EZ Streets

This show premiered during my sophomore year of high school, and I was eager to see it from the moment I heard about it. The first episode had me instantly enamored. This was the most incredible, darkly beautiful, and cinematic vision I have ever had the privilege to see on television. The writing, acting (especially that of Joe Pantoliano as Jimmy Murtha), and sheer mood created by this show was impeccable. I was incredibly excited. I tried (unsuccessfully) to convince all my friends to watch, I tuned in for every episode that CBS didn't purposefully hide from me, and I instantly declared it my new favorite show.

And then CBS killed it.

As seems to be the fate of any quality television that I show an interest in (The Critic, Action, etc.), it was completely misunderstood by the viewing public and summarily yanked. I think what still hurts the most about it is the fact that in lieu of showing the final episode, CBS ran a rerun of Walker: Texas Ranger. It was this that made me lose any interest in television whatsoever. Even the Simpsons doesn't hold the appeal for me that it once did.

Paul Haggis lovingly crafted the most perfect television series of all time, and CBS spit in his face. The world is poorer for it.

But all is not lost, I suppose. I do have my Emmy screener of the pilot episode, the VCD I mastered from this screener, my collection of all the other episodes on VHS, and the shooting scripts for two unfilmed episodes. My ideal is to acquire screener copies of every episode and have them mastered on DVD, saving this piece of art for the future. CBS has shown that they have no desire to do this, so it's up to us fans, I suppose. With that said, please get in touch with me if you'd like copies of any of this material. I'm only too willing to help out other fans.

Thanks to anyone who's read through this, and thanks to Paul Haggis and anyone related to the show. It was, and still is, appreciated.

There isn't much to say here, except that I agree with just about every user comment on here. This was an exceptional series that hooked me from the very beginning. It is a shame that we were given a taste of the brilliance of "EZ Streets," and then it was taken away from us in the blink of an eye. "What might have been" another comment says. Well quite possibly one of the greatest television series' ever. I am sure there would have been many Emmys, Golden Globes, etc....but we'll never know...we'll never know what might have been.

Updated on 9/15/08: There are a few more things I'd like to say about this series. First, I believe that this was still one of the finest television series' that never got to come to fruition. I also believe that it was ahead of it's time. I honestly believe that if this series had been brought to television today, it would have succeeded. I just don't think that, for whatever reason, people were ready for such gritty, dark, and violent material to occupy a spot in prime time television. Especially on the three main networks. Today Haggis would have had the opportunity to take this show to another network that isn't afraid to push the limits (i.e. FX, Spike T.V., or even HBO). I thought about purchasing the DVDs, but now that I know that there are episodes missing, I think, for the time being, I'll just continue to remember this show the way it was when it first aired. And I'll continue to think about what might have been.

Like I said before, "I don't know where this show went wrong!". In my opinion (and to the opinion of many others by the voting statistics) this show was phenomenal! A 10/10! Quality t.v. for me next to the first season of Murder One and NYPD Blue. I thought Jason Gedrick had all the right moves first doing Murder One and then signing on to do EZ Streets, intelligent, realistic intriguing and compelling writing well executed by the the actors! From show one I was hooked! Not a single show in my opinion of this short lived series was boring or predictable. I don't know for the life of me why this show didn't catch on. A few hypotheses, one: the show was more a less one big story (for who knows to be the life of the series or for one season) which I guess audiences didn't have the patience for (like Murder One it took a chance, one big quality story for the long hall, at least for one season. But I believe unlike Murder One it didn't have brief preview summaries in which potential audiences who haven't seen the previous episodes could see to catch up on) two: it was in a competitive time slot with another popular t.v. series (although I don't recall any) and three: it didn't advertise itself correctly or frequently enough to get any significant attention, at least enough where a significant enough popluation could give it a chance. I thought this story rocked so hard my interest and curiousity that I am begging anyone to give me information where I can see the unaired episodes (which network) buy them (on video) and although I'm not a huge fan on reading if it is out in book format or script is for sale. Please help me if you can, I'm dying to know if that cop gets his revenge, wether Jason Gedrick gets back with his wife and makes a decent living, what happens to the beautiful seductress who's playing on both sides of the law, or the junkie mayor and the gambling contract, bring it on! Charlie.

I thought I finally found the 1st season of EZ Streets--I ordered what I thought was the complete season. Well I received today and it is only the pilot & looks like 2 episodes--mind you they the DVD has the pilot episode, and episode 5 & 6. First off I was so excited to think I finally could see the entire season, in Michigan, we only got to see 6 episodes--we DID NOT even get to finish any further shows. CBS, tanked it--we didn't even get the option to watch it or tape while we were sleeping. I was hoping since ABC brought back on the net only (My So Called Life), that maybe CBS would follow suit and return E Z Streets. I cannot believe that after the Sopranos--that CBS would not have tried to introduce this show again--in my opinion this was one of the BEST shows ever. CBS, PLEASE if you read this--give us a complete season to view on DVD or even better yet--do as ABC did and make it available to view on the net. Please if you do let me know & advise also any other email person who took the time to let CBS know--though you made a mistake to cancel this show--that is now available now with a full season on DVD or avail to view online. First the show is tanked--then I thought I would FINALLY get to see the full season--twice I have been disappointed.

Look at this cast--it is stellar. Please give those of us faithful EZ Street viewers the option to see the full season.

A disappointed viewer,

Tami

OK, so when this show first aired in 2006, it blew me away harder than a pigeon feather at an airshow.

The writing, the acting, the mood created by the amazing cinematography and hypnotic soundtrack (comprised mostly of songs by Canadian artist Loreena McKennitt), everything works so well in this show to create the most amazing television experience ever had. It's better than most movies and the plot lasts for 10 hours! That is, it would have if CBS had actually allowed the show to run its full course!! But low ratings, a bad marketing strategy and short-sighted execs killed it before it had a chance to be recognized (by the public - most critics had already recognized its value, thankfully).

So now the first three episodes of EZ Streets is available in the "Brilliant But Cancelled" DVD series, which I just rented and watched and loved just as much as I did 10 years ago. I will buy this DVD and I suggest that everyone else do the same so that one day, with Paul Haggis' growing popularity, someone will bother releasing the ENTIRE series (only 9 episodes - come on, you can do it!). This gem needs to be appreciated for generations to come, as any such admiration would be well deserved.