates to plan the riot. He struggles with a god-complex, thinking everything that happens in EmCity is his responsibility and it is his failure when things go wrong. He dates most of the central female characters in the series at some point, but his obsession with work lead to him being alone at the end of the series, where he is fired by Querns over their previous disagreements on how to run EmCity.
Father Ray Mukada is a conflicted Asian-American priest. He got assigned to Oz after being too critical of his superiors. He is seen as often struggling with his tasks in prison, especially with inmates that he likes less. Nonetheless, he mostly tries his best, especially in his relationship with Alvarez. There are continued hints at him being homosexual, although this is never made explicit.
CO Sean Murphy enters EmCity after Whittlesey’s replacement is fired over his explicit Nazi-sympathies and collaboration with the Aryan inmates, McManus hires an old friend to take over as head CO of EmCity. An Irish CO, he is approached by O’Reily to collaborate with him. Though Murphy goes somewhat easier on O’Reily than on other inmates, he is mainly seen as incorruptible and generally more decent human being than other COs.
Dr Gloria Nathan is a Latina Doctor. She remains in the MedWard throughout most of the series. Although she is often portrayed as disgusted by the inmates, she tries to maintain the best care for them, even in the face of the privatization of the MedWard. While married, she is estranged for her husband, and dates McManus for a short time. During his treatment for breast cancer O’Reily falls in love with her. Unaware that they are estranged, he has her husband murdered. Nonetheless charmed by his manipulations, she struggles with her feelings for O’Reily. In a later season, she is raped. Unbeknownst to her, her rapist enters EmCity, but is killed by O’Reily, which leads to her falling in love with him too.
Martin Querns is a prison veteran unlike McManus. He takes over from McManus after the latterhas a nervous breakdown and the Warden wants a Black unit adminstrator. He is explicitly less concerned with the well- being or rehabilitation of the inmates, instead opting for something like a warehousing mentality. Under his auspices EmCity turns into a drugs fiend paradise for Black inmates, but when news of this reaches the Warden he is fired. At the end of the series he is hired by Devlin to instead become the Warden of all of Oz.
Sister Peter Marie Reimondo is one of the kindest figures on the show. She is a nun who works in Oz primarily as a psychologist, helping inmates deal with the systemic brutality imposed on them. Her anti-death penalty activism brings her into repeated conflict with the Warden and the Governor, leading her to be fired until she promises to no longer participate in the protests outside Oz every time there is an execution.
CO Diane Whittlesey is the sole CO that is consistently centre focus in the first season. A White woman, Whittlesey is living a precarious life with a young daughter and a dependent mother receiving chemotherapy. After the factory in her hometown closed, she had no choice but to start working in the prison, two hours’ drive from her hometown. She dates McManus on and off, but eventually meets a new
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guy in England and moves there with her daughter to marry him, leaving McManus heartbroken. Overall, she is a decent CO, not likely to be disproportionately violent or corrupt, except in the case of Scott Ross, where she is forced collaborate with him to be able to provide for her family. Eventually she kills him when threatens with blackmail.
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Appendix B: A Full Synopsis of Oz Season 1 Episode 1 General introduction to format: opening scenes, black Warden, Hispanic doctor, rest of staff nearly all white (except guard who lets b-boy into hole to kill Dino). Interludes showing crimes committed with reference to prisoner number. Prophet interludes to give commentary on prison conditions from inside his spinning bowl. Minimal music, mostly threatening drums with other ‘jungle?’ sounds in tense moments (nearly violent usually). Important shots tendency to be in black hallways or other surroundings, with spotlight on actors for focus. Throughout reference to gen pop as a far worse place than EmCity. Through time-stamps to show the ‘prison routine’. Locked up in cells already at 5pm, light don’t go out till 10pm. Beecher asks what am I supposed to those 5 hours, Rebadow answers: “try to survive”. Inmates in EmCity do not wear uniforms, guards do. Guards are referred to as cops. Episode opens with intro, then follows with stereotypical images of prisons (barbed wire, large ‘institution’, bars, Beecher center focus in shot, looking down, Alvarez gets stabbed, Beecher seen banging the bars, screaming no, no! Prophet: “Oz is retribution, wanna punish a man, separate him from his life, lock him up with his own kind. Oz is hard times doing hard time.” Beecher gets tricked by Schillinger to come live in his pod, brands him as livestock because “your ass is mine now.” Beecher shown depressed, unable to get out of bed throughout rest of the episode. Rest of episode focusses on Dino Ortilani, Beechers sponsor. A Lifer (life sentence without possibility of parole) he is on as Healy says, self-destruct. Suicidally depressed, he starts fight with everyone. Schibetta unable to keep him to wise-guy discipline. He beats up Keane’s gay brother after he makes a pass on him in the shower and is forced to work in the aids ward. Kills/euthanizes one of the nearly dead patients, and is sent to the hole. Lit on fire by one of Keane’s guys, with the aid of a black screw. Keane also put up to it by O’Reily who shows Keane he also has serious clout with Healy. Minor storyline is Saïd and the introduction of the smoking ban. Prophet: in Oz there’s always an undercurrent of fear, of violence. Waiting to explode. McManus about Saïd: “he’s like a powder keg”. Schillinger to Dino: he’s a threat. Narrative of possible riots (explosiveness) starting inherent to prison (boredom, routine, violent criminals!) or EmCity specifically, exacerbated by worsening conditions plus agitators. 2.30 selection of inmates3.00 recycle inmates 3.50 experimental unit, concentration camp, more rules routine 4.30 self-discipline 5.000 sponsors intro to routine 5.50 history Tobias Beecher
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6 predators 6.30 eyes everywhere McManus’ eyes (save inmates narrative) 7 never smile 7.30 Beecher targeted as outsider/new kid 7.50 Poet, violent poetry, ends with joke 8.20 targeting aggression form humiliation against fellow inmates 9.30 smoking ban small riot in cafeteria 10 work for profit not the work Tobias is used to (Prophet: “I hate lawyers almost as much as I hate cops” 11 5pm count, lockup with Adebisi, threats of rape 11.45 10 pm light outs 13.30 7am Schillinger suggests armor to Beecher (phonebooks) and the ban on ratting 15 livestock gets branded, your ass belongs to me. Prophet: it’s not the penal system but the penis system. 16 violent shakedowns aren’t enough 1645 staff conference, McManus not status for doing hard time. Breaking the status by doing non- cool stuff like quiet time. Rules from Governor, Warden says he doesn’t like them but has to maintain them anyway, fears inciting a riot. 18 Kareem Saïd, powder keg/political prisoner (agitator) 19 McManus: here in EmCity we respect each other, otherwise there’s violence. Saïd: like the outside world 20 Saïd: we can take the prison anytime we want to I run Oz 21: Prophet: undercurrent of fear, violence, waiting to explode. 24 Kareem preaching purity principles in “Satan’s house”, nervous drums in background. 26 Schillinger: Saïd threat Aryans and wise guys should stick together. 28 Schibetta in reference to gen pop: over the rainbow. 30 group discipline (Dino doesn’t kill O’Reily) 32 fight in shower between Dino and Kean’s gay brother, Dino attacks guards as well (self-destruct) 35 McManus: tech criminals to live together, give purpose to lifers 38 he wants to break the pattern of fight hole EmCity fight hole with Dino 39 O’Reily shows influence with Healy to Keane 40.30 Prophet: words + afraid of the routine rather than violence 44 aggression always accompanied by threatening music Dino to McManus: we ain’t ever gonna change, none of us.
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45.45 McManus playing god (by fucking with Dino, taking away conjugal, replacing with family time, behind glass) Nun: real ones gonna get really pissed off 51 Dino fights O’Reily, meets Saïd in hallway, Saïd tries to give advice, Dino: unfortunately you’re the wrong color 53 Dino kills aids patient, beat up by screws, McManus tries to shield him but gives up, taken to the hole, drugged by McManus and doc/ 53 Prophet: calm in lifer’s eyes, free by being ready to die, purposelessness in boring, endless routine. 54 Dino lit on fire in hole by black boy put up to it by Keane and O’Reily 55 McManus looks at pics of Dino’s burnt body, throws them down on desk in frustration.
S01E02 Visits, conjugal and otherwise We for the first time see the appearance of flashbacks to previous episodes. Continued portrayal of Grover (who ate his parents) as a psychopath/criminally insane with little hope of redemption as contrast to all the other who then have hope of redemption? General area continues to be populated during the day by people playing card games or dominos or watching television, or at the gym. Seems mainly boring. White people continue to dominate focus despite as Saïd says in first episode 70% of Oz’ population is POC. Unclear how much time has passed since last episode (more than one week seeing news report at end of episode) Episode opens with words by Prophet (Augustus Hill). Afterwards we first again pay attention to Beecher. Lady cop advises him to see Sister Pete about a conjugal with his wife. He succeeds but continues to be dominated by Schillinger. The rest of the episode focusses on the investigation into the murder of Ortolani though. The cops interrogate Schillinger as well, who does talk to them, and Keane, Schibetta and eventually O’Reily after he pledges to Schibetta. The cop scares O’Reily who gives up Johnny post to Schibetta who kills him. Minor storylines involve Keane getting married by proxy to his girlfriend Mavis. He first goes to McManus but he is unable to help him. Afterwards Keane goes to Saïd who is able to help him by going directly to the Warden. The Warden thus undermines the credibility of McManus, making Saïd the go to person if you need help. We see the histories of Keane, Schibetta and Prophet. The Asian Priest tries to break the pattern in Alvarez’ life (the Hispanic who gets stabbed in the first episode) whose father and grandfather are also in Oz. He brings Alvarez and his grandfather into contact in the hopes that this will make Alvarez a better father to his soon to be born into prison (Alvarez’ girlfriend also got arrested) son. 2.30 tense staff conference, who did it, Warden: enemy is out there not in here Huber 64
Homeboys/niggers, wise guys/dagos/Sicilians, Latinos/spics, Aryans/rednecks/whites, screws/hacks/cops/guards, Muslims/first nation 4.20 Schillinger to cop: the Sicilians understand that. The rest of these fucks would kill a man for a pair of sneakers or a fucking cigarette. They’re fucking animals 5 lady cop to Tobias: I could tell you you’re safe, but that’d a lie (for a guy like you!) 6.30 Sister Pete, Beecher arranges conjugal 11 strip search after conjugal, finds drugs on other inmate 13.30 Schillinger threatening Beecher's outside life through sons 14.20 Prophet: prags till death do us part 16 Governor press conference shown, introducing law banning conjugal visits 17 Prophet waiting in line applying for last minute conjugals, flashback to night of arrest. Runs from cops naked after they come to arrest him, shoots cop, other cops throws him from roof. 22.45 Keane: you say nothing Johnny 25 Keane history lifer. Shown in glass cube with Prophet, restlessly pacing 27.30 Keane first goes to McManus to marry Mavis, gets denied, goes to Saïd 29 Saïd goes to Warden, he allows Keane to get married, credibility McManus in danger 31 marriage by proxy while Hill sings ‘so happy together’ from his bowl 33 precarious lady cop: if I had a choice I wouldn’t be here, just like those inmates, trapped (Chevy plant in her hometown closed) 35 Priest: excellent example of how the penal system works: son father and grandfather in prison, child to be born in prison. 40 Prophet: genes are like the shackles they put on you here 44 Schibetta strip-searched after visit, history: up for parole in 70 45 McManus negotiating with Schibetta over revenge for Dino, asks patience, Schibetta says no 46 O’Reily moved into EmCity 52 Schibetta wife, O’Reily tells Schibetta about Johnny after being interrogated by cop in Schibetta's pocket 53 moving freely through other parts of prison 54 Johnny tied up in electrical closet, killed by Schibetta guys 55 news report on second death: it’s still news, at least one week has passed after Dino’s death +smoking ban is already in effect + conjugal ban is passed in congress.
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S01E03 God’s Chillin Episode opens with service for Johnny post. First time not focusing on Beecher first. Prophet says gangster culture is like a religion, forcing you to obey a leader and follow a code, then at the end of the episode calls god the greatest gangster, ‘holding the whole world in his hands’. Conflict between the gangs further escalates as Adebisi gets into a fight with a wise guy in the gym, then the wise guys send Johnny’s dick in a box to Keane. Prophet asks but what if you stop believing as Keane is hesitant to retaliate. Warden tries to control the situation by bringing heads of gang together, they promise but escalation continues. Keane lights his cell on fire to end up in hole, gets beat up by Healy in name of O’Reily. O'Reily gets the okayed by Schibetta to kill Keane. O’Reily puts the hacks up to it. In reference to the Corcoran prison fights, the hacks put Keane in an empty gym together with two Latinos in a fight to the death while looking on and filming. Keane kills one, prompting the other to run and the Warden to call for a full lockdown. The Governor comes down to the prison, lifts the lockdown and calls the FBI to start an investigation into the murder. Minor storylines involve Beecher starting as ‘lawyer’ for O’Reily and doing administrative work for Sister Pete, while still being Schillinger bitch (being publicly humiliated by licked Schillinger's boots). Kenny is a new inmate, 16 years old, who first tries to get in with the Homeboys, but Keane holds him off, Kenny goes to Saïd. Keane looks on as Kenny is introduced to Muslim rules and habits, but Kenny can’t stand the ridicule of the Muslims by others and goes back to the Homeboys to get high. Saïd comes to yell at them, which prompts Keane to convert to Islam. Alienates himself from the Homeboys as Adebisi takes over. McManus also comes under FBI investigation and implicates hacks as accomplices in murders. Alvarez has a humanizing storyline, with his boy being born, sick and he is in confessional with the Priest. He feels guilty for bragging about how beautiful his baby is and asks Priest not to punish his baby for his pride. 2,20 service for Johnny 5 Prophet: gangster culture is a religion forcing you to obey, but what if you stop believing? 7 pattern of escalation Adebisi fights a wise guy in the gym 8 Warden has commissioner breathing in his needs meets with gang heads (Schibetta, Keane, Saïd) we don’t want a riot, do we? 9 first appearance Beecher as messenger boy for Schillinger 940 wise guys provoke Keane by sending Johnny’s dick Keane lights fire, wants to go to the hole 11.20 cellblock 3 fag unit 11.40 Healy beats up Keane to protect O’Reily
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12 O’Reily (life, up for parole in 12) history, drinking and smoking in pod while journalists watch from below 15 Beecher: they made example of me by sending me here 18 Beecher begins work for Sister Pete 1830 loss of identity in entering prison system, Beecher: god isn’t in Oz 21 O'Reily introducer Beecher to drugs, knows hiding place away from cops 24 Kenny history (20 years up for parole in 6), 16 years old, want to join Homeboys 25.30 in prison emotions can be more real than a shank 26.30 Kenny goes to Saïd after Keane holds him off. Keane watches from above as Kenny is introduced to Muslim rules/habits 28.30 Kenny can’t deal with ridicule of Muslims (by Schillinger, O’Reily), goes to hang with Homeboys doing crack. 29.10 Mavis cheats/ Keane flips 30 Saïd catches Kenny doing drugs with Adebisi/Keane: “he be out at 22, he can still have a life”. Keane converts to Islam and disses gay brother 35 Keane falls out with Homeboys, no longer part of the gang. Adebisi takes over. 37 Schibetta okays hit on Keane by O’Reily, he goes to Healy. Pits Muslims against hacks 28 reference to prison fights. Keane put in gym with two Latinos, kills one, while hacks look on and film. Warden orders lockdown 40 Warden calls death interrelated and race in the making 40.40 Governor: these people are criminals, this is a prison. The whole point is to strip them of their basic human needs. 41 Governor: this is mount Olympus; you (McManus) think you’re god, the Warden thinks he is a greater god and I'm Zeus, omnipotent. 43 Governor orders end of lockdown, Warden: lockdown shows we're in control, Governor calls FBI to investigate murder. 48 Latinos target Keane for killing one of them. 49.3 Alvarez’ kid is born, sick, Alvarez blames himself for bragging and thus offending god to Priest (human interlude, could have happened inside prison as well as outside) 54.3 Prophet: god is greatest gangster 55 McManus looks at Keane in the hole, praying.
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S01e04 Capital P Episode opens with Keane being condemned to dead. Episode deals with the question of the morality of the death sentence. Keane gets a short stay of execution to donate kidney to sick sister, and tries to convince father to acknowledge his gay brother. Sister Pete goes to protest death penalty outside prison and is fired but rehired after the execution of Keane. Keane seems acceptant, repentant of killing. He is contrasted to a serial killer who is unrepentant and unaccepting of dying, l’Italien, who confesses all of his murders (38) after his appeal is denied. Minor storylines: O’Reily continues to gain influence, gaining clout with Schibetta and finding it easy to play Adebisi and Kenny. Beecher starts a short ‘detective/hero’ narrative by seeking justice for Keane by looking into gladiator fights, despite Keane not wanting him to, as he believes his death by state hands will restore calm in EmCity. Beecher is quickly shut down by O’Reily and Schillinger, as is his accomplice Rebadow who is shut down by the hacks for asking too many questions. Alvarez kid dies, but McManus is able to use his autonomy as director of EmCity to give him temp release to visit his son before he dies. General notes: histories half black and white, other half normal color Flashbacks are a thick blue filter over the previous scene 2 Keane condemned to death 3 staff conference Sister Pete to join protests against death penalty outside Oz, Warden fires her 5 history: Rebadow last person unsuccessfully executed in the state (34 years ago) 7 O’Reily flips from friendly to aggressive on the moment of too many questions 8 Beecher starts to investigate Keane gladiator fight turns into detective narrative 13 Rebadow attacked by hacks for asking after tape of gladiator fight 1330 Beecher detective narrative shut down by O’Reily and Schillinger. Beecher sniffs heroin (clip from intro) 16 Saïd seizes upon watching intense news report 19 McManus and Warden try to intercede on Keane's behalf to give him time to donate kidney to his sister 2030 Priest not in Oz by choice either (assignment because too critical off cardinal) 3260 Prophet: (for lifers) death is parole. Death is mercy. 24.30 O’Reily plays Adebisi and Kenny to kill a wise guy who he owes money for him 28.20 Alvarez’ kid dying, McManus uses his autonomy as EmCity boss to grant Alvarez temp release to visit his son
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32 Keane’s father comes to visit 33 Keane tries to convince his father to acknowledge his gay son 36 McManus and doctor continue to grow more intimate, but argue later about death penalty 38 lady cop: I can’t even stand to watch a flower die, let alone a human being 39.30 McManus asks lady cop to dinner. 40 Keane on death row talking through mirror with other inmate. 42.30 First time numbers are mentioned of a national context showing idiocy of current death penalty processes 43 execution images cut up with McManus and lady cop having sex. Tense beat and Prophet talking about context/death penalty in background. 44 Keane last words: this punishes my family more than me, killing me won’t bring the people I killed back, repentant about murders. 46 Keane is contrasted to a remorseless serial killer who confesses to 38 murders of young women. (Confessing under threat of dying?) 51.30 l'Italien not ready for execution, unlike Keane 53.30 Warden: maybe god is just as confused as all of us about the death penalty.
