Ray and I have been slowly working our way through Orange is the New Black. I have to say that this is the best show I’ve seen on television that describes with stark clarity what prison life is like for women. There are the good cops, the corrupt ones, along with the ones that are decent, but have some particular prejudice that clouds their judgment. And the inmates are of all shapes, sizes and stories, which vary from having committed one major infraction to those whose continued drug use or drug selling landed them in the big house. The women shift from stereotypes to multi-faceted people as their personal stories are told, and prison life, which can be clearly stressful, is shown to also contain its share of sweet and poignant moments.
The transformation of the main character, Piper Chapman, from wide-eyed innocent to a tough and more in-touch woman is one of the most striking aspects of the show. She grapples with her love for her fiancé as well as her feelings for her former partner in crime and fellow inmate. She also has to deal with her place in the prison culture and how to fit into a world that has its own rules and its own mores.
Ray and I are currently 3 shows from the end of the second season, so we will soon be caught up. Then we will get excited about seeing what happens in this upcoming season.
I would say so far that this hard-hitting prison drama, which shows a lot of the ugliness of prison life counterbalanced with some of the best aspects of humanity, is well worth watching. The need for better supervision of prison guards will definitely come to mind after seeing this series. Still, don’t miss out. This is some hard-hitting and thought-provoking television. I am very happy to have the chance to see such fine work on the small screen.
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