Never saw Oz.
Back to the Oz comparisons...
Having seen the season finale now, I have to say it's like the people who wrote this just watched Oz and changed all the people to be women.
Protagonist is a regular person, not a career criminal, unsuited for prison life. Check.
Protagonist becomes suited for prison life. Check.
Kitchen drama? Check.
Guards screwing each other and prisoners? Check.
Protagonist not being gay, but then being gay, but then not? Check.
Hooch brewing in a toilet. Check.
Principled old prisoners? Check.
Play/pageant where some killing's gonna go down? Check.
Dog training? Check.
Killing set up by redneck white? Check.
Protagonist who's gonna have a chance, goes crazy and does a bad thing. Check.
It's like a total rip of five seasons of Oz. I'm actually wondering if the Piper person who wrote the book just sat down, watched Oz and made the entire thing up based on what she saw on TV.
Granted the characters were somewhat interesting. But unlike Oz, they kept things toned down and sort of muted. Oz was hardcore. Made me want to stay out of prison for sure.
I saw where somebody said the finale was "shocking." I'd really like to know why. What was so shocking?
It was decent. The stories were good. But it never skated far enough off the edge.
Watch Oz. Then check back with me.