S01e05 Straight Life (Drugs) This episode deals with renewed effort by McManus and the Warden to control the drug flows. Simultaneously it shows the appeal of drugs to inmates and is framed by Prophet as the number one source of violence within the prison. McManus catches Kenny, the underage inmate doing drugs and suggests a lack of constant surveillance on the hacks. He tries to get Saïd to help him. After Saïd is diagnosed with hypertension, which he blames on racism, McManus threatens to force him to take the medication, which prompts Saïd to implicate the hacks in the drug flows. McManus has already removed all wise guys but Schibetta to stunt his ability to move drugs. Schibetta turns to the Homeboys under the leadership of Markstrom (who got sent to EmCity as the Warden’s cousin), who turns out to be an undercover DEA agent. He gets killed by the Homeboys and Schibetta after the drugs flow in the post office, which was set up as bait by Schibetta is busted. However, it is actually Ronnie, under coordination by O’Reily who led McManus to the post office. O’Reily then uses Ronnie to rat on Healy who is also smuggling drugs, after being asked to bust Healy’s operation by Schibetta. O’Reily is put in the hole (where a month passes within a minute) and the complicity between hacks becomes apparent when Ronnie gets beaten up hacks for ratting on Healy. Huber 69
Minor storylines. Scott Ross is moved to EmCity. He is a lifer and an old friend of Diane (lady cop). He tries to get Diane to smuggle in cigarettes for him. Diane agrees only after double shifts are banned, which she relies on to supply for her family. Both Beecher and Alvarez continue getting more addicted to drugs, as Beecher continues to be humiliated and degraded by Schillinger and Alvarez continues to suffer from the death of his baby son. Prophet closes of the episode with the frame: you’re not gonna get rid of drugs until you kill the pain. As such, the entire episode seems also a general comment on Nixon’s war on drugs still going on the US. General notes: lady cop’s name is Diane. Tits is slang for drugs. Histories sill always confirm inmates guilty of the crimes they were convicted for. On drugs camera continues looking near ‘slow motion/ fluid’, distorted sound from ‘outside (Sister Pete talking), buzzing noise from ‘inside’. 1.40 opens with Kenny smuggling drugs 2.40 Prophet shown lying in wild water/stormy backgrounds: ‘floods out of control, everyone trying to stop it, everyone dies to it. 3 McManus catches Kenny doing drugs, asks for better eyes on inmates, blames hacks for lack of control 4.30 mc asks Saïd for help to stop flow (Schibetta) 7.30 MC removes all wise guys but Schibetta from EmCity Schibetta goes to Homeboys (Markstrom as head of, undercover DEA) to stay in power 9 Prophet: sixty percent of violence in prison is due to tits 13 Ronnie turns rat because he’s in debt to Adebisi 14 O’Reily helps Ronnie, who passes information on post office to McManus who busts it. 16.30 Markstrom killed by Adebisi because he is blamed for bust in post office. Unclear whether really responsible Warden locks down place + presence of possibly more undercovers creates mistrust between inmates 18.30 Schibetta plays Adebisi to be his new henchman 20 Alvarez trapped in fishbowl, fiending for tits 23 Scott Ross, lifer, old friend of Diane, is moved into EmCity 25.30 Scott joins Aryans, offers Diane opportunity to make money 28 commissioner forbids double shifts, this fucks Diane as she is reliant on double shifts to pay bills. 29 Diane goes to Scott for survival money, starts smuggling in cigarettes. 30 Saïd diagnosed with hypertension, blames racism, refuses to take drugs because of side effects. 34 McManus threatens to force Saïd to take drugs if he doesn’t help control drug flow. Saïd implicates hacks, Warden starts investigating, image switches to Healy smuggling drugs. Huber 70
37 Schibetta asks O’Reily to bring down Healy 38.40 O’Reily uses Ronny to bring down Healy 39 O’Reily taken to hole for a month, passes within a minute 40.30 hacks beat down on Ronnie for ratting on Healy. 42 O’Reily and Adebisi in competition for Schibetta favor, Adebisi frustrated 44 Schillinger continues bullying Beecher, gay kiss hidden from camera, Beecher continues using. 45.3 on drugs camera continues looking near ‘slow motion/ fluid’, distorted sound from ‘outside (Sister Pete talking), buzzing noise from ‘inside’. 47 Sister Pete tries to ‘nip it (Beecher’s drug addiction) in the bud’ 48.20 Beecher defends drug use against mother with: ‘you don’t know it’s like in here, thank the heavens.’ 53 gay inmates hugging/kissing under shower 54.30 Alvarez goes into psychosis on Grover's LSD 55 Prophet: you’re not gonna get rid of drugs until you kill the pain.
S01E06 To your health Body & Mind The episode deals with the interrelated stress put on body and mind and how stress on the body, like in Saïd case, puts stress on the mind, who doesn’t want to take drugs because it will cloud his mind, or Beecher whose continued humiliation ends when Schillinger decides he is done with him and forces him to wear a confederate shirt, knowing this will get him killed by the Homeboys. Instead Beecher's mind snaps and he smashes a pod window (which are made of glass!) harming Schillinger. Minor storylines: Schibetta puts O’Reily into conflict with Adebisi by letting him take over the kitchen which belonged to the Homeboys. O’Reily however organizes with Adebisi to kill Schibetta together by putting ground glass in his food, making sure they don’t get caught. A new Muslim brother, Huseni, enters the emerald city, putting Saïd’s Muslim code at odds with the street code again, as he is easily provoked by Scott and wants to fight. Saïd suffers another heart attack and Huseni leaves him to die in their pod. The episode ends with Saïd seemingly being revived by the doc. General notes: officers always patrolling common area during day. Histories are mostly of violent crimes. 2 as Rebadow is violently robbed in scree, Prophet: the prison system can keep you alive but it can’t take care of you 3.4 McManus grows increasingly frustrated and unhappy, assault Kenny, who robbed Rebadow Huber 71
7 Rebadow starts fantasizing about escape, tries, gets heart attack (?) 13 Warden: if he doesn’t know he is in prison, he is already free, isn’t he? 19 Prophet: mind is like the body, constantly under assault fear, hate and loneliness, worse than cancer tumor 20 cabaret show in the cafeteria, Beecher high, dressed up as a woman, sings 24 McManus: he’s in prison, his life is totally out of his control 27 psychological investigation into Beecher’s addiction, self-abuse/self-destruct self-hate 29 Schillinger tries to get rid of Beecher by making him wear a confederate shirt and getting him killed 30.30 Beecher snaps, high on PCP, smashed a window of Schillinger’s pod, half blinding Schillinger with the glass (!) 32.30 Schibetta puts O’Reily in charge of kitchen and thus Adebisi 34.30 O’Reily and Adebisi organize to kill Schibetta sneakily with ground glass together 41 (famous basketball star) adjusting finding ways to survive 42.30 educational program black history 45 Poet: been looking for freedom but keep returning a fiend, drowning out the past 47 dream Prophet, warm colors, slow motion 48.45 Saïd continues refusing drugs, says he accepts drugs 51 new Muslim brother, Huseni, sponsored by Saïd, but street Muslim, brings Muslim code into conflict with street code (not accepting shit etc.) 53 street code in conflict with, Muslim code 54.30 Huseni leaves Saïd to die in their pod
S01E07 Plan B – escalation of tensions Tensions spiral out of control as Huseni is banished by a recovered Saïd, and goes to rat to McManus and the Warden. Huseni kills himself after being moved to gen pop, and Saïd uses this to try to get media-attention for prison conditions. In response to Huseni ratting, the Warden orders a shakedown, finding a lot of weapons and drugs. McManus takes away television and gym privileges for two months, and the Warden bans all gang paraphernalia, i.e. a targeted ban against Muslim prayer mats kufi’s etc. Saïd responds with a nonviolent disturbance action by letting all Muslims drum with their spoons in the cafeteria while the Warden makes an announcement. All other inmates join in. Groves gets inspired by Saïd’s actions and tries to kill the Warden, but accidentally kills a CO instead. The hacks start taking their anger out on the inmates, worsening relations. Saïd continues planning a riot and receives a gun from a new, Muslim, hack. He also talks a lot with Huber 72
Schibetta, while O’Reily, Scott and Adebisi feel left out and start organizing for the riot behind their backs. Schibetta falls ill due to the glass. Minor storylines: Beecher gets out of the hole and fight Schillinger again in the gym. Shits on a passed out Schillinger while Adebisi and O’Reily cheer on. Pervasive remarks about Beecher and McManus as ‘eggheads’ having a distorted view of reality and becoming bitter when reality doesn’t turn out the way they want to suggesting losing control of the situation. Prophet becomes inspired by a new inmate, a cello player after being dragged further down the drug spiral by his old hero, the basketball player. However, the basketballer destroys the cello out of jealousy for the new attention for the player. General notes: gen pop = bars, EmCity = glass 2.30 Prophet: burke quote (all schemes made by men and mice go awry) McManus is watching as his dream for a perfect prison fart away 3.30 Huseni tries to take over from Saïd 5 Saïd recovers and starts taking medications, banishes Huseni 5.30 Prophet: people do horrible things, that’s why we have prisons 7 Poet’s poem about kidnapping the president’s wife and putting her in a poor black woman’s perspective and telling her to fend for herself 10 Huseni goes to Adebisi for help, then to Warden /McManus, suggesting Saïd is planning riot 13 Warden order shakedown finds lots of weapons drugs McManus takes away privileges (TV, gym) 15 walk of ‘shame’ Huseni for ratting, kills himself when moved to gen pop 16 Saïd uses suicide to ask for media attention, Warden instates press blackout 18 Warden instates repression of Muslim paraphernalia 20 speech by Warden disturbed by spoons banging on tables in cafeteria. Muslims start on Saïd’s order, rest of inmates join in. Grover radicalizes by Saïd’s words and impression with action. 23 Groves tries to kill Warden but kills a co by accident, condemned to death. 25 death of colleague leads to mass mistreatment of inmates by hacks. 27 McManus treated as outsider by Burano: reality is hard for you, isn’t it? 29 Saïd receives gun from new hack 32.40 groves overdoses on death row 35 groves bound into execution chair (image from intro) executed by firing squad 41 famous basketballer continues dragging Prophet down in drug spiral 43 McManus overlooks cafeteria as well as common area EmCity
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44 basketballer destroys cello out of jealousy 44.40 rumors Saïd starting riot, talking with Schibetta, organizing? Aryans, Homeboys and O’Reily left out 45.30 O’Reily goes to Adebisi to organize/prepare for riot 47.40 Schibetta starts bleeding everywhere while playing cards as result of glass in food 48 O’Reily and Adebisi go to Saïd to organize 49.30 Prophet: after a big bad event you only become more of the person you already were 50 Beecher still in the hole 51 Schillinger to McManus: you eggheads still the world is the way you see it, if it turns out it isn’t, you turn a little bitter. 54 Beecher fights Schillinger in gym, shits on his face, while O’Reily, Adebisi cheer on.
S01E08 A Game of Checkers RIOT Tensions finally erupt into a full-scale riot in the season finale. Erupts suggest a natural development, but everyone was already primed by the rumors of a riot breaking out. Saïd tries to control the breakout of the riot by having one of his men provoke the guard till the point where the guards hits the prisoner. However, before this plan can come into effect, a fight between two Aryans/bikes breaks out over a game of checkers and as the hacks try to intervene they turns against the hacks, soon joined by nearly all other inmates. The hacks inside, and the Priest who was talking with Alvarez, are beaten up and then taken hostage. Saïd restores order by firing his gun in the air and proclaiming: “now, let’s get organized”. Scott and O’Reily take control of the gate, Adebisi of McManus office, Alvarez of the hostages and Saïd himself of the inspectors lodge. The leaders sit together to create a democratic council to make decisions. Saïd says he want to share power, they formalize the distribution of spaces and tasks and start making a list of demands. They get food in exchange for letting McManus inspect the hostages. He negotiates with the council to have himself exchanged for two wounded hostages. The leaders of the gangs keep the calm between the groups, except for some small retributions against hacks for past misdoing. After receiving the demands the Governor refuses negotiations and sends in the heavily armed cops. The lights go out and the prisoners put the hostages on the front line as human shield. The cops come in with teargas and start shooting with live bullets, one person is seen shot dead. Minor storylines: Diane is caught smuggling by McManus, given second chance. She goes to Scott to tell him that shell stop but he won’t let her, threatening to rat on her if she does. Schillinger is almost up for parole and tries to behave perfectly. In the chaos of the riot Beecher comes up to provoke him but fails to get him to bite.
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Inside the hostage room, a hack blames the riot on McManus’ wishful thinking he could help prisoners. McManus goes up to Saïd and reveals he grew up near Attica. Saïd says the Attica brought real reforms in prisons and wants the same, claims the riot is supposed to bring about better justice “You want to save this place right? I wanna destroy this building brick by hypocritical brick. 1.40 Prophet: the world changes because of us the anonymous. Revolutions happen because there is not enough bread 4.30 Schillinger almost up for parole tries to get back into EmCity 8 Prophet: in Oz we wear our game face all day 9 Diane caught smuggling by McManus, he gives Diane a second chance 11.30 Diane tries to stop, Scott won’t let her, threatens to rat 14 Saïd organizes for Muslim to be hit first, by provoking guard 17.30 Alvarez runs Latino crew 18.30 fights breaks out over game of checkers, biker/Aryan takes swing at hacks as they try to stop fight, everyone jumps on hacks 19.30 Diane cornered in inspectors lodge, O’Reily and Ross take over gate. Priest beat up as well 20.30 Adebisi takes over McManus’ office 2200 Alvarez sets fire, Saïd takes control by firing gun: “now let’s get organized”, gate blockaded 23 Warden comes to gate asks for leader, then for Saïd, who makes his way to gate with other Muslims 24 conference to create a democratic council with Alvarez, O’Reily, Adebisi, Scott and Saïd. Saïd says he wants to share power, lays out plan for distribution of tasks (Alvarez asks to be the one to guard hostages to be able to protect Priest). Together they start making a list of demands 27.30 Those on the margins (not involved in gang/council) try to survive 28.30 Adebisi Scott and O’Reily sticking together to always win majority vote in council 30.30 Beecher uses chaos to provoke Schillinger, who doesn’t bite. 32 Prophet: we really love comebacks 33.40 Alvarez gives bucket to hostage hacks “like in the hole”. Beats up hostage hack as revenge for much earlier joke about dead son 35 Saïd has taken over inspectors lodge 36.30 O’Reily breaks up fight between Aryans/Homeboys, keeps the calm 38 hardline approach by prison staff under pressure by Governor 40.10 orderly distribution of sandwiches 41.30 Alvarez to McManus: you ain’t king shit any more here 42.40 McManus convinces council to trade himself for two wounded hostages Huber 75
43 demand list: talk to media, no repercussions, conjugals and smoking allowed again 43.30 Governor refuses negotiations 44.20 hack blames riot on McManus’ wishful thinking he could help prisoners 46.0 McManus reveals growing up near Attica to Saïd 47 Saïd: even the best prison isn’t good enough. This riot is about better justice. You want save this place right? I wanna destroy this building brick by hypocritical brick 49 O’Reily shifts allegiance to Saïd a bit 51 Homeboys run out of tits, start rampaging, get tied up by Saïd and the Muslims who still have overweight by virtue of the gun 52 Adebisi history stereotypical ‘black predator’’, lifer, psychotic junkie 53 light turns off, signaling the start of cops coming back in to take back control. Hostages moved to frontline as human shield 54 tear gas, random shooting, hostage? dies. Blockade broken up 55 Prophet: these are the faceless victims we don’t want to think about (unmournables, Butler) 55.20 Prophet, quotes Oz: There’s no place like home
S02E01 The Tip The Blame Game After the last episode this one is rather anti-climactic, especially critically seen. An investigator (Alvah Case) is appointed by the Governor who promises him the position of attorney general if the findings are positive, but rather than a moral discussion of the riot the episode focusses on one case that Case takes an interest to: the murder of Scott Ross. Diane is confirmed guilty but it is covered up by the investigator and the Warden to not ruin Diane’s life. The episode does end with an indictment of the Governor, saying that he is at least as much to blame for the deaths (2CO’s, 6 Prisoners) as the riot leaders. General note: Beecher continues cycle of the holy, crazier each time he comes meaning that he ends up back in quicker. Image continues of GenPop as a dark, loud, dirty, crowded hellhole compared to light, clean emerald city. 2 riot limited to EmCity 2.30 2 CO dead, 6 prisoners 3 Prophet out of breath: McManus, who invented emerald city and according to some ran it into the ground 3.30 leaders kicked into solitary, EmCity temp closed down, prisoners moved into GenPop 6 gen pop: crowded, loud, dark 7 lots of tension between EmCity visitants and GenPop residents
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11 Saïd: righteous struggle against repression and injustice 13.30 sum up of reasons for riot from different perspectives 15 Case (interrogator appointed by Governor as head of commission, promised position as attorney general if results suit Governor) takes interest in Scott as possible murder 20 S.O.R.T. member unintentionally implicates a CO as murderer 22 Beecher bites cock of other inmate raping him, gets sent into hole 25 34 hour lock up in gen pop because of lockdown? 32 Case calls murder of Ross endemic to Oz 34.30 Alvarez smuggling drugs out of med ward 41 Schillinger rats a little bit on Ross and Diane to case 42 Rebadow fills in blanks 46.30 McManus shot with Saïd’s gun 50 Case accuses Diane of shooting Ross 51 Diane talks about feeling of riot 52.30 commission concludes that if prisoners are guilty so is the Governor, suggests not persecuting riot leaders: ‘no one in particular is at fault’. Case runs for governor.
