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Orange is the New Black Review: Good Things Don't Last

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Whether you make a good decision or a bad choice, it doesn't seem to matter, because everything comes back to bite you in the ass. On Orange is the New Black Season 1 Episode 11 the past is creeping up on everybody whether they want it to or not.

There were a lot of messed up feelings in my head on this one, and for the first time I found myself brought to tears -- more than once and with regard to completely different incidents. Maybe it's just the holidays. Nah.

Alex and Piper

The ladies decided to take charge of removing Tricia's items from her bunk area. It was all well and good that Figueroa held herself and the rest of the staff accountable for her death and really seemed to believe that they were responsible for the inmates in their care while they were on watch, but they too easily bought into the suicide and Tricia was cremated withing 24 hours of dying. 

There would be no investigation. Nobody would know she ODed and wonder how the drugs entered the prison. The reason the whole mess started would die with her. 

Red came upon the knowledge of Daya's pregnancy and decided to use it to her advantage to both help Daya and Bennett as well as try to take down Pornstache. If Daya could get Pornstache to screw her, she could then cry rape. As soon as a plan like that goes into play, they show the downside of it.

Pornstache is tall - which he likes to point out when he's talking about how hot he is - but he's extremely tiny and insecure. The more he opens his mouth, the more vulnerable he seems as a human being and the less I like him to be used any more than I like anyone to be set up for things they didn't do. 

He deserves to pay -- but he needs to pay for bringing in the drugs. Something will go wrong with the rape scenario, and it will backfire in their hopes to get things done right. It sucks that Daya and Bennett had sex and Bennett will go to prison, but he knew what he was doing. Just like Piper knew what she was doing and got sent down, so did Bennett. Why should he get a pass? Because he's a nice guy?

If anything, this show teaches us that being nice has nothing to do with it. It's all in whether or not you get caught.

It was brilliant seeing all of the other factions coming together to show their love and respect for what happened with Tricia by bringing gifts of food (and even some homemade hooch!). Everyone pretends they stand apart because of the color of their skin, but they're all in the same place, and it was really cool to see that meeting of kindred spirits.

I said while reviewing Orange is the New Black Season 1 Episode 10 that Crazy Eyes had become Suzanne, and she finally became that person for Piper, as well. Their conversation about the psych ward and how she's the only person who goes and comes back was really enlightening. Susanne even asked why everyone called her Crazy Eyes. 

Once Piper understood what she had done to Pennsatucky by sending her to psych, she made a report and got her released. She's learning right from wrong. It's a hard lesson, but she's learning.

We also found out the reason Alex likely named Piper. Piper broke up with Alex and on the day she was flying back to America, Alex's mother died and that didn't change her plans. To Alex that was the ultimate insult. She lost the woman she loved, her mother and her friend just when she needed them most. When the opportunity presented itself for payback, she must have taken it.

Piper thought all of her conversations with Larry were between them and personal, but since Healy lied about lesbian activities and Larry wouldn't answer the phone, everything went crazy between those two before the big radio interview which was heard by everyone.

Even though I can't stand Larry, I get that he was in pain. But going on air (or even putting in print) anything that they discussed that could put her life in jeopardy was completely irresponsible. Out of one side of his mouth he's saying that she sleeps with her eyes open because she thinks her bunkmate is a murderer as if he's concerned, but out of the other side he's saying it to be a radio star with delusions of grandeur. He's disgusting.

While some people found out nice things -- Red caring for people through her cooking, Janae being seen as the hopeful track star and Nicky the hot lesbian -- Miss Claudette discovering Piper thought she was a murderer and Suzanne, poor, newly befriended Suzanne hearing she was certifiably crazy were gut wrenching and so personal that I couldn't believe Piper wanted to try to fix anything with him.

At least she did, until she learned he lied to her about Alex naming her. Now both of her relationships are mucked up.


Editor Rating: 4.8 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.9 / 5.0 (9 Votes)


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