Orange is the New Black

[Dr Unne]

Anyone watch this? I just marathoned the first (and currently only) season. The second season is coming soon though.

It's a sort of slice-of-life, fish-out-of-water story of an upper-middle-class woman who ends up in federal prison 10 years after being a drug mule for her ex-girlfriend. It's very loosely based on a true story. I enjoyed the first season. It's hard not to like and/or hate some of the characters. Great writing and acting.

[Jinx]

Loved, loved, loved it. Can't wait for the second season. When I find out when it's being added, I'll probably do another marathon of the first season. The memoir the show was based on is horrid, though.

[Shlup]

I watched it a few months ago, and loved it. It's weird that a show being touted for being so pro-feminist, pro-racial, pro-trans*, and pro-homo is a show about women in prison.

[Calliope]

Between all the black-woman-mmhmm-gurrrl-eye-rolling and girl-on-girl-eye-candy, I couldn't make it past the first fifteen minutes. I'll try to watch it again someday when I'm feeling less bitter about the outcome of this one rich white woman going to jail being that she gets a book deal and a TV show. I've heard an interview where she said her story is the "gateway" to gathering attention for stories about women of colour and transgendered individuals, and that's good, but I'm kind of sick of there needing to be a "gateway" in the first place.

[Jinx]

Oh yeah, Piper Kerman is kind of insufferable. Her character is the least-likable part of the show as well.

[Shlup]

Between all the black-woman-mmhmm-gurrrl-eye-rolling and girl-on-girl-eye-candy, I couldn't make it past the first fifteen minutes. I'll try to watch it again someday when I'm feeling less bitter about the outcome of this one rich white woman going to jail being that she gets a book deal and a TV show. I've heard an interview where she said her story is the "gateway" to gathering attention for stories about women of colour and transgendered individuals, and that's good, but I'm kind of sick of there needing to be a "gateway" in the first place.

I think the story is humanizing of that kind of black-woman-mmhmm-gurrrl-eye-rolling culture. A lot of people look down on it without understanding it, and I hope that they'll go into more of it next season.

[Dr Unne]

Between all the black-woman-mmhmm-gurrrl-eye-rolling and girl-on-girl-eye-candy, I couldn't make it past the first fifteen minutes. I'll try to watch it again someday when I'm feeling less bitter about the outcome of this one rich white woman going to jail being that she gets a book deal and a TV show. I've heard an interview where she said her story is the "gateway" to gathering attention for stories about women of colour and transgendered individuals, and that's good, but I'm kind of sick of there needing to be a "gateway" in the first place.

The first fifteen minutes are the weakest in the show. The fanservice shower scenes mostly end after the first episode. It moves into more of a dark humor / drama mode after.

I identify with the yuppie main character and her canvas grocery bags and silly diet plans, where I don't have much of a basis for identifying with young black women in prison. So the premise of the show got me to watch something I wouldn't normally watch, for what it's worth. By the end of the series I was identifying a lot more with the other characters.

It's a story about screwed-up people making mistakes, which I like. The show does the same thing Lost did, where it plops the viewer and some of the characters into a foreign, hostile-ish environment and then slowly delves into each character's background with flashbacks. As the main character learns more about everyone, so does the viewer. It drew me in effectively.

The yuppie character is easily one of the most screwed-up characters on the show, and mostly every character in the show knows it, which is an interesting irony given the premise.


It's weird that a show being touted for being so pro-feminist, pro-racial, pro-trans*, and pro-homo is a show about women in prison.

I was unaware the show was touted for those things until I finished it, but in retrospect I could see why. The show is candid and humanizing, as you say.

[Jessweeee♪]

I am completely in love with this show. I think the title is stupid though.

[Raistlin]

I enjoyed the show overall. My biggest complaint, which I went into more detail on in the old thread about this show (too lazy to look it up), was that a lot of the worst issues of prison in the show were white-washed, such as racial tensions, violence, and sexual abuse. The show obviously sacrificed some realism for the sake of comedy and appealing to a wider audience, which for most people is probably a positive thing. I was also disappointed that they barely touched on the issue of incarceration resulting in a never-ending cycle of poor people winding up back in prison.

The first episode is also chock-full of fan service, but that is wildly disproportionate compared to the rest of the show. There's probably more nudity in the first episode than there is in the rest of the season.

[Jinx]

Also that theme song, mirite?

