1x1 - The Routine

July 12, 1997

In the "Emerald City" experimental unit of Oswald State Penitentiary, we meet some of the diverse inmates who live within a pecking order of Homeboys, Latinos, Muslims, Irish, Aryans, and Wiseguys. No clear-cut leader emerges—with the possible exception of Kareem Saïd, a Muslim author who preaches non-violence and abstinence. Saïd's arrival doesn't prevent a short-fused Mafia inmate named Dino Ortolani from ticking off just about everybody—a habit that ends up burning him.

1x2 - Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise

July 14, 1997

With Schibetta and the prison brass in a race to uncover Ortolani's killer (for very different reasons), we see how inmates react to visits from both their wives and, in one case, family members who are also in prison.

1x3 - God's Chillin'

July 21, 1997

As friction grows in the wake of increasing deaths, Schibetta, Saïd, and Keane are brought together by Glynn, who tells them to keep their respective groups quiet or else he'll lock the prison down. The tension increases following a visit from Governor Devlin, who was responsible for the ban on smoking and conjugal visits.

1x4 - Capital P

July 28, 1997

Governor Devlin has reinstated capital punishment in the state, and the first Oz prisoner scheduled to die is Keane.

1x5 - Straight Life

August 4, 1997

The infiltration of drugs into Oz has reached unprecedented levels, and the undercover efforts of McManus and Glynn to find out who's smuggling them in backfires in a deadly way. Despite a lockdown in Emerald City, the drugs continue to trickle in—and the blame shifts from prisoners to corrupt officials.

1x6 - To Your Health

August 11, 1997

Three generations of Alvarezes—all prisoners at Oz—are united when the partiarch, Ricardo, is found face down in his cell, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, Beecher, who as Schillinger's "prag" has been forced to wear women's clothes, flips out after taking PCP.

1x7 - Plan B

August 18, 1997

A recovered Saïd ostracizes Mershah for turning his back on him when he was dying—and orders the rest of the Muslims to do the same. Impressed by Saïd's power, Groves makes a deadly decision in his honor. Meanwhile, Beecher, transformed by prison life, finally gets revenge on Schillinger.

1x8 - A Game of Checkers

August 25, 1997

Beecher is released from the hole and Schillinger is left eyeless and weak. A riot breaks out after two white punks get into a fight over checkers. Frustration, sexuality, hate, revenge, racism all rear their ugly heads, causing the violence to escalate.

Lee Tergesen

Tobias Beecher

Harold Perrineau

Augustus Hill

Dean Winters

Ryan O'Reily

Eamonn Walker

Kareem Saïd

Ernie Hudson

Leo Glynn

Terry Kinney

Tim McManus

Rita Moreno

Sister Peter Marie Reimondo

J.K. Simmons

Vernon Schillinger

Kirk Acevedo

Miguel Alvarez

Craig muMs Grant

Poet

BD Wong

Father Ray Mukada

Tom Mardirosian

Agamemnon Busmalis

Christopher Meloni

Chris Keller

Scott William Winters

Cyril O'Reily