So it was with Tony Soprano, whose understanding of his motivations came with the added benefit of professional therapy.ĭavid Simon’s crime epic famously dared to present an expansive, all-encompassing perspective on how people are failed by their institutions. Vern was ruthless and manipulative, but illustrating his motives and psychosis gave viewers a window into how and why he came to be. Below, a few other HBO shows that followed its lead:īefore there was anti-hero Tony Soprano, there was Vern Schillinger, demented Aryan gang menace. Raw, unfiltered and brutally honest, Oz anticipated the coming wave of serialized drama. If Gilligan decided to make Breaking Bad because of Oz, then it looks like the guys behind Cobra Kai are in good company.īrave Cobra Kai die-hards who want to watch Oz to look for influences can do so on HBO Max.In the years since we first met Tobias, Vern, Ryan and the rest of the distinctive, damaged (and distinctively damaged) inmates in television’s most terrifying prison, there's no doubt that Oz left its mark on prestige TV.
I was sitting on the set with Vince Gilligan and he told me he…became a writer because of seeing Tom Fontana’s work in Homicide,” Winters told Deadline, “and made Breaking Bad because he thought he could get away with it after watching Oz.” “I did a show seven years ago called Battle Creek. Dean Winters, who starred as convicted murderer Ryan O’Reily, suggested that Oz inspired another big name creator to try television. The retrospective dives deep, sharing stories from the creator and stars. Schlossberg linked to an article from Deadline about Oz‘s enduring legacy.
While Oz’s impact on television is undeniable, it’s still a bit of a leap from the gritty series about violent inmates to aging karate masters Daniel and Johnny trying to squash beefs and sweep legs. The fourth season is set to debut on Netflix later this year, teasing the return of one of the series’ greatest villains. The fan-favorite series has been a scrappy underdog, facing cancelation at YouTube and then Netflix before securing more seasons. Apparently, he and some of the other cast and crew re-watched episodes of the HBO game-changer after filming episodes of Cobra Kai season 4.
In addition to appreciating how the show changed TV production (it set the stage for shows like The Sopranos), he’s also just a fan. Hayden Schlossberg, who created and co-runs Cobra Kai with collaborators Josh Heald and Jon Hurwitz, tweeted about the influence of Oz in his own creation. Oz ran on HBO for six seasons, ending in 2003.
The show focused on “Emerald City,” a wing of Oswald State Correctional Facility. It was also a brutally violent, often disturbing series.
Oz was the first hour-length drama show on HBO, a critical darling that pushed the boundaries of television. ‘Oz’ Retrospective: Creator & Stars Reminisce About HBO Series via Hayden Schlossberg JFrom “Emerald City” to the Dojo This show has inspired our storytelling as much as any show and continues to– we rewatched the episodes every day after shooting S4. One of the creators of Netflix’s Cobra Kai tweeted Tuesday that “there is no Cobra Kai without Oz.” Yes, the gruesome HBO drama about frequently violent prisoners.įact: there is no Cobra Kai without Oz. What’s the connection between Ralph Macchio, karate kicks, Ernie Hudson, and prison riots? You’d be surprised.