OK, it's time to check back in with the ladies of Litchfield Penitentiary! 👮 For those not in the know, Orange is the New Black paved the way for bankable Netflix Exclusive shows. Based on Piper Kerman's darkly humorous memoir, it follows a White woman unexpectedly plucked from her suburban life of privilege and thrown into a federal prison when her sordid past catches up with her.
Still trying to bounce back from the painfully dull third season (aka the "Lorna Cult" season), the previous season upped the ante with a fresh crop of prison guards, many of whom engage in cruel & unusual practices like needlessly invasive body searches, sexual assault, and human cockfights. Faced with unjust treatment, Piper the Social Activist laments that the prisoners are so complacement and unlike their male counterparts, "female prisoners don't riot."
Silly Piper! Following the death of OITNB's most positive character and the warden's blatant lies to the Press about the incident, all Hell breaks loose. 🔥🔥 Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the Black inmates band all of the prisoners together around their fallen sister as they decide to punish their common enemy, culminating in an explosive standoff with two guards at gunpoint.
Season 5 takes place over the course of only a few days after the women have overtaken the prison. Stripped of all weapons and clothing, the guards are taken hostage and forced into humiliating (but hilarious) situations, including an American Idol-type talent show.
As the deceased's best friend, Taystee steps up and uses her communication skills as Caputo's office assistant to negotiate with the prison's corporate representatives. Even though Taystee's main concern is justice for her friend and having the guilty officer arrested, they want their voices heard too as they vote on a collective list of demands, some of which are moronic in comparison (e.g. stocking Flaming Hot Cheetos in the vending machine).
With the show's new direction, it appears that the producers have noticed the general audience consensus that Piper is no longer the most likable character. Given her ruthless turns in seasons 3 and 4, she's actually kind of a dick. Thankfully, this season highlights the extremely talented slew of supporting characters and even introduces the awesomely unexpected alliance between boss bitches Flores and Red.
Of course, my favorite characters are the fabulous cholas, Flaca and Maritza,
probably because their relationship closely mirrors the one my GBF Paul and I share. Through all of the chaos, the two women stay positive, make the best of a bad situation, and even become YouTube stars with their prison makeup tutorials. 💄
I appreciate how layered this season is, exploring the different factors that would cause women to riot and how inmates from different factions would clash or come together in such a circumstance. Unfortunately, 99% of the characters don't realize how important and devastating the decision to overrun the prison, not listening to the more seasoned prisoners' warnings that "Riots never end well." As you'd expect, once the emotional rollercoaster is over, the final outcome is definitely not sunshine and rainbows. Be prepared: it's emotionally poignant but unlike S3, it definitely worth the watch!