[Jessweeee♪]

That theme song is so great c:

[Rantz]

I marathoned this show with my sister a few weeks back. I enjoyed it a lot. Piper is definitely one of the most screwed up and unlikable people in the show, and she's meant to be. It provides an interesting perspective and never lets you get too cozy in everything-is-okay-land as Piper keeps fueling her own conflicts. It's similar to Girls in that way, although the problems seem more tangible here.

And yes, the theme song is great. Can't stop myself from singing along every time.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

It's time to bring this thread back now that season 2 airs tomorrow!

I'm late to the party with this show, I only watched the first season a month or so ago. Fortunately for me it means that the wait for the second season wasn't so long for me.

Alex Vause forever. Haters gonna hate.

[Jinx]

THE ANIMAL

THE ANIMAL

IS TRAPPED TRAPPED TRAPPED AND THE CAGE IS FULL

[Ayen]

Seen the name, might have watched a trailer, know Donna from That 70's Show is in it, never watched it. Most likely won't.

[Shauna]

Season 2 airs tomorrow?!?!?!?!??!! Ugh! I had forgotten about it coming back! Thank goodness I have you nerds to remind me of things!

[Jinx]

Hey guys, just want to ask before this is aired: please use spoiler tags and mark them by episode. Thanks! :)

[Raistlin]

This airs tomorrow? Fuck, there goes my weekend.

[Jessweeee♪]

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssss i'm so excited

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

Pennsatucky has teeth!

This new woman who Taystee knows is really shady. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

I've heard Alex is only going to be in 4 episodes this season due to Laura Prepon's schedule. After the ending to episode 1 I'm anxious to see where it leads. In a really good way, though.

[Jessweeee♪]

wat the whole season comes out at once I DIDN'T KNOW IT WORKED THAT WAY I WAS HYPED UP FOR JUST ONE EPISODE YOU GUYS I'M SO HAPPY

[Jinx]

Oh my god, my heart is breaking for Morello. I hope this means Nichols and Morello get back together, though. :3

[Jinx]

Sorry for the double post but I HAD TO!

HOLY SHIT MORELLO IS BATSHIT INSANE

[qwertysaur]

This show is filmed about 10 minutes from where I live. :p

They are currently filming season three.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

Am I in an M Night Shlama llama film?

[Dr Unne]

Oh hey, this is out. I knew I kept my Netflix subscription for a reason.

[chionos]

Love the show. Love a lot of the acting. Don't particularly like Piper. It's really all the other characters that make it worth the watch. It's worth watching if you can get through the first 20 minutes of ep. 1. Really worth it. I do think there is some Pathos traded for Humor, but I like humor so I can deal with it. There are beautiful humanizing moments in the show, in between the comedy, so I think it works. Haven't started on season 2 yet. I'm very much looking forward to it.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

Finished Season 2 :smug:

I'm so glad she was hit by the van.

[Rantz]

Menses, it's menses madness!!

[Jinx]

I totally called Vee getting hit with the van as soon as Rosa took off speeding.

My theory for next season: Fig ends up being charged for embezzlement and ends up in Litchfield. She takes it upon herself to find out who ratted her out and then starts a war with Piper.

And holy shit, the scene where Red is slocked...horrible. Just horrible.

[Jessweeee♪]

Me and my best friend ordered pizza and watched the entire season in one sitting. It was amazing. Also the pizza was free because it got delivered to the wrong house so they remade it and comp'd it for being so late c:

[Lonely Paper Star]

Good riddance to Vee.

I want to know Brook's story. I imagine we'll see that next season.

I like the idea of Fig ending up with the other prisoners. It would be goood for her character.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this season. Need moooar.

[Calliope]

I liked the show, but it didn't seem as gripping as the first season.

Things I particularly liked in this season:

-Nichols struggling with addiction
-Getting to see a more human side of Fig
-Seeing Fig and Pornstache get ousted
-Rosa and the chemo kid
-Larry as the bad guy
-Strong plot and character development for Taystee

Things I didn't particularly like:
-The flashbacks. They didn't really seem to be revealing new information, only detracting from plot
-The complete conversion of Pennsatucky. I guess teeth make the man.
-Not enough Alex or Sophia
-If Taystee is so good with numbers, etc., then wouldn't she be more likely to have landed on her feet when she got out last season?
-Larry and Polly...could they not have shown any more imagination here?
-Way to have the worst filing system in the world, Fig!

Chapman: Oh, I thought he was a rapist! I'm so relieved!

Vee: Is it cold for Amazon to underprice books just to capture market share?