S02E02 Ancient Tribes Emerald city is reopened after ten months. Architecture is the same, but McManus wants to take another approach. First, instead of large gangs, he now orders the inmates into ten gangs (thus the ancient tribes framing it like this group ordering is natural or has always been around) with four members each, one of whom gets to sit on the EmCity council to have some influence and air grievances. He hopes having equal groups will ensure more balance. However the groups immediately begin plotting against each other, while natural alliances form (between Aryans and bikers for example, while O’Reily representing the micks tries to get good with the wise guys). The wise guys under the leadership of Schibetta’s son try to take back control lost with the death of Schibetta. They have clout with the Warden and are able to take back the kitchen. Second, McManus becomes more pragmatic. While he has some ideals, he is willing to bend the rules (he literally says fuck the rules) to make it possible. Third, EmCity will be more focused on education, making it mandatory for everyone without one to work towards a high school diploma. Minor storyline the Warden’s daughter is raped and put in the hospital by a group of Latinos. He takes it out on Alvarez but after speaking with Sister Pete he comes back on this. O’Reily is diagnosed with breast cancer, endangering as it makes him seem weak and feminine.
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Schillinger tries to get Beecher killed but is set up by Diane, who tapes him, and turning him over to McManus, who puts him in the hole and tries to make sure he gets convicted another time. General notes: throughout history of the end of Aztecs (had fucked up rituals, believed Spanish were gods, weren’t prepared for Spanish technology (cannon), got finished up by disease (smallpox) significance? In inmate histories only wise guys predominantly not in for violent crimes. 2em city opens up again after 10 months 3 McManus: it’s a new deal, a better deal. He instates 10 groups, each with four members and one representative on the emerald city council. Muslims, gangsters, Latinos, Italians, Irish, Aryans, bikers, Christians, gays and the Others (Hill, Rebadow, Beecher and the Mole, new inmate). McManus: the success of our lives depends on us 5 immediate plotting begins between groups 6.30 McManus blames shitty background for criminal behavior 8 McManus: this is a prison, not a democracy 10 new system focusses on education (mandatory education for all inmates without high school diploma) 12 McManus: fuck the rules. He becomes more pragmatic 13.30 inmate volunteer teacher pushes Kenny to read, Kenny assaults him 15 McManus finds out Kenny can’t read at all 16.30 Prophet: you gotta fight even if you know you’re gonna lose 18 wise guys try to take back control 19 O’Reily tries to into good favor with wise guys 21.30 Warden owes peter Schibetta, son of old Schibetta (dead) and now leader of wise guys 28 Schillinger unsuccessfully asks all old groups to kill Beecher, goes to Diane 33 Diane set Schillinger up, his parole gets cancelled and he gets charged with conspiracy to commit murder. 37 Warden's daughter in hospital. He picks up Alvarez because of disturbance during his speech (daily? Weekly? Monthly?) to prisoners 40 he punishes Alvarez by making him stand around in the office doing nothing while he works, so that Alvarez misses visiting time 44 Warden punches Alvarez after he hits on secretary. Alvarez hits back, gets taken to the hole 46 Warden admits to nun his daughter was raped by group of Latinos. 51.30 O’Reily diagnosed with breast cancer, he worries about it making him seem week (feminine disease) 54.30 O’Reily: any weakness at all and I’m dead Huber 78
S02E03 Some relatively equal storylines. McManus continues to be invested in Kenny’s education, but Adebisi tries to pressure Kenny from the other side, trying to sabotage McManus effort. This is framed by Prophet telling us that if prisoners get a high school diploma in prison, recidivism goes way down, even more if they get a college diploma. The judge that convicted Hill is convicted for taking bribes himself. Saïd takes on Hill’s case to claim faulty process and indict the unfair justice system that privileges rich and whites. Meanwhile, Saïd also receives about twenty copies of his book that he wrote about the prison while still inside. O’Reily’s diagnosis is confirmed, and he is taken to the treatment. Instead of getting the most fitting treatment, he gets the cheapest, as the treatment is not covered by insurance and the prison has to pay. His brother who has a mental disability comes to visit him, and O’Reily is shown as a kind, human brother. Schillinger gets out of the hole and is moved to gen pop. He is beaten up by Homeboys there, due to the Aryan brotherhood losing too much of its power to guarantee his safety. He orders the kill of a recently convicted Jew to show that they still have power. The murder is met with a lot less impact than in season one, with no news reports being shown, no investigation being started (i.e. it becomes more business as usual). General note: most action is limited to Oswald itself, even for staff. We look outside only in the case of inmate histories, a visit to the hospital, the rape of the Warden’s daughter, news on the TV (although usually in format as it is shown on TV, as if we are the prisoners watching it, excepting press conferences by Devlin and investigation committee), protests against the death penalty just outside. Further contact with the outside world is limited to visiting hours (mostly through glass) and phone calls, on which we only hear the inmate, not the other person talking. From this point out I reserve the term Prophet for when Hill is in his bowl and is eloquent etc. Hill I reserve for when we encounter him in normal prison circumstances and he struggles much more with words etc. 2 end of millennium, Prophet discusses lack of impact inmates have on the walk of history 4.30 Alvarez knows who raped Warden’s daughter, ‘questioned’ by Warden 6.30 wise guys offer to help the Warden to find out who raped his daughter, he refuses because he doesn’t want to owe the wise guys anymore and because it’s ‘wrong’ 9 history of the Mole, he starts digging his way out after lights out, covered by Rebadow 10.30 mundane shit like farting in a glass box 11.30 Poet: life frustrated me, head-butting me while the ref ain’t looking 15 Kenny: I don’t miss that mop at all man Huber 79
16 Adebisi threatened by Kenny’s education 17.30 Adebisi thinks Warden gave kitchen to wise guys to starts animosity between them 21 McManus finds out Adebisi is sabotaging Kenny’s education 22.30 Prophet: education makes return to prison less likely, California spent more money on penal system than on higher education 28.30 Saïd receives book he wrote about riot, passes them around, claims: this shows the truth can never be silenced 29.40 Rebadow: you can’t overthrow the system; Saïd: I’m gonna make the law devour itself 31 Hill’s judge convicted, Saïd takes on his case 38.30 diagnosis O’Reily (breast cancer) confirmed 43 O’Reily’s brother has a mental disability, O’Reily is shown as kind to his brother (humanizing) 46 O’Reily unable to say thank you, changes it into an IOU instead 49 gem pop and EmCity mix in workplaces 50.30 Schillinger beat up in gen pop 52 Jew murdered by Aryan brotherhood (shot form intro) less impact (no news report, no investigation etc.) than in season 1 55 closing scene, looking back at the prison from history, all the people that were in their disappeared suggesting they are not noted in history
S02E04 Losing your appeal Hill and Saïd get into conflict because Hill senses he is being used as his cause, and resents this, as the hearing is about his life. His appeal gets rejected and he gives up hope, as the hope hurts more than the law. McManus and Saïd work together to get Poet published with Saïd’s publisher, and Saïd makes Poet his new cause, mobilizing on the outside to get Poet an early parole as gifted victim of a barbaric prison system. He gets disappointed in Poet however when he finds out he is using the publishers money to buy drugs, and preaches to him. Minor storylines: O’Reily operation is a success, he is however still on chemo. He gets sent back into EmCity and is tested by the other inmates, gets into a fight. For his protection he gets sent back to the med ward rather than into the hole. There is attraction between O’Reily and doc Nathan, O’Reily tries to kiss her, he gets sent back to EmCity. Schibetta and Adebisi both try to link together with Alvarez and the Latinos, on the condition that he kills the other. He refuses, and hopes they fight it out together. A new inmate comes in, gets to bunk with Beecher after Hill is moved by McManus to stop pod mates form getting too attached to each other. Beecher backs new inmate in fight after which Huber 80
inmate tries them to get to stick together and trust each other. Revealed new inmate is working for Schillinger. General notes: all music remains tense. Never relaxed/ happy. Adebisi, the stereotypical black predator, is also the only recent immigrant to us. 3.30 Hanlon history, in it for drugs 5 Hanlon rats to McManus to save own skin after pushing other inmate of balcony and killing him 6.30 Hanlon intimidated by a CO to retract testimony to McManus and also cop to killing Vogel, otherwise he’ll kill him. 10 hearing Hill, state calls it outside of court’s jurisdiction 11.30 Rebadow: incarceration was a concept 12 Hill afraid Saïd merely using him, not getting the best for him personally 14 conflict Hill and Saïd: Hill: this is not our cause, it’s my life 16.30 Judge rules against Hill, Hill “it’s not the law I can’t handle, it’s the hope. Saïd: all we have is hope. Hill: no all I have is Oz 20 Saïd and McManus work together to get Poet published 24.30 Saïd disappointed Poet still sucking tits, preaches to Poet, he becomes new cause 28 O’Reily operation success, on chemo in med ward, returns to EmCity 30 O’Reily tested, gets into fight, taken back to med ward 32.30 attraction between doc and O’Reily 35 O’Reily in love with doc, taken back into EmCity 36 Rebadow joins the Mole in digging operation 39.30 council meeting ends in raucous 40 Schibetta tries to get in bed with Latinos, on condition they kill Adebisi 41 Alvarez refuses. Adebisi approaches him with same offer 42 Alvarez stays back and hopes they it out among themselves 45 McManus moving prisoners around pods to stop them getting attached 46 new inmate backed by Beecher in fight with Aryans 48 McManus forces Beecher to face presiding judge for therapeutic reasons 50 judge: punishment exceeded the crime 51 Beecher; if you’re looking for forgiveness you’re looking in the wrong place. I can give you as much forgiveness as that girl I killed can give me 54 Keller: we should stick together, trust each other, revealed working for Schillinger.
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S02E05 Family Bizness Poet is paroled and the students hold a graduation ceremony. The Governor tells McManus and the Warden that there is no more budget for the program next year. McManus responds by inviting the press to the graduation ceremony and announcing the Governor’s plans in his speech. The rest of the episode deals mainly with family issues, as it is revealed that the leverage Schibetta has on the Warden is evidence of a murder the Wardens brother committed. After the Warden convinces his brother to turn himself in, he breaks the power the wise guys have over him. He puts Adebisi back in charge off the kitchen, who with info on the leverage that he has gotten form Alvarez decides to poison young Schibetta as well. Minor storylines: McManus continues to investigate Diane’s involvement in the murder of Scott Ross. After confiding in a poker buddy/hack, who tells Diane, Diane and McManus come into further conflict. Kenny turns around on Poet, actually looking up to him, as Poet becomes class valedictorian and is paroled. O’Reily continues to be obsessed with Doctor Nathan, stalking her. Sister Pete tries to convince him to stop, but instead he gets his mentally disabled brother to kill Doctor Nathan’s wife for him. Beecher’s wife kills herself, letting herself be found by their kids. She sends a note to Beecher, blaming him for killing her. Beecher breaks down and grows closer with Keller, Schillinger’s agent. General notes: outside image of Beecher’s kids finding Genevieve. Music also threatening in general. 2.30 Schillinger asks Saïd to represent him at trial 4 conflict between Kenny and Poet, McManus punishes Kenny by calling deal off 5 McManus lenient with Poet because he gives EmCity good image 6 Poet granted parole, announced in class to set him up as role model. 7 Governor still skeptical of EmCity, announces end of education program for budget cuts (needing more COs) 8.30 McManus invites press to graduation ceremony, uses it to attack Governor’s budget plans 11.40 Poet: I have rhymes for every brain cell, but I waste away in a cell 16.30 Poet reflecting on leaving (leaving others behind guilt, leaving stuff behind fresh start) 19 woman on death row makes a move on Priest 20 pool shot from intro (Schillinger talking to McManus) 21 Schillinger calls McManus a hack, accuses of complicity with Ross’ murder 21.30 Diane still trying to get together with McManus 23.30 McManus confides in hack friend about suspicions, hack tells Diane Huber 82
25 Diane: for most of us what has to be done matters more than what should be done 29 Schibetta has evidence against Warden's brother, which Schibetta uses as leverage 31.30 Alvarez shares info on Schibetta and Warden relationship with Adebisi 33 after forcing his brother to turn himself in, Warden puts Adebisi back in charge of kitchen 37 shot from intro Keller and Beecher removing shirts while wrestling and continuing to grow closer 38 McManus informs Beecher his wife has killed herself 41 Beecher receives note from wife accusing him of killing her 45 Sister Pete solves mystery Giles, he has info on who killed her husband 48 Alvarez about love: not in Oz, man 49 O’Reily still obsessed with doc, stalking her, creeping her out 50.40 Sister Pete tries to help 54 O’Reily puts his disabled brother up to murdering doc’s husband.
S02E06 Strange Bedfellows General note: sudden swell in music at possibility of danger (when one of the characters perceives danger?) 2.40 group members give Schillinger and Saïd shit about them working together. Saïd: his cause is all victims of the justice system 3.30 McManus panics about having to lie about Scott Ross 6.45 McManus lies under oath to Saïd to protect Diane 7.40 Saïd pulls out from Schillinger's ‘lost case’ 12. investigation into Schibetta poisoning frustrated by Warden 13 Burano informs Schibetta the ‘family’ is unhappy, he vows to kill Adebisi that day 15 Schibetta and Johnny attack Adebisi in kitchen as guard leaves, Adebisi wins however, 1 versus 2. He rapes Schibetta (shot from intro) and he and Johnny both end up in med ward. Warden says he’ll fire CO who walked away 17 Schibetta gets kicked form ‘family’, other wise guy to take over. 18 Alvarez tries to make partners with Adebisi now that he has won, gets shot down 19 continued provocations against Latinos puts pressure on Alvarez to start war. He refuses. 20 new Latino, el Cid, comes in, takes over from Alvarez 23.30 new inmate, Walter, says he knows Governor is crack addict. Saïd jumps on him and gives him publicity. 29 Walker admits he was lying. Huber 83
31.20 Warden asks Governor if he set it all up. Governor denies, but says he did take maximum advantage of it, making all accusations against him now tinged with doubt 33 Sister Pete continues to investigate murder of husband through Giles. 35 Giles reveals guy he murdered is murderer 37.20 interlude shows Nathan’s husband murdered by O’Reily brother 40 O’Reily brother caught, doc blames herself for getting husband killed 44.40 Beecher discusses conflicted feelings about Keller with Sister Pete (homophobia, being in love with Keller) 47 Keller offers alcohol, Beecher refuses because he has been clean for a year 49 moonshine turns out to be Schillinger’s plan to break Beecher 54 Beecher and Keller kiss, hacks disturb them, Keller starts fight with hacks, gets thrown in the hole. 55 Beecher now by himself near breakdown, drinks alcohol left in their pod.
S02E07 Animal Farm A theme of inmates as beasts and trying to fight this image dominates the episode as Prophet asks why national geographic only show images of beasts fighting each other rather than animals working together, helping each other. Beecher continues drinking. While McManus and Sister Pete try to intervene, it doesn’t help. Saïd tries to intervene as well, but is called on it by Beecher who suggests that the only person he has helped through try to help other people is himself. Case in point being Poet who returns to EmCity quite shortly after being released, after killing another person. O’Reily brother, Cyril, comes into Oz and is raped by Schillinger. O’Reily gets his brother sent to the hole to protect him and enters into negotiations with McManus to have him transferred to EmCity to be able protect him. McManus demands a confession to conspiracy to commit murder in exchange, but O’Reily refuses. O’Reily also organizes for Adebisi to be able to see Shirley, the woman on death row that killed her own daughter, as they’ve been exchanging love notes. It is suggested that it is lust rather than love that drives Adebisi, but he claims he’s in love with her. Either way, he gets shut down by Shirley as she finds out he is ‘a nigger’. He breaks down, but is called to order by a new inmate, another recent immigrant from Africa who seems like an animist priest. The new biker leader organizes a charity in the council for Rebadow’s grandson to go to Disneyland, as he is dying of leukemia. Although the proposal is met with laughter, all groups contribute to the charity. Rebadow raises enough money and cries. Kenny plots to steal the money, but Adebisi shuts him down as ‘sometimes it’s good to be human’.
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McManus transfers Diane to another unit as he continues struggling with lying over Ross’ murder. Alvarez tries to get good with the Latinos again and is asked to take out a new hack's eyes as he used to belong to a rival gang of el Cid. A new inmate, Nappa, takes over from Schibetta as leader of the wise guys, targets Adebisi’s heroin habit to break him and take revenge for rape of Schibetta. General note: sexual crimes continue to be met with more disgust than violent crime / property crime. At count prisoners are referred to with only their numbers (i.e. just before and after lockup). In all direct interactions between hacks and inmates they use last names. 1.30 Prophet butterfly effect can’t blame butterfly 2.20 Beecher wakes up hungover, caught by Diane, sent to McManus and Sister Pete 5 Schillinger fucks with Beecher’s mind by suggesting he killed Genevieve 7.30 Schillinger rapes O’Reily’s brother 9 O’Reily finds out, gets his brother sent to the hole 10.30 McManus tries to get O’Reily to confess to conspiracy to commit doc’s husband in exchange for getting brother to EmCity 12 discussion of registration of sex offenders. Christian leader calls it Orwellian. Kenny and Hill conclude this is only because he is a sex offender. 17.30 Sippel (sex offending priest) released, image stops as he walks out door while Priest looks on 19 Adebisi in love with Shirley (woman on death row) 21 O’Reily arranges visit between Adebisi and Shirley in exchange for being allowed to work in kitchen 22.30 Shirley turns out to be racist, calls Adebisi nigger 23.30 Adebisi breaks down. 24.20 new inmate Nappa takes over from Schibetta as head of wise guys 27.40 Nappa fucks with Adebisi through Burano (corrupt head of CO’s) by calling for ‘random’ drug testing 29 first mention of a psych ward full of men who’ve lost all sense of reality 29.30 Adebisi: reality? Oz? Pfft 31 new recent African immigrant, older. Animist priest. Calls Adebisi to order 34 dream session Adebisi about ‘native’ African dancing, music. He loses it. 35 Prophet discusses popularity national geographic in prison, wild bests always fighting each other, never collaboration between animals. 38 new biker leader raises charity for Rebadow’s grandson who has leukemia in council. 40 all groups donate, Rebadow raises enough, cries.
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41.20 Kenny plans to rob Rebadow, Adebisi says no, because sometimes it’s good to be human 45 Alvarez tries to get good with Latinos, asked to kill new hack that used to belong to rival gang to el Cid. 46.30 Alvarez goes to father for advice 49 McManus still bother by lie over Ross’ murder, asks Diane to transfer to other unit 51.30 Beecher continues drinking, Saïd tries to intervene 52 Beecher: who have you at the end helped but yourself. 53 Poet returns to Oz, another murder 54.30 Saïd waiting disappointed in EmCity.
