TV: Orange is the New Black

[Sapphire]

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The series revolves around Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), an engaged woman living in New York City, who is sentenced to 15 months in a women's federal prison for transporting a suitcase full of drug money to her former girlfriend who is an international drug smuggler. The offense occurred ten years prior to the start of the series, and in that time Chapman had moved on to a quiet law-abiding life among New York's upper middle class.

Netflix hit another home run with this show. It's fucking hilarious (I'm 2.5 eps in). It's a shame that they don't advertise their original series at all!

A little bit off kilter like Weeds (same creator) but it definitely has it's own identity as an edgy and gripping prison comedy.

Uzo Aduba's (Crazy Eyes) amazing performance is what drove me to actually make this article, though. It's so volatile and gripping. She's lending credit to the notion that the best actors are seasoned in the theater. I'm fascinated by her!

[Animeniax]

I watched the first episode and didn't feel anything for any of the characters or the story, but was recommended to continue watching as the series gets better. Only time will tell if I see another episode.

[Alhuin]

I watched it, and it pissed me off so much. Donna's actress (cause that's how I will always know her as) should have been the lead, because at least she's hot and interesting. And you get to see her naked, which is a bonus. The actual lead is just a whiny, conceited, uninteresting character. I found myself actually hoping she got shanked, or left in solitary, or something. Seriously, the best part of the series are the side characters. Crazy eyes, like Sapph said, is great. Especially in later episodes. Red is the perfect example of an ex-mob member, but she also shows a great deal of care and concern for her girls. Donna's actress needs no other explanation. Basically, every other cast member makes the series watchable, except her. And Jason Biggs. I've never really liked him. He's only been good in, what... American Pie? Though when he makes references to that in the show, it was kinda cool.

Anyways, I was actually a little bummed how they ended it (in preparation for season 2) as I really just wanted to finish it to know what happens (I do that a lot). Supposedly the show is based on a book, but I'm not interested enough to read it.

[Sapphire]

The MC is indeed whiny, selfish and prissy, but I actually don't find it annoying. I mainly see her as someone who sees herself as a "good person" trying to live what she feels is a good life. However, the interesting part is that prison is slowly peeling back the layers of who she truly is (like she said to wheelchair girl), a person willing to punch the shit out of someone who pushes her to the limit; someone who can make tough choices to survive. Her preppy demeanor is slowly being peeled back to someone who shouldn't be fucked with, perhaps the scariest person in prison.

The other people in the prison have to use mad posturing to get their way, or use underhanded passive aggressive means to try to show their strength. They scream loudly, "Don't mess with me!" or starve people out, but that's really out of fear more than real toughness. The hick was just crazy and thought she had God on her side, so she doesn't count. However, the bravery that the MC shows during some scenes (when she's in the hole, during the last scene, etc.) doesn't come from fear, it comes from something completely different: rage.

This "righteous ownage" she slams out at times of stress is present in shounen and definitely in urban fantasies, and I really love that. Hopefully she develops into a truly awesome character, which is where I think the series is going. Nancy from Weeds was sort of nonchalant and tongue-in-cheek during the whole series and never really showed any growth.