Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes. It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons. The series finale aired February 23, 2003. The show was filmed in New York City, New York and later Bayonne, New Jersey.
"Oz" is the nickname for the Oswald State Correctional Facility, formerly Oswald State Penitentiary, a fictional maximum-security prison (level 4) in an unnamed state in the US, though most likely New York State, considering the frequent references by characters to "upstate," a term used by New Yorkers to describe the upper region of the state. When a public official on the show delivers an address, the New York State flag can be seen in the background with the New York motto 'excelsior.' One of the Homeboy inmates also makes a reference to the Polo Grounds, an area of Harlem.