# List of Oz episodes
**Oz** is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana that aired on HBO from July 12, 1997 to February 23, 2003, running for six seasons and 56 episodes.[1](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/oz) Fontana wrote or co-wrote all 56 episodes.[1](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/oz) The series is set in the Oswald State Correctional Facility, nicknamed "Oz," with much of the action in [Emerald City](https://www.edgepedia.org/emerald-city), an experimental unit that emphasizes rehabilitation and responsibility.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/oz/s01)
| Season | Episodes | Original run | First episode | Last episode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 1997 | "The Routine" (July 12, 1997)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/oz/s01) | "A Game of Checkers" (August 25, 1997)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/oz/s01) |
| 2 | 8 | 1998 | — | — |
| 3 | 8 | 1999 | — | — |
| 4 | 16 | 2000 | "A Cock and Balls Story" (July 12, 2000)[3](https://epguides.com/Oz/) | — |
| 5 | 8 | 2002 | — | "Impotence" (February 24, 2002)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz/episodes) |
| 6 | 8 | 2003 | "Dead Man Talking" (January 5, 2003)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz/episodes) | "Exeunt Omnes" (February 23, 2003)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz/episodes) |
## Season 1 (1997)
The eight-episode first season established the show's style: a large cast on both sides of the bars, four or five stories per hour, and a high casualty rate.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz) The season builds to a riot in the finale.
1. "The Routine" – July 12, 1997
2. "Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise" – July 14, 1997
3. "God's Chillin" – July 21, 1997
4. "Capital P" – July 28, 1997
5. "Straight Life" – August 4, 1997
6. "To Your Health" – August 11, 1997
7. "Plan B" – August 18, 1997
8. "A Game of Checkers" – August 25, 1997
In "Capital P," Governor Devlin has reinstated capital punishment, and the first Oz prisoner scheduled to die is Jefferson Keane.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/oz/season-1/) The finale, "A Game of Checkers," centers on a fight over a checkers game that leads to a riot in which several officers are taken hostage.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/oz/s01)
## Season 6 (2003)
The final season aired weekly from January 5 to February 23, 2003.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz/episodes)
1. "Dead Man Talking" – January 5, 2003
2. "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Smell No Evil" – January 12, 2003
3. "Sonata de Oz" – January 19, 2003
4. "A Failure to Communicate" – January 26, 2003
5. "4 Giveness" – February 2, 2003
6. "A Day in the Death..." – February 9, 2003
7. "Junkyard Dawgs" – February 16, 2003
8. "Exeunt Omnes" – February 23, 2003
## Reception
Across IMDb, the 56 rated episodes average 8.3 based on 104,575 episode votes.[7](https://episodes.cool/title/tt0118421/oz/) Season 1 holds an 80% Tomatometer from 25 reviews and a 94% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes; the critics consensus calls the series "the patient zero of HBO dramas."[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/oz/s01) On Metacritic, the series holds a Metascore of 73, generally favorable.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/oz/critic-reviews/)
## References
1. [Oz | Television Academy Interviews](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/oz)
2. [Oz: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/oz/s01)
3. [Oz (a Titles & Air Dates Guide) | epguides](https://epguides.com/Oz/)
4. [Oz - Episode List | TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz/episodes)
5. [Oz | TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/748/oz)
6. [Oz season 1 Reviews - Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/oz/season-1/)
7. [Oz episode ratings](https://episodes.cool/title/tt0118421/oz/)
8. [Oz critic reviews - Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/oz/critic-reviews/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Seasons, episodes, and installments › Installment collections and reference › Scripted live-action episode lists › Live-action episode lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license