Tommy Westphall Universe
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Tommy Westphall Universe

Oz was an American crime series created by Tom Fontana for HBO. It ran from July 12, 1997 to February 23, 2003 for six seasons.

Series summary[]

The series follows the lives - and, frequently, deaths - of prisoners incarcerated in the Oswald State Correctional Facility, particularly those in 'Emerald City', an experimental block that mixes a carefully chosen number of prisoners from various gangs and groups (including neo-Nazis and black gangs) in the hopes of reducing tension between them. Central characters include wheelchair-bound former drug dealer Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau Jr.), who also acts as the show's Greek chorus during surreal, out-of-continuity scenes; warden Leo Glynn (Ernie Hudson); former lawyer Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen) and neo-Nazi leader Vernon Schillinger (JK Simmons).

Westphall connections in Oz[]

The prison was ultimately taken over by Weigert (formerly Ecumena), the company that owned St. Eligius Hospital in St. Elsewhere.

Westphall connections to Oz[]

Miss Sally's Schoolyard, a fictional show-within-a-show frequently seen on Oz, is seen on televisions on The Beat and Homicide: Life on the Street.

Non-Westphall connections[]

A skit from Saturday Night Live revealed that Jerry Seinfeld was imprisoned in Oswald State Correctional Facility after the final episode of Seinfeld. As a skit, its canonicity is dubious.

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