S02E08 Escape from Oz (Alcatraz reference?) The episode is themed on different ways of getting out: digging, death, suicide, religion, drugs, legal (parole/clemency), and what happens when you get released. Rebadow and the Mole nearly complete their tunnel but the Aryans find out and force them to switch pods with the help of the new head hack that replaces Diane, Metzger, who is an Aryan brotherhood member himself. However, Rebadow and the Mole sabotage the tunnel so that when they try to escape they are buried alive inside. Rebadow and the Mole avoid repercussions by saying they were forced to dig the tunnel by the Aryans. Sippel, the child molester priest who was released last episode returns to prison after having slept on the street for a couple of days looking for shelter. Priest offers him a job as well. With the help of Metzger Schillinger and his crew crucify him with screws in the gym. The hacks and inmates share a hatred of sex offenders. Alvarez goes through with attacking the hack to escape from his impossible position. He flees into the Priest’s office as all of Oz goes into lockdown. He almost kills himself to avoid being placed in solitary, but the S.O.R.T. team comes in before he can do it and he is thrown into solitary, seen as going mad (another way of escape perhaps?) O’Reily is the only one who matches the blood type of the stabbed hack and with shortages at the blood bank is the only hope for saving him. He uses this as leverage to get his brother into EmCity so he can protect him. Still confesses to the conspiracy after, so he can stay in prison longer to protect his brother, who he is responsible for making ‘slow’, as he got him into the fight that gave his brother brain damage. A different way of taking back control over imprisonment that is usually associated with escape. Keller gets released from the hole and breaks up with Beecher, who continues drinking, as Prophet says: drugs can you provide freedom in prison, but take too much and you become a different kind Huber 86
of prisoner (Poet returns to prison because he was still a fiend and quickly got in trouble with dealers). Keller and Schillinger reveal to Beecher that they have been working together in the gym and break Beecher’s arms and legs while Metzger looks on. This makes McManus finally suspect Metzger of bad conduct. The final means of escape is religion as Adebisi is converted by the animist priest, Jara. With Adebisi gone, the wise guys get into business with the Homeboys, under the condition that they kill Jara. They do, and Adebisi has a psychotic break and is sent to the psych ward, as he continues seeing African dances in his mind’s eye. Finally, Saïd is offered clemency by the Governor. While it creates discontent among the Muslims that he is the one who is granted clemency, he uses the press conference to refuse the clemency as it is unjust towards his brother (all prisoners) left behind and given by a corrupt and evil man. He returns to Oz with applause and chanting of his name. The season finale ends with Hill going through with his plan to hide himself in one of the coffins in the morgue to get out. General note: every time common area is seen there is gossiping, even joking about stuff that happened last season (random fag to Beecher: are you gonna lick his boots). Saïd and McManus discusses Commonality between them trying to help people, believing in people. Only difference is, McManus goes home at night and can quit whenever he wants. 2 Prophet: all kinda ways to get out of Oz 3.30 Aryans find now completed tunnel, take over the tunnel pod 4.40 Metzger new head CO, in pocket of Aryans, arranges pod switch 6 tunnel is trap, set collapse 8.30 Rebadow takes them out of repercussions 9.30 Poet: free and still a fiend. Dealers came after me. 10.30 Hill: death is lot like live in Oz 11 Hill devises new plan to escape 11.40 Prophet: then they found out life ain’t all it’s cracked up to be 13 Sippel outside sleeping in the subway, returns to prison voluntarily 15 inmate dies in med ward 17.40 shared hatred of sex offenders between hacks and inmates 18 Sippel crucified with screws (intro shot) by Aryans while Metzger looks on 23.30 new hack found with eyes stabbed, S.O.R.T. team comes in, lockdown 24.50 all of Oz locked down 25.30 Alvarez in Priest’s office, threatens him in a panic 26 O’Reily matches blood type, leverage to have his brother transferred. McManus agrees
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29 Alvarez contemplates suicide, afraid of solitary, S.O.R.T. team interrupts attempt, he is placed in solitary 32 O’Reily responsible for Cyril being slow, reason he went on rampage that landed him in jail 34 O’Reily confesses to conspiracy to stay in EmCity to protect brother 36 Prophet: you can escape Oz in more subtle ways (drugs) but you can become a prisoner in a different way 37.40 Keller breaks up with Beecher 40 Schillinger and Keller reveal they were working together 41 Keller breaks Beecher’s arms and legs as Metzger looks on 43 McManus suspects Metzger 43 Prophet: or you can exit through your soul 44 Adebisi continues seeking advice from animist priest (calls him ‘fetisher’) Jara 47 Adebisi converts, gets clean, finds ‘family’ 49 O’Reily working as double again for wise guys and Homeboys 49.30 Nappa orders kill on Jara 50.30 Nappa and Homeboys call truce and get into business 51.30 Kenny kills Jara on Nappa's request 53 Adebisi has psychotic break, hears African drums and dances over Jara’s body, pushing hacks away as they try to stop him 54.30 Kenny pins jara murder on Adebisi 54.50 Adebisi sent to psych ward 55 Prophet: legal ways to get out of Oz (Saïd walking in box ) 57 McManus approaches Saïd to help Poet again, Saïd has given up on him 58 Saïd: difference between us is you go home at night 58.30 Saïd: after 20 years of maximum penitentiary prison, what do I have to offer a wife, a kid? 59.20 Muslim brothers asked into Warden’s office, offered clemency for Ramadan 1.00.00 conflict/discontent among Muslim brothers about who’s gonna be chosen 1.01.00 Saïd definitely granted clemency 1.03.20 Saïd at press conference: I feel joyless, my brothers remain behind (all prisoners) 1.04.30 Saïd uses press conference to indict Governor, refuses clemency 1.05.20 welcomed back in EmCity with loud applause and chanting of his name 1.06.00 Prophet: of course there’s not escape, so stay put and make the best of it 1.06.00 Hill gets into coffin, going through with escape plan.
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S03E01 The truth and nothing but… Mainly the creation of some new storylines and start of finishing up some old ones. As the medical ward of the prison is privatized, Alvarez is cut off form antidepressant and his mental health deteriorates further. Doctor Nathan doubts if she can keep working there much longer. Priest finds out that the hacks have been starving Alvarez as revenge for him attacking a fellow colleague, forcing him even to drink his own piss as he goes more and more crazy. Adebisi is shown protecting Schibetta in the psych ward, but is soon after sent back to EmCity where he is taunted but does not bite. He goes to Nappa, says some racist shit about Africa (diseased, living in huts) and is allowed to work in the kitchen again. Even as O’Reily approaches him to start plotting against Nappa he doesn’t bite and seems pacified. A new lady cop enters the show, starts dating McManus as well. Saïd instigates a lawsuit over excessive force used during the riot against the inmates. He continues to want to overthrow the justice system from within. McManus and Diane panic again creating some bad blood between them. Beecher gets released from the med ward, slashes up Metzger, killing him, with his 3month old, filed nails. Upon his return, Keller seems repentant, but Beecher doesn’t trust him. He asks Keller to rat on Schillinger and Metzger, which he does. Schillinger is sent to the hole and Keller into protective custody. General notes: new inmates throw gang signs up when they are introduced to sponsors. Regular new large groups of CO’s (high turnover rate?). Solitary: no daylights, lots of shadows, bars before solid steel door, stainless steel basin/toilet etc. 1.30 Hill still in prison 2 change in name for prison (level 4 correctional facility), everything besides the same 3 MedWard is privatized 4 Prophet discussing solitary confinement (quiet time for reflection, but no one wants that/everyone goes crazy) 5.20 Alvarez antidepressants cut off by new doc, doc Nathan and Sister Pete try to intervene 6.50 Alvarez has been talking to dead grandfather 8.50 doc Nathan unsure how long she can keep working in prison, taking a toll 11 Alvarez reveals to Priest demanding confidentiality that he is being fed only twice a week/forced to drink his own piss as revenge by hacks 13.45 Kenny calls himself Bricks now, new Homeboy inmate Snake 14.20 Nappa asks Snake to be tested (making sure he is not undercover), beat up by all Homeboys (shot from intro) Huber 89
15.40 Adebisi shown protecting Schibetta in psych ward 16.40 Adebisi sent back to EmCity, provoked/tested by other inmates, doesn’t bite 18 Adebisi goes to Nappa, says shit about Africa (diseased, backward, living in huts), asks to work in kitchen 19.20 O’Reily tries to plot with Adebisi again, Adebisi maintains he is not plotting anything 22.50 new lady cop, Howell 24 Howell asks McManus to dinner 30 O’Reily creates bad blood between bikers and Aryans, hoping bikers will kill Schillinger for him 35 Saïd continues to preach general nonviolence, starts class lawsuit over excessive violence during riot, trying to overthrow the system from within 36.30 Saïd suppresses anti-Semitism from within 38.30 Scott’s sister flakes out from lawsuit: he probably deserved it, he was a mean man 42.40 Metzger assault the Mole, puts him in hospital, revenge for Aryans in tunnel 43.40 Rebadow rats on Metzger to McManus 45 McManus and Metzger get into confrontation 46 McManus goes to Warden to get him fired, fails because of lack of evidence 47 goes to the Mole and Beecher to get them to testify. They both refuse 48 Beecher returns to EmCity, still in pod with Keller 49 Keller seems repentant 50.30 Beecher asks Keller to confess and rat on Schillinger and Metzger to prove he is 52 Metzger takes Beecher to out of sight place to interrogate about Keller. Beecher slashes him up with ‘weaponized’ nails (grown three months, filed sharp), leaves without being caught, Metzger dead. 53Keller confessed, thrown into protective custody, Schillinger thrown in hole.
S03E02 Napoleon’s boney part Same as last episode, some developing storylines without a clear overlying theme. Hill is still in prison, while his escape attempt remains undiscussed. Snake becomes framed as the new stereotypical ‘black predator’ as he brags to Hill about murdering an entire family, gramps and two young children included, while brutally raping the mother. Hill eventually rats on him and is moved to protective custody. Saïd falls in love with Ross’ sister, one of the accusers in the lawsuit. Under pressure from his group he seeks distance and wants to fast the Islamic way, but McManus doesn’t allow it unless he drops the lawsuit. Saïd threatens to start a hunger strike instead.
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Diane’s mother dies, and McManus comforts her as Howell, the new lady cop, looks on. She gets jealous and gets into a fight that turns physical with McManus in his office while visible to the inmates. Keller gets bored in protective custody and asks to be sent back to EmCity. There he is stabbed by an unknown, white assailant. Doc Nathan is fired after a discussion over the problems of privatizing inmate medical care. Adebisi volunteers to work in the aids ward. He uses his position to take some of the blood of an aids patient and nicks Nappa with it. McManus hires an old friend him as new head CO of EmCity after the death of Metzger. He proposes to organize a boxing competition to canalize the violence that has been plaguing emerald city. Alvarez is beat up by the hacks after he pushes the Priest who comes to bring him food to help him survive. The episode ends with Alvarez hanging himself. General note: continued reference to napoleon. Relevance? 2.20 Hill still in prison, escape attempt remains unaddressed. Rumor mill running about Metzger’s death 3 McManus hires old friend to become head co of EmCity 3.30 Schillinger: no investigation, no nothing, let start own investigation 5 Cyril sent to the hole after hitting Aryan threatening to rape him 7.30 organized violence (boxing competition) to focus violence in a positive way 10 McManus keeps calling Kenny Kenny instead of Bricks 13 Snake new stereotypical ‘black predator’? tells Hill about killing family with kids and gramps, ‘for fun’, rapes mom too 18 Hill rats on Snake, Snake taken away, Hill put into protective custody 19 lawsuit comes through, McManus and Diane panic over new attention for Ross’ death 22 Saïd and Ross’ sister fall in love 25 Saïd threatens hunger strike to demand Islamic right to fast 26 lady cops discuss dates with McManus 26.30 McManus informs Diane her mom died, comforts, while Howell looks on 28.30 Howell gets jealous, physically fights McManus in his office while inmates look on 30.30 less and less family showing up for Carlo’s (new Latino inmate) visiting hours 32.45 Warden trustee hack sent to EmCity by his own request, attacked by Carlo on first day 34.50 fees for court appointed lawyers for those facing death penalty cut 35 lawyer recuses himself from Shirley’s case 36.30 Schillinger’s son arrested, forced to use public defender Huber 91
38.20 Keller returns from protective custody 39.30 Beecher still doesn’t trust Keller 41 Keller stabbed in library supply closet by unidentifiable, white assailant 42 Adebisi volunteers to work in aids ward 43.45 takes blood from aids patient, nicks Nappa with it 44 Rebadow dressed up as napoleon 45 Alvarez still going crazy in solitary 46 Rebadow diagnosed with diabetes 47.30 doc Nathan fired after discussion over privatization of medical care 49 Sister Pete figures out hacks are starving Alvarez 50.30 hacks beating up Alvarez in cell after he pushes Priest 53.30 Alvarez kills himself
S03E03 2.20alvarez found by Howell, survives 3.20 conflict over privatization continues, old staff decides to go public 5 Governor in pocket of corporation, compromises with doc Nathan: she gets to stay, purse will open up a bit more, corporation doc will be fired 7.45 new Russian inmate, fencing stolen goods, 7 years in gulag, this place will be easy 11.30 Shirley tries to convince Hanlon to rat on Schillinger 13.30 Hill: best thing about this whole thing was going outside, being safe for a moment 15 Saïd holds unofficial council with Nappa, Schillinger and Latino boss about keeping Hill safe from retribution. 16.30 Nappa kills Snake, Bricks contemplates revenge, but patient 18 Carlo’s visiting number still dropping as he gets out of hole. Picks fight again, gets sent back 20.30 Saïd on fourth day hunger strike, sends lawyer to Warden threatening more Muslims going on hunger strike, statewide. 22 McManus invested in fight with Saïd, doesn’t want to give in because he is afraid it will hurt his credibility 25 McManus ‘breaks up’ with Howell, she takes it badly and out on a prisoner in solitary 27 Murphy, McManus’ friend, starts work as supervisor (head CO), is a mick. O’Reily plots to gain influence because, same tribe 30 boxing tournament starts. EmCity backs Pancamo (wise guy boxer, previously fallaciously called Johnny in these synopses)?
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36 O’Reily pays Christian to put meds in Robson’s (Aryan fighter) water bottle for fight 39 Robson goes bad in second round after first round going about even with a slight edge to Robson 40 Cyril knows down Robson in third round, wins fight 43 Rebadow crashes again after docs assistant makes a scheduling error making him miss dialysis 45 Rebadow says he’s ready to meet his son and grandson 47.30 Nappa diagnosed with HIV, goes in denial, sent to aids unit (state rules, all aids patients segregated) 51.30 Keller sent back to EmCity, goes to talk to Sister Pete about Beecher 52.30 Keller wants him and Beecher to enter into victim-offender program Sister Pete has set up 54 Beecher suggests to Keller that he stabbed him in the supply closet and killed Metzger 56 Schillinger’s son comes into Oz, into EmCity, as Beecher is looking to find revenge on Schillinger.
S03E04 General notes: missed earlier episode: betting is gonna happen anyway, might as well focus it on boxing tournament. Prophet theme: pharaohs and the tribulations for the Jews leaving Egypt. Which side is god on, hardening the pharaoh heart but also raining plagues on him and his people. Pharaoh can be blamed for treatment of Jewish, but plagues hit all Egyptians, even those not deserving. Challenges in faith for the Jews, hardening pharaoh’s heart. 2.30 Schillinger learns his son is put in EmCity, goes to Warden 3.30 Warden refuses to help as revenge for Schillinger’s unhelpful history 4.20 O’Reily, Keller and Beecher discuss ways to hurt Andy (Schillinger’s son) 7 Beecher turns Keller and Schillinger’s play on Andy with Keller’s and O’Reily’s help (pretending he’s his protector) 8.10 persuades McManus to help him (claiming he really wants to help the boy) 11 McManus sued for sexual harassment by Howell, she is reinstated 14 Saïd and sister get into conflict about Saïd falling in love with a white woman again 14.20 Saïd: if I suppress my emotions, this prison has truly won 21 Sister Pete to Alvarez in solitary: this is not remorse, only punishment 21.30 Alvarez let out of solitary, on condition he rats on guys who raped Warden’s daughter 23.30 Rivera willing to participate in Sister Pete's program (Truth and Reconciliation Committee) with Alvarez 26.30 Alvarez joins boxing competition for Latinos 31 O'Reily rigs fights again with drugs (Alvarez vs Cramer (gays)) 32 Cramer almost KO in first round, Alvarez, drugged, goes down in second
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34 Cramer wins fight 36 Murphy calls short lockdown after Christians create unrest by blocking TV showing a kids show with a woman with big breasts 38 Hughes (Warden’s protégée) uses stun guy on el Cid, transferred to library 40.40 Hanlon decides to rat on Schillinger 42.40 Hanlon returns to EmCity, death penalty overturned 43.40 Russian kills Hanlon in shower, old friend of Vogel (shot form intro) 47 Nappa: HIV is slow death, lots of time to think, wants full contrition from Priest 48.30 with Nappa gone Adebisi tries to get good with the wise guys 49.30 he tries to get good with the Latinos at the same time on same condition: Bricks has got to go 51 Prophet: god punishing those that weren’t responsible (unlike pharaoh) 54 Brick’s wife seeing other guy, who is hurting his baby son, calls hit on new guy and wife 56.40 Prophet: here in Oz there’s too much suffering even for a guilty man to endure.
S03e05 General note: Prophet theme is post. The dangers of receiving mail from the outside, reminding you of a life you’re no longer living, or your girlfriend having moved on, but also the pain and feeling of being forgotten if everyone stops sending you mail. 2.30 Cudney (Christian leader) history, lifer, killed son of wife’s abortion doctor 4.10 Cudney behind Cyril no longer wanting to box, O’Reily beats him up 6.30 O’Reily bets well without using drugs, Pancamo running bets 8 Bricks KO in first round, O’Reily bet right 9 new poem Poet, fucking with Saïd, focusing on him being a ‘fake revolutionary’ and his love for the white woman 11 Muslims call ultimatum to Saïd, saying he can never see her again 12 Patricia Ross threatened over phone to stay away from Saïd 15.30 McManus brings news of wife’s death to Bricks, he puts on a show that he’s hurt 17.30 Prophet: every letter in prison can explode in your face (with memories) 18.30 Latinos burn Poet and other Homeboy while Bricks is at his wife’s funeral, they go to med ward 19.20 lockdown, Bricks returns in suit, Adebisi in his pod 21 Sister Pete program threatened by risk of ratting by telling truth 22 scalpel used to blind Rivera falls on ground (shot intro) 26 sexual harassment suit still bothering McManus
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28.50 doc doubts him, he flips, drops case cos he feels guilty for at least using Howell without regard for he feelings 31.30 new Russian inmate, Kosygin, crazy dangerous, wise guys fear him a bit 37 Carlo’s father had a stroke, only two people at visiting hours 39.30 Warden shows Hughes place where father died 40 animal reference by Hughes in anger 40.30 Rebadow: so many years, so many killings 43 Keller keeps turning therapy sessions around on Sister Pete 46 Sister Pete jealous when she sees Keller kissing with ex-wife 47.30 Beecher tries to pit Andy against Schillinger 50.30 Beecher goes to taunt Schillinger, claims he is better help for Andy than his father ever was 52 suggests he will have sex with Andy 54 Andy and Schillinger get into fight when Andy switches allegiance away from Aryans 55 hack delivers tits to Andy in the hole from Schillinger, Andy uses and OD’s (or possible contaminated drugs, as hack takes them away after the fact) 56.45 Keller, O’Reily’s and Beecher’s plan was to make Schillinger kill his own son, Beecher however seems remorseful.
