Netflix Comedy Finds Humor In The Last Place You Expect

The best way to describe Orange is the New Black is as a coming-of-age story about low-level criminals trying to make it through their lengthy sentences. Though everybody depicted in the series is obviously old enough to be tried as adults, they’re all (hopefully) learning from their mistakes as they’re doing time in a setting that reminds me of my high school days, except for the fact that you’re not allowed to leave (because of all the crimes you committed). It’s an apt comparison to make, however, as the all women’s prison breaks up into various cliques and factions, forming different alliances and enemies throughout the series’ seven-season run.

Orange is the New Black focuses primarily on Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a 33-year-old who is serving a 15-month sentence for drug trafficking. Though Piper had walked away from a life of crime, and finds herself engaged to Larry Bloom (Jason Biggs), her past life catches up with her when her incarcerated girlfriend, Alex Vause (Laura Prepon) names her as a person of interest in a decade-old drug smuggling case. Reuniting with Alex inside the prison, Piper is forced to confront her past while trying to preserve her life on the outside.

While Piper may be the primary point of focus in Orange is the New Black’s early episodes, her struggles are made all the more apparent as prison life is explored through the series’ ever-expanding ensemble cast, and her relationship with each unique character, each boasting their own unique set of idiosyncrasies. Inmates like Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren (Uzo Aduba), Cynthia “Black Cindy” Hayes (Adrienne C. Moore), and Poussey Washington (Samira Wiley), add equal parts dramatic tension and comic relief through their various exploits as they interact in the mess hall, and during their various work assignments.

But what truly makes Orange is the New Black a worthy entry in the catalog of Netflix originals is the dynamic between the prisoners and their captors. The series’ entire fifth season takes place across three days, during a prison riot that shouldn’t be considered a laughing matter by any stretch of the imagination. While the prisoners make a list of completely justifiable demands for better living conditions, Black Cindy’s primary grievance is that inmates don’t have adequate access to Takis and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Through expertly placed flashback sequences, Orange is the New Black reveals bits and pieces of each prisoner’s personal life before they were incarcerated, showing not only how they got locked up, but using their past lives to paint a better picture of their current dispositions and mental states. I know it may sound like writing 101 when I say that not enough series implement the “show, don’t tell” method of storytelling, but this is one area where Orange is the New Black excels.

Any personal hangups that are only alluded to through surface conversations are further explored through these sequences, and humanize the inmates in a way that garners empathy from the viewing audience because they’re not all terrible people. In many cases, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and made misguided decisions that ultimately led to their sentencing.

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Orange is the New Black is a wild ride through the minimum-security prison system that is as unsettling as it is hilarious. Most prison dramas that I’ve seen focus on heavy topics almost exclusively, but OITNB pulls the curtain back to show you that during the quiet moments, unbreakable bonds are formed, and small acts of kindness have a place as well. Sometimes, sharing a cup of pudding from B-Block is all you need to get through the day.

You can stream Orange is the New Black in its entirety on Netflix, and it’s the next series that you should binge-watch.