
HBO's violent men-behind-bars drama is an addictive, testosterone-driven soap opera for guys. The eight episodes of the first season set the style for the show: a massive cast of a vivid characters on both sides of the bars, four or five stories unleashed at a breakneck pace and framed by angry, oddball introductions, and a soaring casualty rate. Created by Homicide producer Tom Fontana, this drama quickly earned its rightful reputation as the most brutal show on TV. It's simple chemistry: combine volatile ingredients in a confined space, shut tight, and shake.
Ernie Hudson Warden Leo Glynn
Terry Kinney Tim McManus
Harold Perrineau Augustus Hill
Rita Moreno Sister Peter Marie "Sister Pete" Reimondo
J.K. Simmons Vernon "Vern" Schillinger
Lee Tergesen Tobias Beecher
Dean Winters Ryan O'Reily
George Morfogen Robert Rebadow
Eamonn Walker Kareem Said
Granville Adams Zahir Arif
Lauren Vélez Dr. Gloria Nathan
Kirk Acevedo Miguel Alvarez