Morello: Maybe I'll pinterest. I hear that's a thing.

http://37.media.tumblr.com/af53e48ee5d16364800040d50a812697/tumblr_n6vdscmqHs1spiuxqo1_250.gif

Morello: What kind of a woman doesn't want to pick her own date?

Nichols: Someone who doesn't get excited by the wedding industrial complex and society's bulltrout need to infantilize grown women?

[Raistlin]

I have to agree with Calliope. I enjoyed the season (and did, in fact, lose most of my weekend -- including almost all of Saturday -- to watching it), but less so than the first one. The flashbacks seemed more random, less interesting, and less revealing (especially all of Poussey's), and except for some of the subplots, there was even less social commentary about issues broader than prison conditions. Also how bad did Piper's lawyer have to be so that: 1) she didn't know she was being transferred to testify, and 2) didn't work out some sort of early-release deal with the feds in exchange? (the answer is "very bad")

It was nice not to have all of the inmates all happy and like each other, though. Vee was a welcome, and deservedly hated, bad guy. Nichols was great as always. Pornstache was a great cameo, especially for him to get busted.

[Rantz]

I want a spinoff following Rosa's final adventures.

[Calliope]

While I think of it, Polly is pretty terrible! Sure, her husband up and left her after becoming a new father, but he came back; and her response was to just throw their relationship away on what boils down to a hormone-and-resentment driven whim.

I get that Larry is shown so much because he's Piper's main relationship (in the beginning, at least) and her link to the outside, but does he really need so much screentime? He's a boring, self-absorbed white writer in New York, in a show full of underrepresented people, and sometimes it seems like his scenes are just taking time away from everyone else without adding anything. I watch the show because it deals with prisoners, not to watch some guy try to pick up women or go to starbucks.

Well, that ends this weekend's installment of Calliope Thinks There Are Too Many White People, thanks for tuning in!

[Jinx]

I have a lot of thoughts about things

My main issue is . Listen, I love Red and don't want her character to die, but I have a really hard time believing someone as mentally ill and vicious as Vee would not make sure 100% that Red was dead. I don't think she came after her just to attack and scare her; I truly believe her intent was to kill her.

Now, I'm willing to suspend my disbelief for certain parts of the show for drama's/entertainment's sake. Things like Morello breaking in to Christopher's house, Rosa escaping prison in a blaze of glory, Daya and the guard (still not sure of his name) falling in love and having a baby (unrealistic in the sense that they get away with it/no one notices the crazy amount of time they spend together) are very hard to believe are possible, but they make for good and amusing TV, so I don't question it too much.

But Vee called her cop buddy to kill the man she practically raised just because he "went into business" for himself. No one was around and you get the impression Red wasn't found that soon after her slocking. Someone like Vee would've kept hitting her until her face was a caved-in bloody pulp.

Again, I didn't/don't want Red to die, but Vee is pretty sadistic. I just don't accept that she'd allow for any margin of error in that case.

[Calliope]

On the set of OITNB: Water undrinkable, sewage problems aren't just made up for the show, etc. (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2014/06/the-disgusting-jail-on-orange-is-the-new-black.html)

PS - I always wondered why they let Morello drive the van in the first place. Surely the cost of paying a guard $18/hr is more than worth letting an inmate drive a van, especially an inmate who was incarcerated for stalking and has a history of mental instability, and also when you consider how dangerous vehicles are (sup vee). They don't even have to hire a guard to do it - but I suppose cutting costs is a major plotline, so yes I guess we'll go with it.

The more I think about this Jinx, the more I'm all "wait, they just distracted us by releasing all the episodes at once!" xD

[Jinx]

Oh yeah, some of the stuff is just SO unrealistic. But I appreciate the show for what it is and don't expect too much out of it. xD

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

I like that we find out Morello is a crazy stalker. Going throughout season 1 you just know that she has a guy on the outside. Then the truth is revealed in season 2. She's actually been talking about why she's in there the whole time and we just didn't know about it.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

NefqXlOmPPA

[Slothy]

-If Taystee is so good with numbers, etc., then wouldn't she be more likely to have landed on her feet when she got out last season?

Sure she'd be more likely. But being slightly more likely than not the least bit likely is still a big hurdle to overcome. Especially when you're a black woman who came from an underpriveleged background, don't really have anywhere to live and everyone you know that you might be able to rely on is likely to land you back inside anyway.


