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.

I loved this show when it was on TV 1996-97. Great photography, scripts, acting, music. The series had a movie quality & feel to it, that was rare for TV series of that time period. In summary, it had all that was needed for it to be canceled after a pilot and 9 regular shows. IMDb has listed some info on this program that is incorrect. For example, the pilot ran for two hours. All the other episodes were sixty minutes, except, for some reason, Episode #4 (called "St. Jude Took a Bullet"), which ran for ninety minutes (all including commercials). Please see my comment on the forum for this show, for more info about viewing the episodes, & hearing some of the songs.

The is the show that I would *most* love to see again, and especially to own on DVD. Alas, it doesn't look like that will ever happen :(

Incredibly cinematic, dark, atmospheric (lots of decay with a hauntingly beautiful Irish-inspired soundtrack) and an amazing cast - including Joey P who can seemingly do *everything* brilliantly.

While Paul Haggis would retread some of EZ Street's ground in the also-brilliant Black Donellys in some ways, EZ Streets for me remains his masterpiece. If this is *ever* on TV, on video, on DVD near you, do try and catch it. Heck - record it please, and send it to me, because I would dearly love to see this series again - and I didn't even see all of the episodes either.

I came across EZ Streets when Channel 4 in the UK starting airing it at some stupid-o-clock, I think it was about 4am on Friday night/Saturday morning. Having seen the pilot I was hooked, and watched every episode until, as the story was leading somewhere, it was gone, never to be seen again. I still don't know the outcomes and the central plot point resolutions, and possibly never will.

This show seems to have really been lost out there, apart from the few episodes available (which, given how good EZS was, is kinda insulting). This show, along with some of the other brilliant-but-cancelled-before-their-time shows *cough*Firefly*cough*, is living proof that quality doesn't win out.

Outstanding, haunting, beautiful, ugly, moving - I miss it.

CBS was the death of this show. Paul Haggis demonstrated true genius in writing and directing this intense, thoughtful drama that came off like a motion picture in every episode. Whatever folks loved about "Wiseguy," Haggis took and raised to the next level, and always presented a thought-provoking portrait of crime, family, broken homes, betrayal, passion, despair, and hope. We were all blessed with the episodes that were made, but gypped forever by the bottom-line networks.

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