S03E06 Unusual Punishment (spectacle forms of punishment) 2 Prophet: in the olden days you used to have much more cruel punishments 4.20 O’Reily pays Kosygin to kill Cudney, no lockdown even 6 O’Reily puts tits in Pancamo’s drink 6.40 Pancamo and Cyril fight without header, McManus ok’s it 8 Pancamo knocks down Cyril in round one, and in round two 10 Cyril knocks out a drugged Pancamo in the third 12.30 Russian tells Pancamo it was Kosygin that drugged him 15 O’Reily suggests Pancamo tell Kosygin Stanislofsky ratted on him so that they take care of each other 17 Kosygin stabs Stanislofsky, gets sent to hole 19 el Cid calls stop to O’Reily dealing, O’Reily turns Murphy on him 25 Alvarez confronted with pictures Rivera, breaks down full of self-hate and remorse 27 Nappa writing book full of confessions 27.30 Pancamo receives order to kill Nappa 30 McManus puts Bricks into parenting program
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32 Adebisi plans to Africanize Bricks and to break down McManus so he can be replaced 33.30 Hughes considers joining the S.O.R.T. team 34.30 Diane and Howell fight over shit Howell did to McManus 36 Priest researches murder of Hughes’ father 39 Giles tells priest Warden Glynn killed Hughes’ father 40 ‘Warden not anxious to find out how Andy got drugs’ 42 Schillinger rationalizing killing Andy 43 Beecher’s continues to hold off Keller’s advances 50 Saïd gets shit for letting a white man (Beecher) join Koran study group 51.30 Khan new leader Muslims, leads all followers away from Saïd. 53.30 Khan history, saved woman for rape, got sentenced for beating up attacker 54.40 Saïd moves into Beecher’s pod 55.30 Prophet: being humiliated in front of your entire community, that may be the cruelest punishment of all.
S03e07 Race 1.40 Prophet: know thyself. Background Schillinger dressed up as a roman while Prophet attributes the quote to Socrates or Plato or one of those other old white men 2 Sister Pete has sexual fantasy about Keller 3 Keller doesn’t go to session anymore 4.30 first session Rivera and Alvarez, Sister Pete lays down rules, most important: listen 7 Alvarez admits it was because of a gang thing, but says it was even more that he hates Oz, what it did to his grandfather and father and that he hates the uniform 8.30 first session ends 9 Prophet: superman is schizophrenic, that’s why he has a secret identity 12 Sister Pete confesses to Priest in same manner as inmates, at podium in cafeteria 13.40 Sister Pete announces to Priest decision to leave convent 15 serious investigation into el Cid drugs possession 18 Hughes comes into work with mom, who visits Glynn, he seems ambivalent 21.30 Priest confronts Glynn about Giles’ accusation. Glynn responds agitated 23.30 Glynn tells truth about father to Hughes, he caused the fight that killed father 25.30 McManus proposes to Diane to try again 27 Nappa finishes book, sends it on floppy drive with Nat, his cellmate who helped him write it down, goes straight to Pancamo who destroys it
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29 Nat kills Nappa 30.30 Adebisi and Bricks accuse McManus of sexual harassment 31 accusation creates tension between Warden and McManus 32 Adebisi and Bricks also go to news, becomes big story 34.30 Shirley final appeal rejected 36.30 Shirley hits on McManus, he leaves. Shirley turns out to be pregnant 37 in staff meeting Diane mentions that 10000 CO’s per year, one per hour, are attacked 40.20 Adebisi tries to instigate racial hatred in the Muslim study group (beat up Cramer not because he’s a fag but because he’s a white man) 41.40 crowd chanting ‘kill the white bitch’ at Cramer vs Khan boxing match 43.30 Khan wins, cheering along black/white lines? 45 Adebisi tries to get Saïd to join him. In cafeteria, Keller tries to join Saïd and Beecher to give them extra manpower to resist threats 51 inspired by Saïd Beecher forgives Keller 53 Schillinger tries to kill Beecher as he apologizes for role in death Andy; Saïd first, then the Muslims and Keller come to his aid as the other Aryans join Schillinger. Schillinger stabs Beecher, Keller stabs Schillinger. Khan and Saïd sent to the hole.
S03E08 Christmas special/ rats General notes: heavier beats compared to the more minimalistic of previous episodes/seasons. More action movie/techno like than the exotic earlier beats. 2 rat put into Saïd’s cell (solitary 2.40 lockdown over Aryan/Muslim fight 3.30 Alvarez has a nightmare about Rivera. Real Rivera drops out of program 6 Alvarez kicked out of Latinos again for not getting caught with tits like the others 7.30 Alvarez wants to go back to solitary to not be in danger of reprisal from Latinos 8 Carlo receiving no more visitors 9 Alvarez stabs Carlo to defend himself, kills him, lockdown again 11.30 Alvarez tells Warden it was Carlo that raped daughter, laughs maniacally while back in solitary 13.30 Shirley gets stay of execution for being pregnant, Pete tries to find out who father is 15 Shirley believed her daughter was possessed by the devil, wants to be executed while pregnant to avoid second spawn 17 Devlin commutes death sentence, transferred to asylum, puts pressure on Warden to end lockdown for Christmas
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19.40 Beecher and Keller become pod mates again after getting out of the hole/hospital 21 Diane fights with Howell over McManus harassment case 23.30 McManus accuses of playing race favorites 25 Warden postpones match. Khan and O’Reily threaten unrest if he does. He allows the fight to go through but without an audience 27 Russian throws suspicions on O’Reily to Murphy. Murphy catches O’Reily putting drugs in Khan water bottle. Doesn’t tell on O’Reily, but forces the fight to go through without drugs 29 O’Reily father comes to visit, gets tense, slaps Cyril 32 Cyril gets pounded in first round of fight, O’Reily tries to get him into rage by making him think about their horrible father. Cyril knocks out Khan in fight intercut with flashbacks to shit their father did. 34.30 Khan hurt bad, Cyril feels guilty. O’Reily this is what we have to do ‘to survive in a hellhole like this’ 36.30 Khan brained, Cyril beats up O’Reily because he feels he is responsible 38.30 Mrs. Khan sues prison over not being allowed to euthanize husband + negligence for having a braindead husband 41 Saïd accepts responsibility for first riot, doesn’t want to get mixed up in now escalating tensions 42.30 Adebisi tries to get Hughes to support black cause in coming riot 45 Schillinger tries to bring together all whites out of fear for black cause 46.20 Murphy suggests acting first to show they are in control 48 confiscates all porn, Hill doesn’t want to join riot as he fears more brothers getting killed. Adebisi Manichean, if you’re not with me you’re against me 49.40 Hill has himself sent to hole. This radicalizes Muslims, Saïd tries to deescalate by preaching Muslim love against their Muslim hate 51.30 Adebisi starts prison wide unrest with Hill as casus belli 52.30 Diane takes vacation time to avoid being in prison during riot 53 Hughes tries to convince Warden to join black cause, gets fired 54 lockdown after unrest, S.O.R.T. on permanent watch in common area. A tense New Year celebration in most pods, Beecher and Keller kiss lovingly. Adebisi finds gun in his bed, Hughes shows he is the one who put it there.
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S04E01 1.40 pod in the middle of common area empty, Hill released from hole 2.20 lockdown lasts 2 weeks 2.40 inmate codes and last names used for count 3.20 all involved (whites/blacks) moved into cafeteria for speech by Warden, distributed across color lines. Warden warns that if one more race-related incident occurs, lockdown is back. 6.20 Arif takes over from Khan as Muslim leader 7 Cyril still haunted by injury Khan, Khan taken off life support 8 Khan comes to Cyril in a nightmare together with Mr. Nathan 9.40 Sister Pete convinces O’Reily to enter him and Cyril into program 11 Dr Nathan doesn’t want to join. O’Reily cuts himself so he can go to MedWard and talk to Dr Nathan 13 Prophet in overcrowded pod: us prison has reached an all-time high, good job America. 14 Howell angry at solitary inmate who killed himself for causing extra paperwork 15 staff meeting arrange on hour of rec time for inmates in solitary to reduce suicides 17 solitary inmates chained up walking around in circles for ‘rec time’ 17.40 el Cid orders hit on Alvarez to Aqua over Carlo 18.50 Aqua one of rapists daughter Warden. Giles kills Aqua as he goes for shank to kills Alvarez during rec time 19 rec time cancelled, Howell transferred 21.30 Schillinger continues taunting Beecher 23 Priest pressures Beecher to make good with Schillinger 24.30 Beecher tries to arrange Schillinger to see his other son 25.45 Keller and Beecher fight over helping Schillinger 27 Beecher taken to the hole after hitting Keller for calling him a bitch 28 Shirley miscarries under suspicious circumstances, death sentence commutation revoked, taken back to Oz 30 Devlin running for Governor again wants Warden to be his running mate 33 Diane not back from vacation, turns out to be getting married in London and not returning 34.40 McManus upset over Diane not returning, was planning to propose 36.30 Adebisi still planning to oust McManus, gets Warden to transfer back Bricks and Poet to EmCity
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39 new intro to EmCity more leeway but also more rules 41.30 new inmates: contractor Galino who isn’t connected and doesn’t fit in prison, Haitian Mobay, who turns out to be an undercover cop, and Tarrant, a French guy who isn’t connected via race or other affiliation and thus makes an easy target 45 contractor has cell phone, gets talked out of by Russian (who claims it is illegal to have one and he’ll get rid of it for him) 47 Tarrant robbed by Homeboys, no backup from bikers/Aryans 49 Tarrant goes to McManus, lacks evidence of robbery so McManus can’t help, asks Tarrant to become a rat 50 Bricks and Homeboys continue fucking with Tarrant 53 Prophet: dangerous men of the Reagan years are now being released, even worse than when they went in, coming to a dark alley near you. 54.40 Tarrant gets gun from Adebisi, shoots Bricks, Pierce, a Hack, Keller and only just misses Hill 56 Tarrant kills himself as Adebisi looks on.
S04E02 General notes: histories now projected onto Prophet in pod who’s wearing white clothes and thus functions like a television screen. Projected onto, is he then the criminal archetype? Only inmate codes used again during count. 2.40 shot from intro. Wiping Tarrant’s blood from Adebisi’s cell wall 3.40 Adebisi to Warden; EmCity is out of control, Arif: ultimately McManus is responsible 5 Adebisi recruiting Poet for black cause 5.30 el Cid knows Adebisi gave Tarrant gun 6.40 Governor campaign manager pressures Warden to scapegoat McManus 7.30 McManus receives upsetting letter (praising her new husband) and burns it 9 McManus barges in a staff meeting, on verge of nervous breakdown 9.30 McManus sings a song at memorial for shot CO, ridicules himself 10.30 McManus is fired by Warden, news received with cheers in EmCity 13 Beecher alienated from Saïd by his stance on homosexuality 14.40 Beecher continues effort to get Schillinger’s son to visit, he comes 21.30 undercover cop tries to get with Homeboys, has someone to vouch for him in other prison 23 Patricia and Saïd continue seeing each other 26 Saïd refuses to wear orange jumpsuit to trial for suit, which is mandatory for all prisoners leaving prison
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27 Beecher accuses Saïd of wanting suit to fail so that he can use it for attacks on justice system, goes to testify himself instead of Saïd, robbing him of a platform. 29.30 Cramer not judged without prejudice, goes to Saïd for help 31 Shirley having sex in her cell 32 cameras being hung up on death row, requires painting? 35.30 Dr Nathan and Mr. Nathan’s parents decide to participate in Sister Pete's program 38 O’Reily starts plot to steal cellphone from Russian 44 O’Reily recruits Galino for endeavor 47 Galino killed by bikers put up to it by Russian, made it look like an OD 48.30 O’Reily admits loss, allies Russian 50 Latinos still want Alvarez dead 51 the Mole almost done with another tunnel 52.30 Martinez fails killing Alvarez 53 Mole missing at count, everyone chanting, Alvarez also missing from med ward
S04e03 General note: history again in ‘flashback’ form (richer/fucked with color, flashes rather than longer scenes) 2 press conference escape Alvarez and Mole 3.40 Warden under pressure to catch escapees otherwise he has no chance of being on the gubernatorial ticket 4.30 el Cid reveals to Adebisi he knows about gun 5 el Cid reveals who gave gun to Warden, rats on both Hughes and Adebisi 6 Hughes comes back to Oz, in Muslim nation outfit, admits to giving Adebisi gun 7.30 Adebisi maintains Tarrant stole it, sent to hole 9 Pancamo tells new Hispanic inmate Morales to kill el Cid, and then he can take over the Latinos inside EmCity 11 Morales convinces Rebadow to kill el Cid, convinces Murphy to put them together in pod so Rebadow can act like el Cid was attacking him and kill him in ‘self-defense’ 12.30 el cid: ‘ain’t we supposed to get something out of being locked up?’ 13.30 the Mole caught stalking Ms. Sally (big boobs children’s TV show) 14.30 Alvarez shown outside in the city 15.30 Rebadow stabs and kills el Cid 16.40 Adebisi out of the hole, continues plan for black unit director with Arif
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17.40 he goes to Saïd for help, as he can deliver pressure from the outside. 21 Mobay (Jamaica, undercover cop), brought into group with Pancamo, Morales, Adebisi etc., they force him to actually do drugs to be convinced he isn’t a cop. He nearly OD’s 25 shakedown inn frame of Fifth Amendment by Prophet, questioning legality (or the exemption of prisoners from the Fifth Amendment) 26.30 drugs found with Mobay, sent to the hole 28.30 Beecher brings news that the suit has been won, Saïd isn’t as enthusiastic as expected 29.30 Patricia leaving for California with suit money abandons Saïd 32 Cramer granted retrial, fags celebrating, Saïd has mixed feelings 36 Shirley reveals daughter was not by her husband, but by his father who raped her. Her ex- husband hits her an is taken off 38 O’Reily goes to Murphy to suggest Russian is responsible for Galino’s death. Russian unsuccessfully tries to throw suspicions O’Reily way to Sister Pete. O’Reily unsuccessfully tries to get Adebisi into conflict with Russian. Russian goes to bikers with same result. 40 first meeting Pete’s program 44.30 meeting seem successful, until O’Reily starts to interfere and things get tense and he is taken off by CO’s 46.30 Dr Nathan raped on way home from work (after O’Reily puts in a call for something to be done that night on cell phone) 47 Prophet: in Oz, cruel is the usual punishment 49 Keller returns a changed man after dying twice on the operation table, repentant about messing with Sister Pete’s mind. Sister Pete refuses to see him 51 reunion between Keller and Beecher blocked by Howell 53 Schillinger finds out Beecher was behind Hank visiting. Thinks it’s another scheme, decides to go on the offensive 55 Beecher’s kids kidnapped, probably by Beecher’s son
S04E04 Mercy 230 meeting about kidnapping, Beecher loses it 7 Beecher and Keller reunited 9 Keller still dealing with having died, felt the fire for all eternity 12.30 child’s hand sent to Beecher, Beecher breaks down, wailing in pod 14 Mobay still not in, beat up by Pancamo as a further test 16 he uses again, for final test has to kill again
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17.40 cardinal coming to visit after Keller sending him a letter about Sister Pete leaving convent 24 detective in Cramer case revealed he tampered with evidence (as a repentant act because he is dying) 25.40 Saïd recuses himself after it seems likely Cramer will be found not guilty 26.20 Cramer found not guilty (even though he is) 28 Querns new unit director, Warden: priorities are keep down racial tension and violence, otherwise free leash 30 Querns meeting with each inmate individually, not trying to make them in model citizens, he himself being from the streets. 31 to Adebisi, allows drug trade on the condition that there is no more violence 32 Pancamo, Adebisi and Martinez as prison council, vote yes on the condition 33 McManus hired to run unit B (with Schillinger etc.) 35 Warden to Hughes: trust me life is gray, as gray as these fucking walls 39 doctor Nathan confronts O’Reily in program, knows he is responsible 40 O’Reily admits to it, taunts doctor, she flips. Program continues seeming unsuccessful/naïve/too idealistic/too soft 43.30 O’Reily says he lied about being responsible in confessional to Priest 45 in common area Russian, O’Reily, Rebadow etc. share fantasies of what they miss about being free/what they would do if they got out. Tension between Mole and Rebadow, Rebadow upset Mole didn’t ask him along 47 Poet and Russian etc. fantasize about what means of execution they would choose 49 Shirley to news camera: all I wanted was for someone to pay attention (to her being raped, beat up by husband) 50 talking on death row through mirrors 50.50 Shirley rats on Lopresti, co who has been fucking her 53 Shirley panics when she sees noose, still hung, Nat cries.