While I think of it, Polly is pretty terrible! Sure, her husband up and left her after becoming a new father, but he came back; and her response was to just throw their relationship away on what boils down to a hormone-and-resentment driven whim.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. It was pretty obvious in season 1 that her husband was a bit of a scatter brained jackass who couldn't really cut the relationship and fatherhood stuff all that well. And season 2 just drove that home completely. I don't care what your wife who just gave birth says, you don't just up and leave for a month and stick her with a new born to take care of. The level of irresponsibility that takes is truly staggering. Leaving him was inevitable. Leaving him for Larry just happened because Larry took more of an interest in her and the babies well being than her husband ever did, even when he was still with Piper. It certainly may be a bit of a rash decision for her to get together with Larry, but her leaving her husband does not make her terrible. It makes her a sane human being who's able to recognize when her partner isn't any good for her or the baby on a long term, day to day basis.

[Jessweeee♪]

Oh yeah, some of the stuff is just SO unrealistic. But I appreciate the show for what it is and don't expect too much out of it. xD

Some things are awfully convenient. But I came here because I love Weeds so much and oh my god Weeds is just so extreme and melodramatic with it's plot twists OITNB is so much more believable in comparison.

[Jinx]

Yearly bump! :D

Oh man, Red and Healy are totally getting together.

[Del Murder]

This trout is back? Hot damn.

[Jinx]

IT'S BACK DEL

[Calliope]

Dammit, I thought that Red was going to use Healy to somehow magically get Nichols back, but nooooooooo. This season really has no tension to it, it feels like filler :(

[Jinx]

This season was really disjointed. I didn't hate it or anything, but there wasn't really an overarching plot to it.

[Jowy]

SEASON FOUR SPECULATION. TRUST NO BITCH:

Carrie gets electrocuted as a child and says "there is no god." Black Cindy doesn't want to deal with an electric eel in the "freedom lake". Leuschen is fully well aware of how shitty the electrical currents are flowing in Litchfield. Why was the fence cut out? To install a brand new electrical fence for additional security with all of the new inmates arriving. Maritza is probably going to get raped by Coates and blow the whole prison panties thing for Piper. She did request a thong after all! Lolly is going to come into the greenhouse and murder toothpick guard with the business end of that piece of glass; they can't just kill off Alex.

Caputo and Marisol have such tragic backstories. They don't deserve the lives they were cursed with.

[Del Murder]

I liked this season the best of all them. It was definitely the funniest. I think I prefer the much more lighthearted hijinks-focused tone to the tension with V last season.

I will say that some of the backstories were kind of silly and very one-dimensional. 'Oh this person was this way in the past but maybe they've changed... oh wait no one ever changes.' That was pretty much the theme. No redemption whatsoever. Kind of a bleak commentary on prison as a rehabilitation system.

The finale certainly set up a lot for next season!

[Shiny]

Between all the black-woman-mmhmm-gurrrl-eye-rolling and girl-on-girl-eye-candy, I couldn't make it past the first fifteen minutes. I'll try to watch it again someday when I'm feeling less bitter about the outcome of this one rich white woman going to jail being that she gets a book deal and a TV show. I've heard an interview where she said her story is the "gateway" to gathering attention for stories about women of colour and transgendered individuals, and that's good, but I'm kind of sick of there needing to be a "gateway" in the first place.

I think the story is humanizing of that kind of black-woman-mmhmm-gurrrl-eye-rolling culture. A lot of people look down on it without understanding it, and I hope that they'll go into more of it next season.

*rolls eyes* Gurrrrl, mmmhmm

[Nice]

I really like OITNB. This season is the best so far. The problems facing each major character is at once hilarious and depressing (in some cases).

Though I have to say, I really don't like Piper.

The last scene with her, tattooing herself was pathetic, as is her delusion into believe that she is a "gangster".

[Del Murder]

I always thought her disillusions with herself and how 'hardcore' she is was part of her character and intentional. She's reacting how I would expect a rich white lady who always wanted to have an edge would react in prison.

[Nice]

I hear you on that. I simply did not agree that Piper went around this season unchecked. I think the writers set up the next season for more hijinks and perhaps even some comeuppance. But perhaps my qualm is that her character is regressing into an unlikable villain with whom I cannot sympathize with. She reminds me too much of the progression of Meredith from Grey's Anatomy.

[Jinx]

I've personally never liked Piper since day one, so I don't really care what they do with her. The supporting cast has always been much more interesting, and I'm glad they're making this an ensemble show instead of a show about a privileged white girl and the prison caricatures around her.

[Nice]

Yes! I loved Crazy Eyes' erotic space porn literature. That was surprisingly amazing.

[Rantz]

Today I learned that Pennsatucky does music too.

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