My apologies for my absence. I have been working...OH AND WATCHING THIS FANTASTIC TV SHOW. As many people know Netflix has been putting out their own original tv series recently. They've released Hemlock Grove and House of Cards, neither of which I bothered watching (although I have heard amazing things about House of Cards). Earlier this week my sister casually mentioned this tv series on Netflix that her and Sketch watch. "You should check it out." We like the same tv so I thought I'd give it a try but wasn't expecting anything special. Shit, was I wrong.
The show follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) as the typical white, suburbanite, vegan, WASP woman who gets throw in prison for a crime committed 10 years prior, while following her drug importing girlfriend (Laura Prepon) around the world. She's now leaving behind her "perfect" life with her cookie cutter fiance, Larry Bloom (Jason Biggs) and budding new business. She approaches her stay in prison with naivety and awkwardness. When asked why she is in prison, her response is "aren't you not supposed to ask that? I read you shouldn't ask that." Her fellow inmates laugh at her studying for prison. Her nightmare is only intensified when she discovers the ex-girlfriend (who she blames for everything) is being held in the same facility.
Ok, that's all I'm giving you in the way of synopsis. It's best this way, trust me. But WARNING folks, this show has racism, heavy cussing, female nudity, semi graphic girl on girl sex scenes, and violence. If any of that makes you uncomfortable...your loss.
Here's why it's so damn good.
It would have been easy for the writers and creator (Jenji Kohan, creator of Weeds) to solely focus on Piper's point of view throughout this whole series but she is merely the launching point for the story-telling. Following only her perspective would provide a mediocre show that would probably fizzle out. Through Chapman (everyone goes by last names in Litchfield) we meet a slew of characters and slowly learn each backstory for them. Orange uses flashbacks to reveal how each character ended up in prison. The flashbacks are used beautifully and you seamlessly slip between past and present. While watching these women make their mistakes, I sat and wondered would I make the same choices? The same mistakes? Would I too, end up behind bars if I was greeted with their circumstances? Hard to say.
Orange could easily become one of those shows that preaches to you about issues or teaches life lessons, almost talking down to it's audience. But it doesn't. Intense topics are in the show: the power abuse of guards over inmates, sexuality, racism, recidivism, abuse of inmates, addiction, and several other issues. The show never tells you how to feel about these hardships, it simply shows them to you. It lets you come to your own conclusions, never once pushing you to feel any particular way.
Schilling is fantastic as Chapman. Each time I thought I had her figured out a new curve was thrown and Schilling delivered it. There are moments where I was rooting for Chapman with everything I had and then mere seconds later I was disgusted by her. I haven't seen a television character this narcissistic in a long time, maybe ever. Chapman has shining moments of self discovery and humanity then quickly turns to manipulation and selfishness. Her character feels so real, so flawed. She delivers a particularly wondrous monologue later in the season to a juvenile inmate on a tour that made my hair stand on end and gave me chills.
In a cast full of amazing female performances Biggs stands tall. I was unsure of how Larry would continue to be integrated into the show. He visits Piper in prison and they share numerous phone calls. The audience also follows his life while he tries to cope with the absence of Piper. His downward spiral into loathsome is intriguing and horrific. Biggs pulls it off.
Remember Donna from That 70's Show? She's back, y'all. Prepon was born to play drug importing Alex Vause. She was a pleasant surprise because I'd only ever really seen her as Donna. And let's be honest there wasn't a lot going on there but when given real material to work with, Prepon shines. I was ready to hate her, I mean she's the reason Piper got in trouble but I fell in love with Alex. Prepon plays her with such truth. She's 80% badass and 20% emotional mess. As each layer of her character was revealed I liked her even more. And damn do her and Schilling have crazy chemistry. I was impressed by Biggs and Schilling, thinking to myself "damn they have great chemistry, no one will be able to top that!" BOOM, enter Prepon. There's a scene between Chapman and Vause where Vause is locked in a dryer and they are just talking but it's shockingly intense and wonderful.
There is a mess of amazing supporting inmates and guards (most of the guards are gross human beings). Kate Mulgrew (apparently she's a Trekkie) plays hardass Red, the Russian head cook or Queen Been if you will. Natasha Lyonne (American Pie anyone?) is Nicky Nichols, the disgusting and hilarious drug addict. Tayrn Manning (the pregnant chick that fell down the stairs in Crossroads) as hick, meth head, religious nut Pennsatucky will make you cringe. Basically unknown Michelle Brooks as Taystee is hilarious and her friendship with Poussey Washington (Samira Wiley) will warm your heart. There are many other amazing actresses and actors that just light up the screen.
While there is plenty of comedy in this show, it is an intense ride. The show builds and builds the relationships between it's characters and then waits until the final episode to let it boil over. You'll finish the season with your mouth hanging open and wondering how you'll survive until the release of season two.
Orange is the New Black is about humanity, truth, relationships, love, friendship, forgiveness, mistakes, comfort, power, survival.
I don't know what more I can say to convince you...GO WATCH THIS FREAKING SHOW.
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