S04E05 Criminal mind General note: Prophet questions what enables people in their minds or their environment while growing up to be evil (to kill/rape) and if this absolves responsibility and which of the two is to blame and questions society for looking for an easy explanation. 2.30 new inmate, corrupt detective, knows Mobay, makes deal to keep each other covered 5 cop beat up after taunting Homeboys, blames Mobay 8.40 Mobay kills new inmate, pushes him down elevator shaft, lockdown
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9.30 He’s still using a lot, lying to partner but she calls him on it 12 cynical view of politics, Warden uses daughter’s rape for media reasons 14.30 fight breaks out over toilet paper in unit B, lockdown 15.30 McManus depresses, misses EmCity 18 new inmate Ketchum/Supreme Allah, sponsored by Saïd, 5 percenter (black is good, white is evil, 5% of black men know what’s up) 21 Arif tries to get him to fall in line with Muslims, he refuses, stays close to Adebisi 22 Adebisi meets 1 on 1 with Querns, warns Saïd of a big quake coming 23 Querns formalizes criminal council as kapo’s or as he calls them, trustees. Moves all bikers/Aryans to gen pop, replaces them with Homeboys 26 shot from intro, black on black rape in unit B 27.40 Lopresti still working death row 30 new inmate rapist Dr Nathan, Keenan 31 Cyril assaulted by Homeboys, fights back successfully. O’Reily goes to Adebisi to get him to call his boys into order 33.30 Querns reopens investigation into Galino's death, Russian only suspect 37 Beecher still depressed in pod, Rebadow stands up for Beecher to CO when he tries to force Beecher to come out for count 38.30 Rebadow feels alive again after killing el Cid, more powerful/ less fearful. Asks O’Reily to teach him how to box, Cyril offers when O’Reily refuses 41.30 Beecher has nightmares about his kids with hands cut off 43.30 Schillinger gloating about success of plan, puts new parts in motion 47.30 Priest suspects Schillinger is father of Shirley’s pregnancy, also reveals good intentions Beecher with Hank (son) visiting 50 Zabitz (inmate kidnapper who Beecher asked for info) tells Beecher it was Keller, Beecher informs FBI 53 Keller denies in FBI investigation 53.30 Beecher attacks Keller with shank after lights out 54 Zabitz paid by Schillinger 55.30 Schillinger orders delivery of daughter alive
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S04E06 Slang General notes: first season to consistently show penises. Prophet interludes explain history of slang words (the clink, head over heels in love, singing like a canary, caught red-handed) 2.30 more whites moved out of EmCity 3.30 Adebisi allowed to hang curtains in pod so he can do whatever he wants inside 4.30 more Homeboys moved in 4.45 after being shut down by Querns, Saïd goes to Arif for help to fight new developments 6 Querns taunts Arif, calls the 18% Oz Muslim population rudderless 8 Ketchum keeps trying to convert Muslims and Homeboys, Arif goes to Adebisi to fight against him together, he refuses to help and informs Ketchum about Arif's plans 10 McManus and Murphy renew friendship after McManus sees therapist 11.30 Querns replaces all white CO’s with black ones, McManus takes the whites to unit B 13 after McManus goes to Warden to talk about Querns’ transfers, Warden transfers Howell and another white co to EmCity 14.30 Nat's execution moved up at his request because he’s rapidly decaying because of aids, he dresses up drag for execution 18 Nat dies night before execution in his sleep, Sister Pete finishes painting his nails 19 Mobay learning slang getting healthy (receiving new shipment of drugs) babies (new customers) 22.30 investigation opened by outside cops into death of corrupt detective 24 Mobay admits to Sister Pete he’s become addicted (she got to know he’s undercover) 26.30 Priest brings news of daughter delivered alive to Beecher 27 Keller turned out innocent, Hank arrested as real kidnapper 27.30 Keller released from hole, Querns breaks up Keller and Beecher 28.30 Beecher movement privileges removed, ‘to keep him safe’ but mainly avoid that he takes revenge on Schillinger 30 Adebisi keeps tight leash on Homeboys 33 Keller admits killing gays in confessional, Priest refuses to absolve if he doesn’t confess to Warden 35.30 Beecher fucks with Mondo (pod mate Homeboy) while Keller looks on from other pod 37.30 Morales promises protection to Rebadow from repercussions if he kills someone 38 Rebadow fantasizes about gunning down everyone in cafeteria with a machine gun 38.40 Rebadow starts talking to the Mole again, tries to kill him after lights out same night, fails and taken to the hole 42 Russian rats on O’Reily /Hoyt to Querns, shakedown but they didn’t find cellphone
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45 Russian organizes for cellphone to be called during count, phone found, O’Reily and Hoyt interrogated 46.30 Cyril nearly OD’s on the Haldol given to calm him down after fight with Homeboys. O’Reily suspects it was intentional on Dr Nathan’s part 51 O’Reily kills Keenan after he gives a detailed account of the rape of Dr Nathan 53 Dr Nathan takes indefinite leave, not sure if coming back.
S04E07 General notes: prison industry business, with factory jobs moving, prison is the new industry for small town. Inmates counted as citizens of that county meaning more federal grants (because based of off us census) + more wait for chosen politicians from that country (even though inmates have no right to vote) 2.30 O’Reily and Schillinger get into fight in cafeteria after Schillinger taunts O’Reily 3.20 O’Reily and Howell fucking 4.40 Querns threatens O’Reily that if anything happens to Russian, he will be held responsible 7.20 Howell kills Russian before he gets to EmCity 11.30 Deyell appeal rejected, starts digging hole in cell to racist white death row inmate 13 Keller tells Zabitz he’s going to kill him, Zabitz asks Schillinger for protection, threatens to rat otherwise. Schillinger orders hit on him. 15 Zabitz dies of heart attack when both Keller and Schillinger’s man come to kill him 18 Priest goes to Keller for help with Beecher, he refuses because of ‘prison code’ 21 Hank released on a technicality, Beecher flips at Sister Pete 23.30 Beecher attacks Schillinger as he’s bringing around mail to Sister Pete 25 Beecher goes to Pancamo to ask for a hit on Hank, makes deal 28 seeing his daughter turns Beecher around, calls the deal off, too late 29.30 Rebadow returns from hole, gets talking to from Querns, asks Mole for forgiveness. Has some sort of episode. Turns out he has a brain tumor that has been fucking with him (previous episode about causes for criminality!), taken to hospital. Mole digging a new hole in their pod 34 Adebisi still doesn’t trust Mobay, Mobay brings other undercover to sell to so he can take away last doubts 39 Arif threatened by Ketchum, goes to Saïd for leadership 39.45 white gays moved to unit b 40.45 Mondo history, tells his own prisoner number, wise guy and Mondo get in fight, CO’s back Mondo, beat up Pancamo when he gets involved.
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42 Adebisi holding party with music from a radio, drugs, camera and gays in his pod 43 Morales and Pancamo cut out from partnership, sent to unit B by Querns 44.30 Poet and Ketchum new trustees, Adebisi to Saïd: look we created a utopia, Saïd: it’s only an illusion, it’s still the same bad system as designed by the white man 48 Schillinger proposes making unit B all white to McManus, he refuses 48.40 McManus and Querns get into conflict at staff meeting, Querns calls McManus jealous because he has succeeded in eliminating violence. 50 Saïd comes to McManus with a plan to eliminate both Querns and Adebisi 51.30 Saïd swears allegiance to Adebisi 53.30 Hughes continues radicalizing, focusing hatred on Devlin 54.30 Hughes shoots Devlin while he is holding a press conference
S04e08 gambling 4.40 Prophet: on the show no one ever put their life on the line, unlike in Oz 2 assassination failed, Warden drops out of gubernatorial race 2.30 EmCity cheering for Hughes, unit b chanting kill Hughes 3.50 Mobay best seller of tits, conflict with Homeboys Mondo and Leroy who have been slacking 5.30 Mobay implicated by Mondo in Goergen case to homicide detective 7.50 Hill shares suspicions about Mobay being an undercover cop with him, Mobay beats him up 9.20 Mobay confesses killing Goergen to Warden and homicide detective, arrested 10 McManus and Querns fighting again, Sister Pete flips 13 O’Reily fantasizes about making love to Dr Nathan while fucking Howell 18 Sister Pete thanks Keller for causing her grief because it helped her develop herself 20.20 she decides to stay a nun inspired by Cyril’s words you don’t choose god, god chooses us 20.30 shot from intro, Howell sucking off O’Reily 23.10 Ms. Sally meeting with the Mole, turns out to be a secretary from her mail room. 25 they decide to become pen pals 26.30 Miles tries to run from cell, doesn’t get far, Deyell spits in his face 28.40 Deyell chokes Miles through hole in wall he made (right through the painting Miles was drawing on prison wall) 32.10 Hank’s wife pregnant 33.30 O’Reily and Keller plot together against black majority 34 guy that Beecher fucked with found dead. Querns holds Adebisi responsible, orders him to play cop and find out who did it
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36.30 Beecher finds out it was Keller who killed him 38.40 Querns shown with shitload of cash in a pod as Prophet talks about the danger of winning. As Prophet talks about the purifying effect of losing, Querns is shown in just his underwear 41 Mondo killed by Keller, Querns fears collapse, evidence placed to set Ketchum up (necklace found at crime scene, murder weapon in pillow case) 42.30 Adebisi beats up Ketchum for fucking up his utopia 45 Poet switching sides to Saïd, tries to procure videotapes from Adebisi’s pod 46.30 caught by Adebisi’s prag, spotted by Leroy 48 Saïd moves into Adebisi’s pod to procure videotapes 48.50 Poet boasts of plan with Saïd to Leroy, who informs Adebisi 52.20 Adebisi wants to test Saïd and gives him videotape, he sends it to Warden who fires Querns and reinstates McManus 53.30 O’Reily and Keller ‘sprinkle’ hands (shot from intro) 54 Adebisi moved out of EmCity, attacks Saïd in his pod, but gets killed by Saïd
S04E09 Television general note: Prophet interludes function as commercial breaks? Familiar format of TV, but of course no commercials on HBO, but still same format of episodes cut into four parts, so three Prophet interludes. Prophet continues the bias of the media by filtering and focusing on information. Continued through episode: Saïd if I talk about Adebisi and about the injustice of the system, which part are you going to use etc. (O’Reily, Beecher, Warden) only McManus seems to have faith, suggesting that finding out the truth would be bad in itself, not the misrepresentation. Murphy stresses leeway in EmCity to camera too 1.30 Prophet: giving free time to an inmate is a joke 3.20 television keeps us happy (and pacified) 4 television crew coming against Warden’s wishes, afraid it will stir things up again 5.30 Warden warns inmates of repercussions if they misbehave in front of camera 6.30 everyone plotting how to ‘use’ camera 11 Poet betas up other inmate on camera, while they interview Beecher 14 Keller and Beecher try to get their stories straight 14.20 shakedown for the cameras 15.50 Sister Pete: the men in Oz are distressed, mentally, physically and morally 19.40 sponsor not documented
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23 new inmate Omar, who’s being followed on his first day (as Beecher was in first Oz episode), fiending, O’Reily gives him tits. 24.40 Poet yabs on cover up Adebisi, specifically videotapes, while in the hole, TV-crew switches focus away from Beecher 27.30 Latinos and wise guys took over tits after Adebisi dead 28.20 O’Reily tries to press Omar to kill ‘someone famous’ 31 O’Reily tries to negotiate price for information with TV-crew, TV refuses 35 McManus points the producer to Querns of the record, to divert attention from Warden and himself. Querns asks Warden to destroy tapes, he does it 39 producer continues to focus on Adebisi story after Eldridge, tries to shift focus away 41 O’Reily plays Omar so he will flip at Eldridge (who was gonna spend the night in his cell) 43 Eldridge made O’Reily and Cyril look like an animal in show 20 years ago 45 Omar flips too early, tries to attack Eldridge already in common area, stabs co instead, O’Reily disappointed 45.20 Eldridge decides to stay the night with Cyril, who hasn’t taken his medication that day 49.50 Cyril bothered by flashbacks of Eldridge report 20 years ago, remembers mother hitting O’Reily and being sad. Blames Eldridge for mother dying of cancer, beats Eldridge to a pulp in cell 51.50 program that they made not broadcast.
S04E10 2.30 McManus introduces new mandatory programs (half an hour of instructional TV) and new cage in middle of common area as replacement for hole spectacle punishment 4.40 Alvarez caught crossing into Mexico, put back in solitary 7.40 Omar stabs Guerra, sent back to solitary 9 O’Reily tells Keller about Howell, lies about Russian 10 Howell has him sent to the hole, fucks him there 10.30 Dr Nathan returns 13 Howell boasts to Dr Nathan about O’Reily 14.30 O’Reily confesses killing Keenan to Dr Nathan, she goes to Sister Pete for counsel, says she loves O’Reily 17 Devlin reelected 19 Warden hires new lady assistant 21 Warden and wife separating 21.30 Warden: sometimes the walls around Oz make me feel safe
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23 Mole proposes to Norma, the Ms. Sally impersonator 25 Leroy goes to Saïd, says he wants to convert. Saïd denies him, doesn’t trust him. Leroy goes to rehab instead 27 Beecher suspects Saïd denying him is about guilt over Adebisi death rather than not trusting Leroy 29 Leroy offers offing Saïd to Schillinger 32 new inmate, evangelist, tries to convert Schillinger, fails 36 puts on show in cafeteria, ‘cleanses’ inmate, Schillinger turns around 37 Schillinger want to enter into Sister Pete program with Beecher, Beecher hesitant 39 new inmate, Barlog, Beecher pod mate, old friend of Keller 40 new inmate, Red, lifer, probably new head of Homeboys. Saïd and McManus try to gain his confidence 42 Red: learned to kill women and small children in Vietnam 44.30 Morales and Pancamo try to make deal with Red 45.45 a group of recently arrived illegal immigrants to be housed in common area EmCity for lack of other spaces, McManus resisting 47 McManus turns around on the idea when the delegate form the state department turns out to be a hot woman 50.50 Morales invites Chinese ‘leader’ to talk 52.20 makes Chinese believe Red is going to kill them 55 McManus holds Red responsible if anything happens to them after Chinese leader goes to him with concerns. Morales kills leader. Red sent to cage. 56 fanatics (recent converts) condemn all previous beliefs
S04E11 revenge is sweet 1.30 Prophet: Oz manufactures revenge better than anyone else (while corpses pass on diagonal conveyer belts around him 3 McManus and Warden suspect Red may be set up 3.30 Morales and Pancamo fear revenge 5 Alvarez becomes snitch for Warden in exchange for being allowed back into EmCity 6.40 Morales orders Alvarez to kill Red as price for getting back in with Latinos 8 drug trial in Oz, voluntarily, but possibility of reduced sentence. Aging drug that makes you as old as you would be at the end of your sentence 11.40 McManus suggests moving Cyril to asylum so he is not their problem anymore
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13.40 Beecher, O’Reily, Robson, Cyril, Hoyt and five other inmates participate in the program, despite O’Reily and Cyril being lifers 15 Vahue, the famous NBA player is still in Oz, but up for parole. Hill blocks it by telling the woman he raped and beat up 17 parole rejected, goes into self-destruct, attacks CO’s 19.30 Giles condemned to death for killing Aqua, moved to death row 23 Muslims and Aryans fight again, Robson starting it, Leroy jumps in to back up Muslims, Aryans set it up to give Leroy chance to jump in 24 It works, Saïd finally allows Leroy to join Muslims 25 Robson has mostly taken over leadership now that Schillinger turned evangelic. Threaten pastor to leave Schillinger alone. 28 Schillinger Beecher program with Sister Pete starts 33 Omar knows about new tunnel Mole 35 Warden allows marriage Mole and Norma on condition Mole stops digging tunnels. 36 Mole bursts pipe in new tunnel while trying to close it, gets caught and send to solitary 41 Hughes transferred to Oz, unit J (cop unit, spacious, clean, 1 man per cell) Mobay and 1 other there 47.30 Ronnie and Beecher fucking to upset Keller 49 Keller and Ronnie making out, Ronnie falls for Keller instead of Beecher 53.45 Beecher informs Keller Ronnie is ratting on him in a deal offered by feds 56.30 Keller kills Ronnie while receiving blowjob.
S04E12 knifes Not making a big deal out of violence continues in this episode dedicated to the different kinds of shanks used in prison, netting a total of four shanks and of course they all have to be shown in practice, with four different stabbings. 2 Alvarez tries to get out of dilemma of having to kill while being a snitch by talking to the Warden, Morales, Red in that order. They all refuse to offer him a way out. 5 Alvarez kills a Latino, slashes a CO when he tries to intervene, back in solitary, has a nervous breakdown, smearing shit on the walls and himself. 8 Rebadow intercedes on Mole’s behalf, Warden buys it, Mole let out of hole and allowed to marry. Stood up for wedding? 9 McManus still hostile to drug trial in staff meeting, ‘invalidates our jobs (rehabilitation)’ 11.40 Cyril turns gray, O’Reily not affected by drug, wants to back out of trial
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14 biker in trial dies of brain aneurysm 15 McManus and Dr Nathan go to dinner 20 Leroy backs down from killing Saïd 21 Hill still hanging with Homeboys since Red took over (who took care of him after his own father died, father figure) 23 Omar stabs McManus while high, ranting about wanting to be noticed, be feared 28 Gongjin new ‘leader’ Chinese, confronts their smuggler, Kenmin, as he is bought into Oz, asks him to kill Morales to restore his honor 31.30 Ketchum released from solitary, kept at a distance by Red 32 Red tells Hill Ketchum ratted about his location on night of arrest 33 Morales and Pancamo offer Ketchum partnership if he kills Red and gets Homeboys behind him 34 Ketchum tells this to Hill so that he can inform Red, Hill attacks him for ratting, gets beat up himself 37 Ketchum knows O’Reily and Keller set him up 37.40 Keller goes to Red to help off Ketchum 39 outsider (Homeboy, Tug) stabs Ketchum in visiting room 42 Priest back from retreat, gets into conflict with the Reverend over the souls of the inmates after a catholic converts to evangelical 44 Beecher/Schillinger program continues until Schillinger finds out Hank is killed 46 Robinson convinces Schillinger Beecher is responsible 47 Beecher’s brother stabbed by Robson 50 Beecher wants Schillinger to kill him so the feud between them can come to an end with no more blood than that 51 Keller tells reverend he is the one who ordered the hit, so that he can convince Schillinger 52 program continues, Schillinger seems willing to end feud without more violence 55 Keller also confessed to Warden, sent to other prison, redemption story
S04E13 Continued as always depiction of escalation of conflict: premeditated or in the moment verbal taunting, decision on other party to respond in kind or be ‘dissed’ if they let it go, response often invites escalation into physical violence 1.30 Prophet: weather in Oz always toasty warm 3 McManus and Cyril both recovering 4 Nathan and corporation behind drug trial both sued, Nathan being scapegoated by the corporation
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6 woman who says she is O’Reily’s real mother comes to visit him, O’Reily flips chasing her away 6.40 Howell lets O’Reily go (‘thrill gone’), starts hitting on Cyril, he hits her with a lunch tray 9 O’Reily father confirms woman who came to visit real mother, O’Reily goes to Dr Nathan for help to get back in contact with her 11 Hughes still radicalizing in prison 14 Mobay finally reconciles with wife (after being ‘mortified’ by what he had done/being in prison) 16.40 Rebadow organizes one time conjugal for Mole with soon to be wife (he turns out to be a virgin) 19 reverend and Priest continue to fight over souls, Priest goes to gloat as he converts an evangelical. Evangelical gets head smashes in by the recent convert the other way around 25 Prophet: we long for a time we’ve never been part of 27.30 Schillinger’s daughter in law goes into labor in visiting room after hearing her husband is dead, baby delivered in med ward 29 new inmate, Galson, military in prison for rape, new Beecher pod mate 33 Beecher up for parole, lawyer gives him hope that he may get it 35 Beecher gets into fight with the colonel, regrets it as it makes parole less likely 38.30 Vahue starts shooting heroin instead of snorting, regrets it and goes to rehab 40.30 Red orders death of Pancamo, Morales and Ketchum. Hill backs away from him, goes to Saïd for counsel 44 Hill rats on them to Murphy about plans for war 45.30 S.O.R.T. teams come in just in time to avoid deaths 50 Giles frustrates legal system by requesting to be stoned to death, anti-death penalty group picks up his case, date of execution postponed 53 Leroy under pressure from Hoyt and Robson to kill Saïd, goes to Saïd and comes clean. 55.30 new Aryan initiate tries to stab Saïd on order from Robson, but Leroy jumps in front, dies 56.50 Saïd breaks down, blaming himself for death of Leroy 57.20 Prophet: talking about unique snowflakes. ‘Like the men in Oz, even if they start unique, they end up the same’
S04e14 Orpheus 1.40 Prophet, Orpheus good man, gets fucked with by those with power, because that’s what they do 2.30 McManus returns, tries to make truce happen between Morales and Red, they shake hands publicly
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6 Ketchum still wants to kill Red, wants to play Hill so that he'll do it 7.30 colonel moved into Red’s pod, they bond over military history 9 McManus brings Omar back to EmCity, on condition he gets clean 13.40 Hughes stabs Mobay after blocking door to CO room, sent to solitary, Mobay dead 15 Warden takes it hard 21 Schillinger has first visit with granddaughter. Carrie’s ex pimp suggests it may not be his sons 24 reverend convinces guy who stabbed Leroy, Jenkins, to give up Robson 27.30 Jenkins commits suicide in solitary 30 McManus organizes basketball tournament between staff and inmates 34 first match McManus + Dave (white CO) vs Vahue and Mole. Staff gets ass kicked 38 Deyell seeming redemption story, meeting with all the people he’s going to give organs to after he’s executed. Uses trip to hospital for medical checkup to make escape attempt, gets killed. 42 new inmate Connolly, I.R.A. terrorist, taken into EmCity 45 Connolly not interested in making friends with either O’Reily or McManus 49 Cyril only half-brother of O’Reily 51 Cyril puts Kenmin into a coma, moved to protected custody to be weaned of O’Reily 54 Saïd and Arif go to rat on O’Reily killing Keenan 56 O’Reily proposes plan to Nathan to help him and Cyril escape 57 Prophet: if they’re so powerful, how’d they let us get away with all this shit in the first place?
