Oz Rewatch: S1E1 The Routine

As I mentioned at oz_rapsheet, I decided to re-watch the first episode of Oz, The Routine, prior to listening to the first episode of the new podcast about the show. Oddly, even though I’ve watched several Oz episodes and/or particular scenes multiple times, I’ve never done a true re-watch of the series from start to finish, which I’d like to do now (as slow-going as it might be).

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Actually, TRUE CONFESSION TIME, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve... never... really... (*cough*)... properly... watched Season 6 at all.

I know, I KNOW! I hear your gasps of disbelief!

I mean, I’ve watched all of Beecher’s and Keller’s S6 scenes, and a few other things here and there, mostly while looking for good screencaps to use at oz_daily. But I’ve never watched a full S6 episode and certainly not all eight. I’ve never even watched all of Exeunt Omnes, although obviously over the course of time I learned how everything goes down.

I had every intention of watching Season 6 when I originally watched the show and finished Season 5. I was aware of what was going to happen to Beecher and Keller at the end of the series (I was spoiled with regards to their storyline before I watched a single scene of the show), and I was fully prepared for that.

BUT after I finished Season 5, I watched the special feature "Preview of Season 6" that was part of the S5 DVD set (I watched the show the first time by renting the DVDs from my local video store). AND I COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT IT SHOWED. It was only a couple of minutes long, but it spoiled SO many things. I found out that not only did Keller die, but Harrison, and Said, and Leo, and many more. I was, like, literally traumatized and felt no desire at that point to watch all of that happen. I returned the S5 DVDs to the store and figured maybe someday I’d get around to renting S6, but then that just never happened.

But now, 6 years later (SIX? what?!), I think I’m at a point where I can handle it. Maybe. Heh.

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Anyway, back to The Routine… it is EXCELLENT, especially for a first/pilot episode where so much time needs to be spent introducing characters and establishing storylines.

I took notes throughout the episode, and here are my stream-of-consciousness thoughts:

— Oh, hey, it’s Tom getting his tattoo. I didn’t know for the longest time that was him, or that it was real, and I remember wondering why they weren’t putting the tat on some young, hot, muscular dude’s arm, LOL.



( many more pics & observations under the cut )

GRAPHIC: Oz Season-based Prompt-a-thon

Season 4a
Major Character Prompt: Gloria Nathan (thanks cmk418!)
Screencaps from S4E6 A Word to the Wise.
Quote from the Hippocratic Oath.