OZ: A GAME OF CHECKERS {FIRST SEASON FINALE} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of dramas set in the Oswald Maximum Security Penitentiary, nicknamed "Oz." This episode concerns a spontaneous prison uprising that results from a very mundane occurrence. Beecher comes back to Emerald City from the Hole, slightly crazy from Schillinger's brutality toward him. Schillinger returns from a visit with his drug-addicted sons and wants to keep a low profile so that he can earn parole and help them, but Beecher threatens to provoke him into a fight and thus ruin his chances for freedom. McManus tells Wittlesey that he knows she has been smuggling contraband into Oz for profit, but when she tries to break off the deal Ross threatens to expose her to the warden. Said wants to start a riot by engaging a guard in an argument; before he knows it, the riot begins with an argument over a game of checkers. During the fracas, Dobbins is stabbed by another inmate and badly wounded, and the ward's guards are overpowered and taken hostage along with Father Mukada. The inmates set up a blockade, and Said takes control of the revolt, organizing Adebisi, Ross, Ryan, and Alvarez into a prisoner's council to divide the responsibilities and compile a list of demands. Vayhue carries Dobbins out of Emerald City in order to get him medical help but must sacrifice himself to the authorities in the process. McManus volunteers to bring the inmates food so that he can check on the guards and succeeds in trading himself for the release of the badly beaten Armstrong and Mineo. Ryan tries to keep the peace among rival prison groups but has a difficult time when the heroin supply dries up and Adebisi and his pals get out of control. Ryan submits the prisoners' list of demands, but Governor Devlin refuses to negotiate. Soon all electricity is turned off, and the SORT team bursts in to take control of the situation.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: August 25, 1997 11:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:50196
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Prisons - Drama; Prison riots - Drama; Asian American Pacific Islanders Collection
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 1997-2003
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Barry Levinson … Executive Producer
- Tom Fontana … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Jim Finnerty … Co-Executive Producer
- Bridget Potter … Supervising Producer
- Debbie Sarjeant … Co-Producer
- de Segonzac, Jean … Director
- David Darlington … Music by
- Stephen Rosen … Music by
- Ernie Hudson … Cast, Leo Glynn
- Terry Kinney … Cast, Tim McManus
- Harold Perrineau … Cast, Augustus Hill
- Eamonn Walker … Cast, Kareem Said
- Edie Falco … Cast, Diane Whittlesey
- J.K. Simmons … Cast, Vern Schillinger
- Lee Tergesen … Cast, Tobias Beecher
- Dean Winters … Cast, Ryan O'Reilly
- Philip Scozzarella … Cast, Joseph Mineo
- Kirk Acevedo … Cast, Miguel Alvarez
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje … Cast, Simon Adebisi
- George Morfogen … Cast, Robert Rebadow
- J.D. Williams … Cast, Kenny Wangler
- B.D. Wong … Cast, Ray Mukala
- Zeljko Ivanek … Cast, Governor James Devlin
- Rick Fox … Cast, Jackson Vayhue
- Stephen Gevedon … Cast, Scott Ross
- Zuill Bailey … Cast, Eugene Dobbins
- Matthew Brandon Ross … Cast, Anthony Knowakowski
- O.L. Duke … Cast, Paul Markstrom
- Leon … Cast, Jefferson Keane
- Sean Whitesell … Cast, Donald Groves
- Granville Adams … Cast, Zahir Aris
- Tim Brown … Cast, Jason Armstrong
- Bob Colletti … Cast, White Punk #1
- Douglas Crosby … Cast, Officer D'Agnasti
- Elyas Kahn … Cast, Young Rebadow
- Ray Karl … Cast, an Officer
- Peter Mazzeo … Cast, the Undercover Cop
- Philip Scozzarella … Cast, Joseph Mineo
- Terry Serpico … Cast, Rebadow's Client
- Brian Smyj … Cast, White Punk #2
- Murphy Guyer … Cast, Eddie Hunt
- Tim Hopper … Cast, Donn
- Tim McAdams … Cast , Johnny Post
- Jon Seda … Cast, Dino Ortolani
- Jose Soto … Cast, Emilio Sanchez