REVIEW: Why Orange Really is the New Black

By: Candice Crutchfield

Cast of "Orange is the New Black"

You will know an “Orange is the New Black” fan when you encounter one. This is not because of their wardrobe, their demeanor, their social class, or their ethnicity. It is simply a matter of the things that come out of their fan- crazed mouths. “Nice to meet you, what is your major? Oh, that’s my friend’s major! Do you watch “Orange is the New Black”? Oh… my… gosh, YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.” For a while the show was a conversation starter for many people, students especially.

When season one of The Netflix original series “Orange is the New Black” released in July of 2013, it did not take long for news to travel of its distinctive qualities. Season two also released in July 2014, nearly a year to the day, and fans were even more ecstatic. People are already talking about season three of the show that will also release the summer of 2015. The show’s summer debut is good for students because school work might have gotten in the way otherwise. People tend to binge watch the show.

These crazed fans can take some praise for the show’s explosion. It’s intriguing to hear people so enthusiastic over a show, especially if they are your close friends or family. It makes others want to know what all the enthusiasm is about. The fans cannot control the excitement that takes over their whole body while explaining why they like the show.

The show is based off of a novel called “Orange is the New Black” by Piper Kerman. The book was written to inform the general public of the United States’ prison systems. The show however, does this and then some. The “then some” part is what keeps the viewers on their toes. This show is engaging because it expresses real life problems in the U.S. prison systems, but it also tackles actual issues in society. The show takes place in a female prison and presents problems such as rape or sexual encounters between inmates and correctional officers, drug usage, starvation by the kitchen staff, and over-all dehumanization of the inmates. At one point, a transsexual woman is denied access to her dosage of estrogen pills that her doctor prescribed her prior to her imprisonment.

“Orange in the New Black”, introduces the characters in the jail and does not simply focus on Piper’s story, but the women of the prison as a whole. The characterization of the good and bad characters is what keeps the viewers intrigued. And somewhere along the way the fans realize that the good characters are not all good and the bad characters are not all bad. It is a simple realization but holds great impact.

One reason why the show holds such a large audience is because of the relationships between the characters within the show. Piper is a complex character who does not really know what she wants. She is technically imprisoned for smuggling drugs, but the true cause of her punishment is someone inside the prison. Her name is Alex, played by Laura Prepon from the TV series “That 70’s Show”. Piper and Alex are back-and-forth lesbian lovers who have a “love-hate” relationship. This relationship brings in a lot of, you guessed it, lesbians. And whether the males that sexually identify as straight like to admit it or not, they do watch the show or at least certain clips. Their relationship is also counter-balanced between Piper and Larry, her ex- fiancé. But the show focuses on other relationships such as an inmate and a correctional officer, who get it on in the supply office.

In season one Piper begins her prison journey. While in prison she meets many diverse people. She meets a nun who is there for protesting and vandalism.  She comes across a transsexual woman who is there for credit card fraud. One inmates has cancer and is sentenced a lifetime of prison for robbing several banks. Many tragedies happen, and the viewer is introduced to the good and bad sides of all the inmates. “Orange is the New Black” will make you laugh, blow steam out your ears, and shed a few tears.

In season two Piper’s journey continues. Viewers feel less sorrow for Piper as the show progresses. Piper is not a bad person, but the viewers realize that Piper is not in as terrible of a situation as some of the other inmates. Piper will get out of prison, unlike some of the other inmates. She is not sentenced for a lifetime or half of her life. She will get out in plenty of time to live her life and move on. And in the real life story she does; in fact, she writes a book that soon becomes the Netflix original series “Orange is the New Black”.