Orange is the New Black (2013) Season 1 Review

Some of the most compelling stories are those based on realistic events. By the time the rolling credits scroll down the screen, the audience is left with the "no way" reaction, "that really happened?" Believe it sister; it happens. It's rare for a series to leave its viewers dying with anticipation from the opening scene through its finished product in a pilot episode. This is the genius that Jenji Kohan brings. From Gilmore Girls, Weeds, and now, Orange is the New Black (2013), this Netflix original series is a looking glass behind closed doors in an all-women's prison in Upstate, New York.


Netflix-Orange is the New Black is an unconventional yet realistic, fun and witty dramedy based on Piper Kerman's memoir and her 15-month imprisonment in a woman's correctional facility. It's through Piper's experience that Kohan uses her creative flare for storytelling to create oppositions of conflict in freedom, confinement, men, women, love, hate, blame, responsibility, life, death, silence, solitude, authority, control, subordination, street smarts, book smarts, morals, immorality, faith, religion, along with blackmail and sexuality. These oppositions raise many questions about social ambiguity in juxtaposition with social issues, and the many ways in which American's marginalize a group of people and influence others into believing that being unconventional is morally unjust.

Orange is the New Black is cleverly genuine and witty and reports say that this 13-episode season has been renewed for a second before it aired on Netflix July 11, 2013. It appears the critics actually got one right considering it deals with heavy subject matter not suitable of children.

Orange is the New Black is unique in its character portrayals and with its aesthetic use of the camera as the story is told in a continuum of flashbacks. Behind each character there's an emotional turmoil of love and loss in the dynamic relationship sphere that defines or even twists a persons self-worth in a series of accidents of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Somehow these women are able to find a comradery in sisterhood that is cohesive for them to "find meaning in their days and how they take care of each other," is quite inspiring considering it's a conglomeration of diversity in a contrived community.

At its core, Kohan delivers a message that resonates with a diverse population and it is: "You are who are." It's the ideology of understanding each other, the process of getting along with one another regardless of differences, beliefs, and situations. When you need a little jolt of something to get you feeling just right, f*ck getting high. Stick a screw in an outlet to experiment with wattage. When electricity pulses your body, you wake up and realize prison is a place of endearment that opens an intruder's eyes to dysfunction in the real world. Is this realism or what? After all, in some strange way this is what makes the world go 'round.

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