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TV: Oz pilot

HBO Go! Turning this on was like stepping into a time warp. 4x3. Crappy production value. Strange breaking of the 4th wall narrator like character. But boy, by the end of the pilot, I was incredibly into it. I thought it was quite terrific and the detailed portrait of the different prison faction was incredibly thorough and realistic. Very impressive. I know the Wire was inspired by the show and you can see it. Also, quite a strange structure to the pilot with little to no interweaving of the main story arcs. Almost like they start with a B-story, run with it and then hand it off to an A-story. The characters overlap, but still, it was a nice contrast to the way most dramas are told these days with constant cutting back and forth. This is old fashioned stuff - just good acting and sharp, realistic writing. Some is stagey and almost play-like, but the show deals with big themes and questions. I'd wish HBO would return to this type of programming rather than its current obsession with prestige and massive production value.