Why People Keep Watching Orange Is The New Black Anyway
I've been recommending this show to people for years, mostly because they ask me what to binge when they have a weekend free. It's a Netflix original series that ran for seven seasons, based on Piper Kerman's memoir. The story follows Piper Chapman, a woman who gets sent to a federal prison after being convicted of a money-laundering charge connected to her ex-girlfriend's drug smuggling operation. The show debuted in 2013 and finished in 2019. The thing nobody tells you about this show is that it starts as a prison comedy and gradually becomes something much heavier. Season one sets up the characters with a lot of humor and charm. By season four, you're watching people deal with things that aren't funny anymore. The shift is so gradual that most viewers don't notice it happening until they're already invested.
Orange Is The New Black Is Not Just a Prison Show
It's easy to slap the "prison drama" label on it and move on, but that misses what actually makes it work. The show spends most of its time outside the prison walls through flashbacks and by exploring what happens to the characters after release. There are entire episodes set in the 1970s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s that explain why certain characters make the choices they do later in the storyline. Most people watch it for the ensemble cast. Uzo Aduba as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, Laura Prepon as Alex Vause, Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman, Danielle Brooks as Tasha "Taystey" Jefferson, and Natasha Lyonne as Nadia All these performances are genuinely strong. The supporting cast matters just as much. The show has done things with its characters that most series would consider too risky. I've seen people get stuck after the first season and never finish. That's a real problem because the payoff comes later. Season two deepens the relationships between characters. Season three introduces a major arc about immigration and family separation that hits different now than it did when it first aired. Season four is where the show completely changes tone and starts dealing with things like sexual violence and institutional neglect. Some viewers drop it there. I think they miss out on the best writing the show ever produced.
There's also a lot of dark humor throughout. The show can handle serious subject matter without becoming unbearable, which is a tightrope walk most dramas fail at. Characters die, people suffer real consequences, and then the next scene will have someone making a joke about cafeteria food. It's weirdly effective. If you're looking for where to watch it, it's a Netflix exclusive. You need a subscription. There's no way around that unless you know someone who already has an account. The show is available in multiple languages with subtitles and dubbing options. I'd recommend watching it in English with subtitles anyway because the acting is worth hearing clearly. One thing to be aware of: the show does contain mature content. Sexual assault, drug use, violence, and strong language appear regularly. If that's a dealbreaker for you, skip it. There's no point pretending it's a light watch.
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