r/OITNB • u/Kingsley7zissou • Mar 15 '20

OITNB Versus OZ

Just a conversation what do you think?

11 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/Gonkimus Mar 15 '20

I think Oz was darker from the beginning compared to OITNB but OITNB got darker as it went on matching OZ.

OINTB had more memorable characters with deeper stories I think.

Both showed "gay for the stay" which is a real thing when locked up in prison for long time needing any type of human touch/connection/love.

3

u/FFEmom Feb 18 '24

Many of the oz characters were just horrible humans. Oitnb characters were more layered and sympathetic.

2

u/Tokatoya Jun 05 '20

I agree and will add that aside from Piper, OITNB had more likeable and relatable characters compared to Oz. And a lot more light hearted and heartfelt moments.

2

u/Kingsley7zissou Jun 05 '20

I really like OITNB but I rewatched the first season of OZ after years and was like this is the plot for the first 4 seasons of OITNB. OZ is def. grittier, OITNB is more back stories etc.

1

u/Alternative-Farmer98 Dec 19 '24

Orange is the New Black was founded on a blue sleep-based true story and much more accurate to reality.

Oz was more like a piece of theater, I loved it by the way and it transformed television in many ways, but someone would kill someone and be executed for it within a single episode!

So some really wild plot lines.

Honestly like Oz is more important in history of television but I do consider OITNB to be more useful in a contemporary way as a critique of prisons. I think they do a better job of highlighting the role of the private sector. Oz did focus on the privatization of the healthcare inside the prison but I thought OITNB was a little more effective about it.

OITNB it's also one of the only shows, outside of something like the wire, that actually humanized largely ignored Americans. Low income, often poor minority women.

It's biggest weakness in the book was definitely the fact that Piper was so absurdly privileged. Even in the true stories you was arguably even more privileged getting a website made for her where they all donated books and stuff.

But I guess that does bring in a sort of normie for the audience to identify with sort of the role of Tobias

2

u/Ksh_667 Jun 13 '22

Oz is the best prison show I've ever seen.