S04E15 Competition in Oz only brings out rage rather than ‘the best’ in people 2.20 Omar still using, Guerra rats on him to McManus, shakedown 4 Guerra and Omar both caught with tits 5.30 5.30 poster of the invisible man on McManus’ wall 6.20 fight breaks out in rehab, started by Omar, Sister Pete is ready to give up on him 9.30 Beecher starts a Sister Pete program with parents girl he killed, successful 13 shot from intro, Alvarez masturbating 14 Hughes losing it in solitary, wants to martyr himself 16 Saïd beats Robson to a pulp after taunting, sent to hole 18 reverend using visiting hours as leverage against Schillinger to hold of brewing race war Muslims Aryans 23 a CO cripples Vahue on the day of the second game after creating ‘incident’ with him
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24.25 first time pop music (i.e. generic beat and lyrics) in entire series, during second basketball game 26 staff wins second game because Vahue crippled, Vahue gets shit from other inmates for losing 29.20 Latino permanently cripples Dave (the second member of the staff team) on Morales’ orders, after McManus says he’ll still be playing despite being picked up by a scout for a pro team 32 tug and Ketchum plotting, colonel catches them and informs Red 33.40 Red ‘convicts’ Tug in a Homeboy tribunal, kills him 39 capital punishment law declared unconstitutional over Giles’ case 40 Giles moved back to solitary 44 Howell hurt, out of commission, on O’Reily’s orders by the sheriff in the cop unit 47 Connolly finally makes friends with O’Reily and other Irish after they defend him 49 O’Reily mother going to turn herself in for crimes committed in her time as a militant in the anti- Vietnam movement 51 Connolly to be deported 53 Dr Nathan not going to help O’Reily’s escape 56 O’Reily and Connolly going to build bomb 57 Prophet: teamwork means giving up individuality, but be careful what you give it up for.
S04E16 Famous last words 2 Hill still out with Homeboys 3.20 Hill set up with tits before shakedown 6 Hill organizes for eggs to be in Ketchum’s food, which he is allergic to, he dies 7.30 Hill back in good graces of Homeboys, doesn’t want back into the gang 10 Red orders colonel to kill Morales, Morales turns fight around, kills colonel 12 Prophet: in Oz we do neither (live well nor die well) 12.30 reverend forced to resign as head of his church, discontent within prison congregation as well. 17 reverend bricked into wall by backers and members of his congregation 18.45 Hughes knocks out Co, hostage situation in solitary, he is in a psychosis 21.30 releases another inmate from his cell, he flees back into cell as Warden comes in 22 Warden tries to talk Hughes out of psychosis 23.40 he tries to stab the Warden, gets stopped by inmate he released who stabs him, dies 25.20 Warden writes resignation letter, assistant refuses to post it 27 last basketball game called off, Murphy wants it to continue with him as McManus’ teammate
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28 Last game on, with pop music again (Limp Bizkit/Red Hot Chili Peppers?), inmates win with double points
S0501 Premonition of visiting buss being run off the road 2.00 Prophet: the most common of man in prison 2.40 Devlin: we have the finest, most modern facilities for housing and punishing those bottom feeders 6.30 ginger continues preaching a violent Christianity with reverend gone (survived gas explosion, badly hurt though) 9 more images from outside coming in for visitation 12.30 solitary inmates (Alvarez, Giles, Omar etc.) moved into gen pop for technical reasons (renovation of air ducts in solitary), if they behave well they won’t have to return to solitary 15 Guerra still wants Alvarez dead, Morales offers protection, turned down by Alvarez 17.30 Omar ridiculing/taunting Guerra in cage 21.50 Prophet more ‘great men’ (Paine, Moore, Columbus, Jesus, Galileo) who were in prison 23 short discussion on origins of crime in bus between carry and Priest 26 Warden speaks to all inmates again to stave off ‘race war’ between Aryans and Muslims 28.30 Pete organizes program between Saïd and Schillinger with Beecher as mediator 33 Mrs. Arif provides societal context to incarceration/war on drugs/blacks in bus 38 Arif keeps informing to Warden on O’Reily killing Keenan 44 O’Reily manipulates evidence so that suspicions shift to Stanton (the guy who has been trying to get close to Cyril). Successful, investigation halted because too many suspects, not enough clues. 48 Hill’s mom, Morales’ sister, Arif’s wife, Schillinger’s daughter and granddaughter, Priest on bus 51 Hill receives divorce letter from wife before his mom can ‘safely’ inform him without danger of relapse 54 actual images of bus crashing overlaid with Georgian choirs. 54.40 Warden informs inmates as music keeps playing, carry, Arif’s wife, Morales’ sister, Hill’s mom all dead. Granddaughter survives 56 Prophet: Jesus loved prisoners
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S05e02 2 Prophet: laws of god, nature man (or actually a bunch of politicians. At end of episode: laws of man are arbitrary and transitory, gods laws are set in stone) 2.30 Alvarez continues taunting Guerra 3.40 Rebadow: there was none of this finding yourself jazz 7 Morales holds off on killing out of respect for his sister 11 Rebadow’s grandson getting worse, needs donor 19 Stanton stabs Montgomery after O’Reily informs him he is the rat 21 O’Reily’s mom starts to do her mandatory community service in Oz 25 basketball CO Dave returns to Oz, McManus tells him about bragging that he would play to Morales 29 McManus’ ex-wife appointed as liaison between prison staff and Governor 34 Schillinger’s granddaughter taken to Montana by Carrie’s parents 35.30 Schibetta jr. returns to EmCity 37.30 Pancamo implicated in hit on Hank Schillinger 39.30 Pancamo gets stabbed in the back by Robson in a fight between the Aryans and the wise guys, while he is fighting with Schillinger 41 Keller, now longer a suspect in Hank Schillinger’s case, set to return to EmCity 43 Saïd continues to have issues controlling his ‘inner Adebisi’ 45 McManus makes Saïd Omar’s sponsor in hopes it will save them both 53 Kirk (ginger) orders hit on Cloutier to Burns, afraid Cloutier might sing when he is able to talk again 54 Burns has a revelator dreams, attacks Hoyt and Kirk instead of Cloutier, killed by Hoyt because he sucks at fighting
S05E03 2 Prophet: dreams of violent fantasies (Freud), release to be good citizens, in only they don’t remain dreams 3 Alvarez sent back to EmCity, all scores settled with Latinos according to Morales 5.50 new guy comes up to Alvarez, wants to be his lieutenant, Alvarez orders him to kill Guerra to prove himself 9.30 Rebadow gives money to Dave to bet in lottery with ‘God-given’ numbers 10 Dave still out for revenge and bitter over basketball 12 Kenmin returns to EmCity, enters into interaction program with O’Reily brothers
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14 outside images in color of Chen (new Chinese guy) history, with Chinese pop music, shooting spree 16 O’Reily afraid Chinese might be plotting against his mother 20 Homeboys and Latinos make pact 21 Schibetta wants to fuck them so as to prove himself as something else than Adebisi’s bitch 22 neither wise guys nor Saïd will back him because he’s Adebisi’s bitch 23.30 he attacks Schillinger and two others Aryans on his own, fails, gets raped again 28 Keller taken into protective custody upon return to Oz, pending FBI investigation into different murder 30.20 Beecher still dating his parole lawyer 33 Prophet: in Oz daydreams are deadly 34 Arif restraining Saïd as Robson taunts him in gym 37 Poet caught by Saïd while selling tits to Omar 39 McManus to Saïd about Omar: I’m basically a spectator now, but I believe your instincts can provide the key 44 Omar starts singing as a new passionate interest, to occupy his mind with other stuff than drugs 48 Kirk orders hit on Cloutier to other Aryan, he gets caught while Cloutier survives 50.30 Cloutier keeps appearing Hoyt’s dreams, orders hit on Kirk 52 Hoyt stabs Kirk with cross from Priest’s altar. Taken to interview room and confesses to a long list of murders. 53 Cloutier missing from hospital
S05E04 Vikings General note: continued trend of flashbacks only to violent incidents, adds even more gore to the episodes than is already there 2 Prophet: a lot of misconceptions about Vikings […] they only pillaged to survive 2.30 Jaime (new guy Alvarez) botches killing Guerra, gets killed, Alvarez feels guilty 5 new program proposed (dog training) liaison skeptical, it starts small 6.30 Hill, Alvarez and Penders sign up 9 Alvarez: they [love and trust] are like conjugals and cigarettes, they don’t exist in Oz 13 Dave gets shit/blood/puke/piss cocktail thrown at him 14.30 inmate who threw it in solitary severely beaten up by fellow CO’s 15 inmate violates Dr Nathan, she flashes back to rape, beats him up further herself
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17.10 Beecher flips out in interaction program with Saïd and Schillinger after Schillinger denies raping him 20 Catherine (Beecher’s girlfriend from parole case) new lawyer Keller, aware he’s Beecher’s boyfriend 24 hip-hop beat playing as new white rich inmate (acquaintance of Beecher, Adam) enters EmCity, Beecher sponsor 25.40 comparison between gen pop and emerald city. Gen pop friend of Adam gets threatened by big black guy, Aryans step in offer protection for a price, same treatment as Beecher. Adam gets protection for free in EmCity 28.40 new wise guy, Urbano, seems a high up one 30 wise guys pledge to protect Adam from Aryans, large fight breaks out in gym as they try to assault him 31 lockdown after the fight between wise guys and Aryans 32 Prophet: much like the men in Oz they had no concept of good or evil 36 O’Reily and Cyril breakdancing to hip-hop music 37 O’Reily stabs Chen because there are rumors he and Kenmin are going to rape his mother 38.30 Cyril who delivered the killing stab sent to solitary again, probably going to be sent either to the asylum or death row 40 Red asks Warden for control of the kitchen, he gets it and wise guys are sent packing 42 Hill still having trouble dealing with mother dying, starts using again 44 Omar happier, continuing singing lessons 48 McManus continues to help him even though everyone is annoyed with his constant singing, gives him private practice space which spikes Red’s interest who pressures Omar into using it for a place to transport drugs 52.20 Saïd keeps pushing Omar away, driving him closer to the Homeboys 54 Prophet: Vikings eventually got civilized 55 Aryans torture and kill young Muslim brother, shown laughing, enjoying the torture
S05E05 wheel of fortune General note: drug testing although mandatory, only apply to a few selected individuals 2 Saïd and Arif go to Warden instead of going to war immediately 4 Omar caught by Saïd moving drugs through his practice space 5.45 Saïd beats up Omar after he gives him lip, sent to the hole 7 Omar confesses using the space for moving to McManus
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10 Saïd: and yet again I lost my humanity in chasing what I thought was the greater good McManus: I don’t think you lost your humanity, what scares you is that you are all too human 12.20 Pancamo has a drug resistant staph infection 14.30 Adam finds out about Beecher being gay 17.30 Keller and Catherine flirting, Keller still fucking Howell 21 Schillinger opens up a channel of communication between Beecher and Keller through his work as a mailman. Even offers to arrange visiting possibilities for them (giving Beecher his job so he can see Keller every day) if Beecher lets him have Adam. Beecher refuses 23 Adam continues acting out, taunting Beecher. Beecher still thinks he can turn him around, make him a model citizen 26.30 Murphy and Dave complaining about shit pay for hacks 28 Dave continues spiraling, attacking inmate who threw the cocktail 30 Rebadow and Dave win the two million in the lotto. Dave runs off with it, leaving his work, girlfriend and Rebadow behind 32.30 Prophet: we believe the fortune teller because we hope that maybe they know the truth 35 dog training program success so far 36 Hill collapses, kidney failure because of drug use. McManus goes to Red for help in finding who sold him the smack. Poet lies about selling Hill the smack 38.40 Pender’s history, instrumental hard rock music playing 43 Morales beats up brother in law over hurting his sister before she died, sent to the hole 46 Cyril beating up CO in solitary (no preamble shown) 48 Catherine: you have to decide what your brothers life is worth (if they’re willing to pay for an expensive lawyer) 50 Cyril storyline continues humanizing O’Reily, eventually he accepts that it may be best for Cyril if he gets executed 57 Prophet: judge is 100% right about the futures he predicts for us
S05E06 Musical 1.30 Sister Pete singing ballad 4 Saïd: power it’s as evil a drug as any 7 Poet: me getting on stage is me firing back, surviving the war. Tits is treatment for the wounds 10 variety show slightly successful, Omar performs well sober, McManus: I’m gloating about success with ‘lost causes’ 13 Saïd changes view of Islamification, Muslims of the north enslaving blacks of the south
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14.30 Robson history, suffering from bad teeth, has to go to ‘sand nigger’ dentist 19.30 Hoyt sings pop song while working out in Prophet box, free will 22 Rivera: I can’t believe these fucks are capable of any good 23.50 new inmate, O'Reily sponsor, an Irish priest, in jail for political activism 28 Shupe arm amputated by Morales in exchange for O’Reily promising to kill Kenmin 32 Red singing Vietnam war song, while spraying graffiti in Prophet box 33.30 McManus still investigating who gave Hill drugs 35 Poet and Guerra pressure Mole to throw suspicions on wise guys 37.30 Schibetta jr. stops going to counseling 38.20 Warden discussing rape in prison, calls it a ‘levelling effect’ 42 Priest sings queer power ballad in Prophet box 43.20 Priest convinces Hoyt to sing on Kirk, Kirk moved to death row 44.40 Kirk organizes for Priest’s church to be set on fire, killing 2 in the dormitory, hurting Priest 45 Beecher and Schillinger sing breakup/love duet 48 Catherine drops Keller's case because he’s guilty, breaks up with Beecher for lying to her about knowing about Keller’s guilt 50.30 beecher drops protection of Adam after Adam hits him, in exchange Schillinger lets him change jobs to post office so he can see keller 53.30 Keller tries to break up with Howell, she beats him up, sent to hospital shortly before Beecher has a chance to see him 55 Beecher singing by himself, same song as Sister Pete at start of show but with darker inflection
S05E07 Prophet back, title: good intentions 4 Red finds out wasn’t wise guy Poet makes Mole shift suspicions to Guerra 5 Red attacks Morales, both sent to hole 7 Meehan (Irish priest) trying to get involved with Cyril case, O’Reily pushes him away 7.30 Cyril condemned to death, O’Reily says no appeals as kind of euthanasia, no clemency 8.40 O’Reily: nothingness is better than life in Oz 10 Catherine, Sister Pete and O'Reily mother work with Meehan for Cyril’s case 11.30 O’Reily attacks Kenmin, CO’s intervene, Kenmin turns onto CO’s, O'Reily beats up Kenmin further with support of CO’s 13 CO’s keep beating on Kenmin in solitary 15.30 Prophet: [with this world population] suddenly my cell don’t seem so cramped 17 Penders gets beat up by CO for giving lip, commands his dog to attack, kills co?
