wawamouse | Oz Rewatch 3: S1E03: God's Chillin

(Originally posted to tumblr)
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Watched another episode with my sister!

Sister: Wow, he really got typecast as an evil doctor...
Me: He's a priest.
Sister: Yeah, and he's wearing a white lab coat

Watching the show with my sis, the flashbacks began, it struck me that there truly are a ridiculous amount of flashbacks in the show. I know the episodes were airing weekly, but even then, surely they didn't think people were forgetting what was happening THAT quickly, right? Then again, after initially mocking the flashbacks as "being someone else's memory" (narrative wise, they were strictly for the audience's benefit), Sister did end up appreciating the flashbacks for reminding her what was going on. If I recall correctly, the flashbacks became less frequent in later seasons as the show switched to running recaps before the episode instead. Still, the flashbacks are a little annoying to me. Sort of jumping ahead, too, but there were some REALLY cheesy effects on the flashbacks in either s2 or s3.

Sister: Riot! Riot! Riot! Ask me! Ask ME! (Little does she know...)

Stray observation: Cell Block Three is mentioned as Oz's "fag unit". I sort of wonder if the show uses "block" and "unit" interchangeably, which is a bit annoying if so. My understanding is that a unit is a smaller grouping of cells (like a "floor") within a larger dormitory/block.

Sister: (mockingly) God pulled everything back to reveal your true self... what, a CRIMINAL?

Foot-in-mouth moment for Sister Pete here, to be honest. Every time I watch this scene, I'm flabbergasted at why the hell she would ever run with this logic. If I was in prison, "maybe God put you here for a reason" is NOT the shit I would want to hear. I also think from a psychologist standpoint, she should know better than suggest something like this to an inmate... It sort of offers them a way out of accountability, no?

Sister: I don't know if that's Pride... it seems like there's deeper issues at play here.

(Miguel walking away) Sister: Zoom in!

Sister is of the opinion that Miguel's face sacrifice will not work not because God is not willing to negotiate but because Miguel slashed the wrong cheek.

I asked her what she thought about Miguel this episode. She seems to find his plot generally interesting, but she is also of the mind that he will die soon so there is no point getting invested.

Groves: No one's favorite

Sister continues to predict lines in the show:

Rebadow: Wow… Sister: It’s mom… Groves: It’s mom… Sister: Haha, I could’ve written this show!

She said Groves was not her favorite character ("I don't condone CANNIBALISM o_0"), and that she only finds him most amusing, but I feel like that means he's her favorite character lol. She has rejected Keane after this episode both for "being too soft now" yet also for not snitching on the COs, as well as for telling O'Reily he wasn't going to rat on him ("He should've held that over his head!").

Every time Groves shows up, Sister (as she had during episodes 1&2) does the Silence of the Lambs "fava beans and a nice chianti" slurping noises. She also did it during the opening of the communion scene here:

Markstrom & Kenny thoughts

I sort of wonder how the show would have been different if Kenny had joined the Muslim after all. He's so young in the show, and he is shown as easily giving into social pressure. It's sort of tragic. I think he is an example of a character who could have truly reformed had he been given the chance/put in an environment where that was actually possible and where there wasn't peer pressure.

Another thing I enjoyed seeing in this episode, knowing his true identity, was the subtle ways Markstrom lets his cover slip. During Post's funeral, he once again has to check his hand as he makes a gang sign—something he did in episode one upon meeting Keane as well. When the Homeboys are getting high in the classroom, we see Markstrom taking the heroin from Kenny and stowing it away in his pocket. Granted, he was doing so probably to keep Said from seeing the drugs, but I like to imagine that once he and Kenny are booted from the room, there is a deleted scene where Markstrom doesn't give back the vial, and also tells Kenny that Said is right, and Kenny is still young/can get out in a few years if he keeps his head down and makes an effort. In a later scene, Markstrom remarks to Kenny that he doesn't seem to be taking to drug counseling. Maybe he was the one who tried to get Kenny to go in the first place!

Final Thoughts/Stray Observations

Devlin's aide is actually there from season 1! I wonder if the actor had something to do with production, or if they just decided to call up the same extras every time.
Sister continued to worry for Nino Schibetta (alternatively "the mouse" and "the mole") and his feelings. As D'Angelo was getting choked out this episode, she said "aw, but the mole guy will get sad"
The FBI really don't do shit lol
Sister, musing aloud: If this was Sex and the City, what do you think they would wear?
Sister has moved on to theorise that Rebadow is in prison for murdering his wife

I showed Sister the memes I have been making for the show ("I'm giving you peeks into the future"). She seemed to respond the most to the following:

Sister: (narrowing eyes) (unimpressed look) (won't deign to respond

Sister: (picking up on some kind of vibe) (interest piqued) Do I know the guy on the left? Me: No not yet. You know the guy on the right. Sister: (squinting)

Sister: He's just like you Me: (deep pondering)