TV Review: Orange is the New Black Season 3
We here at the Szerlip household are big fans of Orange is the New Black. It's completely different then anything else we watch. But the show has struggled with making its main story arch compelling (I'm looking at you Piper). And I think Netflix and the producers of Orange is the New Black have finally started to hear the feedback. People love the show. Jenn and I love the show. But the shows lead characters are the least interesting parts of Orange is the New Black. And so after two seasons we started to see a shift. Much of Season 3 focused on the prisoners and the prison staff and less on Piper and her crazy mood swings.
My favorite portions of Orange is the New Black Season 3 had to be on Joe Caputo the prison ward. After the prison is set to be closed its purchased by a private company who keeps Caputo in the lead role but now having to deal with both a corporation running the budget and his staff thinking of unionizing. It makes for an interesting dynamic that not only has big ripples on the prison staff but also on the inmates.
There were some truly touching moments in this season. You had families come together and get broken apart. There was a scene with Sophia (played by the brilliant Laverne Cox) who is a transgender women and is ridiculed for her sexuality and beat up for it. The prisons stance and actions on what happened were both chilling and yet felt based on reality. Its one of the many social standards that the show constantly addresses and challenges. Another reason why we love the show so much. Keep challenging the status quo!
And yet Piper the lead in the show still plays a part. She starts a business within prison that does nothing for the show. And yet each episode for five minutes we get the Piper update. Oh well the good news is the rest of the hour long show is fantastic. There wasn't an episode that I ever was long or boring. Each was unique, interesting, and engaging. To me it felt like Orange is the New Black was starting to really hit its stride in Season 3 and I truly can't wait to see what's next for Netflix's amazing show.