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19.30 Alvarez trained his dog bilingual for Rivera, only success in program. Program director and McManus still call it a success 22 McManus going to search the files or donor match with Rebadow’s grandson, finds match within prison 25 match unwilling to help as it would reveal him as not being 100% black 31 big black inmate rats on Kirk about arson in Priest’s church 32.40 Warden gets Hoyt to make another biker come forward, Kirk in trouble 33.30 Sister Pete’s and Warden's relationship still troubled 37.30 Robson still obsessed about source of gums as dentist threatened to put black or kike gums in his mouth. 40 dentist quits, afraid of Robson revenge, informs Poet of source so he can start a rumor (black gums) 41 Poet announces it to everyone in cafeteria, Robson assaults dentist, sent to the hole 43 Robson kicked out of the brotherhood over ‘tainted blood’ 45 Sister Pete: difference between men and animals, we can overcome our nature 52 code of silence around Adam in interaction program Saïd, Beecher, Schillinger 54 Adam dead, electrocuted during escape attempt setup by brotherhood
S05E08 impotence 3 Robson out of brotherhood, determined to get back in 4.30 tries to cut out new gums 6 Alvarez up for parole again, Warden wants to block it 9.40 Alvarez loses it at parole hearing, attacks a parole officer 12 McManus talking about potency in ‘saving’ prisoners, says Omar gives hope 14.20 new inmate, Cutler, ordered to kill Saïd to prove fearlessness to Aryans 15 Omar kills Cutler to protect Saïd in a panic, reanimates him when he finds out he’s dead, goes to McManus with Saïd 17.30 Omar sent to solitary, McManus flips out with disappointed idealism 18.30 ex-wife flips out at McManus suggesting his idealism is only covered up pride 20 Omar losing it in solitary 22.40 Rebadow allowed to visit grandson in hospital 24 Norma finally comes to visit the Mole again, turns out to be very pregnant 26.30 Rebadow grandson dead, breaks down 29 Dave returns to give Rebadow money, late
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31.30 Beecher still riddled with guilt over Adam, rats on Schillinger 33 Schillinger moved to solitary indefinitely 33.40 Keller found guilty in homosexual murders, probably sentenced to death 37 Beecher final sees Keller again 39 Cyril moved to death row, panics, attacks CO’s 43.30 Meehan finds out the O’Reily’s had a baby sister who died at 6 months old 45 O’Reily hits Meehan because he pushes to hard to help, Meehan consoles him 47.30 O’Reily father killed Carolyn 50 O’Reily switches opinion about saving brother 51 Hill back in EmCity, not gonna rat on Poet 52 Red and Morales released from the ole 53.30 Latinos switch allegiance to Sicilians, on condition they kill Red 56 Sicilians attack Red, stab Hill by accident, Hill dies
S06E01 Testament General note: due to overcrowding of solitary confinement apparently there have always been regular votes in the prison council (McManus, Glynn, Sister Pete, Priest, Howell etc.) on who to release from solitary 1.40 Prophet still here even though Hill dead (blues music playing) 2.40 McManus still disillusioned with idealism paints a meditative maze in the basketball court after getting into eastern philosophy, where prisoners can go to consider options 3.20 McManus: so many people have died since I set up EmCity […] I was beginning to feel anaesthetized 5 Hill left manuscript/memoir of Oz as testament/last will (framed in retrospect as if Oz is the televised version of the manuscript) 5.40 Pancamo survives infection, Latinos still allied to Sicilians 6.30 Red depressed, Homeboys without leader/out of control 7.30 Saïd tries to get Red to move Homeboys away from drugs 9 Keane testament, Greeks understood the burden of living 10 Howell still fucking inmates 13.30 tries to fuck Omar, he pukes on Howell, sent to MedWard 15 Guerra to be held responsible any trouble for Alvarez as he is moved back into EmCity 17.10 Morales: Oz is what happened [to my talk of peace and patience] Oz is what fucking happened 18.30 Keane: Dante’s circles of hell with punishment that fits the sin Huber 123
19 Rebadow still depressed, reassigned to library with new librarian Ms. Coffo 24 Priest returns, Kirk wants to see him, Priest refuses initially, Sister Pete convinces him 28.30 Priest suspended after Kirk accuses him of sexual abuse 29.30 O’Reily mother to put up Macbeth with prisoners 31.30 casts Meehan as Macbeth even though O’Reily is first preference 36 O’Reily forces Shupe to testify on behalf of Cyril 39 Schibetta jr. finally meeting with wife again 42 Keane on the shone: ancestors both good and evil circling the living 43 Meehan dies of an aneurysm, O’Reily washes he body while praying 44.30 Keane singing gospel 45.30 Beecher working on appeal for Keller in unit J (after ratting on Schillinger/brotherhood) 46.30 Schillinger sent back to gen pop 48 Winthrop plotting to kill Beecher’s father so he can turn from prag into Aryan Brother 50.30 Beecher up for parole again 52.45 Winthrop kills Beecher father, who was visiting with Keller, while CO’s look away, let into brotherhood 53 race riots on the outside, televised, spark unrest inside
S06E02 Bellinger as Prophet, with hanging marks on her neck 2 Prophet: overloading our senses, blows a fuse, senseless violence 3 shakedown to find Winthrop murder weapon, parole hearing postponed 3.30 Leroy framed by Aryans, white racist mayor on the outside found guilty 4.30 Devlin holds of on pardoning him till the riots subside he gets sent to Oz 6 comes in, tries to sweet talk the Warden, while Saïd looks on. Lockdown over. 8 Beecher saves with a Heimlich maneuver when the mayor is choking 9 Schillinger won’t fuck with Beecher parole because he saved mayor (who is an old patron of the Schillinger family) 10.20 Beecher gets paroled 12 Bellinger: if you become senseless you become dependent 13 outbreak of something in solitary, everyone in MedWard. Poisoned by building materials used in kitchen renovation after explosion? 14.40 Warden afraid of scandal, refuses to send them to hospital 16 Dave threatens Martinez over cutting tendon, wants to know who paid 18 Morales orders hit on Martinez to Guerra to make sure he doesn’t rat Huber 124
19 Bellinger: with pregnancy and epilepsy we have a pretty good sense of impending doom, no sense to avoid it 21.20 Rebadow to Ms. Cosso: you’ve come to a place of old books and bad attitudes 27.40 fashion photoshoot on death row for a ‘positive spin on the prison system’ 28.40 Hoyt uses group shot to kill Kirk with one of the lights for the shoot 29 Kirk death means investigation against Priest is dropped, he feels guilty for praying for Kirk’s death 30 Hill’s memoir set to be published by Saïd’s publisher 30.40 Red stuck in meditative maze, lost it 32 privatization of workplaces in Oz by Devlin's order, telemarketing office set up 34 Howell skeptic of competition between inside and outside businesses 35.20 Saïd skeptical of the exploitation in the new company, refuses to work in it (as prisoners make 8 dollars per day) 36 Red becomes foreman in Telemarketing Company, offered as alternative to Homeboys 39 Morales asks Alvarez to spy on Homeboys, he refuses 44 Bellinger: common sense creates the common criminals. The desire to do right is most uncommon 46 O’Reily pits Pancamo against Schibetta jr. 48.30 Pancamo kills him, lockdown 54 Prophet: the worst is having all you sense work at full tilt 55 Robson becomes Cutler’s prag for protection against Sicilians
S06E03 cello player testament 3.30 Keller attacks CO for interrupting last moments with beech, gets beat up 7 Yood tells Beecher it was Winthrop who killed his father 9 mayor threatens to rat on Devlin if he doesn’t get pardoned 10 Beecher to head pro bono office for prisoners in father’s law firm 12 inmate kills mayor on Devlin’s orders, no one gives a shit 14.20 hip-hop beat playing in history 18 year old Rosa, taken on as a cause by Ms. Cosso 20 Rebadow on Macbeth; who kills mercilessly to gain power 22 Sicilians get kitchen back from Warden in exchange for not fucking with Robson/Aryans 23.40 Guerra holds off on killing Martinez 25 Martinez dies of the poising in solitary, Nathan decides to let the truth out 26 Warden dating McManus’ ex-wife (state liaison) holds press conference Huber 125
28 Dave tells Murphy Martinez jabbered before he died accusing Morales of ordering attack on Dave 29 they cut Morales’ tendons together with Howell in solitary 34 Cyril attacks Sister Pete when she tries to take away the hand puppet 35.20 shot from intro, CO’s spraying Cyril because he keeps making noise 37 Devlin proposes electroshock therapy on Cyril to make him sane enough to execute without backlash 44 Cyril gets the EST, headache, drooling. O’Reily mother comforts him 44.50 Cyril appeal denied, execution in three weeks 47 Homeboys less than enthusiastic about Red’s telemarketing plan 48.30 Poet poem, Red meeting resistance against becoming ‘working stiffs’ 50 Hill memoir tied up in legal battle over who owns rights, publishers set to retreat 51 Saïd: not against prison labor in principle but the way it’s practiced 53 Saïd rallies Muslims to Bookbinding Company in Oz, paying minimum wage so that Hill’s memoir can be published at lower cost 54 ‘reporter’ shoots Saïd in visiting chamber, Saïd dies, but tells Arif not to seek revenge
S06E04 communication. Nappa testament 4 news of Saïd’s death received with grief/anger in EmCity, news leaked quickly to TV 5 CO in charge of checking reporter that entered with firearm fired (drinking on the job) 10 Beecher lawyer of Keller’s, hopes he can get death sentence overturned 13 Keller fears being abandoned by Beecher 15 Beecher gets Keller of death row 16.40 Keller kills Winthrop over killing Beecher’s father 18 telemarketing company successful so far, Homeboys ironically campaigning for right wing senator 20 Arif new leader Muslims 20.40 Poet flips over offensive lady on phone, fired by Red 21.20 Homeboys all walk out on Red/telemarketing 26 Rebadow and Ms. Cosso keeps flirting, she confesses to having breast cancer 28 Nappa: with TV man could finally act god 31 Hoyt’s death sentence overturned, sent to asylum 34 new inmate, Jahfree, old acquaintance of O’Reily mother (Fitzgerald) 37 Omar moved out of solitary so that he doesn’t sue the state for the toxicity 40 Dave first suspect in killing of Martinez (as it turns out he was killed rather than dying of poison) 41 comes clean to Murphy about lying about Martinez coming clean
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41.50 Murphy goes to Warden, jabbers on him, Dave and Howell hurting Morales, breaking CO code of silence 45.30 Alvarez finds out it’s his best friend who's been fucking his gf 46.50 Nappa: what's next, microchips in the brain? 51 Robson ratting on Cutler to Sister Pete, suggests Cutler might commit suicide 54 Cutler dead hanging in the noose 55 Prophet: who now, instead of wanting to talk, is tired of listening
S06E05 forgiveness. Schillinger’s sons testament 2.20 Robson good again with Aryans because of killing Cutler 4 Alvarez randomly sole beneficiary of Cutler will, under pressure from Aryans to turn it over to widow 6 Robson fights with gf, thrown in hole 8 Hill’s book published, distributed for free in EmCity 10 book operation not as profitable as hoped, trouble paying wages 13.30 Red still plotting to get back control of Homeboys 14.20 Saïd killer (Idzik) moved into unit J, Muslims not seeking revenge 19 Schillinger’s sons: two reasons for holding back forgiveness, accountability and identity 20 Murphy breaking Co code of silence, rats on Dave, Howell and himself 22 Morales shares suspicions about nurse who killed Martinez with Warden, Warden shrugs it off 23.30 Murphy getting shit from Howell and Dave 26 nurse kills Morales 27.30 Norma proposes to the Mole, they getting married 33 mayor killer rats on a CO after he’s found out, says he paid him for murder 35 CO immediately calls the guy who ordered the hit, phone tapped? 37 Kirk mother going to volunteer in med ward 39 Dr Nathan admits Cyril to med ward as a reprieve from death row 40 Cyril still undergoing EST despite his execution in a week 42 Jahfree asked as leader of Homeboys by Poet, refuses 46.40 Keller taunts FBI agent, he hits him 48.30 Beecher keeps successfully intervening in prison affairs from outside 51 things between Beecher and Keller tense over Beecher dating on outside 53.30 Keller successfully pressures Beecher into running an illegal errand for him, sets him up so Beecher is arrested again, Beecher back in Oz
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S06E06 walking dead, Ortolani flashbacks. Instead of main causes of death heart cancer, stroke, long issues accidents 2 Beecher knows Keller is behind the set up 5 Ortolani: he fear can turn into the disease itself 6.30 Rebadow apologizes to Ms. Cosso over leaving when he found out she had breast cancer. She pushes him away 8.30 Idzik requesting transfer to EmCity, despite possibility of being killed there 10 Omar upset over Idzik coming, but promises to not hurt him. McManus assigns him as sponsor 12 new detective assigned to mayor case, doesn’t want to loop up conspiracy to kill (implicated guard/Devlin) 14 Warden continues investigation nonetheless 15.30 mayor killer who ratted on CO killed 16.40 Robson still restless, continues session with Sister Pete 19 group counselling session ape victims, hacks indifferent to rape trope 21 Guerra suggests Alvarez takes over from Morales, he refuses because of hopes for parole 23 Alvarez decides to sign inheritance over to widow 26 Warden investigates nurse over Martinez/Morales killings, she is arrested 29 Red trying to recruit new personnel for Telephone Company, unsuccessful 33 Red orders sabotage of Arif’s bookbinding workplace to cut competition in jobs 34 Arif seduced by insurance money to cover losses, doesn’t rat on Red 42 O’Reily allowed to stay last night with Cyril, intercut with images of clock ticking to 12 44 O’Reily continues to make Cyril believe the electric chair is last session of ECT so he won’t be afraid 49 everyone heads into their pods but O’Reily and Jahfree as a tribute to Cyril, start banging on pod walls as O’Reily is taken to gym to walk in his meditative circle during execution per his request 51 soft rock song plays as Cyril I prepared for execution /intercut with images of Ryan walking 53.30 Cyril receives a last moment stay of execution 55 Prophet: are we a maturing society with evolving standards of decency?
S06E07 junkyard days 1.50 Prophet: junk is still always still around 2 Poet reading Hill’s book, Homeboys still not slinging, out of work 6 Homeboys support new guy, ganja brownies, Sicilians shut him down 8.30 Homeboys get back into telemarketing
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9 they use the job to gather credit card numbers 12 Ms. Cosso survives breast cancer operation 14 Mole and Norma do get married this time 16.30 Omar goes to McManus to seek help for suicidal Idzik, gets shut down by McManus who thinks it’s a plot by Omar 22.50 shot from intro, Idzik with bloody knife, just slit Omar’s throat so he would be sent to death row 25 Robson tested HIV positive 28 O’Reily transferred to work in MedWard so he can be close to brother 29.30 O’Reily father convicted, sent to Oz 32.30 Beecher and Schillinger both to take part in the Macbeth play 34.30 Schillinger and Keller plot to kill Beecher, Schillinger to do honors 36.30 Keller turns out to be staying close to Schillinger to keep Beecher safe 39 which turns out to be further double play 41 Alvarez keeps seeing Cutler widow, slowing down process of overturning testament belongings, flirting with widow 45 new inmate, Torquemada, drag queen, intends to take over all EmCity with new synthetic drugs 49 Warden won’t let investigation into mayors death go 50 McManus catches Warden and ex-wife kissing, tries to dodge ceremony for dead CO, goes anyway 53 Warden walks into ceremony stabbed, while McManus is looking for him after he doesn’t show up for ceremony 55 Prophet: junkyards, prisons, same difference. Except the junk were discarding are human lives.
S06E08 finale 2 Prophet: what about that brother who is innocent 3.30 Stanton rats on Kelch (murderer of Warden, Brandt and mayor) 4.40 Kelch rats on Johnson (CO), he gets arrested 6 new education program named after Warden. Johnson rats on Devlin's aide as the one who set up the hit on the mayor 8 Querns named new Warden, McManus given notice Querns institutes new ‘fear’ measures 12 Ms. Cosso back, pays off CO to be able to see Pablo Rosa in solitary (who flipped when she was gone, worry sick)
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18 committee member: the very purpose of punishment is to take away fundamental rights 18.30 Mole flips as they deny his request to inseminate Norma, hits CO and committee 19 Howell pregnant, confesses to fuckin prisoners in Oz to Priest 21 last minute humanizing storyline for Howell 21.4 Prophet speaking to a crowd of prisoners in interlude sequence 25 Dave quits to shoot Vahue out of jealousy over failed basketball career 27.20 Hoyt adopted, adoptive parents rich/upper-class. bio father died in prison, Priest tries to find bio mother 30 bio mother comes to visit, success 33 Hoyt reveals that Cloutier didn’t disappear. His biker bodies took him away and bricked him up again. Priest finds the body 34.30 Biker kills Hoyt as Kirk’s mom looks on. Priest bricks up Cloutier again 36 Arif beat up by Muslims after confessing what happened to book business, jabbers to McManus too 37.40 McManus sends Red to solitary, telemarketing woman tries to intervene, McManus refuses 39 Torquemada partners with Sicilians to sell destiny (synthetic drug) 41 Guerra OD’s on destiny, shakedown 42.30 Alvarez meets with widow, kiss, while Schillinger’s guy watches 43 Alvarez: in Oz, you don’t have friends, just guys who look like you 43.40 Alvarez threatened by Aryans, hits Schillinger, gets beat up 48 Ruiz (parole officer that Alvarez hit) keeps taunting Alvarez, not intent on giving him parole 48.20 Torquemada new roommate Alvarez 51 Alvarez: I’m so tired (starts to use again) 52.30 Prophet: you can end up leaving prison with debt (forcing you to steal/deal again, landing you back in prison etc.) 55 revenge for ravaging soul by telling about end of universe is Idzik reason for killing Saïd 56 Idzik death sentence overturned, back in EmCity 57 McManus: I wanted to create a better life for these guys, because they won’t have any other 1.0 Cyril execution back on, O’Reily father refusing to visit him, insults oriel mother 1.02 father tries to stab Jahfree after paying off co over entanglement with O’Reily mother, Jahfree turns it around, gets sent to the hole 104 Nathan explains ambivalence in O’Reily character 107 tribute to Cyril repeated, dark tense sounds as Cyril is prepared, O’Reily in maze again, Nathan there for comfort
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109.30 no stay, Cyril executed, intercut with father suffering, O’Reily kissing?, Querns pukes in execution chamber 110 father changes his mind, too late, asks O’Reily for comfort, he gives in 112.30 Robson transferred to aids ward 116 FBI tries to get Beecher to make a deal against Keller, while Keller is set up to walk past seeing them, Beecher noncommittal 119 Schillinger to stab Beecher during fight scene in play accidently (Keller to switch out a prop weapon for a real one) 123 play success, canalizing race tension in big fight (black versus Aryans) 125 Keller hands Beecher the real shank without him knowing, he accidentally kills Schillinger 126.40 Schillinger’s death ruled accidental 127 Beecher and Keller roomies again, Beecher still pushing him away 130 Keller confesses to fucking with Beecher’s parole, Beecher calls him a poison 131 Keller tries to kiss him, Beecher physically pushes him away, accidently off the balcony. Keller dies 133 Beecher moved to protective custody 134 Keller ordered anthrax to kill off Aryans in post room, Oz evacuated, everyone in busses. 136 empty scenes of Oz while soundbites from all of the series play 137.30 CDC turns off lights in EmCity 138 important: last speech by Prophet