7 Reasons Why Oz Was The Most Groundbreaking TV Show Ever
2. The Double Whammy
When The Sopranos took a year off, HBO decided to use the extra money on more episodes for Oz Season 4. The result was a 16 episode season as opposed to the traditional 8 with Tom Fontana scrambling to craft an epic season worthy of the extra attention.
This decision allowed two major arcs to take place in one season, setting it apart from the seasons before and after. In the years since, the deluxe sized season trope has often come into play for shows looking to give their stories that little bit extra.
The Sopranos, Mad Men and Breaking Bad all used double sized seasons for their finales. In doing so, they were able to give their stories, send offs and characters the extra time they deserved to deliver satisfying, thought provoking conclusions for their audiences. Given the acclaim (or perhaps controversy in the case of The Sopranos), it’s safe to say they made the right call.
Should this article convince you to give Oz a watch, perhaps you’ll agree with me that Oz’s final season could’ve done with this treatment too.